Excerpta ex Hieronymi libris de aliquot Palaestinae locis cum tabula geographica

Excerpts from the Books of Jerome on Some Places in Palestine. Adadremmon is a city near Jezrael, which was once called by this name, and today is called Maximianopolis, in the plain of Mageddon, where King Josiah was wounded by Pharaoh, surnamed Nechao (Zech. XII). Ahila. The Red Sea, on whose shore Ahila is situated, where now a legion and a garrison of the Romans reside (Ezek. XLVII). Anathot is a small village located in the third milestone from the city (Jerusalem) (Preface to Book I of the Commentary on Hosea), opposite the north of Jerusalem in the third milestone (Jer. I). Apedno. Let him pitch his tent in Apedno near Nicopolis, which was formerly called Emmaus, where the highlands of Judaea begin to rise (Dan. XI). Arabia. The king of Babylon... will indeed set out by one route of the Chaldeans, but when he has come through the desert and wilderness to the fork of the land of Arabia, which is called of the sons of Ammon, of which one road leads to Jerusalem on the right side, the left, however, to Rabbath of the sons of Ammon, which is the capital city, and today is named Philadelphia, etc. (Ezek. XXI).

Ar, the metropolitan city of the region of Moab, which is a province of the Arabs. Today, from a combination of the Hebrew and Greek languages, it is called Areopolis; not, as most suppose, that it is the city of Mars (Isa. 15). Arnon is the boundary of the Amorites and the Moabites (Ibid.). Azotus. Understand the "farthest sea" as that which lies to the west, and which leads into Egypt, on whose shore Gaza, Ascalon, Azotus, Joppa, Caesarea, and the other maritime cities are situated (Joel 2). Bersabee. Where even to this day Bersabee is a town; which province, not long ago, from the division of the governors of Palestine, was called Salutaris (Questions on Genesis 17:30). Beth-aven. Which was once called Bethel; it is a city in the tribe of Ephraim, after Benjamin; for where Benjamin ends, not far off in the tribe of Ephraim this city was founded (Hosea 5). Bethulia. With an infinite host of pursuers, he came to Bethulia... on the fifth day he came to Pelusium (Life of Saint Hilarion).

Cadesbarne. It is in the desert, which extends to the city of Petra (Ezek. 48). Carmelus. There are two mountains that are called by this name: one, in which was Nabal Carmelius, the husband of Abigail, to the southern region; the other, near Ptolemais (near the borders of Phoenicia), which was formerly called Acho, overhanging the sea, in which the prophet Elijah, on bended knees, commanded the rains (Amos 1). Carmelus. If they are hidden on the summit of Carmel, or near the borders of Phoenicia in the northern region to the south, on account of the vastness of the wilderness, where Nabal Carmelius once dwelt (Amos 8). Carmelus, a mountain on the border of Palestine and Phoenicia, overhangs Ptolemais, although another mountain is called Carmelus in the Holy Scriptures, in which was Nabal Carmelius (Isa. 29). Cedar, which was once uninhabitable, a region beyond Arabia of the Saracens (Isa. 42). Dan, on the borders of the land of Judaea, where Paneas now is (Amos 8).

Dan. The seventh [tribe] Dan, as far as Joppa, where are the towers of Ailon, and Selebi, and Emmaus, which is now called Nicopolis, although later we read that they, after crossing over other tribes, took for themselves the city of Lesem in the tribe of Dan, which today is called Paneas (Ezek. 48). Dimon and Dibon. Lest anyone think it a fault of the writer, and while wishing to correct the error, make one; it is one city, and it is written with both the letter *d* and the letter *b*: of which, Dimon is interpreted as "silence"; Dibon, "flowing"; each name being given on account of the waters that flow silently. To this day, this little town is called both Dimon and Dibon indifferently (Isa. 15). Duma. The region of Idumaea, which lies to the south, and is distant from the city of Palestine which today is called Eleutheropolis by [some] thousands [of paces] (Isa. 21). Edomia. Therefore, one and the same [place] is called by three names: Esau, Edom, Seir, and it possessed that region which is now called Gebalena, and is in the territory of Eleutheropolis, where the Horraei had previously lived, who are interpreted as "free men," whence the city itself later received its name. What therefore is Hebrew Edom, and Greek [Idumaea], is now a village of Palestine, its name imposed from its founder (Obad. 1).

