LOCUST. [ARREH ; CHAGAS ; CHANAMAL ; CHARGOI.; CHASIL ; GAZAM; GOB; SALAM; TZE LATZAL ; YELEK.] LOD, and in the N. T. LYDDA r6, perhaps ' strife ;' Atha, Ao8(13( ; Alex. A68, Aoncov ; Lod ; in N. T. A088a). We read in Chron. viii. 12, that Shamed, a Ilenjamite, built Ono and Lod, with the towns thereof. Probably it was rebuilt, like most other towns in Canaan, upon an ancient site. The site is a noble one—a gentle eminence in the midst of the vast and fertile plain, which extends to the sea on the west, to the mountains of Judah on the east, and north and south far as the eye can see. It is twelve miles from Joppa, on the road to Jerusalem, and about two and a half miles north of Ramleh. The site of Ono, which was founded at the same time, is four miles across the plain to the north-west. Lod was again occupied immediately after the captivity (Ezra ii. 33 ; Neh. vii. 37); but we hear no more of it in O. T. history. About the year B. C. 145 the district of Lydda, with two others adjoining, was separated from Samaria and annexed to Judxa, on account of the respect entertained for the Jewish leader, Jonathan, by Demetrius Nicator Maccab. xi. 3o, seq.; Joseph. Antiq. xiii. 4. 9; Reland, pp. 178, seq.) After the death of Julius Cxsar, Cassius Longinus, one of his murderers, commanded in Palestine, and was guilty of many acts of cruelty. Among others, he sold to slavery the whole people of Lydda ( Joseph. Antig. xiv. 1. 2) ; a short time afterwards, how ever, they were set at liberty and restored to their homes by order of Antony (Id., xiv. 12. 5; Robin son, B. R., ii. 245)• But Lydda derives its chief and undying interest from the miracle wrought by Peter upon the para lytic Eneas (Acts ix. 33). The glad and wondrous tidings soon sped to Joppa, forasmuch as Lydda was nigh to Joppa ;' and thither the apostle was soon summoned to perform a miracle still more wonderful (ver. 38, seq.) Lydda suffered severely during the wars between the Jews and Romans. It was burned to ashes by Cestius Gallus (Joseph. Bell. Yud. ii. 19. i) ; and being captured by Ves pasian at a later period, was colonized by his ad herents (Id., iv. S. 1). But, notwithstanding these calamities, it was a large and flourishing town and famous as a seat of Jewish learning (Light'foot, Opera, ii. 145; Edersheim, Hist. of the ..%.zos, p. 176). Like many other towns in Palestine which were rebuilt or adorned during the Roman rule, Lydda got a new name. The Hebrew Lod, and the Greek corruption Lydda, were both set aside, and the official designation became Diaspa/is. This
name first appears on coins of Septirnius Severus, in the beginning of the third century (Eckhel, Nzemmor. Doctr., iii. 432 ; cf. Jerome, Opera, i. 696; ed. Migne). Front this time the town became one of the most important places in western Pales tine (Reland, p. 877). It was made the seat of a bishopric at an early period, and continues so down to the present time (Id., pp. 215, 227; Le Quien, Oriens Chr., iii.) Very early traditions affirm Lydda to be the birthplace of St. George ; and in some of the Notitier Ecclesiasticer, we find it mentioned as Diospolis or City of George (I'Euzpylou 71-6Xetes; Reland, p. 22o). A splendid church was there erected in honour of the saint, some say by the emperor Justinian (Will. Tyr., Hist. Vii. 22 ; cf. Anton. Mart., Itin. 3o). In the beginning of the eighth century Lydda was laid in ruins by the Saracens ; but the church escaped, only to be de stroyed, however, by the Mohammedans on the ap proach of the Crusaders (Will. Tyr., vii. 22). It is worthy of note that at this time the new name, Dios polis, had disappeared, and the old Hebrew name, Lod, which had probably been always used by the , inhabitants, appears again in history, The Crusa ders paid great respect to Lydda, and adopted George as their patron-saint (Heylin, History of St. George). The church Was rebuilt by them ; but after the evacuation of Palestine it gradually fell to ruin, and Lydda dwindled down to a small and poor village. A part of the church was converted into a mosque, and to that circumstance we are indebted for the beautifal fragment of it which still remains.
The village of Lydda, now called Lem', contains about a thousand inhabitants; and though its houses are small and poor, and its lanes dirty, yet there is an air of thrift and prosperity about the place not often seen in Palestine. The orchards which sur round it are rich and beautiful, and the plain beyond them is vvell cultivated. Of St. George's Church only the walls and part of the vault of the chancel remain. The capitals of the pilasters and the cornice are marble, and profusely ornamented. One lofty pointed arch stands on the south side of the aisle, and has a very striking appearance. Full descriptions of Lydda may be seen in Robinson, vol. ii.; Thomson, The Lana' and the Book; Hand book, 278, seq. Its history is sketched in Reland and Le Quien; and the story of St. George is given at great length in Acta Sanctorum, tom. p. too, seq., and in Heylin's History.—J. L. P.