The Natural History of the Bible: A Review of the Physical Geography, Geology, And Meteorology of the Holy Land 9781463207885

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GORGIAS REPRINT SERIES Volume 36

The Natural History of the Bible

THE

NATURAL HISTORY OF THE BIBLE : BEING

A R E V I E W OF T H E P H Y S I C A L GEOGRAPHY, GEOLOGY, A N D METEOROLOGY OF T H E H O L Y L A N D ;

•WITH A DESCRIPTION OF EVERY ANIMAL AND PI,ANT MENTIONED IX HOLY SCHU'TUKE.

BY

H.

B.

T R I S T R A M ,

M.A.,

Oxox.,

LL.D.,

F.R.8.

Canon of Durham, A L Til OR OF "TUB ORKAT SAHARA," "TUB BAND OF ISRAEL," ETC.

JUffmitlj (EMtiou.

rCBUSIIKl) UNDER THE DIK1XTIOX OF THE COMMIT! EE 111' OENKRAL LITERATURE AND EDUCATION, AM'OI.VIED BV THE SOCIETY FOR PROMOTING CHRISTIAN KNOWLEDGE.

Ai

M G o r g i a s

2002

Press

Second Edition, copyright (g) 2002 by Gorgias Press LLC. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. Published in the United States of America by Gorgias Press LLC, New Jersey. Published originally by the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, London, 1883.

ISBN 1-931956-54-5

& ÌG

GORGIAS PRESS 46 Orris Ave., Piscataway, NJ 08854 USA www.gorgiaspress.com

Printed in the United States of America

PREFACE.

W H A T E V E R may be original in the following pages is the result of careful investigation of the Natural History of the Holy Land, carried on for months in the country itself. Especial attention has also been paid to the present vernacular of the country, in which the writer has discovered many Hebrew names scarcely changed in form. So far the work may lay claim to novelty. Nor is it in other respects a compilation. In the field of critical research the writer has carefully referred to the highest and latest authorities, while among older writers he has had such predecessors as Bochart and Olav Celsius, authors inaccessible to English readers, but to whose massive learning and colossal labours he is deeply indebted. The main object of the present volume has been to illustrate, not technically, but popularly, every allusion to Natural History in the Holy Scripture, by the actual condition of the country, and by the character of its existing products, zoological and botanical. For this special purpose, the writer spent nearly a year in the Holy Land in 18G3-4, accompanied bv botanical and zoological collectors,* and made extensive collections in every branch of Natural History. During some months, the spare hours of a very scanty leisure

" Mr. 15. T. Lowne, M.U.C.S., and Mr. Edward Ikutlett, of the (.»aniens of tlie Zoological Sooicty of Loudou.

IV

PREFACE.

have been devoted to the determination of the specimens obtained, and to the examination of the works of the many philologists who have written on the subject. No attempt has been made to enter on the more complete details of Palestine Zoology and Botany, which the author has set forth in other publications. Deeply impressed with the conviction that no allusion in God's Inspired Word can be held unimportant, or its illustration trivial, the writer sends out this little book, with an earnest prayer that it may assist in some slight degree to the profitable study of the Bible, and thus tend to the greater glory of God. OrP.iATHAM V.'CAITAOF., June 10, 18(!7.

CHAPTER I. PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY OF T H E HOLY LAND.

Mountain Ranges of the North—Maritime Plains—Southern Wilderness — Sinaitiu Peninsula — Hermon — Baslian — Gilead—Tlie Glior or Jordan Valley—Dead Sea—Isolation —Disappearance of Forests in the West—Riches of Eastern Palestine—The Hill Country—Vegetation of Lebanon ; of Gennesaret; of the Jordan Valley—Variety in Unity .

PACK

1

CHAPTER II. GEOLOGY.

Volcanoes—Earthquakes—Sinai—Southern Wilderness—Limestone—Chalk—Basalt of Galilee—The Lejah or Trachonitis —Streams of Lava—Age of the Dead Sea—Salt Mountain —Hot Springs—Bitumen—Alluvial Plains . .

15

CHAPTER III. METEOROLOGY

Temperature of Jerusalem ; of the Maritime Plains ; of the Jordan Valley — Rainfall — Early and Latter Rains — Thunderstorms—Winds

L7

vi

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER

IV.

MAMMALS—PART I. PAc;K

Classification of Mammals—General S u m m a r y — A p e s — A s s — Wild A s s — B a d g e r — B a t — B e a r — B e a s t , W i l d - B e h e m o t h or Hippopotamus—Boar, Wild—-Bull. Wild - C a m e l — C a t —Cattle--Chamois, or Aoudad CHAPTER

S5

V.

