*7 Contemporary with Abraham and Jehaleleel we find Melchizedek, king of Salem. Ha
must, I think, have belonged to the Ashchurite family, which, more than any other (as in the
case of the Abiraelechs), seems to have possessed a knowledge of the true God. The names
Sydyk, Soutech, Ac, are so closely identided with the Sliepherd line, and especially with
Sheth or Achashtari, that it is quite possible this priestly monarch may have been a child of
the fourth son of Naarah, Agreeable to this are the statements of Cedrenus and Michael
Qlykas, whioh make him a son of Sidos, the son of ^gyptus, the latter name denoting his
Egyptian origin. In Epiphanius he is made the son of Heraclas and Astaroth, the name of his
mother being a link to bind him yet more closely to the line of Achashtari. Remains of the
Sh^a have been found near Jerusalem, and the plain of Moab lays claim to the sepulchre of
Achashtari himself in Neby Sheet. If we are to credit the connection of JZereth with Melcartus,
Melicerta, &c., it shows that the prefix of the royal designation Melek was not an uncommon
thing among the Ashchurites. The flrst-born, Achuzam, and his line giv& us Abimelech ;
Zereth is Melek-2ereth or Melcartus ; and Sydyk is Melek-Sydyk or Melchizedek. The Moloch
of Ammon, so intimately allied with this line, may have been derived ftom such a use of the
word. It may also afford us a harmony of the names Amalekites and Shasu applied to part of
the Shepherd stock. The country of the Amalekites, therefore, which was smitten by Chedor-
.laomer, may easily, from its position near Enmishpat or Kadesh, have been the land of the
- Achuzamites, who would otherwise have escaped the invasion of the Elamite king.-



107

line now appears, tliat of the JerahmeeliteSj who, leaving Southern
Palestine, had taken up their abode about Memphis, which was
probably named after Jamin, the son of Ram, and grandson of
Jerahmeel. The region of Ramlieh, opposite Memphis, commemorates
Jerahmeel, and from his son was derived the later name Rameses.
