the text by a lapse of transcribers; and that this was increased as copies were multiplied in other lands, by copyists who knew nothing of Palestine; until at length by degrees the omission became current in the manuscripts. Indeed, few if any of the manuscripts now extant, were written in Palestine. There exist likewise in the New Testament other examples of erroneous readings, which have doubtless, in like manner, crept in through the error of transcribers.' Second. Josephus relates, that Vespasian (or Titus) assigned in Palestine a place of habitation for eight hundred men, whom he had dismissed from his. army; it was called Emmaus, and was distant from Jerusalem sixty stadia. This, it is said, confirms the present reading of the New Testament. But since, as is well known, the works of Josephus were copied in a later age almost exclusively by Christian transcribers, this passage would very naturally be conformed to the current reading in Luke; while it is also true, that several manuscripts of Josephus still read here thirty stadia. This at least shows the reading to be variable, and therefore doubtful; so that it can have no weight in determining the text of the New Testament. Indeed, the original of it may just as well have been one hundred and sixty. Third. The Emmaus of Luke and Josephus, it is said, is called a village; while Nicopolis was a city. But the word employed by Luke signifies strictly a town without walls, a country-town, as distinguished from a fortified city; and that used by Josephus denotes a place, and is also put for a fortified post or town. Emmaus had been laid in ashes by Varus shortly after the death of Herod, and would seem not to have been fully rebuilt until the third century; when it received the name of Nicopolis. When Luke wrote, therefore, it was probably still a place partially in ruins and without walls; a fitting post for a colony of disbanded soldiers. 4 Fourth. The distance of Nicopolis from Jerusalem is too great, it is said, to admit of the return of the two disciples the same evening, so as to meet the assembled apostles. This however would depend, not so much upon the distance, as upon the time when they set off. They "rose up the same hour," and Thus in John 19, 14 it is said that Jesus was sentenced by Pilate at the sixth hour; while according to Mark 15, 25 he was crucified at the third hour; which last alone accords with the circumstances of the crucifixion. A transcriber probably mistook for s'. See the author's Gr. Harm. p. 226.-Another instance is Acts 7, 16, where Abraham is put for Jacob; comp. Gen. 33, 18. 19.-A third is the insertion of the name Jeremiah, Matt. 27, 9; comp. Zech. 11, 12. 13. VOL. III.-13* 2 Jos. B. J. 7. 6. 6.-Both De Wette and Meyer, on Luke 24, 13, refer to Josephus as placing this Emmaus on the north of Jerusalem. But neither Josephus nor any other writer says one word as to its direction from the Holy City. 3 See note on Joseph. 1. c. ed. Havercamp. Rödiger in Allg. Lit. Zeit. Apr. 1842, no. 72, p. 576. Luke 24, 13 kwμn. Jos. B. J. 7. 6. 6 xwplov. See the Lexicons. Luke 24, 33. naturally returned in haste, to make known their glad tidings; although with all their haste, they could not well have traversed the distance in less than five hours. It was not yet evening when they arrived at Emmaus; and if they set off to return even as late as six o'clock, which at that season would be about sunset, they might reach the city by eleven o'clock. The apostles were assembled and the doors were shut "for fear of the Jews;" they had indeed partaken of an evening meal, but this had already been long ended; for Jesus afterwards inquires, if they have there any food. It was evidently late. There is therefore nothing impossible or improbable in the supposition, that the two had hastened back a long distance, late at night, perhaps with much bodily effort, to declare to their brethren the wonderful things of which they had been witnesses. A like amount of travel, on an extraordinary occasion, would be nothing strange even at the present day. The case then may be thus presented. On the one hand, the reading of good manuscripts gives the distance of Emmaus from Jerusalem at one hundred and sixty stadia; at which point there was a place called Emmaus, which still exists as the village 'Amwâs; and all this is further supported by the critical judgment of learned men residing in the country near the time; as also by the unbroken tradition of the first thirteen centuries. On the other hand, there is the current reading of sixty stadia in most of the present manuscripts, written out of Palestine ; supported only by