And the south
The southern part of the land, even all of it; and having shown him that, he is directed eastward to take a view of
the plain of the valley of Jericho;
which lay before him, a delightful plain; see ( Joshua 5:10 ) ;
the city of palm trees;
so Jericho was called, because of the multitude of palm trees which grew there, and which Josephus not only testifies {r}, who speaks of it as a plain planted with palm trees, and from whence balsam comes; but several Heathen writers: Pliny says F19 Jericho was set with palm trees; Diodorus Siculus F20 speaks of the country about Jericho as abounding with palm trees, and in a certain valley, meaning the vale or plains of Jericho, is produced that which is called balsam; so Strabo says F21, Jericho is a plain surrounded with mountains abounding with palm trees, where there is a plantation of palm trees, with other fruit trees, the space of a hundred furlongs:
unto Zoar;
near the salt sea; see ( Genesis 19:22 ) .