Category: GOLAN


Har Hermon pt 2

Filed under: GOLAN, LEBANON, SYRIA — Leave a comment
September 14, 2011

In conjunction with a recent post on Hermon, the following should be added:

Amana Song 4:8 seems to be a reference to the southeastern slopes of mount Hermon, now in modern Syria, and close to Jebel Zabadani. It is probably the area that gives rise to the river Abana 2 Kings 5:12. The area is mentioned in c21BC Mesopotamian inscriptions as a location for good-quality marble and timber used for Assyrian and Sumerian construction. (1) [Zabadani is a location well known for wealthy Syrians to have a holiday or weekend house to escape the heat of Damascus.]

Senir [Senir with letter sin, and not Shenir with a Shin] can also be associated with a more northern segment, known by the arabic name of Snir or Senr. Mentioned three times in scripture as the Amorite name for Hermon, it may reflect this segment of the Hermon range. Deut 3:9; 1Chron 5:23 It is however more likely that the name is a general Amorite name used of the entire anti-Lebanese range. Tyre made ships from fir of Senir. Ezek 27:5 Hazael built a fortress here to thwart Shalmanesser II, howbeit unsuccessfully and is described as the “entrance of Lebanon” and at the north of the .anti-Lebanese range. Medieval arabic geographers call the range north of Damascus by this name (4) In biblical terms it is listed as the boundary of the half tribe of Manasseh indicating their inheritance was to extend to the eastern/northeastern slopes of Hermon 1 Chron 5:23.

Mizar. a single reference in Ps 42:6 literally “my insignificance” is understood to be a small mountain or summit from which the waters of the Jordan emerge. Note the references to the land of the Jordan, and the land of the Hermonites in this verse.  This could be the range that extends down to the waters of Banias also probably known as  Abel-mayim which  is considered another name for Dan. Abel-mayim is mentioned in ancient texts with the phrase “Abel-Mayim which is by Sirion” (2) The name Abiyl (ceniform A bi il) was mentioned a number of times in the Hazael inscription found at Tel el Qadi (Dan) and in correspondence from Tighlath Pilliser II. It is felt that these were references to the tel which was taken by conquest. Josephus also mentions Abel-ain, probably the same place (3) Incidentally bronze age finds seem to confirm this location with the location of Laish, Josh 19:47.

  1. Avraham Negev: Archeological encyclopaedia of the holy land pg 31
  2. Edward Lipinski: On the skirts of Canaan in the Iron Age: historical and topographical researches  pg 244
  3. Antiq: viii.12.4
  4. ISBE pg 394
Comment

Har Hermon, Northern Israel, ISRAEL

Filed under: GOLAN — Leave a comment
September 7, 2011

Hermon has the idea of devoted or consecrated. It has the same root as Hormah as previously discussed in the article on Arad. It illustrates the value that should be attached to the taking and execution of vows (see Num 30; Deut 23:20f). Hermon stands tall at the north of the land of Israel and its presence dominates. I first saw Hermon from the roof of Ajulin castle in the middle of Jordan, its white snow glistening, and then turning around to the south we saw the skyline of Jerusalem in the distance. Later we visited it’s slope from both Syria and viewed its northern reaches in Lebanon.  Mt Hermon is part of a range with three distinct peaks that extends northward into both Lebanon and into Syria, and is the highest point of both Israel and Syria.

The mountain has several names:

  • Har (mount) Hermon; Deut 3:8,9; 4:48; Josh 11:3,17; 12:1,5; 13:5,11; Judges 3:3; 2Sam 24:6; 1Chron 5:23; Ps 42:6; 89:12; 133:3; Song 4:8
  • Jebel el-Shaykh (arabic: mountain of the sheikh or head)
  • Saria (Sumerian)
  • Senir (Amorite: a coat of mail) Deut 3:9
  • Sirion (Sidonians: armour) Deut 3:9; Ps 29:6; 1Chron 5:23; Song 4:8; Ezek 27:5
  • Har Baal-Hermon Judges 3:3 [see Josh 11:17 Baal Gad seems to be a place of aspotate worship on the slopes of Hermon]
  • Har Sion Deut 4:48 Siyon NIV, Sirion ESB
  • Seon LXX
  • The mount of snow, Targum *(Jonathon)
  • “eyes of the nation” Israeli slang

The snows are present for a good part of the year, and fresh snow from Hermon was drunk at the victory of the battle of the horns of Hattin. The whiteness of the snow, not only of this peak, but other peaks in the Lebanese and anit-Lebanese ranges, give Lebanon its name. [heb root laban to be white] and represent the righteousness of God. This righteousness is described as a blessing that descends from mount Hermon itself in Ps 133. But the parallel between the dews on Hermon that do not reach Sion (Jerusalem) and the oil that runs down the head of the anointed high priest that collects on the collar of his garments and does not reach the feet should be noted. Righteousness is not obtained by members of the body, but is a gift from the head. It is attributed on the acknowledgement of faith in the operation of God, Gen 15:6; Rom 4. But God willingly bestows the blessings obtained by the obedience of his son onto those who would share his mind, and feel his sufferings. So Hermon stands [as indicated in the arabic name] to the blessings on the head of him that was separate from his brethren.