MAMMALS —PAKT II. Coney—Dog —Dragon—Dromedary— Elephant — Fallow Doer —Ferret—Fox—Gazelle—Goat.—Goat, Wild, or I b e x — Greyhound—Hare—Hart and Hind—Hedgehog—Horse —Ilyjcna—Jackal—Leopard

CHAPTER

75

VI.

MAMMALS—PART III. Lion—Mole—Mouse — Porcupine—Pygarg — Roe ; Roebuck— Satyr—Sheep—Swine—Unicorn or Auerochs—Weasel— Whale—Wolf 115 CHAPTER

VII.

HI11DS—PART 1. Birds : Creation o f ; Natural Economy of; Clean and Unclean; Habits o f ; Singing of; Modes of Capture o f ; Species of; Causes of the Variety and Number of—Fowls—Ossifrage— Eagle or Griffon—Gier E a g l e — V u l t u r e — O s p r e y — G l c d c — K i t e — H a w k — N i g h t l l a w k — O w l : Great Owl—Little Owl—Screech Owl 15C CHAPTER

VIII.

BIRDS—PART II. Raven — Sparrow — Swallow — Swift — L a p w i n g — Hoopoe — Cuckoo—Dovo—Pigeon—Turtle Dove—Fatted Fowls— Cock and Hen — Pcacock — Partridge — Sand Grouse — Quails—Ostrich—Crane—Heron- -Bittern — Stork — Swan I Ibis)— Pelican—Cormorant 198

vii

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER JX. kkptii.es.

rxac Tortoise — Leviathan or Crocodilc — Chameleon—Dragon — Gecko—Lizard — Serpents : Adder —• Asp — Cockatrice— Viper—Fiery Serpents. Frogs 2f>4 CHAPTER X . 1' I S H — F I S I I I N G .

Creation of Fishes—Clean and Unclean—Fishes of the Nile; of the Sea of Galilee ; of Jordan ; of Jabbok—Fishpools of Ileshbon—Fisheries—Fish Markets—Fishing by Nets; by Hooks ; by Spear—Jonah's Fish—Fish-worship—Dagon, t!< Fish God . . . . 282 CHAPTER INVKRTKBRATE

XL

AND A R T I C U L A T E

ANIMALS.

Molluscs: Snails —Onyehii—Purple, Shell-lish—Pearls. Annelids : Horseleech—Worm. Araehnida : Scorpion—Sjiider. Insecta : Lice—Flea—Beetle—Locust — Bald Locust — Grasshopper — Pahnerworm — Cankorworm — Caterpillar —Crimson Worm—Ant — Ilornet — Bee — Moth — Flies. Anthozoa: Coral 2^5 CHAPTER X I I . HOT ANY : P A R T

I.—TREKS

AND

SHRUBS.

Variety of—Algum or Almug Trees—Almond—Aloe—Lign Aloe —Apple—Ash Tree—Balm—Balsam—Bay—Box— Camphire — Caper— Cassia—Cedar—Chesnut—Cinnamon —Citron — Cypress — Ebony— Elm—Fig—Fir—Frankincense—Gopher Wood—Grove—Hazel—Ileatli—Husks— Juniper (Retem)—Locust Tree—Marina—Mastick Tree— Mulberry—Myrrh—Myrtle—Nuts—Oak—Oil Tree—Olive —Olive, Wild—Palm Tree—Pine Tree—Pomegranate — Poplar—Shittali- Shittim—Acacia—Spicery—Tragacanth —Stacte—Sycamine—Sycomoru—Teil Tree—Terebinth — Thyino Wood—Vine—Vine, Wild—"Walnut—Willow— Oleander . . . . . 330

CONTEXTS.

viil

CHAPTER

XIII

BOTANY : TAUT II. — HEliBS AND FLOWEKS.

I'ACJE

A.nisc—Barley—Bdellium—Beans—Bramble—Brier—Pricks— Thistle—Thorns—Thorn-hedge—Bitter Herbs—Bulrush— Flag—Paper- Heed—lieed—Hush — Papyrus — C a l a m u s Cockle—Coriander—Corn—Cotton — Cucumber— Cummin —Dove's D u n g - Fitches—Flax—Galbanum—Gall—Garlic —Gourd—Grass — H a y — Hemlock — Herbs — Hyssop — Ladunum —Leeks — Lentils — L i l y — L i n e n — Mallows— Mandrake—Melon—Millet—Mint— Mustard — Nettles — Onions—Paunag—Pulse—Rose ; Rose of Sharon; Rose of Jericho—llue—Bye—Saffron—Soap Plant—Sodom, V i n o of—Sodom, A p p l e of—Spelt—Spikenard—Sweet Cane— Tares—Wheat—Wormwood 4iy INDEX OF PASSACES OF SCKIITUKI: I l l u s t k a t e d OK Q i o t k u Indkx of Subjects

. 4'J