22). The name was intended to indicate the fact that the patriarch had at length got space to rest in. Most of the ancient versions translate the word, though it must evidently be regarded as a proper name. It is a remarkable fact that the name clings to the spot still. In the wilderness of et-77h Wandering'), about twenty-three miles south west of Beersheba, is a wady called er-Ruhaibeh radically identical with the Hebrew nzrn), in which and on the adjoining heights are remains of antiquity thus described by Robinson : —` In the valley itself is the ruin of a small rough building with a dome, built in the manner of a mosque. On the right of the path is a confused heap of hewn stones, the remains of a square build ing of some size, perhaps a tower. On the acclivity of the eastern hill we found traces of wells; a deep cistern, or rather cavern, and a fine circular thresh ing-floor, evidently antique. But on ascending the hill on the left of the valley we were astonished to find ourselves amid the ruins of an ancient city. Here is a level track of ten or twelve acres in ex tent entirely and thickly covered over with confused heaps of stones, with just enough of their former order remaining to show the foundations and form of the houses, and the course of some of the streets.
The houses were mostly small, all solidly built of bluish limestone, squared and often hewn on the exterior surface. Many of the dwellings had each its cistern, cut in the solid rock ; and these still re mained quite entire.. .. Once, as we judged upon the spot, this must have been a city of not less than twelve or fifteen thousand inhabitants' (Bib. Rat, 196). Dr. Robinson thinks Ruhaibeh too far south for the Rehoboth of Isaac, and Mr. Grove appears to agree with him. It is said, however, in Genesis that after leaving Rehoboth Isaac went up to Beersheba (ver. 23). Now the phrase 'going up' usually indicates progress towards Palestine. There can be little doubt that it does so here ; and consequently we would look for Rehoboth in this very direction. It seems in the highest degree pro bable that this is the place where the patriarch had his station ; and that after his time the wells of water attracted round them some border and thus became the nucleus of a city' (Williams, Holy City, i. 465 ; Van de Velde, Memoir, 343 ; Bonar, Sinai, 316).—J. L. P.