The fame of Elijah's great sacrifice appears to have rendered Carmel sacred even among the hea then. Pythagoras, we are told, spent some time upon the mountain in meditation (Jamblicus, Vit. Pythag. iii.) ; and here, too, Tacitus informs us, Ves pasian consulted the oracle of Carmel' (Hist. ii. 78).
The convent of Carmel is a modem building. It was erected about twenty-five years ago, on the site of an older structure, by a poor monk who begged the funds through the whole world, and completed it at a cost of nearly half a million of francs ! The order of the Carmelites, to whom the convent belongs, is of ancient date. The scattered monks were concentrated on this mountain in the 12th cen tury. The convent is said to stand on the spot where Elijah and Elisha dwelt, and the prophet's cave is shewn beneath the great altar. The modem name of the whole range of Carmel is yebel Mar Elias, 'the mountain of St. Elijah.' 2. A town in the mountains of Judah, situated on the borders of the wilderness of Paran,' or of Maon,' as the Septuagint renders it (Josh. xv. 55 1 Sam. xxv. I). It is best known as the residence of the churlish Nabal, and the scene of an incident highly characteristic of modem as well as ancient Syrian life. Were a feast like Nabal's held near the same spot now, there is little doubt that some neighbouring Arab sheikh would apply for a share, as David did (I Sam. xxv. Carmel is not afterwards mentioned in Scripture. Eusebius and Jerome allude to it as a flourishing town, ten miles south-east of Hebron, and having a Roman garri son (Onomast., s. v. Carmelus). In the I 2 th century King Amalrich encamped here when forced to re treat before the army of Saladin. He was led to
select it on account of its abundant waters (Will. Tyr. in Gesta Dei., p. 993).
Seven miles south-by-east of Hebron, and one mile north of Maon, are the extensive ruins of Kurmul, the ancient Carmel. They lie round the semi-cir cular head, and along the shelving sides of a little valley, which is shut in by rugged limestone rocks. The houses are all in ruins, and their sites are covered by heaps of rubbish and hewn stones. In the centre of the valley is a large artificial reservoir, supplied by a fountain among the neighbouring rocks. Westward of it, on the rising ground, stands the castle, the most remarkable ruin in Car mel. Its walls are ten feet thick ; their sloping basement and bevelled masonry are evidently of Jewish origin, probably the work of Herod. The interior was remodelled, and the upper part rebuilt by the Saracens. Beside it are the ruins of a mas sive round tower. Around and among the ruins of Carmel are the foundations of several old churches, sheaving that the town had at one period a large Christian population. Carmel has been a desolate ruin for many centuries (Robinson, B. R., 493, sq. ; Handbook for S. and P., p. 61. Van de Velde, 78).—J. L. P.
CARMI (+nnz, Sept. Xappl) I. The fourth son of Reuben (Gen. xlvi. 9) from whom sprang the Carmites Num. xxvi. 6). 2. The father of Achan and son of Zabdi (Josh. vii. I, 18). In i Chron. iv. r, Carmi is called the son of Judah ; but son' there must mean simply descendant,' as out of the five names mentioned only one was properly the son of Judah.t