DAY 13 - Herodium and the Old City of Jerusalem

For our final full day of exploring the land of the Bible, we are in for a great treat and some extraordinary sites as we will devote our time between Herodium and the Old City of Jerusalem. There will also be free time for participants to visit Museums, do some shopping, or simply sit and soak in the atmosphere of this most unique and remarkable spot on planet earth. For instance, the Church of All Nations and its 2000-year-old Olive trees is a wonderful place to pause and meditate, as it reminds us of the garden of Gethsemane (Matt 26:36-46; Luke 22:39-46) Although we don’t know where the garden actually was, we can get a sense of the setting from this spot. As a review, peruse again ANT chapter three, to get a sense of the geography of the city at the time of the NT.

Herodium (ANT chapter 4)
Herodium is one of the many of Herod the Great’s building projects (21 total), but this one holds particular appeal for several reasons. The view from the top of the tumulus offers great vistas of the Judean wilderness and the hill country. Its architectural remains are equally impressive. But, Herodium is most famous for the claim by the first Century AD Jewish historian that Herod was buried there. Over the course of the centuries, the actual burial site has proved to be particularly elusive. In 2007, however, the search came to an end, when Hebrew University archaeologist Ehud Netzer discovered Herod’s final resting place. For an account of the discovery, do read the following Smithonian article.

DAY 12 - Judean Wilderness and Qumran

The highlight of today’s field trip will be the visit to Qumran. On the way there, we will follow the Old Jericho Road, which represents a steep drop in elevation from Jerusalem to Jericho (from 800 meters/2600 feet on Mount Zion in Jerusalem) to 225 meters/740 feet below sea level. If you are counting, this is an elevation loss of about 1000 meters/3000 feet! This ancient itinerary is of course the context of the parable of the Good Samaritan as recorded in Luke 10.

Jericho (Tell es-Sultan) is a famous archaeological site with a settlement going back to some of the earliest human presence in the Jordan Valley. The site is also a matter of intense debate with respect to the destruction of the city by Joshua (Joshua 2, 6). The 20th century excavator John Garstang interpreted the archaeological evidence to support the biblical narrative that the site was destroyed during the early part of the Late Bronze Age (1400 B.C.). Kathleen Kenyon, one of the best and most colorful figures among archaeologists during the post World War II era, questioned Garstang’s conclusions. Her interpretation (now still the majority view among archaeologists) created doubts as to the veracity of the biblical record in Joshua. More recently, however, Bryant Wood has again made a strong case for the presence of a settlement at Jericho which would coincide with the biblical account of Jericho’s destruction by Joshua. If you want to dig deeper on this topic, here is a great website.

DAYS 10 & 11 of the Tour - Jerusalem

For this post, we are combining days 10 and 11 since we will spend most of our time within the walls of the city of Jerusalem. Jerusalem is very challenging to explore historically and archaeologically since it is a modern city with vibrant communities and traditions. We can’t simply point to an area of the site and describe the Iron Age settlement during the time of Solomon as we do at Megiddo. Instead, we need to create mental pictures of what the city might have looked like during the biblical periods. To this end, a trip to the Israel Museum on the afternoon of the first day in Jerusalem will be immensely valuable. The stunningly beautiful and expansive model of Jerusalem during the NT period will help us grasp the magnificence of the city during the Roman Period.

Earlier in the day, the visit to the Mount of Olives will afford us a general view of the city, but again, this will not be quite what the 19th century A.D. Scottish artist David Roberts was able to capture during his visit to the Holy Land. His rendering of the city from the Mount of Olives takes us a little bit closer to the stillness and quaintness of the ancient city.

