Palestine and Syria:  Handbook for Travelers

27. From Jênin to Nazareth.
a. Direct (6 hrs.).
The caravan-road intersects the plain of Jezreel towards the N. and leads to (1 hr. 20 min.) Mukêdbeleh, where there are a few traces of ancient buildings. The plain, which is marshy at places, is interesting for the botanist in spring. The road next passes (2 1/4 hrs.) `Afûleh and (1 hr.) El-Mezra'a, reaches (1/2 hr.) the entrance to the valley, and after an ascent leads through a small ravine beyond which Nazareth (1 hr.) is seen on the slope of the hill to the left.

b. Viâ Zer'în, Sûlem, and Nain (6 1/2-7 hrs.).

An interesting tour. On quitting Jênin we leave the mosque to the left and ride towards the spurs of the Jebel Fakûfa. On the chain of hills to the right are the villages of Jelbôn and Fakû'a, in front of which lies Bêt Kâd. To the W., at the foot of the hills, on the road to Megiddo, we see the villages of Yâmôn, Sîlî, etc.  (pp. 262, 263). About 50 min. from Jênin 'Arâneh is seen, 1/4 hr. to the right of the road, and `Arabôneh farther up. To the left (10 min.) is El-Jelemeh, beyond which rises the hill of Mukêbeleh, situated on the caravan-route (see above).

The Jebel Faku'a (1717 ft.) answers to the ancient Gilboa Mountains, a name which still survives in the above-named village of Jelbôn. This was the territory of Issachar. Although at the present day this mountain, running from E.S.E. to W.N.W., presents a bare appearance, and is used as arable and pasture land on the S. side only, it was once wooded.  The N. side, towards the valley of Jezreel, is precipitous and stony. On the E. side lies the Ghôr, or valley of Jordan.

On a hill to the right, after 3/4 hr., is seen the Nebi Mezâr, a Muslim place of pilgrimage. "We next reach (25 min.) —

Zeŕin. — History. Zeŕin is the ancient Jezreel, a town of Issachar.  Close by was the scene of the great battle fought by Saul against the Philistines. The Israelites were posted around Jezreel (1 Sam. xxix. 1), while the Philistines were encamped at Shunem (p. 278). Saul himself fell here, whence David in his lament says 'Ye mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew, neither let there be rain upon you' (2 Sam. i. 21).  After Saul's death Jezreel remained for a time in possession of his son Ishbosheth (2 Sam. ii. 8, 9). It was afterwards the residence of King Ahab and Jezebel (1 Kings xviii. 45, 46). On the vine-clad hill lay the vineyard of Naboth (1 Kings xxi. 1), where Joram, Ahab's second son, was afterwards slain by Jehu (2 Kings ix). In the book of Judith Jezreel is called Esdraelon or Esdrelom. In the time of the Crusaders it is mentioned as Parvum Gerinum.

Zeŕin is situated on a N.W. spur of the Gilboa mountains.  Here we stand on the watershed; the hill, partly artificial, gradually slopes down on almost every side. There are ancient wine presses on the E. and S.E. slopes. We look down into the valley of Zeŕin, which descends to Beisân (p. 258), and in which lies the 'Ain Jâlûd, or spring of Goliath (p. 258); below us is the Tell of Beisân, above which rise the mountains to the E. of Jordan (Jebel 'Ajlûn). To the W. extends the plain of Jezreel as far as Mt.Carmel.  To the N., through an opening in the hills, is seen Nazareth.

From Zeŕin a by-road leads in l 1/2 hr. to 'Afûleh (p. 277). About 20 min. before 'Afûleh is reached we come to the huts of Fûleh ('bean'), where the Frankish castle of Faba once stood. Aided by Napoleon, Kieber with his corps of about 1500 men here put to flight the whole Turkish army of at least 25,000 men on 16th April, 1799.

Beyond Zeŕin our route leads northwards , across the bottom of the valley, to the heights of the Nebi Dahî. It passes (1/4 hr.) the cistern Bîr es-Swêd, and (1/4 hr.) crosses a water-course. A path diverging here to the left also leads to Nazareth. Our road, which leads more to the N.E., next reaches the small village of Sûlem, situated on the S.W. slope of the Nebi Dahi^.

History. — Sûnem or Shunem was a town of the tribe of Issachar. The form Sulem is found in the word Shulamite (Song of Sol. vi. 13). Here, too, probably stood the house of the Shunammite woman (2 Kings iv. 8).  — The Nebi Dahi is for the first time called Hermon by St. Jerome, and has since been known as 'Little Hermon', with a mistaken reference to Ps. lxxxix. 12. The hill Moreh (Judges vii. 1) is supposed to be identical with this range of hills , which derives its present name Nebi Dahi from a makâm or sanctuary of that prophet and a village situated near the top (1815 ft.). The view from the summit is extensive.

The Nazareth road now leads to the N.N.W., skirting the W. slope of the hills until it reaches an arm of the great plain. We obtain (1/2 hr.) a view of Mt. Tabor to the N.E., and cross the great caravan route from Egypt to Damascus. Several water-courses are crossed in the plain. On the right (20 min.) lies Iksâl (Chesulloth, Joshua xix.  18, on the frontiers of Zebulon and Issachar). There are numerous ancient tombs here. On the N. side the rocks descend precipitously, and it is here that tradition has since the 12th cent, localised the 'Saltus Domini', where the Nazarenes attempted to cast Christ down headlong (Luke iv. 28-30). To the E. of this hill is the mouth of a precipitous wâdi, which, however, we do not ascend.  We turn more to the left, following the slope of the hill, and then begin to mount by a steep path. This leads to (1/4 hr.) a small valley which we follow towards the N. to (5 min.) a spring called Bîr Abu Yêseh. On the left lies the village of Yâfâ (p. 275).

The village of Nain may be visited by making a slight digression from Sûlem. We follow at first the direct road to Nazareth above described, and then, after 35 min., diverge from it to the left. The road skirts the base of the hill and soon reaches (1/2 hr.) Nain, a small village famed as the scene of the raising of the widow's son (Luke vii. 11-15).  The village consists of wretched clay huts. Near it are rock-tombs and a Franciscan chapel. Another road leads hence to Nazareth. Farther on we leave (1/2 hr.) Iksâl on the right, and soon reach (25 min.) the hill from which his enemies attempted to throw the Saviour (see above).

The digression may be prolonged from Nain to (1 hr.) Endar, to which a road, skirting the foot of the hill, leads in a little less than an hour.  The small and dirty village contains no antiquities except a few caverns.  This was the ancient Endor, a town of Manasaeh, where the shade of Samuel was raised by the witch and consulted by Saul on the eve of the disastrous battle of Gilboa (1 Sam. xxviii. 7-20). In the time of Eusebius Endor was still a large village.

In returning from Endur we cross the valley again , this time towards the N.W. ; after 1 1/2 hr. Iksâl is left to the right, and we then follow the above-described route to Nazareth. There is also a road from Endur direct to Mt. Tabor.