Daphne

DAPHNE. Josephus speaks of a fountain so called, which encreased the waters of Jordan. St. Jerom and the Chaldee read likewise the fountain of Daphne, Numb. xxiv. 11. where in the Hebrew it is said only the fountain, in this manner: And the coast shall go down from Shepham to Riblah, on the east-side¹ of the fountain of Daphnis; in the Hebrew, on the east-side of the fountain.

It is very probable that St. Jerom and the Chaldee Interpreters had in view the fountain of Daphne near Antioch. But they might likewise have some regard to the fountain Daphne, near the lake Semechon, mentioned by Josephus. Nevertheless it must be confessed, that there is some difficulty in the text of Josephus. He says, That the lake Semechon is thirty furlongs wide, and sixty in length; and that the marshes belonging to it reach as far as the plains of Daphne, which are very delicious, and are made so particularly by the fine springs of water, which help to enlarge the lesser Jordan something higher than the Temple of the golden Calf. It is very well known, that the Temple of the golden Calf was at Dan; wherefore it is very probable that instead of the plains of Daphne, we should read, the plains of Dan.

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