JERICHO, a City in the Tribe of Benjamin, about seven leagues from Jerusalem, and two from Jordan. Moses calls it the city of Palm-trees, by reason of the great number of these trees growing in the plain of Jericho. Josephus says, that in the territory belonging to this City there were not only many Palm-trees, but likewise the Balsam-tree, which produced that precious liquor so much esteemed by the Ancients. The Valley of Jericho was watered with a rivulet which formerly was salt and bitter; but was afterwards sweet-ned by the Prophet Elisha, so that its wa-ters made the plain of Jericho not only one of the most agreeable, but one of the most fertile spots in that country. Jericho was the first City in the Land of Canaan, taken by Joshua. He at first sent Spies thither, who were received by a woman named Rahab; by her they were lodged in her own house, and preserved from fal-ling into the King of Jericho’s hands, who had sent people to seize on them. She obliged them to promise her, that when the City should be taken, she and her whole family should have their lives given them. See the Article RAHAB.
Joshua received God’s orders to lay siege to Jericho, some few days after his Josh. vi. 1, 2, 3, &c.passage over Jordan, and perhaps on the evening before, or upon the very day of the first Passover, which the Hebrews celebrated in the Land of Canaan. The manner wherein the siege was to be formed, had something very extraordinary in it. God commanded them once every day for seven days together to make a tour about the City. The soldiers marched first, in all probability out of the reach of the Enemies arrows. After them followed the Priests, who sounded the trumpets; then they who carried the sacred Coffer, wherein the Tables of the Law were included; and last of all, the whole body of the people disposed in the same order which they observed in their marches through the Wilderness. This ceremony was repeated till the seventh day, upon which they marched seven times round about the City; and at the seventh, while the trumpets were sounding, and all the people making great cries, the walls of themselves fell down. The first day, the Rabbins say, was Sunday, and the seventh, the Sabbath-day. During the six first days, all the people continued in profound silence; but on the seventh, Joshua commanding them to shout, they every where exalted their voices; and the walls being overthrown, they all entred the City, every man in the place which was opposite to him.
Now God had ordained that the City should be devoted to the Curse, and that no one should touch any thing, which was found in it; that they should spare neither man nor beast, that they should put all to the sword without distinction of age or condition; and that Rahab only and her family should be excepted out of this general law. All this was accordingly executed. They set fire to the City, and consecrated to the Lord all the gold, silver and brass which were to be found in it. Then Joshua pronounced this imprecation, and said, Cursed be the man before the Lord, who shall raise up and rebuild Jericho: let his first-born die while he lays the foundation of it, and may he lose his youngest child, when he hangeth up the gates. This 2 Kings xvi. 34. About the year of the World 3090, before J. C. 910, before the Vulgar Æra 914.imprecation made by Joshua was not vain. Hiel of Bethel about five hundred and thirty seven years after this undertook to rebuild Jericho. He lost his eldest son Abiram as he was laying the foundations, and his youngest son Segub, when he hung up the gates.
We are not however to imagine, that there was no City of the name of Jericho in this Canton till the time of Hiel of Bethel. There was a City of Palm-trees, the same probably as Jericho, in the time Judg. iii. 13.of the Judges, under Eglon King of the Moabites. David’s Ambassadors, who had been insulted by the Ammonites, dwelt at 2 Sam. x. 4, 5.Jericho, till their beards were grown again. There was therefore a City of Jericho at that time; but it was not built upon the foundations of the old one; it lay somewhere in the neighbourhood of this first a Doubdan, Voyage de la Terre Sainte, c. 37. b Joseph. de Bello, l. 5. c. 4.Jericho a. Josephus sufficiently distinguishes these two places, when he says b, that even in his time near ancient Jericho, which was destroyed by Joshua, there was the spring of a Fountain which abounded with water, and was sufficient to moisten the whole plain. But after Hiel of Bethel had repaired old Jericho, no one made any scruple of dwelling there. We have seen in the Article ELISHA, after what manner the Prophet sweetned the waters of this Fountain. Herod caused a very beautiful palace to be built at Jericho. Here he gave orders for drowning his brother-in-law the High-Priest Aristobulus. Our Saviour wrought some miracles at Jericho; and there it was that he was invited to abide with Zacchæus, whose faith is so much commended in the Gospel.
Ecclus. xxiv. 18. Quasi plantatio Rosæ in Jericho.The Rose of JERICHO is mentioned with approbation in the Scripture, and in the Writings of Travellers; though there is room to question whether what the Scripture calls the Rose of Jericho, be the same thing with what the Moderns understand by this name. Let this be as it will, that which goes under this name, is described thus: It is a plant in shape like an Elder-tree. The Blossom of it appears in bunches composed of very small flowers, like those of the Elder-tree. At first it is red, and afterwards becomes whitish. The plain of Jericho is all covered over with this sort of shrub. There are some too which grow in particular places of Arabia. The flower of it is incorruptible; it dries up, and closes much like the Elder-flower, before it opens and blows. Several virtues are ascribed to it, without any foundation. If it be left some time in the water, it opens, and blows; if it be left for any time out of the water, it closes again; and this in all seasons of the year.
As to the Balsam-tree of JERICHO, see the Article BALSAM-TREE.