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KADESHE

Volume 9 · 470 words · 1797 Edition

Kadesh-barnea, or En-mishpat (anc. geog.), a city celebrated for several events. At Kadesh, Miriam the sister of Moses died (Num. xx. 1.). Here it was that Moses and Aaron, showing a distrust in God's power when they smote the rock at the waters of strife, were condemned to die, without the consolation of entering the promised land (Num. xxvii. 14.). The king of Kadesh was one of the princes killed by Joshua (xii. 22.). This city was given to the tribe of Judah, and was situated about eight leagues from Hebron to the south.

Mr Wells is of opinion, that this Kadesh, which was situated in the wilderness of Zin, was a different place from Kadesh-barnea in the wilderness of Paran.

KADMONÆI, or Cadmonæi (anc. geog.), a people of Palestine, said to dwell at the foot of mount Hermon; which lies east, and is the reason of the appellation, with respect to Lebanon, Phoenicia, and the north parts of Palestine. Called also Hebrews (Moses).

KEMPERIA, zedoary, in botany: A genus of the monogynia order, belonging to the monandra clafs of plants; and in the natural method ranking under the 8th order, Scitaminea. The corolla is exserted, with three of the segments larger than the rest, patulous; and one only bipartite.

Species. 1. The galanga, common galangal, or long zedoary, has tuberous, thick, oblong, fleshy roots; crowned with oval, clove-fitting leaves, by pairs, four or five inches long, without footstalks; and between them clove-fitting white flowers, with purple bottoms, growing singly. 2. The rotunda, or round zedoary, has thick, fleshy, swelling, roundish, clustering roots, sending up spear-shaped leaves, six or eight inches long, near half as broad, on upright footstalks; and between them, immediately from the roots, rise whitish flowers, tinged with green, red, yellow, and purple, centres. Both these are perennial in root; but the leaves rise annually in spring, and decay in winter. They flower in summer; each flower is of one petal, tubulous below, but plain above, and divided into six parts; they continue three or four weeks in beauty, but are never succeeded by seeds in this country.

Culture. Both these plants must be potted in light rich mould, and always kept in the hot-house, giving in plenty of water in summer, but more sparingly in winter. They are propagated by parting the roots in the spring, just before they begin to push forth new leaves.

Uses. This plant is cultivated with great care by the inhabitants of Siam for the sake of its root; the use of which, says Kempfer, is to remove obstructions of the hypochondria, to warm the stomach, discus flatulencies, and to strengthen the bowels and the whole nervous system. The root was formerly used in this country in bitter infusions; but is now laid aside, on account of its flavour being disagreeable.