Ancient Palestinian Politics
UNDER the title, "The Front Door of Palestine," Mr. A. H. Godbey contributed to the July "Monist" an interesting article on the politics of ancient Palestine. It is very seldom realized that the Pentateuch, being the history of a people, is naturally a record of the diplomatic struggles of a people. In the old days, the world interest in Palestine hinges upon the possession of the "Front Door;" that is, Damascus, the gateway to the ancient trade route. Whenever the railway projected shall be built, and again make Damascus the entrance to the Orient, Palestine will again become a centre of activity and real commercial interest. The policies of the ancient world are, therefore, replete with interest.
Mr. Godbey writes:
"Southward from Damascus runs a great caravan route to Arabia Felix, making Damascus the metropolis—or rather, the 'cross-roads'—in past days, for Semitic commerce. Along this rude highway have also crept the moving clans, who sought in other lands easier environment. Running nearly parallel with the Jordan, some thirty miles east of it, it traverses the border of the irreclaimable desert. But to the west of the road lie the broad meadows and rolling plains of Moab and Bashan, and the breezy heights of Gilead; not universally tillable, but affording excellent pasturage in the southern region, and becoming marvellously fertile as the road nears Damascus. The possession of this route gives two great advantages to the Oriental nomad. On the one side lies luxuriant pasturage and an ex-
cellent water supply, on the other the fastnesses of the desert afford a refuge from superior forces, while the passing caravan afford unlimited opportunities for 'blackmail,' an institution as fixed in the East as the East itself. Travellers following the route of the Arab trader find they must pay roundly for their passage through savage tribes. . ."
“With these fundamental features of primitive clan life still persistent, we may comprenend the course of development of an ancient Semitic empire. The petty city-state imposes toll for the right of passage upon the trader—our word ‘tariff’ being derived from this very practice at the port of Tarifa. Raids for plunder begin also to assume larger proportions; the demanding and securing an annual tribute from wealthy neighbors results. That was the whole of international politics in the earliest stages of the Orient.
"With the wants of a primitive Semitic in mind, it is clear that the broad tract between the Arabian caravan road and the Jordan is an ideal situation for him. Fertile lands well tilled lay beyond the river; the fruits were to be had for the raiding; while the wealth of the Indies, of Yemen, of Oman and Hadramant, are brought to his door by the traders of his time. Now add the 'back door' road of Palestine, the route through the coat plain and Esdraelon, connecting with the front door route east of the Sea of Galilee, and we have possible the political problem of the ancient world; the ceaseless struggle for the control of the commerce of these two roads.
Now, the Hebrew records place this