The history of the world

§. V. [unspec 20] THE TRIBE OF ZABVLON.

OF Zabulon or Zebulon, another of the sonnes of Iacob by Lea, there were mustered at Mount 〈◊〉〈◊〉 57400. able men besides women, children, and aged vnable persons: all which dying in the Desarts, there entred the Holy Land of their issues 65000. fit to beare armes: who inhabi∣ted that part of Canaan, from Asher to the Riuer Chison: Southward, [unspec 30] and from the Sea of Galilee to the 〈◊〉〈◊〉, East and West.

The Cities within this Tribe which border Asher, are 〈◊〉〈◊〉 on the Sea shore, of which Ioseph. Ant. 13. c. 19. Debbaset of * 1.1 which Ios. 19. 11. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉〈◊〉 (whose King was a 1.2 slaine by Iosua, and the Citie was giuen to the Leuites) and Gaba after called the Citie of Horsemen, of a Regiment there garrisond by Herode. Then the Citie which beareth the name of Zabulon, or the Citie of men, exceeding ancient and magnificent, b 1.3 burnt to the ground by 〈◊〉〈◊〉, Lieutenant of the Roman Armie. Adrichomius makes it the birth Citie of c 1.4 Elon Iudge of Israel, because 〈◊〉〈◊〉 is called Zabulonita: not marking that in the same place he is said to be buried at Aialon.

To the East of this Citie of Zabulon is Cateth, of which Ios. 19. 15. on the border of [unspec 40] Asher: and beyond it the lesser d 1.5 Cana of Galilee, where Christ conuerted Water into Wine: the natiue Citie of Nathaniel, and as it is thought of Simon Zelotes. Beyond it begin the Mountaines of Zabulon: and then the Citie of Cethron (in Zeigler, 〈◊〉〈◊〉) which defended it selfe against Zabulon. Then Bersabe which standeth in the parti∣tion of the vpper and nether Galilee, fortified by Iosephus against the Romanes. Not farre from hence standeth Shimron of Meron whose King was slaine by Iosua.

Then Damna or Dimna, a Citie of the Leuites: then Noa or rather Neha, of which Ios. 19. 13. Then Dothan or Dothain, where Ioseph found his brethren feeding their flocks: the same wherein Elisoeus besieged by the Syrians, strooke them all blinde.

Beyond it towards the East they imagine e 1.6 Amthar or Amathar: then Remmon of [unspec 50] the Leuites. The last of the Cities on the North border of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 is Bethsaida, one of the ten Cities of Decapolis, situate on the Galiloean Sea, and watered by the springs of Capharnaum, the natiue Citie of the Apostles, Peter, Andrew, and Philip. Herein Christ did many miracles, but these people being no lesse incredulous then the Ca∣pharnaims,

and others, receiued the same curse of threatned miseries, as Woe bee vnto thee Bethsaida, &c.

Alongst the West border of Galilee, towards the South from Bethsaida, was the strong Castle of Magdalum, the habitation of Marie Magdalen, not long since standing.

And beyond it the strong and high seated Citie of Iotapata: fortified by Iosephus in the Roman Warre: but in the end after a long siege surprised by Vespasian: who slaughtered many thousands of the Citizens: and held 1200. prisoners, whereof Iosephus the Historian was one.

The last and greatest of the Cities on that* 1.7 Sea and the Lake of Genezareth within [unspec 10] Zabulon was that of Tiberias, from whence afterward the Galilaean Sea also changed name, and was called the Sea of the Citie Tiberias, so named in honour of Tiberius Caesar, it was one of the ten Cities, and the Metropolis of the Region Decapolitan, and the greatest and last of the lower Galilee. From hence our Sauiour called Matthew, from the toll or custom-house, to be an Apostle, and neere vnto it raised the daughter of Iairus from death: it was built (as Iosephus reports) by Herod the Tetrarch, the brother of Philip, in the beginning of the raigne of Tiberius Caesar: in the most fruitfull part of Galilee; but in a ground full of Sepulchres: Quùm iuxta nostras leges (saith hee) ad septem dies impurus habeatur, qui in talibus locis habitet; Where as by our law hee should bee 〈◊〉〈◊〉 dayes held as vncleane, who inhabited in such a place: by which wordes, and by the [unspec 20] whole place of Iosephus it appeares, that this Tiberias is not (as some haue thought) the same as the old Cinnereth, which was seated, not in Zabulon, but in Nepthalim.

Neere vnto this Tiberias, at Emaus, there were hot baths, where Vespasian the Em∣perour* 1.8 encamped against Tiberias: More into the Land toward the South-West is Bethulia, seated on a very high Hill, and of great strength, famous by the story of Ho∣lofernes and Iudeth, such as it is. Neere which standeth Bethleem of Zabulon: and ad∣ioyning vnto it, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 fortified by Iosephus against the Romans: and Iapha an ex∣ceeding* 1.9 strong place afterward forced by Titus: who in the entrance, and afterward* 1.10 in furie slew 15000. of the Citizens; and caried away aboue two thousand prisoners.

