JERUSALEM. Habitation or foundation of peace. The most famous and important city of Palestine. The old traditions and natural prepossessions both of Jews and Christians connect it with that Salem of which Melchizedek was king. It is situated on elevated ground south of the center of the country, about 37 miles from the Mediterranean, and about 24 from the Jordan. About a century after its foundation, it was captured by the Jebusites, who extended the walls, and constructed a castle, or citadel, on Mount Zion. By them it was called Jebus. In the conquest of Canaan, Joshua put to death its king, Adonizedek, and obtained pomlession of the town, which was jointly inhabited by Jews and Jebusites until the reign of David, who expelled the latter, and made it the capital of his kingdom, under the name of Jebus-Salem, or Jerusalem. Its highest historical importance dates from the time of David, who transported to it the ark of the covenant, and built in it an altar to the Lord. The building of the temple by King Solomon was the consummation of the dignity and holiness of Jerusalem, which was further enlarged, strengthened and beautified by this' king and by his successors. After the death of Solomon
(B. c. 975), it suffered a diminution of political importance through the revolt and secession of the ten tribes. It was pillaged (B. c. 972), by Shishak, king of Egypt, and by Athaliali (B. c. 884), and filially (n. c. 588), it was taken, after a siege of three years, by Nebuchadnezzar, who razed its walls, and destroyed the temple and palaces, and carried all the holy vessels of the temple, together with thousands of captives, to Babylon. Having been rebuilt after the Captivity (B. J. 536), it was again taken and pillaged under Ptolemy Lagos (B. c. 320), and under Antiochus Epiphanes (B. c. 161) Pompey took the city (n. c. 63), put 12,000 of the inhabitants to the sword, and razed the walls to the ground, sparing, at the same time, the treasures of the sanctuary. A few years later (p.c. 51) it was pillaged by Crassus; and from these beginnings date the continued series of Roman aggressions, which terminated in the complete destruction of the city and dispersion of the Jewish race, under Vespasian and Titus, A. D. 70.