Volume 2

Ramoth-Galaad
321
and stayed overnight in a house near the synagogue.
There were in these parts no special inns prepared for
Jesus. In Ennon, Kaman, and Mahanaim they were hired
in advance, and the number of guests limited. Ramoth
was built in terraces on a hill behind which, in a little vale
flanked by a steep, rocky wall, was the quarter of the city
inhabited by the pagans. They had a temple. One could
always recognize their abodes by the figures erected on
the roofs. On the roof of this temple was a whole group.
The central figure wore a crown and stood in a reservoir
or fountain, holding a basin in its hand. Around it were
several figures of children dipping up the water and pouring
it from one to another until at last it fell into the basin
held by the middle finger.
The cities in this region were more beautiful, more
neatly built than the old Jewish ones. The streets were
laid off in the form of a star, all verging to a central point,
and the extremities were rounded, thus making the circumference
assume sonlething of a zigzag form, as did
also the city walls. Ramoth -Galaad was formerly a city of
refuge for criminals. 1 There was a large solitary building
in which they were lodged, but at the time of Jesus' visit it
had fallen to ruin and appeared to be no longer used.
They made tapestry here, embroidered with figures of all
kinds of animals and flowers, partly for trade, and partly
for the use of the temple. I saw numbers of women and
young maidens working at it in long tents. The costume of
the people resembled more the patriarchal style, and they
were very clean. Their clothing was of fine wool.
Jesus assisted at a solemn memorial feast of the
sacrifice of Jephte's daughter. He went with His disciples
and the Levites to a beautiful open square outside the city
to the east where preparations for the festival had been
made. The inhabitants of Ramoth -Galaad were already
assembled and ranged in large circles. Here were still the
hill and the altar upon which Jephte's daughter was im­