channel Far and wide in front extends the
level plain, its horizon bare, its lines of surrounding hills bare, all bare far away on the road to Palmyra and Bagdad. In the midst of this plain lies at your feet the vast lake or island of deep verdure, walnuts and apricots waving above, com and grass below ; and in the midst of this mass of foliage rises, striking out its white arms of streets hither and thither, and its white minarets above the trees which embosonn them, the city of Damascus. On the right towers the snowy height of Hermon, overlooking the whole scene. Close beUnd are the sterile limestone mountains — so that yon stand literally between the living and the dead" (Stanley, PaUtHme^ p. 402). Another writer mentions among the produce of the plain in question " walnuts, pomegranates, figs, plums, apricots, citrons, pears, and apples" (Addison's Dam. and Pakufra, ii, 92). Olive- trees are also a principal feature of the scene. Be- sides the mafai stream of the Barada, which runs di- rectly through the town, supplying its public dstems, baths, and fountains, a number of branches are given off to the right and to the left, which iirigate the meadows and corn-fields, turning what would other- wise be a desert into a garden. These various streams, although greatiy weakened in volume, flow on towards the east for about twenty miles, when they pour their waters into two small and shallow lakes, which lie upon the verge of the deseit. Two other streams, tiM
DAMASCUS
648
DAMASCUS
Map of the Vicinity of Damucus.
W&dj Helbon npon the north, and the Awaj upon the Boath, which flows direct from Hermon, increase the fertility of the Damascene plain, and contend for the honor of representing the "Pharpar" (q. v.) of Scrip- ture. The cit7 stands on the banks of the main stream, abont two miles distant from, and 500 feet be- low the pass through which it emerges into the plain. The modem Oriental architecture does not bear close inspection, but when seen from a distance it is singular- ly imposing. Tapering minarets and swelling domes, tipped with golden crescents, rise up in every directioB from the confused mass of white terraced roofs, while in some places their tops gleam like diamonds amid the deep green foliage. In the centre of the dty stands the great mosque, and near it the massive tow- ers of the castle.
2. iTiftory.— According to Josephns (Ant. i, 6) Da^ mascus was founded by Uz, the son of Aram, and grandson of Shem. It is first mentioned in Scripture in connection with Abraham, whose steward was a na^ tive of the place (Gkn. xv, 2). We may gather from the name of this person, as well as firom the state- ment of Josephus, which connects the city with the Aramnans, that it was a Shemitic settlement. Ac- cording to a tradition preserved in the native writer Nicolaas, Abraham staid for some time at Damascus after leaving Charran and before entering the prom- ised land, and during his stay was king of the place. ** Abraham's name was," he says, ''even in his own day, familiar in the mou^s of the Damascenes, and a village was shown where he dwelt, which was called after him' ' {Fragm, 30). This last circumstance would seem, however, to conflict with the notion of Abraham having been king, since in that case he would have dwelt in the capital. In the village of Buaeh, three miles north of the city, is a highly venerated shrine, called for the last eight centuries " the house of Abra- ham." (On these fables, see Julian, Epitt, 24, p. 892 ; Cellarii NatituB, ii, 442 sq. ; Mannert, VI, i, 407 sq. ; Justin, xxxvi, 2 ; Isidorus, Origg, xv, 1 ; D'Herbelot, Biblioth. Or. i, 70.) See Abraham.
Nothing more is known of Damascus until the time of David, when " the Syrians of Damascus came to succor Hadadezer, king of Zobah," with whom David was at war (2 Sam. viii, 6; 1 Chron. xviii, 5). On thto occasion David *' slew of the Syrians 22,000 men," M in consequence of this victory became completely
master of the whole territory, which he with Israelites. " David put garrisons in Syria d Damascus ; and the Syrians became servants ts D»> vid, and brought gifts" (2 Sam. viii, 6). Nk»U&rf Damascus said that the name of the kin^ who fo^ at this time was Hadad ; and he ascribes to hnn t^ minion not only over Damascus, but "over all Syn except Phcenicia' ' (^Fragm. 31). He noticed bis eOtd upon David, and related that many battles were fec^b between them, the last, wherein be suflfered deftst, be- ing *' upon the EtiphrtUei," According to thii vrikff- Hadad the first was succeeded by a eon, who took tb same name, as did his descendants for ten generaS»Bi But this is irreconcilable with Scripttuxe (see Mfifis. Origo regni Damasc, Lips. 1714; also in Ikenfi-T^ saur, i, 721 sq.). It appears that in the reign of Sal- omon a certain Rezon, who had been a subject of & dadezer, king of Zobah, and had escaped when Ihvi conquered Zobah, made himself master of Daai»- cus, and establbhed his own rule there (1 Kmp ^ 28-6). He was "an adversary to Israel all the <i»v? of Solomon . . . and he abhorred Israel, and reigBed over Syria" (Joseph. Ant. viii, 7, 6). Aftenranls tie family of Hadad appears to have recovered the dtfoee, and a Benhadad, who is probably Hadad IH of Kk«- laQs, a grandson of the antagonist of David, o fi^ in league with Baasha, king of Israel, againet Aa (1 Kings XV, 19; 2 Chron. xvi, 8), and aftenwrds a league with Asa against Baasha (1 Kings xv, 90). He made a successful invasion of the Israelitifh terriwj in the reign of that king ; and in the reign of Ooii be not only captured a number of Isnelitish chio, v&icb he added to his own dominions, but even seemf toban exercised a species of lordship over Samaria itseU ii which he acquired the right of ^'makiog bin*^ streets" (1 Kings xx, 84; comp. Nic D. Fragm.fSL,t^ fin.). He was succeeded by his son, Hadad IT {\^ Benhadad II of Scripture, and the Ben4dri of tb« i^ Syrian inscriptions), who came at the bead of thbtr two subject kings agtfnst Ahab, and laid siege to Si- maria (1 Kings xx, 1). The attack was nnsncM^s^ and was followed by wars, in which victory decUfv' itself unmistakably on the side of the Isradites; td at last Benhadad was taken prisoner, and fbn^ v submit to a treaty whereby he gave up all that fas ^ ther had gained, and submitted in his turn to the f** zerainty of Ahab Qh. xx, ia-84). The Unudtit