Car’mel, fruitful place, or vineyards. — This name was given to a range of hills running about six miles north-west from the plains of Esdraelon to the Bay of Acre. The height is about 1,500 feet. On the north-east, at the foot of the mountain, runs the brook Kishon, and the river Belus, a little farther north. Carmel well deserves its name, as it, is entirely covered with verdure. Oaks and pines grow on its summit, and olive and laurel trees lower down. It is everywhere well watered, and numberless little brooks spring from it, hurrying to the Kishon. It abounds also with caverns, said to be more than a thousand in number. One series, called the Monks’ Caverns, consists of as many as four hundred close to each other, having windows and sleeping places hewn in the rock. Upon the summit there is a convent of the ancient order of Carmelite monks. The Carmel mentioned Joshua 15:55; 1 Samuel 15:12; 25:2; is described by Jerome and Eusebius as being in their day a village with a Roman garrison, ten miles from Hebron. It is now called Kurmul, and is utterly desolate, although the extent of the ruins show that it was once a town of importance. A ruined castle stands in the midst of what was once the town.
Car’pus, the disciple with whom Paul left the cloak at Troas, mentioned 2 Tim. 4-13.
Carbuncle. — Two words are thus rendered in our version. One (Nophech) occurs Exodus 28:18, 39:11; Ezekiel 28:13, and seems to have been a kind of ruby, or perhaps an oriental garnet, which is a transparent red stone with a violet shade and strong glossy luster. The other word (Ekdach) is in Isaiah 54:12, and is evidently some stone of fiery brilliancy, but of what particular kind cannot be decided.
Car’chemish, mentioned Isaiah 10:9, among other places in Syria, conquered by an Assyrian king. It appears to have been a frontier town and fortress on the Euphrates (Jer. 46:2), and probably the kirkesion of the Greeks, which fortified city, and was the remotest outpost of the Roman empire on the western bank of the Euphrates.
Car’ia, a country at the south-western extremity of Asia Minor. Its principal towns were Halicarnassus, the birthplace of Herodotus, Myndus, and Cnidus, mentioned Acts 27:7, in the account of Paul’s voyage to Rome.
Caper’naum, a city supposed to have stood northwest of the Sea of Galilee on the border of the tribe of Zebulun and Naphtali, but it has been so completely brought to ruin that its true site is quite uncertain (Matt. 11:23).
Caph’tor. — The proper country of the Philistines, and supposed to have been the island of Cyprus (Deut. 2:23; Jer. 47:4; Amos 9:7).
Cappado’cia, a mountainous province of Asia Minor, bounded on the east by the Euphrates and Armenia. Tiberius made it a Roman province. Cappadocian Jews were present at Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:9), and Peter addressed Jewish believers there in his first epistle (1 Peter 1:1).
Casluhim, the descendant of a son of Mizraim (Gen. 10:14; 1 Chron. 1:12).
Cas’sia. — Two Hebrew words are thus rendered in our version, Ketzioth, mentioned Exodus 30:24; Ezekiel 27:19; Psalms 45:8, the exact nature of which is doubtful; and Kiddah, Exodus 30:24; Ezekiel 27:19, which is supposed to be the Arabian Koost, an aromatic substance highly valued by the Chinese as an ingredient in the incense they burn to their idols in their temples and private houses.
Cas’tor and Pol’lux were in heathen mythology the sons of Jupiter and Leda. They were supposed to have a special care over persons shipwrecked, for which reason their figures were often adopted as the “sign” from which a ship had its name (Acts 28:11).
Cater’pillar, mentioned. 1 Kings 8:37; 2 Chron. 6:28; Psalms 78:46; 105:34; Isaiah 33:4; Jeremiah 51:14-27; Joel 1:4; 2:25; and generally taken to mean the locust in its various states or transformations from the egg to the perfect insect.
Caves were very numerous in Palestine, owing to the geological formation being chiefly limestone. Some of these caverns are of immense extent, one being mentioned by Strabo as capable of holding 4,000 men. The cave of Machpelah, which Abraham bought for a burying-place (his only possession on earth) is said to be now under a Mahometan mosque, called The Harem. That this is really the burial-place of the patriarchs is well supported by evidence. It is mentioned Genesis 25:3,10; 49:31; 1. 13. Some of the caves mentioned in Scripture were formed by art (Judg. 6:2). Vast numbers are found in the rocks and valleys around Wady Musa. The Horites, ancient inhabitants of Idumea Proper, were dwellers in caves, and even at the present day any persons live in caverns, as was formerly the case (see Numbers 24:21; Song of Solomon 2:14; Jeremiah 41:9; 49:16; Obadiah; 1 Samuel 13:6; Isaiah 2:19). Pits or large wells were sometimes made, having excavations in the sides leading into chambers. These were also used as prisons (Isa. 24:22; 51:14; Zech. 9:11). Many of these vaulted pits still exist. The strongholds of Engedi (1 Sam. 23:29; 24:1) are well known even now, and are called Ain Tidy by the Arabs, which means the same as the Hebrew name, viz.; “The Fountain of the Kid.” In that same region, which abounds with caverns, many outlaws still find their retreat. The Cave of Adullam, (1 Sam. 22:1, 2; 24:4) is an immense natural cavern at Wady Khureitun. It is so large that David and his men might easily remain in the sides of the cave and not be observed. Some fortified caverns were situated in almost inaccessible places on a mountain side, having only a narrow precipitous path by which they were reached from below, and overhung above by rocks. Josephus relates how Herod attacked some of these strong-holds by lowering soldiers down in large boxes with long hooks in their hands, with which they pulled out the robbers and hurled them down the precipices, then got into the caverns, and slew those who retreated, and set fire to the contents.
Cedar. — The cedar of Lebanon is generally from fifty to eighty feet high, its branches often spreading to a distance greater than its height, and growing horizontally in layers decreasing in length as they approach the top, where they form a head something in the shape of a broad pyramid. The branchlets are fan-like, and the leaves, growing in tufts, are about an inch in length and taper to a point. The cones are from two and a half to five inches long, and abound with resin. The true cedar of Lebanon is said to be very scarce, but some very ancient trees remain. It is said that the worm will not attack the true cedar, and that a chest made of it will protect its contents from the ravages of the moth.
The cedar is often mentioned in Scripture, and its wood was applied to various uses. See 2 Samuel 5:11; 7:2-7; 1 Kings 5:6, 8, 10; 6:9, 10, 15-20; 7:2, 3, 7, 11, 12; 9:11; 10:27; 1 Chronicles 17:6; 2 Chronicles 2:8; 9:27; 25:18; Psalms 29:5; 80:10; 92:12; 104:16; 148:9; Song of Solomon 1:17; verse 15; 8:9; Isaiah 2:13; 9:8-10; 14:8; 37:24; 41:9; 44:14; Jeremiah 22:7-23; Ezekiel 17:3, 22, 23; 27:5; 31; Amos 9; Zephaniah 2:14; Zechariah 11:1, 2,