a doubtful reading of Josephus; but with no place existing, either now or at the end of the third century, to which this specification can be referred. So far as it regards the New Testament, it is a question between two various readings; one, now the current one in manuscripts and editions, but with no other valid support; the other supported in like manner by manuscripts, as also by facts, by the judgment of early scholars, and by early and unbroken tradition. After long and repeated consideration, I am disposed to acquiesce in the judgment of Eusebius and Jerome." Leaving 'Amwâs and proceeding along the declivity, which here falls off gradually towards the west, we came in twenty minutes to the Jerusalem road, and to el-Lâtrôn situated close C. 1 Luke 24, 28. 29. 2 John 20, 19. Mark 16, 14. Luke 24, 41. See also Rödiger in Allg. Lit. Zeit. 1. Ritter Erdk. XVI. p. 545 sq.-It may be said, and has been said, that the Mss. which read "one hundred and sixty," were merely conformed to the prevailing tradition; Kuinöl Comm. ad Luc. 1. c. But in this case, there was and is an Emmaus actually existing at the distance specified; in the other, at sixty stadia, there has been no trace of an Emmaus since the doubtful reading of Josephus. upon its southern side. This is a conical Tell, commanding a wide prospect; and crowned with the ruins of a large and strong fortress. We rode to the summit; from which we could see Tell es-Sâfieh in the southwest, and also Yâfa and the Mediterranean. The ruins consist of walls of large stones well hewn; with numerous interior divisions, and many vaults. The remains are chiefly from the middle ages; and pointed arches are everywhere found in the best preserved portions.2 But the substructions are older and apparently Roman; especially on the west. Here the lower portion of the wall is built up for some distance with sloping work; though the slope is less than at Jerusalem or Kŭl'at esh-Shukif. Towards the south, the Tell looks down into Wady 'Aly; which descending from Sârîs here sweeps around the Tell, and passes off on the north of Kubâb. The Jerusalem road ascends the mountain along this Wady. 3 This place is very obviously the Castellum Emmaus of the crusaders and later travellers; which they speak of as identical with Nicopolis. The fortress was evidently erected to command the approach to Jerusalem; and, in consequence of its nearness to Emmaus or Nicopolis, it may have served also as a bulwark of that city. In this way the Roman substructions may be accounted for; as also, perhaps, Jerome's rendering, Castellum Emmaus, in the Vulgate. But when the tradition had gradually changed, and Emmaus was transferred to Kubeibeh, we find this ruin, in the latter part of the sixteenth century, known as Castrum v. Castellum boni Latronis; this name, as was held, being derived from the legend, which made this the birthplace of the penitent thief. This seems to have been the probable origin of the present Arabic name. But in whatever relation this fortress may later have stood to Emmaus, it seems not improbable, that this spot was the site of the ancient Modin, the residence of the Maccabees; at least its position and elevation correspond, better than any other place, with the circumstances narrated of Modin. In that town Vitr. 63. p. 1081. Brocardus c. 9. Tucher in Reissb. p. 658. Breydenbach ib. p. 105. Some quite recent travellers still speak of this place as Emmaus; e. g. Prokesch p. 39. Barth in Ritter Erdk. XVI. p. 546. Luke 24, 13. The earlier Itala reads here municipium; Blanchini Quat. Evang. II. p. 298. Comp. also Reland Palæst. p. 429. So Zuallart, Fr. ed. liv. 3. p. 16. Cotovicus p. 143. Quaresmius II. p. 12. This latter writer has a strong array of autho.. rity, to show that the thief in question was not born here, but in Egypt. the Maccabees lived and were buried; and there Simon erected a lofty monument, with seven pyramids, to their memory.' Modin lay adjacent to the great plain; and the monument was visible to all who sailed along the sea. Eusebius and Jerome likewise testify, that Modin was not far from Lydda; and that the sepulchres remained in their day. The writers of the times of the crusades speak indefinitely of Modin, as somewhere in this vicinity; while Brocardus already seems to fix it at Sôba. To all the circumstances thus enumerated the elevated and isolated Tell of Lâtrôn well corresponds. 