DAMASCUS (da-mas'kus), (Heb. dam Ineh'sek (Gr.Aai.Lacrtc6s, dam-as-kos), called by the natives Es-Sham.
(1) The Metropolis and Capital of Syria, also capital of an important pashalic of the same name, lies in a plain at the eastern foot of Anti Libanus. It was sometimes spoken of by the an cients as an Arabian city, but in reality it belongs to Syria. In 2 Sam. viii :5, 6, 'the Syrians of Da mascus' are spoken of, and the words, 'Syria of The plain of Damascus owes its fertility and loveliness to the river Barrada, which is supposed to be either the Abana or Pharpar of 2 Kings v: 12, and has been noticed under another head (see ABANA).
The view of Damascus, when the traveler emerges from Anti-Libanus, is of the most en chanting kind, and the surrounding country is dense with luxuriant foliage.
(3) Origin and Early History. Of the origin of Damascus nothing certain is known. The building of it has been ascribed both to Abraham and to his 'steward, Eliezer of Damascus.' That the city existed as early as the days of Abraham is clear from Gen. xiv :15; xv :2 ; but the way in which it is spoken of in these passages shows that even at the time to which they refer it was not a new nor an unknown place: for Abraham's steward is characterized as being of Damascus.
and the locality of another town (Hobah) is fixed by stating that it lay on the left hand of Damascus.' L. Muller (Ad Orig. Reg. Llamas.) has undertaken to show that it was even then governed by its own rulers. How long it may have retained its independence cannot be deter mined; but it appears (2 Sam. viii:5, 6; 1 Chiron.
6) that its monarch having unadvisedly attacked the victorious David, the Hebrew sov ereign defeated the Syrians, making a great slaughter of them, and, in his turn, subdued Damascus. and exacted tribute from its inhabi tants. This subjection was not of long duration, for under his successor (1 Kings xi:24) one Rezon, a servant of Hadadezer, king of Zobah, made himself master of Damascus, and, ruling over Syria, 'was an adversary to Israel all the days of Solomon.' After Rezon, Hezion occupied the throne; he was succeeded by his son Tabri mon (I Kings xv:18, 19), who was in alliance with Asa, king of Judah. Preserving the same direct line, the crown then fell to Benhadad, who. having been in a league with Baasha, king of Israel, was bribed by Asa to desert his ally, and join himself in attacking Baasha, on whom the united forces inflicted great injury (i Kings xv: 19, 20). In the time of Benhadad, son of the preceding monarch, Damascus was the head of a very powerful empire, since it appears (I Kings xx:1) that 'thirty and two kings' (doubtless petty princes or pashas, governors of provinces) ac companicd him in a campaign which he under took against Samaria. Of Ahab, its king, he
made insolent demands.
The king of Israel therefore took counsel of 'all the elders of the land,' and, being advised to resist, met the threats of Benhadad with these famous words :—'Let not him that girdeth on his harness boast himself as lie that putteth it off.' The Damascene king, undismayed. gave himself up to drinking and revelry. Ahab was under religious influences. The battle took place; the Syrians were defeated, and their king effected his retreat with difficulty. The subsequent opera tions of the Damascenes, under their king, have already been stated (see BENHADAD). I lazael. the successor of Benhadad, unwilling to give up hope of being master of Ranioth-Gilead, was attacked by the united forces of Judah and Israel, whom he vanquished, wounding Joram (2 Kings viii: 28) ; and, at a later period, under Jelin (2 Kings x:33), laid waste a large portion of the Israelitish kingdom and 'threshed Gilead with threshing instruments of iron' (Amos i:3). Determined on revenge (2 Kings xii :17), I lazael marched to Jerusalem, and was bought off by King Jehoash by a most costly sacrifice. He, however, took the kingdom of Israel (2 Kings xiii:3), and, though he treated the people oppressively, he was able to hand them over in subjection to his son, Benhadad III, who was thrice beaten (2 Kings xiii :24, 25) by the Israelitish king Jelmash, and deprived of all his conquests. Jeroboam II (2 Kings xiv :28) pursued these advantages, and captured Damascus itself. Subsequently a junc tion took place between Israel and Damascus, when (2 Kings xvi 5, 6i Rezin, king of the lat ter, and Pekali, king of the lormer, entered into a confederacy, and undertook an expedition against Ahaz, king of Judah (Is. vii:t). They succeeded in '-ecovering Elath to Syria.' but could not prevail against Jerusalem (2 Kings xvi :(i). Ahaz, however, urged by necessity, applied for aid to Tiglath-pilcser. king of Assyria, who, being bribed by a munificent present, fell on Damascus, took it, carried the people (if it captive to Kir (on the river Kur), slew Rezin, and united the Da masccne territory with his own kingdom (2 Kings xvi :9; Is. viii :4 ; x :9; xvti ( For confirmation from the monuments see McCurdy, History, Prophecy, and the Monuments; Dr. Ira Maurice Price, The Monuments and the Old Testament, p• 273, ed.) Damascus after this fell under the power of the Babylonians and Persians, from whom it was taken by Alexander the Great, as one consequence of his victory at lssus (Arrian, Exped. Ales.