The history of the world

§. II. THE TRIBE OF SIMEON. [unspec 20]

THe Tribe of Simeon takes vp the rest of the Sea-coast of Canaan, to the border of Aegypt: who being the second Sonne of Iacob by Lea, there were increased of that familie while they abode in Aegypt, as they were numbred at Mount Sinai, 59300. able men, all which ending their liues in the Desarts, there entred the Land of Promise of their is∣sues 22200. bearing armes, who were in part mixed with Iuda, and in part seuered, [unspec 30] inhabiting a small Territorie on the Sea-coast, belonging to Edumaea, of which the first Citie adioyning to Dan, was Ascalon.

The Reguli or pettie Kings thereof were called Ascalonitae: of which Volaterran out of Xanthus, in the Historie of the Lydians, reports, that Tantalus and Ascalus were the sonnes of Hymenaeus: and that Ascalus being imployed by Aciamus King of the Lydi∣ans, with an Armie in Syria, falling in loue with a yong Woman of that Countrie, built this Citie and called it after his owne name: the same hath Nicolaus in his Histo∣rie, saith Volaterran.

Diodorus Siculus in his third Booke remembreth a Lake neere Ascalon, wherein there hath beene a Temple dedicated to Derceto, the Goddesse of the Syrians: hauing [unspec 40] the face of a Woman and the bodie of a Fish: who, as I haue said before, in the storie of Ninus, was the Mother of Semiramis, fained to be cast into this Lake, and fed and releeued by Doues. And therefore was the Doue worshipped both in Babylonia and Syria, of which Tibullus the Poet:

Alba Palaestino sancta Columba Syro. The white Doue is for holy held, in Syria Palaesline.

It was one of the chiefest and strongest Cities of the Philistims. It bred many lear∣ned [unspec 50] men (saith Volaterran) as Antiochus, Sosus, Cygnus, Dorotheus the Historian, and Artemidorus who wrote the storie of Bithynia.

In Ascalon, as some say, was that wicked Herod borne, that seeking after our Sa∣uiour, caused all the Male-children of two yeeres old and vnder to be slaine. In the

Christian times it had a Bishop, and after that when it was by the Saladine defaced, Richard King of England, while he made Warre in the holy Land, gaue it a new wall and many buildings. Eius muros cum SALADINVS diruisset, RICHARDVS An∣glorum Rex instaurauit, saith Adrichomius.

In Dauids time it was one of the most renowned Cities of the Philistims: sor hee nameth Gath and Ascalon onely, when hee lamenteth the death of Saul, and 〈◊〉〈◊〉, not speaking of the other three. Tell it not in Gath, nor publish it not in the streetes of Ascalon: It is now called Scalone. Gabinius restored it as hee did Azotus and 〈◊〉〈◊〉.

Next to Ascalon stood Gaza or Gazera, which the Hebrewes call Hazza, the Syrians [unspec 10] Azan: of Azonus (as they say) the sonne of Hercules. Other prophane writers af∣firme, that it was built by Iupiter. Pomp. Mela giues the building thereof to Cambyses the Persian: because belike hee rebuilt it, and Gaza in the Persian tongue is as much to say as Treasure. This Gaza was the first of the fiue Satrapies of the Philistims: and the South bound of the Land of Canaan towards Aegypt. But this Citie was farre more ancient than Cambyses, as it is proued by many Scriptures. It was once taken by Ca∣leb: but the strength of the Anakims put him from it. At such time as Alexander Ma∣cedon inuaded the Empire of Persia, it receiued a Garrison for Darius: in despight whereof it was by the Macedonians after a long siege demolished, and was called Gaza of the Desart. [unspec 20]

Alexander Ianneus King of the Iewes surprised it: and slew 500. Senators in the Temple of Apollo which fled thither for Sanctuarie: but this Gaza was not set vp in the same place againe, to wit, on the foundations which Alexander Macedon had o∣uer-turned, but somewhat neerer the Sea side: though the other was but two mile off. It was a Towne of great account in the time of the Machabees, and gaue many wounds to the Iewes till it was forst by Simon: of which hee made so great account as he purposed to reside therin himselfe, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in his absence left Iohn his Sonne and Suc∣cessour to be Gouernour. In Brochard his time it was still a goodly Citie, and knowne by the name of Gazara.

At the very out-let of the Riuer of Besor, standeth Maioma the Port of Gaza: to [unspec 30] which the priuiledge of a Citie was giuen by the great Constantine, and the place cal∣led Constance after the name of the Emperours Sonne. But Iulian the Apostata soone after fauouring the Gazeans, made it subiect vnto them, and commanded it to be cal∣led Gaza maritima.

On the other side of Besor, standeth Anthedon, defaced by Alexander Ianneus, re∣stored by Herod, and called Agrippias, after the name of Agrippa, the fauourite of Augustus.

Then Raphia, where Philopater ouerthrew the great Antiochus: and beyond it Rhi∣nocura, whose Torrent is knowne in the Scriptures by the name of the Torrent of Aegypt, till the Septuagint conuerted it by Rinocura: to difference it, Es. 27. 12. giuing [unspec 40] the name of the Citie to the Torrent that watereth it. Plinie cals it Rhinocolura; and Iosephus, Rhinocorura: a Epiphanius reports it as a Tradition, that at this place the world was diuided by lots, betweene the three Sonnes of Noah.

