IX. Political and Historical Geography. — It now only remains to give a brief sketch of the political divisions of Palestine under the rule of the tribes and nations which have in succession occupied it. These divisions are sometimes minutely described, frequently directly mentioned, and more frequently incidentally alluded to, by the sacred writers. It is mainly with the view of illustrating these Scripture references that the present sketch is given. All that is aimed at, however, is a brief general and connected view. Nothing more is needed in this place, for all the ancient tribes and more important provinces and districts are fully treated of in separate articles.
1. The Patriarchal Period. — This period extends from the earliest ages to the conquest of Palestine by the Israelites. The first notices we have of the land are contained in the 10th chapter of Genesis, where the sacred writer describes the country colonized by Canaan, the grandson of Noah. From this patriarch Palestine got its first name — a name which clings to it still. In that most remarkable chapter the borders of the Ca- naanitish territory are defined. They extended from Sidon on the north along the coast to Gaza on the south. Thence the border ran eastward, apparently in the line of Wady Gerar, to the plain of Sodom, now the southern section of the Dead Sea. Thence it was drawn to Lasha (q. v.), the site of which is not known, but it probably stood at the north-eastern end of the Dead Sea. It would seem that ancient Canaan corresponded almost exactly with Western Palestine.
The families and tribes which sprung from Canaan are mentioned; and it appears from their subsequent history, as given in the Pentateuch, that each of them settled down permanently in a territory of its own. See Canaajjitk. The boundaries of these territories are not given, but the locality of each is indicated either bj' direct statement or indirect allusion. Sidon was the first-born of Canaan, and he colonized Phcenicia on the coast. His capital, to which he gave his name, was outside the boundary of Palestine, but a section of his territory, wliich extended as far south as Carmel, was included in the land. The llittites were a powerfid tribe, who settled among the mountains in the south, with Hebron apparently for their capital (Gen. xv, 20 ; xxiii, 16). The Jtbusiles had their stronghold on Zion ; and they held it and the surrounding territory down to the time of David G^osh. xv, 63; 2 Sam. v, 6). The
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Map of Palestine iu the Patriarchal Period.
Amorites, probably the most powerful of all the Canaan- itish tribes, were widelj' spread (Josh, xxiv, 18). They had settlements in the mountains of Judah (Gen. xiv, 7, 13 ; Numb, xiii, 29), but their main possessions were on the east of the Jordan, where they occupied the whole country from Anion on the south to Hermoa (Numb, xxi, 13, 26; xxxii, 33; Deut. iii, 8). The Girgashiles appear to have been located among the mountains of Cen- tral Palestine, but there is no description of their exact territory in the Bible, and tlie theories of geographers are not satisfactory. Tiie Ilivites founded Shechcm, in Central Palestine ; Gibeon, Beeroth, Cliephirah, and Kirjath-jearim, farther south ; and a little iirincipality imder Hermon, on the northern border (Gen. xxxiv, 2; Josh, ix, 3, 7; xi, 3, 19; 2 Sam. xxiv, 7). Canaan's other sons settled beyond the bounds of Palestine ; the Arkites and Sinites in Lebanon; tlie Arvadites in an island off the coast of Phoenicia ; and the Hamathites in Mamath.
But besides the Canaanitish tribes there are traces of other races— or perhaps another race— of aborigines in Palestine. The Rephaim are frequently mentioned. ■We find traces of them in widely different parts of the country. They gave their name to a little ui)land plain beside Jerusalem (Josh, xv, 8), and to a section of Mount Ephraim (xvii, 15). Bashan seems to have been occu- pied by them long previous to its conquest by the Am- orites ((ien. xiv, 5; Deut. iii, 11). At the same remote period the Ziizim dwelt in Gilead, and the Emim held the plateau of Jloab, These are all spoken of as men of huge stature, and they appear to have been different sections of one great family. Of their history we know nothing except a few isolated facts ; but it is remarkable Vll.-O o
that traditions of these giants cling to various localities in Palestine. Their marvellous exploits are recorded, their tombs of huge dimensions are pointed out, and the colossal houses they built and occupied are still shown in the ancient cities of Bashan. The race either died out or was extirpated in Bashan by the warlike hordes of Amorites. The Moabites and Ammonites conquered the giant tribes south of Bashan, and long occupied their territory; and the ruins of Kabbath-Ammon and Kab- bath-Moab still remain as memorials of their rule ( Deut. ii, 20, 21), On the south-west of Palestine, along the coast of the Mediterranean, the Avim, another primaeval tribe of giants, had their abode ; but they were conquer- ed by the Caphtorim, or Philistines ; and the giant war- riors Goliath, Sippai, and Lahmi were probably among the last of the race (1 Sam. xvii, 4: 2 Sam. xxi, 16-20; 1 Chron. xx, 4-8). The A malekites were nomads, who roamed over the scant}' pastures of the southern desert, scarcely crossing the border of Palestine.