Terebinthus

TEREBINTHUS, the Turpentine-tree. The Author of the Vulgate, and the Septuagint, generally translate by Terebinthus, the Hebrew Word Elah,¹ which others render by an Oak, an Elm, a Chesnut -tree, or in general, a Tree. St. Jerome is not more uniform in his Translation of this Word; for sometimes he renders it by Quercus, or Ilex, an Oak. The Terebinthus is a Tree whose Wood and Bark resembles the Lentisk-Tree, and whose Leaves are like those of the Ash, but a little thicker, and more glutinous. Its Flower resembles that of the Olive, and its Fruit grows in Bunches or Clu sters. This Fruit is hard, resinous, of the Bigness of Juniper-berries, and has little red Horns, like those of Goats, in which Insects breed. They have also a kind of Liquor, like the Lentisk. Its Resin or Gum distils from the Trunk, like that of other resinous Trees. This Tree was frequent in Judea.

The Terebinthus, under which AbrahamGen. xvii. 1, 2, &c. entertained the three Angels, is very famous in Antiquity. Josephus says,² that six Furlongs from Hebron they shew’d a very large Terebinthus, which the Inhabitants of the Country thought to be as old as the World itself. Eusebius assures us, that even in his time the Terebinthus of Abraham was still to be seen, and that the neighbouring People, both Christians and Gentiles, held it in great Veneration, as well for the sake of Abraham, as of the heavenly Guests he entertained under it. St. Jerom says, this Terebinthus was two Miles from Hebron. Sozomen places it fifteen Sozomen. l. 2. c. 4. Hist.Stadia from this City; and an old Itinerary puts it at two Miles distance. These Varieties might make one doubt whether this Terebinthus that Josephus speaks of, were the same that was to be seen in the Times of Eusebius, St. Jerom, and Sozomen.

Some Ancients have pretended, that this Terebinthus was the Staff of one of the three Angels,³ that were treated by Abraham, who fixing it in the Earth, it took root, and grew to be a great Tree. At the foot of this Tree was an Altar, on which were offered profane Sacrifices; which the Emperor Constantine being inform’d of,⁴ wrote to Eusebius, Bishop of Cæsarea, and gave him Orders to pull down the Altar, and to build an Oratory in the Place.

‘Tis said that when this Terebinthus was set on fire, the Flame took hold of it all at once, but that after the Fire was extinguished, the Tree was found to be as whole and sound as before. The Concourse of People, who came from all Parts to visit this Terebinthus, gave occasion to a Fair to be kept there. St. Jerom, and some others tell us,⁵ that after the War that the Emperor Adrian made with the Jews, they sold there a great multitude of Slaves of this Nation, at a very low Price; and that such as could not be put off there, were carried into Egypt, where the greatest part of ‘em perished miserably. Sanutus informs us, that the Trunk of this Terebinthus was Sanut. in Secret. fidel. crucis. p. 248.still in be-

Vol. III. ing in his Time, and that they carried it away in pieces, to which they ascribed great Virtues.

Genesis xxxv. 4.The Terebinthus of Jacob, where he buried the Gods that his People had brought with them out of Mesopotamia, was behind the City of Shechem, and very different from that where Abraham set up his Tent, near the City of Hebron; yet they have been very absurdly confounded together. ‘Tis thought to be under this same Terebinthus (which the Vulgate calls an Oak, Josh. xxiv. 26.) that Joshua renew’d the Covenant with the Lord, and Judg. ix. 6.that Abimelech, the Son of Gideon was made King by the Shechemites.

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