On the South side are the Cities of Cartha of the Leuites, and Gabara, of which Io∣sephus* 1.11 [unspec 30] in his owne life, then Iafie according to Adrichomius (of which Ios. 19. 12.) for he thinkes that it is not that Iapha of which we spake but now out of Iosephus. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of which Ios. 19. 15. Hierome calls it Iadela: vnder it Westward, Legio, (afterward a Bishops seate) and the Citie Belma, in ancient times exceeding strong, remembred Iudeth 7. 3. otherwise Chelma. Between Legio and Nazeret is the Citie Saffa or Saffra, the birth-Citie of Zebedaeus, Alphaeus, Iames and Iohn: Then Sephoris, or Sephora, accor∣ding* 1.12 to Iosephus: Sephorum according to Brochard: which afterward, saith Hegesip∣pus and Hierome, was called Diocaesaria; the Citie of Ioachim and Anna, the Parents of the Virgin Mary, it was walled by Herod the Tetrarch: and by him, as Iosephus* 1.13 speakes, made the head and defence of Galilee; in another place he saith Vrbium Ga∣lilaearum [unspec 40] maximae Sephoris & Tiberias. This Sephoris greatly vexed Vespasian 〈◊〉〈◊〉 hee wanne it. Herod Antipas when he made it the Regall seate of the nether Galilee, and so rounded it with a strong wal, called it Autocratorida, which is as much to say as Im∣periall, saith Iosephus; and it is now but a Castle called Zaphet.

To the South-West of this Sephoris or Diocaesaria was that blessed place of Na∣zareth, the Citie of Marie the Mother of Christ; in which hee himselfe was concei∣ued, it standeth betweene Mount Tabor, and the Mediterran Sea. In this Citie hee abode chiefly foure and twenty yeeres, and was therefore called a Nazarite, as the Christians afterward were for many yeeres. It was erected into an Archbishop∣ricke in the following age. Neere vnto it are the Cities Buria (afterward well defen∣ded [unspec 50] against the Turkes) and Nahalal of which Ios. 19. 15. and Iud. 1. 30. where it is called Nahalal: and Ios. 21. 35. where it is a Citie of the Leuites, neere the Sea; adioyning to the Riuer of Chison is Sarid, noted in Iosua for the vttermost of Za∣bulon.

In this Territorie of Zabulon there are diuers small Mountaines: but Tabor is the most renowned, by the Apparition of Moses and Elias: and by the Transfiguration of Christ in the presence of Peter, Iames, and Iohn: vnto whom Moses and Elias ap∣peared; in memorie wherof on the top of the Mountaine, the Empresse Helen built a sumptuous Chappell.

The chiefe Riuer of Zabulon is Chison, which rising out of Tabor, runneth with one streame Eastward to the Sea of Galilee, and with an other streame Westward into the great Sea. This Riuer of Chison where it riseth, and so farre as it runneth South∣ward, is called Chedumim or Cadumim: and for mine owne opinion, I take it to bee the same which Ptolomie calleth Chorseus: though others distinguish them: and set [unspec 10] Chorseus by Caesaria Palaestinae. There is a second Torrent or Brooke that riseth in the Hills of 〈◊〉〈◊〉; and falleth into the Sea of Galilee by Magdalum: and the third is a branch of a riuer rising out of the Fountaines of Capharnaum, which falleth also into* 1.14 the same Sea, and neere Magdalum: which Torrent they call Dotham, from the name of the Citie, from which it passeth Eastward to Bethsaida, and so ioyning with Iorda∣nis* 1.15 〈◊〉〈◊〉, which runneth from the Valley of Iephthael which Iosua reckoneth in the bounds of Zabulon, it endeth in the Sea of Galilee.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Iosua 12. 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• a 1.2

  〈◊〉〈◊〉. 2. bel 19
• b 1.3

  Iosep. 2. bel. 22
• c 1.4

  Iud. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 2. 12.
• d 1.5

  The greater Cana is in the Tribe of Asser∣lo. 21. 2. Natha∣niel is' said to be 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in Gali∣lee. Of Simon it may be dou∣bted: 〈◊〉〈◊〉 An∣gelus 〈◊〉〈◊〉 reads Matt. 10 4. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Kanni∣tes, which word Luc. 6. 〈◊〉〈◊〉, hee thinketh, to be expounded by 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• e 1.6

  The Hebrew 〈◊〉〈◊〉, (for which the Vulgar hath 〈◊〉〈◊〉, Ios. 19. 13.) Vatablus expoundeth quoe gyrat, Iu∣nius ioynesit with the word going before it, and reades Rimmonem 〈◊〉〈◊〉, Matth. 8. 11. Marc. 1. 6. Luc. 4. 10.
• * 1.7

  The names of the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Cities seated about this Sea, or lake, throgh which Iordan runneth, were Capernaum, Ti∣berias, Bethsai da, Gadara, 〈◊〉〈◊〉, and they adde Cinnereth, which in fore∣times gaue name to the Lake and Countrie. Matth. 9. Luc. 5.
• * 1.8

  Iosep. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 18. 3. Ioseph. 10. 15. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Zab.
• * 1.9

  Iosep. in vita sua
• * 1.10

  Iosep. 2. Bel. 25.
• * 1.11

  Iosua. 21. 35. o∣therwise Kisloth Thabor, as Iu∣nius thinks vp∣on Ios. 19. 12. whence 1. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 6. 77 it is cal∣led Thabor.
• * 1.12

  Ioban. de Mon∣teuilla, c. 4. & 20
• * 1.13

  Iosep. ant. 18. 3. & in vita sua.
• * 1.14

  See Laiestans Mappe in Or∣telius.
• * 1.15

  Ios. 19. 14.