DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.10357#0212
PICTURESQUE PALESTINE.
Mukmas, stands on the north side of a ravine, the Wady Suweinlt, or Valley of the Thorn-
tree, which takes its rise west of Ai, and soon becomes a narrow gorge with vertical sides
eight hundred feet deep—a fissure across the country only detected when arrived on its actual
brink. It is the true head of the Wady Kelt. There can be no doubt as to the identity of
the present Jeba and Mukmas with the position of the respective garrisons of the Philistines
and Israelites. We read there was a sharp rock on the one side and a sharp rock on the other
side; the name of the one was Bozez, i.e. "shining," and the other Seneh, "the acacia" (i Sam.
xiv. 4). Josephus enters into more minute detail. Michmash, he says, was a precipice with
three tops, ending in a long sharp tongue and protected by surrounding cliffs. Exactly such a
natural fortress exists ending in a narrow tongue to the east, with cliffs below and an open
valley behind it, and a saddle towards the west on which the village stands. Facing it on the
south is an equally precipitous cliff, apparently as inaccessible from the ravine as the other,
and still bearing the name of Seneh, from the acacia-trees which here and there are found
in the nooks. Now the valley runs due east, and the southern cliff is consequently always in
shade. As we have noted in going from Jerusalem to Jericho, there is a marked contrast in
colour always between the slopes that face the north and the south, and here it is especially
striking. The sun-dried chalk face of the northern side gleams brightly in the sunlight from
the south, and has well earned its name of Bozez, or the " shining." To climb down from
Geba must have been difficult enough, but the ascent on the other side, which Jonathan
and his armour-bearer achieved " upon their hands and feet," would try an experienced
mountaineer, and their apparition up such a cliff may explain the panic of the Philistines, as
they would be taken for the advance guard of a numerous storming party. Across the
narrow chasm the adventure could be easily watched, and the noise in the alarmed camp be
heard. Saul's garrison would cross the valley higher up with ease by the path to the
village behind, and thence naturally the pursuit was towards Bethel and down the Valley
of Ajalon towards Ain Duk, already the scene of the first great victory of Joshua. It is
evident from the history compared with the topography that the Philistines had not secured
any posts on the south of the ravine, but had spread their plundering parties east to Zeboim
(Duk), west to Beth-horon, and north towards Ophrah. On their panic the northern Israelites
who had hid themselves in Ephraim, and also the numerous deserters in their camp, turned
against them and pursued them down to the central valley.
With the identification of Michmash that of Geba is necessarily secured. There are
few events of a circumstantial history three thousand years old more minutely identified in
their every detail than this surprise of the garrison of Michmash. We see where Saul lay
at bay. On the south side of the chasm stands Geba of Benjamin, on a rocky knoll, with
cisterns beneath and corn-land to the eastward, still known as Jeba. There has been much
confusion between this Geba and Gibeah of Saul, usually identified with the modern Taleil-el-
Ful; but the suggestion of Lieut. Conder that Gibeah of Saul applied to a district as well
as a place seems to solve the difficulty. Once again in Old Testament history, after the
Mukmas, stands on the north side of a ravine, the Wady Suweinlt, or Valley of the Thorn-
tree, which takes its rise west of Ai, and soon becomes a narrow gorge with vertical sides
eight hundred feet deep—a fissure across the country only detected when arrived on its actual
brink. It is the true head of the Wady Kelt. There can be no doubt as to the identity of
the present Jeba and Mukmas with the position of the respective garrisons of the Philistines
and Israelites. We read there was a sharp rock on the one side and a sharp rock on the other
side; the name of the one was Bozez, i.e. "shining," and the other Seneh, "the acacia" (i Sam.
xiv. 4). Josephus enters into more minute detail. Michmash, he says, was a precipice with
three tops, ending in a long sharp tongue and protected by surrounding cliffs. Exactly such a
natural fortress exists ending in a narrow tongue to the east, with cliffs below and an open
valley behind it, and a saddle towards the west on which the village stands. Facing it on the
south is an equally precipitous cliff, apparently as inaccessible from the ravine as the other,
and still bearing the name of Seneh, from the acacia-trees which here and there are found
in the nooks. Now the valley runs due east, and the southern cliff is consequently always in
shade. As we have noted in going from Jerusalem to Jericho, there is a marked contrast in
colour always between the slopes that face the north and the south, and here it is especially
striking. The sun-dried chalk face of the northern side gleams brightly in the sunlight from
the south, and has well earned its name of Bozez, or the " shining." To climb down from
Geba must have been difficult enough, but the ascent on the other side, which Jonathan
and his armour-bearer achieved " upon their hands and feet," would try an experienced
mountaineer, and their apparition up such a cliff may explain the panic of the Philistines, as
they would be taken for the advance guard of a numerous storming party. Across the
narrow chasm the adventure could be easily watched, and the noise in the alarmed camp be
heard. Saul's garrison would cross the valley higher up with ease by the path to the
village behind, and thence naturally the pursuit was towards Bethel and down the Valley
of Ajalon towards Ain Duk, already the scene of the first great victory of Joshua. It is
evident from the history compared with the topography that the Philistines had not secured
any posts on the south of the ravine, but had spread their plundering parties east to Zeboim
(Duk), west to Beth-horon, and north towards Ophrah. On their panic the northern Israelites
who had hid themselves in Ephraim, and also the numerous deserters in their camp, turned
against them and pursued them down to the central valley.
With the identification of Michmash that of Geba is necessarily secured. There are
few events of a circumstantial history three thousand years old more minutely identified in
their every detail than this surprise of the garrison of Michmash. We see where Saul lay
at bay. On the south side of the chasm stands Geba of Benjamin, on a rocky knoll, with
cisterns beneath and corn-land to the eastward, still known as Jeba. There has been much
confusion between this Geba and Gibeah of Saul, usually identified with the modern Taleil-el-
Ful; but the suggestion of Lieut. Conder that Gibeah of Saul applied to a district as well
as a place seems to solve the difficulty. Once again in Old Testament history, after the