DAY 9 of the Tour - Israel's Southern Frontier

On this day of traveling, we will encounter more beautiful landscape, with a rich history stretching long before Israelite presence in the land.  The “Negeb” (“South” in Hebrew) was Israel’s southern frontier in biblical history: inhabitants of the Negeb lived in a zone that was prone to tribal incursions (e.g., the Amalekites against David at Ziklag, I Sam. 30) and pressures from Edom, their neighbor to the east. The region was also quite strategic: whoever controlled the eastern Negeb controlled the lucrative trade routes and access to the treasures of Arabia (spices) and Africa (ivory).  

In the western Negeb, trade was conducted directly with one of the Ancient Near East’s superpowers and Israel’s neighbor: Egypt.  From times long preceding the biblical period, Egyptians were particularly fond of olive oil and wine from Canaan.  The Negeb sites functioned as important trading posts for the hubs on the coastline (Ashkelon, among others).  Scholars have a catchy name for this type of trade network:  “Port Power.”  Our modern equivalent --not a perfect one, of course-- would be the FedEx hub in Memphis, Tennessee or how Singapore functions as hub for the East Asian sea trade.

Arad
Arad is one of the most fascinating settlements on the southern border of Israel.  From the Early Bronze Age city (mid-second millennium BC) to the settlement on the acropolis during the time of the Israelite monarchy in the OT, Arad provides extraordinary windows into life in ancient Palestine/Israel.  To get a feel for the significance of Arad, I am including as part of this post the link to an article I wrote a few years ago for The Dictionary of the Old Testament: Historical Books (InterVarsity Press, 2005; see "Arad," pp. 39–41).

DAY 8 of the Tour - Wadi Rum

The Wadi Rum

The Wadi Rum represents another stunning ecological environment we will be privileged to visit. As we survey the area, we won’t have to stretch our imagination too far to visualize the Israelite wanderings through the wilderness (Num. 20-21). Nowadays, Bedouin tribes of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan remind us that the pastoral-nomadic lifestyle remains as authentic as it was in ages past.

This permanent “camping trip” is not unlike our own spiritual sojourning on this earth, as we emulate the faith of Abraham (Heb. 11: 8-16). Paul, the tentmaker, certainly connected the dots with Abraham’s vocation. We, too, long for a city not built with human hands (2 Cor. 5:1)!

DAY 7 of the Tour - Petra

Petra
As we celebrate the Lord’s Day in Jordan, we also happen to spend our time at one of
the true great archaeological sites in the world (think Machu Picchu in Peru).

Petra is the most visited tourist attraction in Jordan and one of UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites.  There is simply nothing quite like it. Petra features preeminently in several movies (Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade and everyone’s favorite: The Mummy Returns).  A lesser-known appearance is in Tintin (a favorite childhood comic book) and also recently put to film.
 
The scope of this archaeological wonder is so great, we will devote the whole day to it.  Take a look at the Wikipedia entry and peruse the pictures for a sense of the magnitude and the beauty of the site. Most of the material culture at Petra relates to the Roman-Nabatean phases.  The UNESCO webpage on Petra is a highly recommended read for us, with many stunning photographs of Petra’s monumental architecture (including the famous rock-hewn tombs of Nabatean kings).  It also provides a good synopsis of the history of the Nabateans at Petra (AOT pp. 418-21).

DAY 6 of the Tour - The Land of Moab

Mount Nebo
At the end of his life, Moses is afforded a stunning view of the promised land from Mount Nebo, located in the Jordan Rift. Deuteronomy describes the account as follows:

Then Moses went up from the plains of Moab to Mount Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, which is opposite Jericho. And the Lord showed him all the land, Gilead as far as Dan, all Naphtali, the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, all the land of Judah as far as the western sea, the Negeb, and the Plain, that is, the Valley of Jericho the city of palm trees, as far as Zoar. (Deut. 34:1-3 ESV)

Very few places in the land of the Bible offer vistas like the lookout at Mount Nebo (Kirbat al-Mukhayyat) a few miles from the modern city of Madaba (biblical: Medeba). As we will be traveling during the cooler time of the year, if the skies are clear, we should be able to appreciate the panoramic scope of the vision Moses was allowed to see before his death and burial in an unmarked grave nearby, “opposite Beth-Peor.”

