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