The country of the Avites: a part of New Idumea.

Passing the river, we enter into new Idumea, anciently the region of the Avites; in the Holy Scripture called Hazerim, Deuteronomy 2:23: in the eastern interpreters, Raphia: in Pliny, Rhinocorura, and Raphia Inwards. Sometimes also in the Holy Scripture it is called Shur; and instead of it, in those interpreters, it is called 'Chagra.' Whence is the name of mount Angaris concerning which Pliny speaks,--"Gaza, and inwards Anthedon, mount Angaris." For when the Syrians pronounced 'Chaggara,' the Greeks would sound a double Gamma by 'n' and 'g,' and would say 'Angara.'

Shur also is sometimes rendered by the eastern interpreters Chaluzzah, as the Jerusalem Targum upon Genesis 16:7; and Jonathan upon Exodus 15:22. The Arabic so renders Gerarim, Genesis 20:1; and Jonathan, Bared, Genesis 16:14. Bared indeed, signifies hail...

Shur, sometimes in the Syriac interpreter, is Sud, as Exodus 15:22; the point for difference in the last letter being placed amiss. In Genesis 16:7,14, Shur and Bared are rendered by them Gedar, instead of Gerar, by the same error. Bared in the Arabic is Jared there, with two points placed under the first letter instead of one.

The country of the Avites, call it by what name you will, ended at Gaza, being stretched out thither in length, from the river of Egypt, forty-four miles. But the Idumea which we seek ended not there, but extended itself farther into Judea, swallowing up, under the name, that whole breadth of the land, from the Mediterranean sea to the sea of Sodom, according to the length of it.