It appears from various parts of Scripture that Pal- estine and the adjoining regions were much infested by persons who lived by violence, and took refuge in the many large caves and mountain fastnesses which the country afforded them. In the civil wars which arose out of the usurpation of Abimelech, we find that the men of Shechem adopted the Canaauitish, or, as we should call it in modern times, the Oriental custom of employing " liers in wait." The sacred historian re- lates, " The men of Shechem set liers in wait for him in the top of the mountains, and they robbed all that came along that w-ay by them : and it was told Abime- lech" (Judg. ix, 25). The chapter from which we have quoted then jiroceeds to describe how Abimelech, by planting an ambush of "liers in wait," succeeded in surprising the city of Shechem, which he levelled to
WAIT, LYING IN
851
WAITE
the ground. See Ajibush. During the Roman sway, the unsettled state of affairs, the frequent wars, and in- testine divisions were very favorable to such banditti, who continued to increase, so that at last the roail to Jericho from Jerusalem was so overrun by them that it was called "the bloody way." In the time of Antig- onus, Herod, son of Antipater, was obliged to have re- course to the Roman soldiers to extirpate them. The robbers lived with their families in caves, on the steep faces of the mountain precipices, guarded with sharp rocks, and apparently inaccessible to invaders. Herod caused large wooden chests to be made, and lot down by an iron chain from an engine on the top of the mountains, till they came on a level with the mouth of each cave. Tbe chests contained soldiers, well armed, and provided with long hooks. They slew with tiieir darts and spears as many of the robbers as they could reach at the entrance of the caves, and pulled out others with their hooks, and cast them down headlong; and tliey set tire to the bushes, etc., about the caves, and smothered many more; so by these means the moun- tain robbers were extirpated (.Josephus, Ant. xxiv, 15). Dr. Thomson well describes such scenes (Land and Book, i, 487):
"The Ar;i1> robber lurks like a wolf among these sand- heaps, and often sprinurs out suddenly upon the solitary traveller, robs him in a trice, and then pUinges aiinin into the wilderness of sand-hills and reedy downs, where pur- suit is fruitless. Our friends are careful not to allow us to straggle about or lag behind, and yet it seems absurd to fear a surprise here— Khaifa before. Acre in the rear, and travellers in sight on both sides. Rubberies, how- ever, do often occur, just where we now are. Strange couuliy ! and it has always l)eeu so. There are a hundred allusions to just such things in the history, the Psalms, and the prophets of Israel. A whole class of imagery is based upon them. Thus, in Psa. x, S-10: 'He sits in the lurkiiitr-places of the villa^'es, in the secret places doth he murder the innocent. He lieth in wait secretly as a lion in his den; he lieth in wait to catch the jjoor; he doth catch the poor when he draweth him into his net; he croucheth and humbleth himself, that the poor may fall by his strons^ ones.' And a thousand rascals, the liv- ins; ()ri<rinals of this picture, are this day crouching and lyiuiT in wait all over the country to catch poor helpless travellers. You observe tliat all these people we meet or pass are armed ; nor would they venture to go from Acre to Khaifa without their musket, althout;h the cannon of the castles seem to command every foot of the way. Strauiie, most strange laud ! but it tallies most wonder- fully with its ancient etory."
In modern times, the Kurds are the most distin- guished atiiong .-Vsiatic nations for their inordinate aiul determined spirit of plunder, ami they faithfijilly jire- serve all the habits which the Old Test, ascribes to tbe "Hers in wait" of ancient times. A writer in the Sut- iirday Magazine thus describes them:
"With them plundering is a natural occupation: and every iiidjappy stranger whom chance or curiosity throws
Robbeife Cave.
Km dish Lieis in Wait.
in their way they regard as their lawful prey. Should the mifortiiiKite beini; happen to be poor and raK>,'ed, lie is severely beaten for not having brought suflicient prop- erty to make him worth robbing. They are not only dar- ing robbers, but skilful thieves ; and their boldness is solely equalled by their address. Sir John Malcolm, on his mission to the court of Persia, in 1810, had scarcely set his fool in their territory when he was attacked, in spite of his imposingr appearance and his numerous at- tendants. Captain Keppel was closely watched for sev- eral miles, and narrowly escaped a similar visitation. Mr. IJiickinajliam was less fortunate; a contribution of 2500 piastres (about $125) was levied on the caravan by which he journeyed, before it was allowed to pro- ceed."
These marauders not only beset mountain passes and defiles, but frequently come into tlie neighborhood of cities for the purpose of kidnapping the unprotected and driving them off to be sold as slaves, or murdering and robbing those whom they suspect of carrying wealth about their persons. The Kurds usually place them- selves in ambush near a well, in order to gain posses- sion of the persons of yotnig women who come to draw water; or near the groves planted roimd ponds, which are sometimes found in the vicinity of Oriental cities, and are favorite haunts of the merchants who come to enjoy the refreshment of pure air, coolness, and shade. See RoiiBEiL