LE13ANON.) The soil is good, and the water abundant from the numerous mountain springs on each side, but the concentration of the sun's rays renders the summer heat excessive. These are the sources of that fertility for which the valley has, in all ages, been renowned; but only a small portion is now cultivated, the rest being left in pasture to the Arab tribes. (La Roque, I. 115-120 ; i. 271 ; Burckhardt. pP• 4-18, 31; Addison, ii. 48-5o; Modern Syrians, p. 124).
(2) The Plain of the Jordan. By this name we understand the margin of the lakes, as well as the valley watered by the river. Here the heat is still greater than in the valley of Lebanon, and, in consequence, palm-trees and the fruits of more southern climes than Palestine, will grow freely wherever there arc soil and water. But the lat ter is usually wanting, and, therefore, except on the immediate borders of the river, of the lake of Gennesareth, and of the lesser streams, thc whole plain is barren and desolate. (See JoaDAN.) (3) The Plain of Jericho is but an opening or expansion in the plain of the Jordan, towards thc Dead Sea. The whole expansion takes in thc plains of Moab on the east side of the river, and the plains of Jericho on the west, the breadth across being from ten to twelve miles. In fact, the plain of the Jordan is in no other part so wide. The large plain of Jericho is partly desert, but, from the abundance of water and the heat of the climate, it might be rendered highly produc tive; indeed, the fertility of this plain has been celebrated in every age. Joscphus describes it as the most fertile tract of Judrea, and calls it a `divine region.' He speaks also of its beautiful gardens, and its groves of palm-trees; and his description is borne out by Scripture, in which Jericho is described as `The city of palm-trees' (Deut. xxxiv:3; Judg. :t6). This region also produced honey, opobalsam, the cypress-tree (or el henna), and myrobalanuin, as well as the com mon fruits of the earth in prolific abundance. The Scripture adds the sycamore tree to the number of its products (Luke xix :4). Of all these pro ductions which so distinguished thc climate of Jericho, and the greater part of which it enjoyed in common with Egypt, very few now remain. (See JEatcno.) (4) The Plain of Esdraelon is often men tioned in sacred history (Judg. iv:13, 15, 16; v: 19; 2 Kings xxiii:29; Zech. xii:t1; Judith i:8), as the grcat battle-ficld of the Jewish and other nations, under the names of the Valley of Me giddo and the Valley of lezreel; and by Josephus as the Great Plain. This extensive plain, ex
clusive of three great arms which stretch east ward towards the valley of the Jordan, may be said to be in the form of an acute triangle, hav ing the measure of thirteen or fourteen miles on the north, about eighteen on the cast, and above twenty on the southwest. In the western portion it seems perfectly level, with a general declivity towards the Mediterranean; but in the east it is somewhat undulated by slight spurs and swells from the roots of the mountains: from the east ern side three great valleys go off to the valley of the Jordan. These valleys are separated by the ridges of Gilboa and Little Hermon, and the space which lies between these two ridges, is the proper valley of Jezreel, which name seems to be sometimes given to the whole plain of Esdraclon. The valley of Jczreel is a deep plain, and about three miles across. Before thc verdure of spring and early summer has been parched up by the heat and drought of the late summer and autumn, the view of the Great Plain is, from its fertility and beauty, very delightful. In June, yellow fields of grain, with green patches of millet and cotton interspersed, checker the landscape like. a carpet. The plain itself is almost without vil lages, but there arc several on the slopes of the enclosing hills, especially on the side of Mount Carmel. (Robinson, ii. 16o-162; Olin, ii. 376; Schubert, iii. 163; Clarke, iv. 356-36o; Jowett, 192; Stephens, ii. 307; Elliot, ii. 36o.) (5) The Plain of the Coast is that tract of land which extends along the coast, between the sea and the mountains. In some places, where the mountains approach the sea, this tract is in terrupted by promontories and rising grounds; but, taken generally, the whole coast of Palestine may be described as an extensive plain of various breadth. Sometimes it expands into broad plains, at others it is contracted into narrow valleys. With the exception of some sandy tracts the soil is throughout rich, and exceedingly productive. The climate is everywhere very warm, and is con sidered rather insalubrious as compared with the upland country. It is not mentioned by any one collective name in Scripture. The part fronting Samaria, and between Mount Carmel and Jaffa, near a rich pasture ground, was called the Valley of Sharon; and the continuation southward, be tween Jaffa and Gaza, was called The Plain, as distinguished from the hill-country of Judah. A minute description of this plain throughout its extent is given in Kitto's Palestine, Phys. Geog. p.