John Lightfoot · 97 of 172

Chapters 1-5 · 3. A scheme of Asphaltites, and of the wilderness of Judah, or Idumea adjacent.

We are now indeed out of our bounds; but we hope not out of the bounds of truth. Therefore, in one or two words, we thus confirm the situation that we have assigned to these places:

I. In Genesis 10:19, Gaza and Sodom are made to lie in a parallel line.

II. Lasha is Callirrhoe. So Jonathan renders 'unto Lasha,' 'unto Callirrhoe.' So also Bereshith Rabbah, and the Jerusalem Talmudists, in the places cited at the margin.

You have the situation of it in Pliny, on the same coast with Macherus. "Arabia of the Nomades looks upon Asphaltites on the east,--Macherus, on the south. On the same side is Callirrhoe, a warm spring, of a medicinal wholesomeness."

And now let it be observed, from the place alleged out of Genesis, that, after the same manner as Sidon and Gaza, the limits on the west part, are placed, so are Sodom and Lasha seated on the east, one on the south, and the other on the north; and the other cities stood in this order: from Lasha, southward, Zeboim; after it, Admah; after it, Gomorrah; and after it, on the utmost southern coast, Sodom.

III. The Asphaltites, saith Josephus, is extended in length, "unto Zoar of Arabia"; and, Deuteronomy 34:3, Moses, from mount Nebo, beheld Zoar from the utmost bounds of the land on that side, as he had beheld the utmost bounds of it from other sides.

IV. En-gedi is Hazezon-tamar; so the Targum of Onkelos in Genesis 14:7: see 2 Chronicles 20:2; and Tamar was the utmost south border: Ezekiel 47:19.

V. "The border of Judea (saith Solinus) was the castle Masada. And that not far from Asphaltites."

Josephus indeed saith, that his castle was "not far from Jerusalem"; which seems to thwart me in placing it as I have done. But, besides that we might contend about that reading, when it is very usual with historians to use the words 'not far off,' and 'near,' in a very wide and loose sense,--one can hardly build any thing upon this. So Solinus; "Calirrhoe is a fountain very near Jerusalem"; when yet how far off was it! And in Strabo, Lecheus is "a port near Italy"; when yet it was distant many hundreds of miles.

Masada in Hebrew is Matsadah, which implies fortification: and that with good reason, when that castle was fortified even to a miracle. The name is taken from 1 Samuel 23:14,19...For they read in the former place, "in the strait places"; and in the latter, "in Maserem" (otherwise Masereth), "in the strait places." The Syriac and Arabic read Masroth; as though they had read in the original. So Josephus; "He (David), with those that were with him, went up to the strait place of Mastheri."