Amana Song 4:8 seems to be a reference to the southeastern slopes of mount Hermon, now in modern Syria, and close to Jebel Zabadani. It is probably the area that gives rise to the river Abana 2Kings 5:12 The area is mentioned in c21BC Mesopotamian inscriptions as a location for good-quality marble and timber used for Assyrian and Sumerian construction. (1) [Zabadani is a location well known for wealthy Syrians to have a holiday or weekend house to escape the heat of Damascus.]

Senir [Senir with letter sin, and not Shenir with a Shin] can also be associated with a more northern segment, known by the arabic name of Snir or Senr. Mentioned three times in scripture as the Amorite name for Hermon, it may reflect this segment of the Hermon range. Deut 3:9; 1Chron 5:23 It is possible that the name is a general Amorite name used of the entire antilebanese range.

Mizar. a single reference in Ps 42:6 literally “my insignifiance” is understood to be a small mountain or summit from which the waters of the Jordan emerge. Note the references to the land of the Jordan, and the land of the Hermonites in this verse.  This could be the range that extends down to the waters of Banias also probably known as  Abel-mayim which  is considered another name for Dan. Abel-mayim is mentioned in ancient texts with the phrase “Abel-Mayim which is by Sirion” (2) The name Abiyl (ceniform A bi il) was mentioned a number of times in the Hazael inscription found at Tel el Qadi (Dan) and in correspondance from Tighlath Pilliser II. It is felt that these were references to the tel which was taken by conquest. Josephus also mentions Abel-ain, probably the same place (3) Incidentally bronze age finds seem to confirm this location with the location of Laish. Josh 19:47

  1. Avraham Negev: Archeological encyclopaedia of the holy land pg 31
  2. Edward Lipinski: On the skirts of Canaan in the Iron Age: historical and topographical researches  pg 244
  3. Antiq: viii.12.4

http://maps.google.com.au/maps?hl=en&ll=33.308725,35.732388&spn=0.02238,0.052228&sll=33.236314,35.67246&sspn=0.044797,0.104456&vpsrc=0&t=h&z=15

Comment

mod Saham Al Kfarat, Yarmuk River, Northern Jordan, JORDAN

Filed under: GOLAN, JORDAN — Leave a comment
August 19, 2011

The river Yarmuk [Yarmuq, Yarmouk, Hieromayx (gk)]  is the northern boundary of Jordan, and abuts the Golan heights, the cliffs visible in the distance in the photograph above. The river forms then the border also between Syria and Jordan, passing close to Da’ara or biblical Edrei. A strong geographical barrier is then formed by the abrupt cliffs and forces movement of travel south into Gilead either into steep defiles or to the west to enter the Jordan valley past Hammat Gedar. To the east, and south of Damascus, the rocky expanses of Trachonitis or Argob force travel to the west towards Da’ara and the wilderness further to the east also achieves the same. The British Glubb, who advised the Jordanian troops described this phenomena making Da’ara or Edrei like the “Thermopolyae of Syria” and saw the lands here as critical to the stability and defence of the country of Jordan, and in fact, broader expanses of the middle east.

The river itself is not mentioned in the bible by name, but the one town Hammath Gedar is mentioned once by Joshua.

What however was signficant here on the banks of the river Yarmuk was a turning point in the fortunes of the middle east. In a time when byzantine christian forces controlled the majority of the land, the rising muslim forces of the (Rashidun) Caliphs [Direct ancestors of Mohammed] would remove any christian control south of Antioch in Syria.  Over six days in August 636 what is considered by some as the most decisive military victory in history (1,2) was conducted on the southern banks of the Yarmuk.   Emperor Heraclius had initially advanced through Syria, and followed what looked like a general redoubt from Muslim controlled locations as north as Aleppo. The forces were gathered south from Syria to the Yarmuk under the command of Khalid al-Walid, and known as “the sword of Allah”  (and his very sword suggested as being on display at the Topkapi palace in Istanbul?) here entrenched to make a stand. The battle location was on the western edge of Wadi-ur-Raqad adjacent to the monument commemorated by an enormous sword blade, illustrated above at Tel al Jumm’a (Arabic: hill of gathering).  The wadi is over 600 feet deep and provided a natural barrier critical in the last moments of the battle. The battle was won on the last day by the rapid deployment and rapid change of focus of the cavalry, leading to the inability of the Byzantine forces to react in time, particularly the left flank. The rout at the end of day 6 led to a rapid retreat into the hands of around 500 horsemen secretly placed during the previous night to block their retreat across the safety of the bridge at Ayn al Dhakar, with the result of savage losses on the steep faces of wadi ur-Raqad.

This spectacular victory was the first of a series of battles that would represent the forces arising from the abyss, or “bottomless pit” in Rev 9:11 and a divine judgment on Roman empire.

http://maps.google.com.au/maps?hl=en&ll=32.723212,35.758395&spn=0.022529,0.052228&vpsrc=6&t=k&z=15

  1. Islam at War, George F. Nafziger: “Although Yarmouk is little known today, it is one of the most decisive battles in the human history…Had Heraclius’ forces prevailed, the modern word would be so changed as to be unrecognizable”
  2. The Arab historian, Al Tabari, stated “There was never a battle as that of Yarmouk“

 

Comment
Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

Join 39 other followers