Madaba
Modern Madaba is a great touristic hub to visit in the region where Ruth, the Moabitess, came from. Be sure to watch this video of the town and its surrounding attractions. The site is most famously known for its mosaic map of the holy land in St. George’s church. In addition to several other churches, recent excavations near the Church of John the Baptist on the Acropolis point to the importance of the town in biblical times. In addition, my recent post for the American Schools of Oriental Research (ASOR) blog on the settlement of Madaba during the biblical period has some pictures of the massive Iron Age fortification wall at Madaba, among others.

DAY 5 of the Tour - Jordan Valley and the Land of Gilead

Jordan Valley

The spectacular depression that constitutes the Jordan Valley separates the hill country of ancient Israel and the hill country of Gilead. Throughout the settlement history of the valley, the area has functioned as both a geological and cultural fault line and a well-travelled passageway between highlanders on both sides of the Jordan River. One of the first biblical images in the narrative involve Abram and his nephew Lot who parted ways, one staying in what would become Israel and the other settling in the Jordan valley. Later on in the narrative, perhaps as a fitting conclusion to the sad fate of Sodom (possibly Tel el- Hammam) and Gomorrah, we are told of the sordid details of Lot’s incestuous relationship with his two daughters. The story forms the backdrop story of the origins of the Ammonites and the Moabites, Israel’s future enemies.

Another important site in the Jordan valley, Succoth, was a gateway settlement by the Jabbok River (Wadi Zarqa). Some have connected Succoth to the modern archaeological site of Tell Deir ‘Alla where an inscription was found that has remarkable parallels to the Balaam oracles of Numbers 22-24. Succoth is also featured in the story of Gideon. Penuel, the location of Jacob’s wrestling match which resulted in a famous change of name to Israel, is tied to the Jabbok/Zarqa region and in close proximity to the Jordan Valley. The traditional site of Jesus’ Baptism is also a popular destination on the modern pilgrim’s trail.

• Scripture References: Gen. 13:10-12; 19:23-38; 32; Judges 8:13-17
• Text References: AOT pp. 78-79
• Pictorial and Map References: CBA map 79

Land of Gilead

At the time of Joshua, Israelite tribes settled the valley, along with the highland region East of the Jordan (the half-tribe of Manasseh in the central and northern regions and the tribe of Reuben in the central Transjordan area). These tribes, although they were Israelites, were often viewed as outsiders in the biblical sources since they settled beyond the boundaries of Canaan. Culturally and geographically the highland region of Transjordan resembles its counterpart west of the Jordan. While it was the ancestral land of the Ammonites and the Moabites, incursions from the north and the south were not uncommon throughout Old Testament (Amorites, Midianites and other interlopers). This contested land made for very crowded conditions for the Israelite settlers. Gilead (see Ramoth Gilead), however, is also portrayed as a place of refuge in times of trouble. When David was on the run from Saul and Absalom, he found protection across the Jordan. It is the thick forests of Gilead that claimed Absalom’s life. Today, the topography still evokes biblical times, with terracing and some wooded areas remaining and relatively little modern interference upon the landscape.

• Scripture References: Josh. 13, 22; Judges 11; I Sam. 22:3-4; 2 Sam. 17:26-29; 18
• Pictorial and Map References: CBA maps 83, 121, 122

DAY 4 of the Tour - Hazor, Dan and Caesarea Philippi

Hazor

Hazor is located about 8.5 miles north of the Sea of Galilee in the area known a Huleh basin (or valley). At 200 acres, Hazor is the largest tell in Israel.   As a gateway city controlling the principal trade routes, the ancients recognized its strategic value so that the site developed into a mighty fortress at critical times in its settlement history. 