3 Leaving Lâtrôn at 8.15, we struck down at once by a steep descent to the bed of Wady 'Aly, where a brook was flowing; and then, ascending again, were at the top of the acclivity at 8.35. We were here on a broad ridge, overlooking a lower tract among hills in the south, and having Sur'a in sight before us." This place is situated towards the southwestern extremity of the high ridge, which skirts Wady es-Sărâr in the north; from which extremity another ridge or line of hills runs off about N. N. W. in the direction of Khuldeh and Kubâb. Between these two ridges, and that on which we now stood south of Wady 'Aly, is an extensive open tract, comprising the heads or cultivated rocky basins of no less than three Wadys, which run westwards and unite towards the plain; and then apparently pass down to Nahr Rubin by an outlet among the western hills. Of these basins, one was next the ridge on which we now were; another was adjacent to the ridge running northerly from Sur'a; and the third, between the other two; all separated from each other by lower projecting ridges.-On our former journey we had seen Sur'a from the south, on a high point of the ridge overlooking the fine plain of Beth-shemesh; we now approached it from the north, on which side the elevation seems not much more than half as great. Descending and crossing the first Wady we rose upon the ridge beyond; and came at 8.55 to Beit Sûsîn, a small village, looking old and miserable. Descending again, we came in seven minutes to an ancient well of large diameter and some twenty feet deep, walled up with hewn stones. Passing over the low 11 Macc. 2, 1. 15. 13, 25-30. Jos. -Quaresmius and some earlier travellers Antt 13. 6. Đó 21 Macc. 16, 4. 5. 13, 29. 3 Onomast. art. Modim: "Vicus juxta Diospolim, unde fuerunt Machabæi, quorum hodieque ibidem sepulchra monstran tur." Will. Tyr. 8. 1. Jac. de Vitr. 63. p. 1081. Brocard. c. 10. p. 186. On the absurdity of connecting Modin with Sôba, see above, in Vol. II. p. 659. [ii. 328 sq.] speak of the remains of a church, once See also Ritter Erdk. XVI. p. 546. Lâtrôn 8°. At 8.50, Beit Jiz bore N. 80° W. el end of the second ridge, we struck at 9.15 the bed and brook of the third Wady, coming down from the direction of Sur'a; and followed it up through rich fields of grain. After eight minutes we reached the main source of the brook in a noble fountain, walled up square with large hewn stones, and gushing over with fine water. This is the fountain of Zorah, and as we passed on, we overtook no less than twelve females toiling upwards towards the village, each with her jar of water on her head. The village, the fountain, the fields, the mountains, and the females bearing water, all transported us back to ancient times; when, in all probability, the mother of Samson often in like manner visited the fountain, and toiled homeward with her jar of water. It is inconceivable, why the people do not generally use donkeys for this service; as one of these animals will carry four jars of still larger size. We saw this done only in a very few instances. Another eight minutes brought us to the foot of the sharp point or Tell, on which Sur'a is situated; as steep and regular almost as a volcanic cone. We ascended on the northeastern side, and passing through the village, which lies on this side just below the brow, came out upon the open summit at 9.40. It is a miserable village, exposed on this high point to the burning rays of the sun without a trace of shade. This shoulder of the mountain, at the angle of the two ridges, shoots up into four sharp points; of which Sur'a occupies the easternmost. are no traces of antiquity about the village itself; except that the rocks on the summit have been hewn away in several places. But with the exception of one cistern with steps, we could not make out for what purpose this was done. The Wely just by the village has several large tombs in its court. Sur'a is in the district of Ramleh; but belongs feudally to the Luhhâm Sheikhs, who live at Beit 'Atâb, and are Keis. There This place we saw from a distance in our former journey; and recognised it as the Zorah of the Old Testament, the birthplace of Samson. The few historical notices connected with it, are given in a former volume.1 Our chief object in visiting Zorah, was to obtain a view of the country between it and Jerusalem; and especially to ascertain, if possible, the general course of the great valleys. The prospect from the summit of Zorah is extensive and fine. It does not reach far into the great plain; but takes in the district towards Beit Nettif, and especially the plain of Wady Sărâr directly beneath. 'Ain Shems, the ancient Beth-shemesh, was before us, a noble site for a city; a low plateau at the junction of two fine plains. The plain of the Surâr extends up east and 1 Judg. 13, 2. See Vol. II. pp. 12, 17. [ii. 337, 340.] |