JERICHO, .jr•r'i-kii. An ancient city of Pales tine, about fifteen miles east-northeast of 'Jeru salem. A Canatinitish city existed here when the Israelites entered Palestine. and Joshua be sieged, caidured. and destroyed it. The story of the attack and capture are given in the Book of Joshua, chapters ii., v.-vii. Judging from the aceount of i he spoil. the city must have been very rich. Joshua is said to have pronounced a curse iipoti whoever should rebuild the city (xi. 26), which was disregarded in the (lays of Ahab (1. kings xvi. 34). King Zedekiall was captured by Nebuchadnezzar in the plains of Jericho (11. Kings xxv. 51. Herod showed great favor to the town (Joseplitis. 1.21. 9). It was probably not far from Jericho that Jesus was baptized: as Ile passed through the city on a later occasion lie healed blind Ilartinuctis (Mark x. lb-52), and it was there that Zacclueus climbed into the syca more tree to see the Lord ( Luke xis. 1-S). Vcspasiati destroyed the city, but it was rebuilt. In the 'mirth century there ‘111•4 a bishopric there. After periods of varying prosperity. in the twelfth eentury the town sank into decoy. Jericho was
in an extremely fruitful yield ing figs, gral(es, balsam, honey, ere. Josephus Rod Strabo speak of it in enthusiastic terms It is not certain, however, that the reference to it as the city of palm-trees (Dent. xxxiv. 3: II. ('hi-on. xxviii. IS) is correct. It is represented Irmlay by a miserable village of scarcely 300 il) /Val 11 t IliS, called Er-EMI- This village, how ever, is not exactly on the site of the biblical city, which is represented by a mound still linexca vated called Tell es•Sultan. about a mile and a half distant. Near this mound is a copious spring. Ain es-Sultan, which is pointed out as the water healed by Elisha (II. Kings ii. 19-22). The hill I?itrantal northwest I if the village is the traditional place of the temptation of Jesus. There are many hermits' caves and chapels there. Numerous i IPA supposed to belong to Roman times tine to be seen in the vicinity of Er-Rilta. Consult f:eo•ge Adam Smith. I irdorical Geog raphy of the Holy Land (London, 1SK).