Lesser Hamath, to distinguish it from Greater Hamath, which is now called Antioch, is a city on the borders of the Holy Land, which face the sun. Later it was called Epiphania by Antiochus, whose surname was Epiphanes (Amos 6). Emmaus, near Nicopolis, which was formerly called Emmaus, where the mountains of Judaea begin to rise (Daniel 12). Emmaus. It signifies the times of Judas Maccabaeus, who, from the village of Modin, with his brothers and kinsmen striving with him, and many of the people of the Jews, defeats the generals of Antiochus near Emmaus, which is now called Nicopolis (Daniel 8). Engallim is at the beginning of the Dead Sea, where the Jordan enters. Engaddi, however, where it ends and is consumed (Ezekiel 47). Esebon. Between Esebon and Sabama there are scarcely five hundred paces (Ibid. 16). Gabaa is a city in the tribe of Benjamin, near Rama (Hosea 5). Galaad, which the half-tribe of Manasseh possessed across the Jordan, Scripture records. On this mountain Laban, fleeing, was overtaken by Jacob. And the mountain, according to Genesis, received its name, that is, the mound of testimony, because there Jacob and Laban swore on a heap of gathered stones. It is, moreover, the head or beginning of the high mountain Lebanon, which is entirely planted with cedars (Jerome on chapter 22 of Jeremiah).

Genesareth. A lake formed by the Jordan River flowing into it, on whose shore Capernaum, Tiberias, Bethsaida, and Chorazin are situated (Isa. IX). Gerar. It is to be noted that from Gerar to Mount Moriah, that is, the site of the temple, the journey is three days (Quaest. in Gen., ch. XXIII, 5). Gath (as the history of the Books of Kings also attests) is one of the five cities of Palestine, near the border of Judaea, and for those going from Eleutheropolis to Gaza, it is now a very large village; from there came also that Goliath the Gittite, whom David slew in battle (In ch. I of Micah this city is called by Jerome the metropolis of Palestine). Gath, which is in Opher, is a not-large village in the second milestone from Sephoris, which today is called Diocaesarea for those going to Tiberias; Opher is added to distinguish it from other cities of Gath (Jerome, Prooem. in Jonam). Gath, near and bordering on Azotus, which in Hebrew is called Esdod (Jerem. XXV).

Helloesi, to this day a small village in Galilee, small indeed and barely showing traces of the ruins of ancient buildings, but yet known to the Jews, and also pointed out to me by a guide (Prologue to Nahum). Jasa, a city that overlooks the Dead Sea, where the border of the province of the Moabites is (Isaiah 15). Idumaea. The Idumaeans also, separated from the southern region barely seventy-five miles from Jerusalem (Letter to Dardanus). Idumaea. The entire southern region of the Idumaeans, from Eleutheropolis to Petra and Ahila (for this is the possession of Esau), has small dwellings in caves (Obadiah 1). That Jerusalem is situated in the tribe of Benjamin no one is ignorant of. Also, that Thecua is a small town situated on a mountain and separated twelve miles from Jerusalem we see daily with our own eyes (Jeremiah, chapter 6). Jezrael, which is now near Maximianopolis, was the metropolis of the kingdom of Samaria; near it are very wide fields and a valley of immense size, which extends more than ten thousand paces. In this, a battle was joined, and Israel was cut down by the Assyrians (Hosea 1).

