Now Bethany was nigh unto Jerusalem,.... Which was a reason why them were so many of the Jews come there to condole the two sisters upon the death of their brother; and by this means the following miracle became more known there: it was
about fifteen furlongs off; that is, about two miles, for seven furlongs and a half made a Jewish mile, as appears from one of their canons c, which runs thus:
"they do not spread nets for doves, except it be distant from an habitable place, שלשים ריס, "thirty furlongs";''
which the commentators say d are "four miles": and still more expressly it is said e, that
"between Jerusalem and Zuck, (the place where the scape goat was had,) there were ten tents, and ninety furlongs, שבעה ומחצה לכל מיל "seven and a half to every mile".''
Hence a furlong was called one seventh and a half of a mile f, which was 266 cubits, and two thirds of one.
c Misn. Bava Kama, c. 7. sect. 7. d Maimon. Jarchi, & Bartenora in ib. e Misn. Yoma, c. 6. sect. 4. f T. Bab. Bava Metzia, fol. 33. 1. Maimon. Hilch. Rotzeach, c. 13. sect. 6.