Hadrach is modern day
(Northern) Lebanon. I realize that this matrimonial rest may very well be
alluding (only) to Lebanon & Syria "working" together, but this doesn't
limit God's ability to do what He Has done over & over again in His Word -
HIDE things, like a Father playing hide & seek with his children, but of
course more.... for example, In this same Chapter are;
Hamath (meaning
fortress -- an area larger than Israel, overtaken by the northern kingdom
(Jeroboam II). The capital of one of the kingdoms of Upper Syria of the same
name, on the Orontes, in the valley of Lebanon, at the northern boundary of
Palestine (Num.
13:21; 34:8), at the foot
of Hermon
(Josh. 13:5)
towards Damascus (Zech. 9:2; Jer. 49:23)
Zidon, listed many times
as Sidon (in New Testament), a fishery, a town on the Mediterranean coast, about
25 miles north of Tyre. It received its name from the "first-born" of
Canaan, the grandson of Noah (Gen. 10:15, 19). It
was the first home of the Phoenicians on the coast of Palestine, and from its
extensive commercial relations became a “great” city (Josh. 11:8; 19:28). It was the
mother city of Tyre. It lay within the lot of the tribe of Asher, but was
never subdued (Judg.
1:31). The Zidonians long oppressed Israel (Judg. 10:12). From
the time of David its glory began to wane, and Tyre, its "virgin daughter" (Isa. 23:12), rose to
its place of pre-eminence. Solomon entered into a matrimonial Alliance with
the Zidonians, and thus their form of idolatrous worship found a place in the
land of Israel (1 Kings
11:1, 33). This city was famous for its manufactures and arts, as well as
for its commerce (1
Kings 5:6; 1 Chr.
22:4; Ezek.
27:8). It is frequently referred to by the prophets (Isa. 23:2, 4, 12; Jer. 25:22; 27:3; 47:4; Ezek. 27:8; 28:21, 22; 32:30; Joel 3:4). Our Lord
visited the “coasts” of Tyre and Zidon = Sidon (q.v.), Matt. 15:21; Mark 7:24; Luke 4:26; and from
this region many came forth to hear him preaching (Mark 3:8; Luke 6:17). From
Sidon, at which the ship put in after leaving Caesarea, Paul finally sailed
for Rome (Acts 27:3,
4).
This city is now a town of 10,000 inhabitants, with remains of walls built
in the twelfth century A.D. In 1855, the sarcophagus of Eshmanezer was
discovered. From a Phoenician inscription on its lid, it appears that he was a
"king of the Sidonians," probably in the third century B.C., and that his mother
was a priestess of Ashtoreth, "the
goddess of the Sidonians." In this inscription Baal is mentioned as the chief
god of the Sidonians
Tyre;
Meaning: a rock, now es-Sur
an ancient Phoenician city, about 23 miles, in a direct line, north of
Acre, and 20 south of Sidon. Sidon was the oldest Phoenician city, but Tyre had a longer and more
illustrious history. The commerce of the whole world was gathered into the
warehouses of Tyre.
"Tyrian merchants were
the first who ventured to navigate the Mediterranean waters; and they founded
their colonies on the coasts and neighboring islands of the
Aegean Sea, in Greece, on the
northern coast of Africa, at Carthage and other places, in Sicily and Corsica,
in Spain at Tartessus, and even beyond the pillars of Hercules at Gadeira
(Cadiz)" (Driver's Isaiah). In the time of David a friendly Alliance was
entered into between the Hebrews and the Tyrians, who were long ruled over by
their native kings (2
Sam. 5:11; 1 Kings
5:1; 2 Chr.
2:3).
more about Tyre here;
Gaza;
a city on the Mediterranean shore, remarkable for its early importance as
the chief center of a great commercial traffic with Egypt
more about Gaza here too;
I (could) post the other two cities (three if you count the obvious;
Damascus)....but, you might want to look sooner or later for yourself. I won't
beat a drum too loudly, I'm green at the posting part. I just sure hope I don't
annoy John with all these posts.....he must be busy as a hive-full of bees
because of this event yesterday! And now, yes Peggy, my fingers have some sort
of laryngitis!
A.R. |