JERICHO.- A CITY UNDER A CURSE

Evening Star, Issue 16777, 4 July 1918, Page 6

JERICHO.- A CITY UNDER A CURSE

Tnrioho i oho if 1" milt 'rrm ]in i 1 n nd hi been eil' ill r lil of hj loom \ ill Its in )rit n c n f jr 1110 I itl ill if t stand it f ii*n ii c In tl emm r> i fin tru \i ' \ ill n to lor i til In Tn i cut ti i < ilmud nt pr r t !r uiii ii M c in medntc \ini]t\ md th 1 ml ni mi i n them sh eu ,_i t f ti i i lul if t li 1m I e 1 iim fo it ilit Ull ( tl « Cit\ of T In a I/it (111 'i If

lims ) apionuiKiit plate n th 11 1 \ jf th lonqu st (1 the t in'n 1 \ ' i T t lehties mi ipi hj 1 ia n J i i\ u i nmd i to Ix til 1 \ —Mil Ch i i n Talestii" [n ]]' lcd narrit e i i ho\ at the o cln inn ot the s'n i tr vdich Trsl in subjpctid it ttn I' <l the citv fell d ui at tin ot r d i tie thi nl c* being nthrh de u d id ' d mi! r in i> tin t> i j i< Of all the inhabitants. Rahab i 1 hj tinulv alone we < putd uid fi it ' ea he had hi n n e en r \i i osl ii rt to mp\ ru+ T"iirhj 1 1 i for; nn, if hi em p i llcieaft r tt e He i d r at fe i (n u les ml its rel uilii n" in th in Mlb si centtu f fte J l t i is p c ilh n tp I i )u ' ill hi lid tin Pith It. ltd 1 i lithe li laid the fmnd„ lrn 11« if \tth th hj ot \\ ram l i f st m i n < t 1 n 11 gate tl ei of Mth the 1) hj \c nt t son "-■ pub accrrdiiio' 1 t d i tie Tel \\i ch He yi] b M e ban 1 t T 'nth md \im il Is. n M 3 T itn it lec nt! c critu fi th el o of 11« f roph t an 'it r i Ito n Hit accou it it tne C pti it\ It i t T ncho tint 'in Z 1 1 hj \a ei7 'b\ the Ptlnlc in at e i pi liom Tciu I'em iht c \ \ is t ' m li n i ti ( i c! bv the vlaccabecs n 1 n n Mace bt s n rl el in t n" nl hood. It gradually acquired important once more, and in the time of Christ was a large and flourishing town, though it is not often mentioned in tho New Testament. The restoration of sight to the blind beggar Bartimscus is recorded as having occurred outside its walls. The baptism and temptation of Christ are supposed to have taken place in the neighborhood, and the traditional site of the temptation ia the hill lying to the west, called Quarantania from that association. The reference in the parable of the good Samaritan to the man who fell among robbers on the road from Jerusalem to Jericho serves to show that to fall into the hands of brigands is no new thing for thoKrt who must make their way among thu bare and rugged hills of the neighborhood, in which desperate.* men may easily conceal themselves. Joseph Us calls it " the divine region,'' and records that the revenues from its palm trees and gardens wero given by Antony to Cloop >.tra. These were farmed from her by Herod the Great, who afterwards received Jericho as a gift from Augustus. Herod raised great braidings in the city, and hero ho died. The Unmans fanned out its revenues with great profit to themselves, and it is proba.hle that Zacchwus, the public;i who climbed a, tree to see Christ in His last progress to Jerusalem, was cornie-ctcd with these imperial farms. The city was completely destroyed in the Jewish wars. In the fourth century it was visited by many pilgrims, the population being mainly composed of monks and. anchorites, Lut at the Moslem invasion it was once more deserted. The Crusaders occupied it for a time, and the remains of five old monastic establishments may still be seen, but the city never revived. The nroseut village liea about a mile and - a-half - from. the eite'oi the ancient citjr;