tral ranges of Palestine. A path leads up the ravine to lower
Beth-horon, which stands on a ridge about 1,240 feet above the sea.

Mounting a long and steep ascent, rocky and rough, but with the rock
in places cut into steps, the traveler after an hour's climb reaches
upper Beth-horon, which stands 1,730 feet above the sea, on a
mountain spur with a deep valley both to north and south. The
village is small, but exhibits traces of ancient walls and
foundations, and to the east of it is a reservoir, apparently of
great antiquity.

So situated, the Beth-horons could not fail to be connected with the
march and retreat of armies and often hosts swarmed up this avenue
or swept down it in flight. More than one memorable battle takes its
name from Beth-horon. Thrice the two towns were fortified, by
Solomon, by the Syrian general Bacchides, and by the Jews against
Holofernes. It was by Beth-horon that Certius Gallus advanced in the
first onset of the Roman armies against Jerusalem, and down its
gorge he was driven in rout by the insurgent Jews. And Beth-horon
saw the first Crusaders march to Jerusalem; and saw Richard, the
third Crusader, in vain try to force a passage by the same route.
[End illustration]

{103}

And Judith said to them, "Hear me now, my brethren, and take this
head, and hang it upon the battlement of your wall. And it shall be,
so soon as the morning shall appear, and the sun shall come forth upon
the earth, ye shall take up everyone his weapons of war, and go forth
every valiant man of you out of the city, and ye shall set a captain
over them, as though ye would go down to the plain toward the outposts
of the children of Asshur; and ye shall not go down. And these shall
take up their armor, and shall go into their camp, and rouse up the
captains of the host of Asshur, and they shall run together to the
tent of Holofernes, and they shall not find him: and fear shall fall
upon them, and they shall flee before your face. And ye, and all that
inhabit every region of Israel, shall pursue them and overthrow them
as they go."

_Israel's Victory_.

And as soon as the morning arose, they hung the head of Holofernes
upon the wall, and every man took up his weapons, and they went forth
by companies unto the passes of the mountain. But when the children of
Asshur saw them, they sent hither and thither to their leaders. And
they came to Holofernes' tent, and said to him that w