"معاملات الجمعية الجغرافية في بومباي، من يناير ١٨٤٧ حتى مايو ١٨٤٩. تحرير السكرتير. المجلد VIII." [‎٣‎٥‎٨] (٤٩٦/٤٦٧)

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Wadi-es-Saweinit, I <_y ^ Ij,—on the northern side of which are
*♦
numerous natural caves and rock-cut sepulchres, the burial place proba
bly of ancient Hai. The Wadi runs down easterly into Wadi Fdrah,
which debouches on the valley of Jordan a little N. of Jericho and the
supposed site of Gilgal. Up this Wadi, which is also now the usual
track of Arabs coming up from the Ghor, went the spies sent by Joshua
from Jericho to view Ai; and the army of Joshua encamped on the N.
side of it, as we are told they pitched on the north side of Ai nigh unto
the city, and that there was a valley (Wadi-es-Saweinit,) between them
and Ai, which Joshua took possession of the night before his feigned
attack. Higher up this Wadi, to the westward, is the passage between
Michmash and Gibeah mentioned in Samuel.
On the N. E. side of the ruins are traces of an ancient road, which,
we were told by a few Bedouins—who sprang up from among the ruins
and caves, and were clamorous for tobacco,—led straight to Jericho by
Wadi Saweinit and Far ah. Here probably was the entering of the
gate of the city where Joshua raised up a great heap of stones on the
body of the Canaanitish King of Ai, whom he had hanged on a
tree after the fall of the place. A few stunted fig trees serve to
mark this spot from the desert aspect of the surrounding coun
try. Not far distant from this, close on the east of the ruins, besides
the sepulchral grots in Wddi Saweinit, are several other rock caves.
One of them is of considerable extent, and is approached by a descent of
several steps : it reminded me of the sepulchral caves north of Latikia on
the Syrian coast, and of those in the vicinity of Tyre. The interior of
this cavern is chiefly natural, but not having lights we could not explore
it to its full extent. A few small rock-cut cisterns lie in the vicinity.
The course of the Jordan is distinctly seen from Bas-el-dlai, and also
the environs of Jericho, if not Jericho itself, with the mountains of
Moab east of Jordan; but not the Dead Sea, the locality of which was
curtained by a thin haze.
Commentators have felt some difficulty in reconciling the relations
in Joshua (viii. 3, 9, and 12.) In the first two verses Joshua is stated
to have selected 30,000 chosen men and sent them away by night to
lie in ambush between Bethel and Ai, on the 'west side of the city ?
and in the last verse it is said that he chose but 5,000 for this purpose.
Calmet says that Masius allows 5,000 men for the ambuscade and
25,000 for the attack of the city, being persuaded that an army