Within the Land and vpon the Riuer of Besor they place Gerar: which the Scrip∣ture placeth betweene Kadesh and Shur, Gene. 20. 1. That it was neere to the Wilder∣nesse of Beer-shebah, it appeares Gene. 20. 31. and therefore no maruaile that as else∣where Beer-shebah, so sometime Gerar, bee made the South bound of Canaan. It was of olde a distinct Kingdome from the Philistim Satrapies, the Kings by one com∣mon name were called Abimelechs; Saint Hierome saith that afterward it was called Regio salutaris; the healthie Countrie: so that it was no maruaile that Abraham and [unspec 50] Isaac liued much in these parts. Of King Asa's conquest of the Cities about Gerar, see 2. Chron. 14. 14.

More within the Land was Siceleg or Tsiglak, which was burnt by the Amale∣kites, when Dauid in his flying from Saul to the Philistims had left his carriages there,

but Dauid followed them ouer the Riuer of Besor, and put them to the slaughter, and recouered the prey.

Next Dabir sometime Cariath-Sepher, the Citie of Letters, the Vniuersitie, as they say, or Academie of old Palaestine. In S^t. Hieromes time it seemes it had the name of Daema: Iosua 15. 49. it is called Vrbs Sannae: from the name, as it seemes, of some of the Anakims, as Hebron was called Vrbs Arbahi. For euen hence also were these Giants expelled. It was taken chiefly by Othoniel, incouraged by Calebs promise of his Daughter in marriage: but that Iosua and the Hoast of Israel were at the sur∣prise, it appeares Ios. 10. 39. This Citie Ios. 21. 15. is named among those which out of Simeon and Iuda were giuen to the Leuites. And hence it seemes they attribute it [unspec 10] to this Tribe.

Besides these, there are many others in the Tribe of Simeon, but of lesse fame, as Haijn, of which Ios. 19. 7. which also Ios. 21. 16. is reckoned for one of the Cities of the Leuites, giuen out of the portion of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and Simeon (for which Iunius thinkes Hasham is named 1. Chron. 6. 59. though in the place of Iosua these two are distin∣guished) also Tholad so named 1. Chron. 4. 29. for which Iosua 19. 4. wee haue El∣tholad. Chatzar-Susa so named Iosua 19. 5. for which Iosua 15. wee haue Chatzar∣Gadda, both names agreeing in signification: for Gadda is Turma, and Susa E∣quitatus.

In the same places of Iosua and of the Chronicles Chorma is named, which they [unspec 20] thinke to be the same with that of which Numb. 14. 45. to which the Amalekites and Canaanites pursued the Israelites. But that Chorma cannot bee in Simeon, nor within the Mountaines of Edumaea. For Israel fled not that way: but backe againe to the Campe, which lay to the South of Edumaea, in the Desart.

The same places also name Beersheba in this Tribe: so called of the Oath be∣tweene Abraham and 〈◊〉〈◊〉: neere vnto which Hagar wandred with her Sonne Ism ael. It was also called the Citie of Isaac, because hee dwelt long there. While the Christians held the Holy Land, they laboured much to strengthen this place, stan∣ding on the border of the Arabian Desart, and in the South bound of Canaan. It hath now the name of Gibelin. The other Cities of Simeon which are named in the pla∣ces [unspec 30] of Iosua, and of the Chronicles, aboue noted, because they helpe vs nothing in storie, I omit them. In the time of Ezekia King of Iuda, certaine of this Tribe be∣ing streightned in their owne Territories, passed to Gedor, as it is 1. Chron. 4. 39. (the same place which Ios. 15. 36. is called Gedera and Gederothaima) which at that time was inhabited by the issue of Cham: where they seated themselues: as also fiue hun∣dred others of this Tribe, destroied the Reliques of Amalec in the Mountaines of Edom, and dwelt in their places.

The Mountaines within this Tribe are few, and that of Sampson the chiefest: vnto which he carried the Gate-post of Gaza. The Riuers are Besor, and the Torrent of Aegypt called Shichar, as is noted in Asser. [unspec 40] [unspec 50]

Notes

• And there∣fore no maruel that diuers pla ces named, Ios. 15. in the large portion of Iuda be reckoned in this Tribe: see Ios. 19. v. 1. & 9. where 〈◊〉〈◊〉 much is ex∣presly noted. Volat. Geog. l. 11 fol. 244.
• Vol. vt supra.
• Adrich. in Trib. Simeon.
• 2. Sam. 1.
• Vol. l. 11.
• Steph. de Vrb. Iud. 1. 6. 16.
• 1. King. 6. & alib.
• Iosep. 13. ant. 19.
• Macc. 1. 15. Broch. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 〈◊〉〈◊〉
• Hist. trip. l. 6. c. 4. Niceph. 10. hist. cap. 4.
• Iosep. 13. ant. 19. 21.
• Iosep. 13 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 19. 21. 14. &c.
• Iunius calls it Vallis Aegypti the name of the streame seemes to be Shichor. See in Asser, Chap. 7. §. 3. †. 8. in the margent
• a

  Epiph. tom. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. in 〈◊〉〈◊〉. Manich & in Ancorato. Gone. 10. 19.
• 1. Sam. 30.
• Iosep. 10. 11. 12.
• Ios. 11. v. 21.
• And also 1. Chron. 4. 32.
• Deut. 1.
• Gen. 21. 31.
• As it seemes in the Land of Iuda. See in the first Para∣graphe of this Chapter in the Cities of Dan. Iud. 16. 3.