Palestine, being a mountainous country, had also many rocks, which
formed a part of the country’s defence; for in time of danger the people
retired to them, and found a refuge against any sudden irruption of the
enemy. The Benjamites took shelter in the rock Rimmon, Judges xx, 47.
Samson kept garrison in the rock of Etham, Judges xv, 8. David found
shelter in the rocks of Maon, Engedi, &c, 1 Sam. xxii, 1; xxiii, 25, 28;
xxiv, 2–5. Jerom says that the southern parts of Judea were full of
caves under ground, and of caverns in the mountains, to which the people
retired in time of danger. The Kenites dwelt in the hollow places of the
rocks, Num. xxiv, 21. Even at this day the villages of this country are
subterraneous, or in the rocks. Josephus in several places speaks of
hollow rocks, where thieves and robbers had their haunts; and travellers
still find a great number of them in Palestine, and in the adjoining
provinces. Toward Lebanon, the mountains are high, but covered in many
places with as much earth as fits them for cultivation. Among the crags
of the rocks, the beautiful and far-famed cedar waves its lofty top, and
extends its powerful arms, surrounded by the fir and the oak, the fig
and the vine. On the road to Jerusalem, the mountains are not so lofty
nor so rugged, but become fitter for tillage. They rise again to the
south-east of Mount Carmel; are covered with woods, and afford very
picturesque views; but advancing toward Judea, they lose their verdure,
the valleys become narrow, dry, and stony, and terminate at the Dead Sea
in a pile of desolate rocks, precipices, and caverns. These vast
excavations, some of which will contain fifteen hundred men, are the
grottoes of Engedi, which have been a refuge to the oppressed or the
discontented in all ages. Westward of Jordan and the lake Asphaltites,
another chain of rocks, still loftier and more rugged, presents a yet
more gloomy aspect, and announces the distant entrance of the desert,
and the termination of the habitable regions.
The name of rock is also given to God, by way of metaphor, because God
is the strength, the refuge, and defence of Israel, as those places were
to the people who resided among them, Psalm xviii, 2, 31; xxxi, 2, 3;
Deut. xxxii, 15, 18, 30, 31; Psalm lxi, 2, &c.
formed a part of the country’s defence; for in time of danger the people
retired to them, and found a refuge against any sudden irruption of the
enemy. The Benjamites took shelter in the rock Rimmon, Judges xx, 47.
Samson kept garrison in the rock of Etham, Judges xv, 8. David found
shelter in the rocks of Maon, Engedi, &c, 1 Sam. xxii, 1; xxiii, 25, 28;
xxiv, 2–5. Jerom says that the southern parts of Judea were full of
caves under ground, and of caverns in the mountains, to which the people
retired in time of danger. The Kenites dwelt in the hollow places of the
rocks, Num. xxiv, 21. Even at this day the villages of this country are
subterraneous, or in the rocks. Josephus in several places speaks of
hollow rocks, where thieves and robbers had their haunts; and travellers
still find a great number of them in Palestine, and in the adjoining
provinces. Toward Lebanon, the mountains are high, but covered in many
places with as much earth as fits them for cultivation. Among the crags
of the rocks, the beautiful and far-famed cedar waves its lofty top, and
extends its powerful arms, surrounded by the fir and the oak, the fig
and the vine. On the road to Jerusalem, the mountains are not so lofty
nor so rugged, but become fitter for tillage. They rise again to the
south-east of Mount Carmel; are covered with woods, and afford very
picturesque views; but advancing toward Judea, they lose their verdure,
the valleys become narrow, dry, and stony, and terminate at the Dead Sea
in a pile of desolate rocks, precipices, and caverns. These vast
excavations, some of which will contain fifteen hundred men, are the
grottoes of Engedi, which have been a refuge to the oppressed or the
discontented in all ages. Westward of Jordan and the lake Asphaltites,
another chain of rocks, still loftier and more rugged, presents a yet
more gloomy aspect, and announces the distant entrance of the desert,
and the termination of the habitable regions.
The name of rock is also given to God, by way of metaphor, because God
is the strength, the refuge, and defence of Israel, as those places were
to the people who resided among them, Psalm xviii, 2, 31; xxxi, 2, 3;
Deut. xxxii, 15, 18, 30, 31; Psalm lxi, 2, &c.