when heavy rains have fallen among the mountains inland, it becomes a
turbulent rushing torrent. The present boundary between Egypt and
Palestine is about midway between el-‘Arish and Gaza.
- STREET The street called “Straight” at Damascus (Acts 9:11) is “a long
broad street, running from east to west, about a mile in length, and forming
the principal thoroughfare in the city.” In Oriental towns streets are
usually narrow and irregular and filthy (Psalm 18:42; Isaiah 10:6). “It is
remarkable,” says Porter, “that all the important cities of Palestine and
Syria Samaria, Caesarea, Gerasa, Bozrah, Damascus, Palmyra, had their
‘straight streets’ running through the centre of the city, and lined with
stately rows of columns. The most perfect now remaining are those of
Palmyra and Gerasa, where long ranges of the columns still stand.”,
Through Samaria, etc. - STRIPES as a punishment were not to exceed forty (Deuteronomy
25:1-3), and hence arose the custom of limiting them to thirty-nine (2
Corinthians 11:24). Paul claimed the privilege of a Roman citizen in regard
to the infliction of stripes (Acts 16:37, 38; 22:25-29). Our Lord was
beaten with stripes (Matthew 27:26). - SUBSCRIPTIONS The subscriptions to Paul’s epistles are no part of the
original. In their present form they are ascribed to Euthalius, a bishop of
the fifth century. Some of them are obviously incorrect. - SUBURBS the immediate vicinity of a city or town (Numbers 35:3, 7;
Ezekiel 45:2). In 2 Kings 23:11 the Hebrew word there used (parvarim)
occurs nowhere else. The Revised Version renders it “precincts.” The
singular form of this Hebrew word (parvar) is supposed by some to be the
same as Parbar (q.v.), which occurs twice in 1 Chronicles 26:18. - SUCCOTH booths. (1.) The first encampment of the Israelites after
leaving Ramesses (Exodus 12:37); the civil name of Pithom (q.v.).
(2.) A city on the east of Jordan, identified with Tell Dar’ala, a high
mound, a mass of debris, in the plain north of Jabbok and about one mile
from it (Joshua 13:27). Here Jacob (Genesis 32:17, 30; 33:17), on his
return from Padan-aram after his interview with Esau, built a house for
himself and made booths for his cattle. The princes of this city churlishly
refused to afford help to Gideon and his 300 men when “faint yet
pursuing” they followed one of the bands of the fugitive Midianites after