TRIBE
547
TRIBUTE
ginning nt a place called S:irid, which is nowhere else ineutioiied in Scriptnre, but, which is here described as situated eiistwiud from tlie Medilerriiuean, with high countrv intervening, one or two stations distant from the river before Jokneain (doubtless the Kishou), also as sit- uated west of Chisloth-tabor, and beyond (i. e. south of) Daberath and Japhia, and tiiiaily on tlie southern boun- dary (for the northern line is subsequently described) ; all wliich details point to some spot about midway on the iiorlheni side of the plain of Esdiaelon (probably the ru- ins on the " Mount of Precipitation," near el-Mezraah, ou tlie north-west); thence westward ("towards the sea"'), ))assini; Maralah (perhajis at Mujeidil) and Dabl)asheth (perhaps the present Jebata), to tlie Kishon opposite Jok- neain (probably Tell el-Kiinion) ; then returning toSarid, and passing northerlyin the general diieclion of Chisloih- tabor (Iksail) and Daberath (Deln'irieh) (leaviiiL' these in Issachar), so as on the way to include Japhia (Yafa) (sit- uated on higher ground) ; thence (northward) facing the east to Gittah-hepher (or Gath-hepher, 2 Kings xiv, 25) (at el-Meshad) (included within Zebuluii) and Iitah-kaziu (perhaps the modern Kefr Kenna); finally (as regards the southern line) extending (due north) in the direction i){ Uiiiimun that 2>''rt'i>»s to Scah (" Kinimon-methoar to Neah") (the former answering doubtless to Ru'maneh and the latter possibly to Niinrin, the names apparently being associated as adjacent) (and excliidiiig both these, as will appear presently), so as to meet the line of Naphtali in Aznoth-taiior (apparently Kuril Haltiu) (Josh, xix, 34). After this the description applies to the northern bounda- ry (for the expression "conipasseth it [Riiiimon] on the north side" cannot mean that the southern border passed to the north of Rimmon, as this place belonged to Zebu- Inn [1 Chron. vi, T7, which likewise includes Tabor, i.e. apparently Hattin, in the same trii)e]), which does not a|)pear to have extended ti> the Sea of Galilee (since the northern border of Issachar terminated at the Jordan [Josh, xix, 22], and the border of Naphrali, as it included various towns on the southern end of the shore [ver. 35; Jlatt. iv, 13], as well as Aznoth-taboi- [Josh, xix, 34], must have passed up to this last point not far from the Wady Besum), turning (with a n<irth-weslerly sweep) so as to exclude (ibid.) Hiikkok (Yakuk), and, passing (ap- parently west) along Wady Selanieh, so as to include Han- nethou ())erhaps Deir Hannah), and running (south-west) to the valley of Jiphthah-el (probably marked by the mod- ern Jefat), where it met the border of Asher (ver. 27).
In the euumeiation of the border and interior towns of this tribe (Josh, xix, 10-15), twelve metropolitau cities only are counted, six others (Maralah, Jokneam, Chisloth- tabor, Daberath, Ittah-kazin, and Jiphthah-el) being sit- uated outside the boundary line.
12. Asher. — The description of the boundary (Josh, xix, 24-30) begins with a general statement of several towns — Helkath (perhaps Ukreth ), Hall (perhaps Alia), Beten (perhaps el-Baneh), Achshaph (probably Kesaf), Alam- melech (probably some place ou the Wady el-Melek), Amad (perhaps Shefu-amar), aud Mishal (probably Mis- salli) — as lying near the bonier, which, cros.sing Carmel, reached to Shihor-libnath (perhaps Wady Milheh), just iibiive Dor (see xvii, 11), leaving in Naphtali the city of Heleph (probably Beitlif); then returning eastward the same line, jiassing Beth-dagon (probably Hajeb) and the city of Zebnliin (now Alidin) as far as Jiphthah-el, pur- sued this last valley northward past Beih-einek and Keiel, leaving Cabul (Kabul) on the north, and, including several cities generally described (Hebron [i. e. Abdoii], Rehob, Hamnioii, aud Kanah), ran east of north (doubt- less so as tt> strike the Litany), and then was continued as the northern boundary about opposite Sidon, where (without including the Piioeniciau sea-coast) it turned south-westerly (as the western border) past Tyre as far as Achzib (Zib).
In the recapitulation of the cities of this tribe (Josh, xix, 25-3(1), twenty-two metropolitan towns only are reck- (uied, three others (Jiphthah-el, Sidon, and Tyre) being outside the border, and two other names (Carmel and Shihor-libnath) not being towns.
13. Xaphtali was bounded by Issachar, Zebuluu, and Asher on tlie smith and west, aud extended as far as IMouiit Ileimon on the north, and eastward by the sea of Galilee, the Jordan, sea of Merom, and the Damascus road, extending to Judah-Hi)on-Jordan (Tell Naby Sidi- huda), and including Beth-shemesh (Mediel es-Sheiins) (Josh, xix, 22). The northerly limits of this tribe are stated in the general boundaries of Palestine (q. v.), laid down in Numb, xxxiv, T-U, as follows: A line from the Mediterranean Sea crossing the mountain-range (Lebanon, or its offshoot Herinon), and inteivecting the "entrance lo llamath" (Coele-Syria or the valley of the Leontes) ap- parently atZedad (perhaps th8i)resent Jedeideh) ; thence to Ziphion (probably another place in the same valley [possibly Kankaha]), and so by way of Hazar-enan (per- haps Hiisljfiya) to the edge of the llauran. From Hazar- enan, iheTiorthern boundary bent southward (so as to form in part the eastern boiandai'y), so as to follow sub- stantially the eastern arm of the upper Jordan, taking in successively Shepham (perhaps (^iesaiea-Philippi ; com)). Baal-gad in Josh, xi, IT) aud Riblah (not the liiblah of Hainaih, but u much more southerly place), east of Aiu
(perhaps the spring of Tell el-Kady), and so on down to the sea of Galilee. The account in E/.ek. xlvii, 14-17 (which is evidently a copy of that in Numbeis) contains the following additional names: Hethlon, Berothali, Sib- raiin, and Hazar-hatticmi, which (at least the middle two), from their association with Hamatli, appear (in this vague enumeration) to have been situated beyond the bounds of tlie Oriental I'roinised Land altogether.