1655, suffocated four thousand persons; and another in 1668, which suffocated twenty thousand men in one night. There is another singular appearance in the atmosphere of Judea, and other eastern countries, to which allusion is made in Isa. xxxv. 7. rendered by Bishop Lowth And the glowing sands shall become a pool, And in his note on the passage he remarks, that there is a reference to the same thing in the Koran (ch.xxiv.)— "But as to the unbelievers, their works are like a vapour in a plain, which the thirsty traveller thinketh to be water, until, when he cometh thereto, he findeth it to be nothing." On this quotation Mr. Sale's note is, that "the Arabic word serab signifies that false appearance which, in the eastern countries, is often seen in sandy plains about noon, resembling a large lake of water in motion, and is occasioned by the reverberation of the sun beams. It sometimes tempts the thirsty travellers out of their way, but deceives them when they come near, either going forward (for it always appears at the same distance), or quite vanishes." This phenomenon has been described by several eastern travellers, as Dr. Clarke, Mr. Elphinstone, Mr. Kinneir, and the lamented Belzoni. Lieut. Porringer, in his Travels in Beloochistan and Sinde, says, he has seen bushes and trees reflected in it, with as much accuracy as though it had been the face of a clear and still lake; and that once in the province of Kerman, in Persia, it seemed to rest like a sheet of water on the face of a hill, at the foot of which his road lay, exhibiting the summit, which did not overhang it in the least degree, by a kind of unaccountable refraction.* It is probable that Jeremiah refers to the serab or mirage, when, in pouring forth his complaint to God, for mercies deferred, he says, "Wilt thou be altogether unto me as waters that be not seen (Jer. xv. 18. marg.)," that is, which have no reality, as the Septuagint has rendered it. From Psalm cxxi. 6, it has been inferred that the coup de soleil, or stroke of the sun, was not unknown in Judea; indeed, there is manifest mention of in Judith viii. 2, 3; and it is probable that there is an allusion to it in Is. xlix. 10, and Rev. vii. 16, where, in describing the happiness of the saints, the inspired writers say, "the sun shall not light on them, nor any heat." These notices may help the reader to form some idea of the * Page 185. climate and phenomena of Judea; but we shall have to notice them further as we proceed. We cannot close this section, however, without observing, that the Israelites considered that most uncertain of all things, the weather, as under the immediate superintendance, care, and administration of the CREATOR. Our Lord himself says to the Jews, Your Father which is in heaven, maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust," Matt. v. 45. "He left not himself without witness," said Paul to the people of Lystra, "in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness," Acts xiv. 17. "The Lord our God," says Jeremiah, "giveth rain, both the former and the latter, in his season; he reserveth unto us the appointed weeks of the harvest," ch. v. 24. "The Lord," exclaims the Psalmist, "causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth; he maketh lightnings for the rain; he bringeth the winds out of the treasuries," cxxxv. 7. "He giveth snow like wool; he scattereth the hoar frost like ashes. He casteth forth his ice like morsels: who is able to abide his frost? He sendeth out his word and melteth them, he causeth his wind to blow, and the waters flow," Ps. cxlvii. 16—18. "The mountains quake at him, and the hills melt, and the earth is turned at his presence, yea, the world, and all that dwell therein. Who can stand before his indignation? And who can abide in the fierceness of his anger? His fury is poured forth like fire, and the rocks are thrown down by him," Nah. i. 5,6. But notwithstanding this, the husbandman was not to be dismayed; he was to forsake his sins, to put his trust in God, to do his own part, and to leave the event with God. "He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap," Eccles. xi. 4. "Neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase," 1 Cor. iii. 7.* SECTION IV. THE SEASONS AND PRODUCTIONS OF JUDEA. I. It is worthy of notice that the Jews, in describing their civil year, have made like divisions, and adopted similar terms to those found in the promise of God to Noah after the *Investigator, vol. i. p. 58. flood. "While the earth remaineth, seed time and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease," Gen. viii. 22. One of them writes thus: "Half Tizri, all Marchesvan, and half Chisleu, is Zero, or seed time. Half Chisleu, all Thebeth, and half Shebat, is Koreph, or winter. Half Shebat, all Adar, and half Nisan, is Kur, the cold. Half Nisan, all Ijar, and half Sivan, is Ketzur, or harvest. Half Sivan, all Thamuz, and half Ab, is Kiitz, or summer. And half Ab, all Elul, and half Tizri, is Chum, or the great heat."* We shall notice these divisions in order. 1. Zero, or seed time, which comprehended, according to our computation of time, from the beginning of October to the end of Novembert, was the period during which the former rains fell. It seems that about the autumnal equinox these rains commenced, falling for two or three days in heavy showers, after which there was an interval of two or three weeks, when the real former rain sat in. It was during this interval of time that they ploughed their land, and sowed their wheat and barley.§ 2. Koreph, the stripping season, or winter, extended from the beginning of December to the end of January. During this period the westerly winds generally blow, which bring heavy rains, especially during the night. The cold is piercing on the elevated parts of the land, and sometimes fatal to those not inured to the climate. David has finely described this period of the year, where, in describing the Divine majesty, he says, "he giveth snow like wool; he scattereth the hoar frost like ashes; he casteth forth his ice like morsels; who can stand before his cold?" Ps. cxlvii. 