h, upon appeal made to Omar, was by him confirmed. Zobeir had at the
battle of Yermouk two horses, which he used to ride by turns. He
received five lots, three for himself and two for his horses. If any
slaves had run away from their masters before the battle, and were
afterward retaken, they were restored to their masters, who nevertheless
received an equal share of the spoil with the rest.

The Saracens having rested a month at Damascus, and refreshed
themselves, Abu Obeidah sent to Omar to know whether he should go to
Caesarea or Jerusalem. Ali being present when Omar was deliberating,
said, to Jerusalem first, adding that he had heard the prophet say as
much. This city they had a great longing after, as being the seat and
burying place of a great many of the ancient prophets, in whom they
reckoned none to have so deep an interest as themselves. Abu Obeidah
having received orders to besiege it, sent Yezid Ebn Abu Sofian thither
first with five thousand men; and for five days together sent after him
considerable numbers of men under his most experienced and trustworthy
officers. The Ierosolymites expressed no signs of fear, nor would they
vouchsafe so much as to send out a messenger to parley; but, planting
their engines upon the walls, made preparation for a vigorous defence.
Yezid at last went near the walls with an interpreter, to know their
minds, and to propose the usual terms. When these were rejected, the
Saracens would willingly have assaulted the town forthwith, had not
Yezid told them that the general had not commanded them to make any
assault, but only to sit down before the city; and thereupon sent to Abu
Obeidah, who forthwith gave them order to fight. The next morning the
generals having said the morning prayer, each at the head of his
respective division, they all, as it were with one consent, quoted this
versicle out of the _Koran_, as being very apposite and pertinent to
their present purpose: "O people! enter ye into the holy land which God
hath decreed for you," being the twenty-fourth verse of the fifth
chapter of the _Koran_, where the impostor introduces Moses speaking to
the children of Israel, and which words the Saracens dexterously
interpreted as belonging no less to themselves than to their
predecessors, the Israelites. Nor have our own parts of the world been
altogether destitute of such able expositors, who apply to themselves,
without limitation or exception, whatever in Scripture is graci