JERUSALEM, an ancient city of the Hebrews, frequently styled in the Scriptures tho Holy City (Isaiah xlviii. 2 ; Daniel ix. 24 ; Nehemiah xi. 1 ; Matthew iv. 5 ; Revelation xi. 2) ; and the Jews to this day never call it by any other appellation than El Qadus, that is, the holy, sometimes adding the epithet As-Shereef or the noble. Muhammadans also style it Bait-ul-Maqaddas or the Holy City. Jerusalem was conquered and destroyed by the Babylonians, n.c. 588, and two tribes, Judah and Benjamin, were carried away captive for 70 years. They were then allowed by Cyrus, king of Medo Persia, to return to Judea to re-build Jerusalem. Its second temple was completed, B.C. 10th March 515, under Darius, but they remained tributary to Persia until that country was conquered by Alexander, B.C. 330. Jerusalem was built on the hills Zion, Millo, Acra, Bezetha, Moriah, and Ophel, the mountains which stand round about Jerusalem.' Its first name was the city of Malik Sadiq, then it was called Salem, and then Jebus, but the tribe of Benjamin called it Jerusalem. The Jews, as in all other eastern towns, are confined to a particular quarter, viz. the hollow space lying between the site of the ancient temple and that part of Mount Zion which is included within the walls. It is called Harat-el-Yahud. The tombs of the kings, situated in a small valley to the north of the city, are without ornaments, either sculptured or painted. There are fragments of sarcophagi in some of them. Jerusalem is the Sylia of the Greeks. Jaffa is the port through which Jerusalem deals with foreign countries. The vicissitudes it has witnessed
from the glories of Solomon and Herod, through the violence of Roman conquerors, the neglect of early Christians, and the devotion of Khalifs and Crusaders, are now culminating in the revived interest which the whole civilised world may be said to take in this most sacred spot. Its destruc tion by Titus led to a very general migration of Jews from Palestine. It capitulated to the 3d Khalif Umar, A.D. 637. No property was destroyed except in the inevitable operations of the siege, and not a drop of blood was shed except on the field of battle. Umar entered the city conversing amic ably with the Patriarch about its history. In 1099, under Godfrey of Bouillon, it fell before the • arms of the Crusaders. It was taken by storm after a short siege, and for three days there was an indiscriminate slaughter of men, women, and children. 70,000 Muhammadans were put to the sword, 10,000 of them, it is said, in the Mosque of Umar itself, but this must be a great ex aggeration. The Muhammadans under Salah ud-Din retook it in A.D. 1187. That general had vowed to revenge the slaughter of the year 1099, but retracted his vow ; no blood was shed, and captives were allowed to redeem themselves, the Frankish Christians leaving the city, the eastern Christians residing there in peace. — Taylor's Saracen, p. 68 ; Robinson's Tr.; Rich's Kurdistan, ii. p. 390 ; 2ilignan's Travels, p. 9 ; Townsend's Outran and Havelock.