n the Aryan hordes from Asia Minor overran
the Hittite country, and came down even to Egypt. In David's time,
the border between his kingdom and those of the Hittites and
Phoenicians was drawn from Hermon to Danjaan, south of Tyre (2 Sam.
xxiv. 6), and Solomon married Hittite princesses. The Hittite
independence was only finally destroyed about 700 B.C. by the
Assyrians.

286 The mulberry is still found in large gardens at Beirut and
throughout the Lebanon. Since Justinian's time it has been the food
of silkworms.

287 This repetition may perhaps be regarded as only a phonetic
explanation of the preceding ideograms; but perhaps the words were
added to show with certainty that by the terms God and Sun he meant
the King of Egypt.

288 The name "Abimelech" at Tyre is interesting. It occurs as the name
of a Phoenician king in the time of Assurbanipal (885-860 B.C.). The
chief deity of Tyre was Moloch, or Melkarth; and the name means "my
father is Moloch," claiming a divine descent. The son of Gideon and
certain Philistine kings are so named in the Bible.

289 Huzu is probably the modern el Ghaziyeh, near Sidon. It is at the
foot of the hills, and there is a stream (Nahr ez Zahrany, "flowery
river") four miles to the south, which accounts for the notice of
the waters. It seems clearly to have been in the direction of Sidon.

290 "Belu amil neru," literally "a lord, a chief man of the yoke (or
government)."

291 See the letters from Hazor after those from Tyre. This petty monarch
was an enemy to the southern possessions of the King of Tyre.

292 The site of Zarbitu is probably the Sarepta, or Zarephah, of the
Bible (1 Kings xvii. 9, etc.), which is now Sarafand, half way
between Tyre and Sidon. The decision was therefore just; but though
apparently satisfied Abimelec did not get what he asked in the
preceding letter--if that demand was really the earlier one. There is
a fine fountain ('Ain el Kantarah, "spring of the arch") to the
north of Sarepta, and the region generally is well watered. The town
was famous in the Byzantine age for wine.

293 "Danuna" is probably the Danjaan of the Bible, now the ruin Danian,
four miles north of Achzib, and on the border between Tyre and Accho
(see 2 Sam. xxiv. 6).

294 "Hugarit" is probably