Libanus

LIBANUS, a famous Mountain which separates Syria from Palestine. It forms a kind of Horse-shoe in its Length, beginning at three or four Leagues distance from the Mediterranean above Smyrna; and going from North to South towards Sidon, from thence bending from West to East, from Sidon towards Damascus; and at last returning from the South Northward, from the Streight of Damascus, as far as Laodicea Scabiosa. The western Part of this Chain of Mountains is what we properly call Libanus. The other Part, which is opposite to it Eastward, and extends from South to North, is called by the Greeks, Antilibanus. Between these two Mountains is a long Valley called Cœle-Syria, or hollow Syria; in Joshua the Valley of Lebanon, Josh. xi. 17. at present Bekkab, from the Hebrew, Bekab, which signifies a Plain. We have spoken of the Cedars of Libanus under the Article Cedars. The Name of Libanus comes from the Hebrew, Leban, or Laban, which signifies White. This Name was given it, in all Probability, by Reason of the Snow¹, with which it is always covered in many Places. Jeremiah speaks of the Snow of Libanus; and Tacitus: Mirum dicitur tantos inter ardores opacum, fidumque Nivibus.

Zech. xi. 1. Ezek. xvii. 3.Libanus is about an hundred Leagues in Circumference. It has Mesopotamia to the East, Armenia to the North, the Holy Land to the South, and the Mediterranean to the West. There are four Rivers which issue out of Libanus, Jordan, Rocham, Nahar-Rossien, and Nahar-Cadicha. It is composed of four Enclosures of Mountains, which rise one upon the other. The first is very fruitful in Grain and Fruits; the second is very barren, abounding in nothing but Thorns, Rocks and Flints; the third, though higher than this, enjoys a perpetual Spring, the Trees being always green there, and the Orchards filled with Fruit: In a Word, it is so agreeable and fertile, that some have called it a terrestrial Paradise. The fourth is so high, that it is almost always covered with Snow; so as to be uninhabitable by Reason of the great Cold.

The Temple of Jerusalem is also called Libanus. Open thy Doors of Lebanon, that the Fire may devour thy Cedars, says Zachary, speaking of the future Desolation of the Temple by the Romans. And Ezekiel; A great Eagle with large Wings came unto Lebanon, and took the highest Branch of the Cedar. He speaks of Nebuchadnezzar, who took the Temple, burnt it, and carried away all the Treasures belonging to it.

Lastly, the Palace built by Solomon at Jerusalem, was called the House of Libanus, domus saltus Libani, probably by Reason of its Height, or the Whiteness of its Walls; or rather by Reason of the great Quantity of Cedar Wood and Pillars which were in it.

This Palace of Solomon’s was lofty and magnificent, it consisted in one large Pile of Buildings, an hundred and seventy Foot and ten Inches in Length, eighty five Foot five Inches wide, and one and fifty Foot three Inches high; the Middle whereof was supported by four Ranges of Columns, or rather three Ranges of Columns, and one of Pilasters, which formed three cover’d Galleries before the Apartments; in Jer. xviii. 14. Tacit. l. v. Hist. c. 6. Cant. vii. 4.each Range were fifteen Columns; and in all three five and forty.

Before this Palace, and next to the Portico and Columns which supported it, Solomon made a Court fifty Cubits long, and thirty wide, which was also encompassed with Galleries, the Cielings whereof were supported by a great Number of Pillars; and before this first Court he made another larger and wider, with the same Ornaments, and the same Order of Pillars, which was called the Court of the Throne, because Solomon placed the Throne there, on which he sat to administer Justice to the People. See the Plan.

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