Lebanon in Biblical History

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What is Lebanon?
LEB'ANON
(exceeding white, viz., with snow, as Mont Blanc), a double mountain-range to the north of Palestine, consisting of a western chain, Lebanon proper, and an eastern, "Lebanon toward the sun-rising," Josh 13:5; or by classic writers, Anti-Libanus, and enclosing a valley from 5 to 8 miles broad -- "the valley of Lebanon," Josh 11:17; or by classic writers, Coelo-Syria, the present El-Bukua, which connects to the north with the valley of the Orontes, and to the south with the valley of the Jordan. The western range, the Lebanon proper, begins on the north near the banks of the Eleutherus, which passes through the plain of Emesa, the "entrance of Hamath," Num 34:8, to the Mediterranean, and runs for a distance of 90 geographical miles, in the direction from north-east to south-west, parallel with the Mediterranean, to the banks of the Litany, the ancient Leontes, which, draining Coelo-Syria and breaking through the Lebanon by a wild gorge, enters the Mediterranean a few miles north of Tyre. The average height of this range is from 6000 to 8000 feet. Its highest peaks are Jebel Mukhmel, 10,200 feet, and Sannin, 9000 feet. The line of cultivation runs at an elevation of about 6000 feet. The peaks which pass beyond this line are generally barren and covered with small fragments of limestone, through which the naked rocks jut up in jagged points. The highest of them, however, are covered with perpetual snow and ice, towering aloft in their glittering magnificence, visible far off by sea and by land, and sending forth streams of cooled air over the scorched plains of Syria and Palestine. The eastern descent toward Coelo-Syria is steep, wild, often forbidding; but to View of Lebanon from the Sea. the west the Lebanon descends gradually through broad terraces to the Mediterranean, generally facing the sea with ranges of bold limestone cliffs. Everywhere broken by the sudden rise of high peaks of rock or rent by deep precipices and ravines, these terraces present a most romantic prospect, and the beauty of the country is still more enhanced by the salubrity of the air and the fertility of the soil; by the luxuriant vegetation which covers all forms; pine, oak, and Cedar (which see) on the peaks; mulberry and orange trees, figs, vines, corn, and melons on the slopes; olive and cotton trees in the valleys, besides a multitude of fragrant herbs and gorgeous flowers. "The smell of thy garments is like the smell of Lebanon," Cant. Song 4:11. The eastern chain, the Anti-Lebanon, runs nearly parallel with the western from the plain of Emesa until, in the south, it connects with the hills of Galilee. Its highest point is Mount Hermon (which see). Its western descent toward Coelo-Syria is abrupt and steep; to the east it gradually sinks into the plains of the desert. Its general aspect is bleak and barren, the abode of wild beasts and birds of prey. From both ranges numerous rivers descend -- the Eleutherus, Leontes, Jordan, Abana, and Pharpar (which see); and the cold-flowing waters of the springs and streams of Lebanon were and are still proverbial. Lebanon, the land of which Moses said, "I pray thee let me go over and see the good land that is beyond Jordan, that goodly mountain, and Lebanon," Deut 3:25, was in the oldest times inhabited by the Hivites and Giblites, Jud 3:3; Josh 13:5-6, of whom the latter built the city of Gebal, the Greek Byblus, the present Jebail. The land was assigned to the Israelites, but never conquered by them. Josh 13:2-6; Jud 3:1-3. It "stood under Phoenician rule. 1 Kgs 5:2-6; Ezr 3:7. In the times of David and Solomon, however, the Jews became quite intimately acquainted with the country, and the deep impression it made on them is apparent throughout the books of the O.T. Its cedars. Cant. Am 5:15, its wines, Hos 14:7, its cold waters, Jer 18:14, etc., are repeatedly mentioned, and from it the sacred writers very frequently take the materials for their most striking similes. Ps 72:16; Ps 29:5-6; Ps 104:16-18; Isa 35:2; Isa 60:13; Zech 11:1-2, etc. Anti-Lebanon stood under the rule of Damascus, though in the southern part several fierce tribes remained independent up to a very late date. 1 Chr 5:19-23. When the whole region came under the sway of the Seleucidae, b.c. 312-65, several large and important cities were built here, such as Laodicaea, Chalcis, Abila, etc. (which see), and as a Roman province the prosperity of the country still increased, as the ruins of Chalcis and Baalbek show. Also, during the wars with the Saracens and Turks, it remained comparatively undisturbed, and it is now inhabited by some 200,000 or 300,000 Christians, Maronites, and Druses. In Anti-Lebanon, however, most of the inhabitants are Mohammedans, and the governor is a Turkish offcial of the common stamp; while the governor of Lebanon is a Christian, and his position is guaranteed by the powers of Europe.

Bibliography Information
Schaff, Philip, Dr. "Biblical Definition for 'lebanon' in Schaffs Bible Dictionary".
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