16, 17. And yet there are intervals when the sky is clear, and it is so hot that travellers with difficulty prosecute their journey. De la Roque relates, that he was greatly affected by the heat of the sun, when travelling near Tyre, on the 29th of January. During this season the inhabitants of Palestine, and the adjoining countries, continue to sow their corn and pulse. 3. Kur, the cold season, embraced February and March.During the early part of this season there are some intense colds; and Shaw states, that it is the usual time at Jerusalem for the falling of snow. As the season advances, however, * See Lightfoot, Hor. Heb. John iv. 35. For an account of the computation of time adopted in Judea, the reader is referred to ch. xi. sect. 1. post. Lightfoot, Hor. Heb. Matt. xii. 1. § For a detailed account of the weather and productions of Judea, and of the agricultural operations of its inhabitants during these seasons, the reader is referred to my Calendarium Palestinæ, pp. 1-13. || Voyage de Syrie, &c. tom. i. p. 17. ¶ Page 290. * the atmosphere grows warm, and at length excessively hot; though the rains, accompanied with thunder and hail, are not yet over. The fields, which were pretty green before, become, by the springing up of the latter grain, entirely covered with pleasing verdure, and towards the end of March every tree is in full leaf. † 4. Ketsur, the harvest, included April and May, when the latter rains fell ‡; called harvest rains (Deut. xi. 14. Heb.), because they help to fill, and ripen the corn for cutting. Thus the former rains fell after the autumnal equinox, at their seed time, to quicken the grain; and the latter rains, after the vernal equinox, to ensure a plentiful crop. It was owing to these rains that Jordan used to overflow his banks, at the time of the barley harvest, Josh. iii. 15. When these rains are past, the weather is variable till May, by cold winds from Libanus §; from the end of which month till the middle of September, there are few or no showers. In the Plain of Jericho the heat is now excessive; but in other parts of the country the spring is delightful. After the rains cease, the corn soon arrives at maturity, and the harvest commences, which continues till about the middle of June. It is impossible to describe the rich fragrance of an eastern climate, at this season of the year, and before the excessive heat comes on.The air is filled with odours of plants, and flowers, and trees, which the breeze wafts about in most delicious freshness. Solomon says, "The winter is past, the rain is over and gone; the flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come; and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land; the fig-tree putteth forth her green figs, and the vines, with the tender grape, give a good smell," Cant. ii. 11-13. Before the middle of May, however, the verdure begins to fade, and by the end of the month all becomes parched and barren. To the extreme heat which now prevails, there are many beautiful allusions in the sacred writings. As when Isaiah is describing the peaceful and happy reign of the Messiah, he says, and there shall be a tabernacle for a shadow in the day-time, from the heat, and for a place of refuge, and for a covert from storm and from rain," ch. iv. 6. He uses the same language in describing God's care over the poor: "Thou shalt bring down the noise of strangers, as the heat in a dry place; even the heat with the shadow of a cloud; the branch of the terrible ones shall be brought low," ch. xxv. 5. 66 * Maundrell, p. 13. 20. 57, &c.; Pococke, vol. ii. p. 11. Lightfoot, Hor. Heb. Luke iv. 25. + Russell, p. 10. § De La Valle, p. 121, 122, 5. Kiitz, summer, comprised the months of June and July. The sky is now clear, and the sun's rays so intense, that the streams which in winter rushed with the impetuosity of torrents, either dwindle into brooks, or become entirely dry.The winds generally blowing from the west, refresh the air in the latter part of the day, and the dews being very moderate, the inhabitants pass the night on the roofs of their houses.* Thunder is very uncommon in this climate during the summer season, and it seldom or never rains. † When it does rain, it is usually preceded by a whirlwind, with clouds of dust: It is "with a stormy whirlwind, or an overflowing shower, or great hail," Ezek. xiii. 12, 13. What has been said of the heat which prevails at this season of the year, is chiefly applicable to the lower parts of the country; for, even in the hottest months, the regions of Libanus are so cold at times, during the night, as to render the use of fires indispensable. + 6. Chum, the heat, comprehended August and September. During this season the heat increases, and "the drought of summer" is experienced, Ps. xxxii. 4. The sky is serene and fair during the day, but in the night a copious dew falls, which either saturates the earth, or appears as hoar frost: on the appearance of the sun it ascends as smoke from an oven, and becomes invisible. Lightning is also frequent in the nighttime; and, if seen in the western hemisphere, it portends rain, often accompanied with thunder. During the heat, at noon, it is usual for persons to retire to rest. § See Judg. iii. 24; 2 Sam. iv. 5. II. From what has been already advanced, it will be evident that those writers who have represented Palestine as a barren and unfruitful place, have either formed their opinions upon a very partial survey of the land, or else they have, from unworthy motives, misrepresented the fact. Abulfeda describes Palestine as the most fruitful part of Syria ||; and the neighbourhood of Jerusalem, as one of the most fruitful parts of Palestine. ¶ An Oriental's ideas of fertility differ sufficiently from ours, to explain in part this assertion; for, to him, plantations of figs, vines, and olives, with which the limestone rocks of Judea were once covered, would suggest the same associations of plenty and opulence, that are called up in the mind of an Englishman by rich tracts of corn land. The Land of Canaan is characterized as "a land flowing with *Russell, p. 152. + Volney, Voyage, tom. i. p. 321; Josephus, Wars, book iii. ch. 7. D'Arvieux, Mem. tom. iii. p. 432. § Niebuhr, Descript. de l'Arabie, p. 6. Tabulæ Syriæ, p. 9. ¶ Ibid, p. 10, |