In 1852 I had arrived at 'Arabeh from Nabloos by a different route, and turned from this place not seawards as now, but inland to Jeneen: whence I again visited it on my return. It seems worth while to give the details of this route. Starting from Nabloos at half-past ten we passed _Zuwatah_ close on our right, and _Bait Uzan_ high up on the left. Here the aqueduct conveying water from the springs under Gerizim to gardens far westwards, was close to the high-road. Arriving at _Sebustieh_ and going on to _Burka_ we quitted the Jeba' road, and turned to _Seeleh_ which lay on our left, and _Fendecomia_ high up on the right, _Jeba'_ being in sight. Soon after this we turned sharply north-west to _'Ajjeh_, and thence arrived at 'Arabeh in five and a half hours from Nabloos. After leaving 'Arabeh for Jeneen we got upon a fine plain, namely, that of Dothan. On this, near to another road leading to Kabatiyeh, is a beautiful low hill, upon which stands Dothan, the only building left to represent the ancient name being a cow-shed; however, at the foot of the hill is a space of bright green sward, whence issues a plentiful stream of sparkling water, and here among some trees is a rude stone building. This spot is now called _Hafeereh_, but the whole site was anciently Dothan, this name having been given me by one peasant, and Dotan by another. On my return hither a few days later I found a large herd of cattle, and many asses going to drink at the spring. Dothan is well known to shepherds now as a place of resort, and must have been so in ancient times. Here then, in the very best part of the fertile country of Ephraim, is the pasture-ground to which Joseph's brethren had removed their flocks from the paternal estate at Shechem, and where they sold their brother to the Arab traders on their way to Egypt. This may help to mark the season of the year at which Joseph was bought and sold. It could only be at the end of the summer that the brethren would need to remove their flocks from exhausted pasture-ground at Shechem to the perennial spring and green watered land at Dothan; this would also be naturally the season for the Ishmaelite caravan to carry produce into Egypt after the harvest was ended. Be it remembered that the articles they were conveying were produce from the district of Gilead--("balm of Gilead" is mentioned later in Scripture)--and it is specially interesting to notice that Jacob's present, sent by his brethren to the unknown ruler in Egypt, consisted of these same best fruits, "Take of the best fruits of the land, balm, honey, spices and myrrh, nuts and almonds." Dothan is about half an hour distant from 'Arabeh, and therefore six hours or a morning's walk for a peasant from Shechem.