Merom

Josh. xi. 5.MEROM, or Marom; the Waters of Merom mentioned in Joshua xi. 5. are the Waters of Semechon, as ‘tis believed; since Hazor, where Jabin reigned, was upon this Lake, as is affirmed by Josephus¹; and Joshua says, that Jabin, and the other confederate Kings, met together to fight Joshua upon the Waters of Merom. It should seem then that Merom and Semechon are the same; but this Consequence does not necessarily follow. We agree with Josephus, that the City of Hazor was upon the Lake Semechon; but where is it said that it was upon the Waters of Merom? Where is it said that the Kings in Alliance encamped at the Waters of Semechon, and near Hazor, to fight with Joshua? It is much more probable that they advanced as far as the Brook Kishon, and to the Pass that led into their Countrey, to hinder Joshua from entering into it, or even to attack him in a Countrey that he was already in Possession of; than to imagine that they waited for him in the midst of their own Countrey, leaving all Galilee at his Mercy, and the whole Countrey from the Brook Kishon, to the Lake Semechon.

But here are the Proofs which make us think that Merom and Merome, and the Waters of Merom, were near Kishon, Carmel, Taanach, and Megiddo. 1. Eusebius places the City of Merom or Merus, at twelve Miles from Sebasta, towards Dothaim. 2. The Tribes of Zebulun and Naphthali exposed themselves to great Danger, in the Battle against Sisera, in the Plains of Merome, Judges v. 18. 3. This Battle was certainly fought upon the Kishon, at Tanaach and Megiddo, Judges v. 19. Wherefore we must place the Waters of Merom near these Places. But Taanach, Merom and Megiddo are situate on this Side Kishon, and at the Foot of Carmel. ‘Twas there therefore, that not only the Battle between Joshua and Jabin was fought, but also that between Barak and Sisera. This Pass was of great Importance, and it was very difficult to march an Army any other Way, either to go from Judæa into Phœnicia or Galilee, or on the contrary from Phœnicia into Judæa.

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