Jerusalem, the ancient capital of Judea, is situated in long. 35 degrees 20. min. E., lat. 31 degrees 47 min 47 sec. N.; and, according to the best authorities, 136 miles S. W. of Damascus, 34 miles S. of Shechem or Nablous, 45 miles E. of Jaffa, 27 miles N. of Hebron, and about 20 miles W. of Jericho. The city of Jerusalem was built on hills, and encompassed with mountains, (Ps 125:2,) in a stony and barren soil, and was about sixteen furlongs in length, say Strabo. The ancient city of Jebus, taken by David from the Jebusites, was not large, and stood on a mountain south of that on which the temple was erected. Here David built a new city, called the city of David, wherein was the royal palace. Between these two mountains lay the valley of Millo, filled up by David and Solomon; and after the reign of Manasseh, another city is mentioned, called the second. The Maccabees considerably enlarged Jerusalem on the north, enclosing a third hill; and Josephus mentions a fourth hill, called Bezetha, which Agrippa joined to the former: this new city lay north of the temple, along the brook Kidron. See note ch. 9:34.

1 Chronicles 8:32

8:32

Shimeah <08039> [Shimeah.]

9:38

[Shimeam.]

1 Chronicles 9:3

9:3

Jerusalem <03389> [Jerusalem.]

Ne 11:1,4-9 [All]

tribes ...... Ephraim <01121 0669> [of the children of Ephraim.]

2Ch 11:16 30:11 [All]

1 Chronicles 9:34

9:34

family leaders <01 07218> [chief fathers.]

13 Ne 11:1-15 [All]

Jerusalem <03389> [Jerusalem.]

We have already seen the situation and extent of this ancient city, (Note on 8:28;) but the Jerusalem of sacred history is no more. After having been successively destroyed by the Babylonians and Romans, and taken by the Saracens, Crusaders, and Turks, in the possession of the latter of whom it still continues, not a vestige remains of the capital of David and Solomon, not a monument of Jewish times is standing. The very course of the walls is changed, and the boundaries of the ancient city are become doubtful. The monks pretend to shew the sites of the sacred places; but they have not the slightest pretensions to even a probable identity with the real places. The Jerusalem that now is, however, called by the Arabs {El Kouds,} or "the holy city," is still a respectable, good-looking town, of an irregular shape: it is surrounded by high embattled walls, enclosing an area not exceeding two miles and a half, and occupying two small hills, having the valley of Jehoshaphat on the east, the valley of Siloam and Gehinnom on the south, and the valley of Rephaim on the west; and containing a population variously estimated at from 20,000 to 30,000 souls.

1 Chronicles 9:38

9:38

Shimeam <08043> [Shimeam.]

Shimeam seems to be a mistake for Shimeah; the only difference being [MË†m,] {mem} final, and [HË†,] {hay}; and the LXX. in both places read [Samaa,] Samaâ€ž.

8:32

[Shimeah.]