Joppe. We read that Joppe is a port of Judaea in the books of Kings and Chronicles, to which Hiram also, king of Tyre, transported timbers from Lebanon on rafts, which were then conveyed to Jerusalem by land route... but also, according to the nature of the region, coming from the mountains and heights to Joppe and the plains, the prophet is rightly said to have descended (Jonah 1). Madian. There is no doubt that the Midianites and the entire vastness of the desert adjoin the land of Arabia (Ezekiel 25). Mambre. From Mambre to Mount Moriah is scarcely a full day's journey (Questions on Genesis 22:3). Morasthi. To this day, near Eleutheropolis, a city of Palestine, it is a not large village (Preface to the Commentary on Micah). Nemrim. A town on the Dead Sea (Isaiah 15). Petra. Which is itself a city of Palestine (Isaiah 42). Pharan. The place is near Mount Sinai (Habakkuk 3). Rabbath. A metropolis named Rabbath, which today, by King Ptolemy of Egypt, surnamed Philadelphus, who held Arabia, was called Philadelphia along with Judaea (Ezekiel 25).

Rama is a city in the tribe of Benjamin, situated at the seventh milestone from Jerusalem (Hosea 5). Ramoth Galaad. A city across the Jordan in the possession of the tribe of Gad. It was a city of fugitives. Rhinocorura is a town on the border of Palestine (Isaiah 27). Rhinocorura. A city at a torrent of the desert, or of the west, as the Septuagint translated; between it and Pelusium a branch of the Nile, or a torrent coming from the desert, enters the sea (Amos 6). Samaria. It was another city, the metropolis of the ten tribes, which was later called Augusta by Caesar Augustus, that is, Sebaste; in it the bones of John the Baptist were also buried (Hosea 1). Sharon. The entire region near Joppe and Lydda is called by this name, in which very wide and fertile plains stretch out (Isaiah 33). Segor is situated in the territory of the Moabites, dividing from them the land of the Philistines. Sechoth. There is to this day a city across the Jordan by this name in the region of Scythopolis (Genesis 33:17).

A desert, which from Maiuma, the port of Gaza, for those going to Egypt along the coast, turns to the left (In the Life of Saint Hilarion). Thabatha. Hilarion was born in the village of Thabatha, which is situated about five miles from the city of Gaza in Palestine to the south (Ibid.). Thabor is a mountain in Galilee, situated in the plains, round and lofty, and is equally bounded on every side (Hosea 5). Tarshish is either a region of India, as Josephus holds; or certainly, the entire sea is called Tarshish, and it has a resemblance to the sky (Jeremiah 10). Thecue is a town which is six miles distant to the south from holy Bethlehem, which gave birth to the Savior of the world; and beyond it there is no village, not even rustic huts. Such is the vastness of the desert, which extends as far as the Red Sea and the boundaries of the Persians, Ethiopians, and Indians (In the Preface to the Commentary on Amos). We see daily that Thecue is a village situated on a mountain, and separated by twelve miles from Jerusalem (Jeremiah 2:7).

The region of the Idumeans is Theman, and it extends toward the southern quarter; this province is called not only Theman, but also Daron and Nageb, because it faces the East, the South, and the Southwest (Ibid.). Tophet, the altar Tophet, which is in the valley of the son of Hinnom, signifies that place which is irrigated by the springs of Siloam; and it is very pleasant and wooded, and even today provides the delights of gardens. But this error of paganism occupied all provinces, so that at the heads of springs and in the most pleasant groves they would sacrifice victims, and the religion of every depraved superstition was observed. Topheth in the Hebrew language is interpreted as "breadth"; and it is written in the book of Joshua son of Nun concerning this place which is in the valley of the son of Hinnom, and in Hebrew is called ge Hinnom. For ge means valley; and Hinnom sounds either as the name of a man or as "grace." And the Hebrews relate that Gehenna was named from this place, because all the people of the Jews perished there, offending God. In which place they also consecrated their sons in fire to idols, or offered them as a holocaust, which God did not command them, nor did any sanction of the law order (Jeremiah VII).

Tyre and Sidon are the chief cities on the Phoenician coast... of which Carthage is a colony (Jeremiah 25). The Valley, or Torrent of Thorns, is a place near Livias across the Dead Sea, six miles distant from it, where Israel once committed fornication with the Midianites (Joel 3).