We find Hazor in the conquest narrative of Joshua 11 when a northern coalition of Canaanite kings led by King Jabin of Hazor organized a counter-offensive to remove the Israelites from Canaan.  This battle would become Joshua’s toughest challenge yet.  The gathered armies represented an overwhelming threat “as numerous as the sand on the seashore” due in no small part to the presence of horses and chariots – an eerie echo of Israel’s old foe, Pharaoh of Egypt, who also challenged the people of Yahweh with overwhelming force.

Following the victory, which included the permanent disabling of Jabin’s armor (hamstringing the horses and burning the chariots), the narrative adds that Joshua burned Hazor.  Yigael Yadin, a true legend among Israeli archaeologists of the post World War II era, identified the Joshua destruction with Level 13 (a “layer” of archaeological phasing) at Hazor, which corresponded to a date around 1200 B.C..  More recent excavations have uncovered earlier destruction layers, including that of a Canaanite palace, which could also be the result of Joshua’s destruction (1400 B.C.). The uncertainties of assigning specific historical events to specific archaeological phases at a site represents one of the many challenges in connecting the archaeological record with the biblical record.  However, whether it was in 1200 or 1400, we do know it actually happened since Scripture bears witness to the destruction of Hazor at the hand of Joshua.

DAY 3 of the Tour - The Coastal Plain, Jezreel Valley and The Galilee

Note: Days 1 and 2 of the tour will be our days enroute to Israel.

Caesarea Maritima

The Coastal Plain includes Caesarea Maritima, which is particularly helpful to set the stage for Herod’s extraordinary civil engineering accomplishments.  Caesarea was an artificial harbor built from scratch on a scale that is surprising even by today’s standards (for similar contemporary extravagances, see Dubai’s Palm Islands).  The aqueduct, the theatre and the promontory palace also speak to the significance of the site that took over 10 years to build (22-10 BC).  During New Testament times, significant events took place there.  In a remarkable and deliberate parallel with Acts 2, the Age of the Spirit was inaugurated for non-Jews at Caesarea, which even included a Roman centurion (Cornelius) – the symbol of oppression in Palestine.  Thus, as the gateway to the Gentile world and as the Roman provincial headquarters, Caesarea seemed like the perfect place to illustrate the gospel, which would extend beyond the shores of Israel.  In Acts 21, awaiting his trial in Rome, Paul would be incarcerated at Caesarea in Herod’s Praetorium, which was foretold by Agabus the prophet and father of four daughters who plied the same trade.  Paul would testify with great skill and courage in the presence of the Roman authorities before sailing to Rome.

• Scripture References: Acts 10; 21:7-15; 23-26
• Text References: AOT p. 80, “The Coastal Plain”, ANT pp. 139-145 (Note: As background to king Herod’s building projects outside of Jerusalem, all of ANT chapter 4 is helpful)
• Pictorial and Map References: CBA maps 243, 246

Overview - The Geography of Palestine

For this first post, we create an overview of the regional landscape that consisted of the land of the Bible.

Mountain Region (Hill Country)

Let’s begin with the heartland of Israel, the “mountain” region, which is usually called in our Bibles the “hill country.” Jerusalem, Shechem, Shiloh and other very important sites in Israelite history were situated there.  Today this represents mostly the territories of the Palestinian Authority.  You will see that the Israelite Hill country (the “mountain region”) looks more like denuded hills.  In the ancient world already, heavy logging created ecological problems and in the course of centuries and millennia the landscape of the hill country was transformed from wooded lands to what it is today.  Cultivating the land was hard (imagine the first farmers in New Hampshire, dealing with densely wooded area to create arable fields).  As a result, to generate food sources and engage in commerce, the early Israelites used terracing for the cultivation of fruit trees, vineyard and olive trees. Life in the highlands was tough, simple and relatively isolated.

• Scripture Reference: Joshua 12:7-8
• Text References: CBA maps 6-8, AOT pp. 75-81