HISTORY OF SOME PLACES WE VISITED WHILE IN ISRAEL - 2018

MOUNT OF THE BEATITUDES— a slope on the northwest shore of the Sea of Galilee where Jesus is believed to have delivered the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5: 1— 7: 29). A church has been built on the site traditionally recognized as the Mount of Beatitudes. The church was built by Mussolini.

GILBOA— a ridge of mountains in the territory of Issachar at the east end of the Plain of Jezreel. Gilboa was the site where King Saul and his sons died when the Philistines defeated Israel (1 Chr. 10: 1, 8). Jebel Fuquàh, about 5 kilometers (3 miles) southeast of Jezreel, is the name of the area today.

3. A mountain on the edge of the Jezreel valley (Judg. 7: 3). Gideon and his men were camped here when Gideon ordered a reduction in his troops before he fought the Midianites. En Harod = Gideon Springs – Judges 7

MOREH (diviner) — the name of two places in the Old Testament: 1. the site of a terebinth, or oak, tree near Shechem where Abraham built an altar (Gen. 12: 6– 7). The place probably was an old Canaanite sanctuary. The “tamarisk tree of Moreh” was likely a sacred tree long before Abraham entered Canaan. This may have been the same tree under which Joshua set up a large memorial stone to commemorate Israel’s renewed covenant with God (Josh. 24: 26). The tree probably took its name from a “diviner” (a teacher or soothsayer who practiced DIVINATION) who lived here. 2. A hill in the territory of Issachar. In the time of the judges, the troops of the Midianites camped by the hill of Moreh. This hill apparently became the point of attack for the 300 Israelite warriors led by Gideon (Judg. 7: 8). The site has been identified as present-day Jebel Dahi.  Terebinth - A large spreading tree with reddish green leaves and berries.

   

         Top of Elon Moreh and terebinth tree                                  View of Shechem from Elon Moreh

Mt. GERIZIM — a mountain in the district of Samaria. Mount Gerizim is located southwest of Mount Ebal. The main north-south road through central Palestine ran between these two mountains. Thus, Gerizim was of strategic military importance.  When the Hebrew people reached the Promised Land, Moses directed them to climb Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal. Six tribes stood on each mountain (Deut. 27: 11– 14).

Then Moses pronounced the blessings for keeping the Law from Mount Gerizim and the curses for not keeping it from Mount Ebal (Deut. 11: 29; 27: 4– 26). A ledge halfway to the top of Gerizim is called “Jotham’s pulpit” (see Judg. 9: 7). The characteristics of the two mountains make it possible to speak from either mountain and be heard easily in the valley below.

                    Mt. Ebal and Gerizim

Tel Jezreel - A city in the hill country of Judah, near Jokdeam and Zanoah (Josh. 15: 56). Apparently David obtained one of his wives from this place (1 Sam. 25: 43). The site is probably present-day Khirbet Terrama on the Plain of Dibleh.

A city in northern Israel, on the Plain of Jezreel about 90 kilometers (56 miles) north of Jerusalem. The city was in the territory of Issachar, but it belonged to the tribe of Manasseh (Josh. 19: 18). It was between Megiddo and Beth Shean (1 Kin. 4: 12) and between Mount Carmel and Mount Gilboa. The palace of King Ahab of Israel was situated in Jezreel. Here Jezebel and all the others associated with Ahab’s reign were assassinated by the followers of Jehu (2 Kings 9– 10). The city of Jezreel has been identified with modern Zer’in.

The Old Testament name of the entire valley that separates Samaria from Galilee (Josh. 17: 16). Some authors now refer to the western part of this valley as ESDRAELON (Greek for “Jezreel”), while the name Jezreel is restricted to the eastern part of the valley.

The entire valley is the major corridor through the rugged Palestinian hills. It was a crossroads of two major routes: one leading from the Mediterranean Sea on the west to the Jordan River Valley on the east, the other leading from Syria, Phoenicia, and Galilee in the north to the hill country of Judah and to the land of Egypt on the south. Throughout history, the Valley of Jezreel has been a major battlefield of nations.

               View from Tel Jezreel of the valley

MEGIDDO — a walled city east of the Carmel Mountain range where many important battles were fought in Old Testament times. Megiddo was situated on the main road that linked Egypt and Syria. Overlooking the Valley of Jezreel (Plain of Esdraelon), Megiddo was one of the most strategic cities in Palestine.

                                                          

All major traffic through northern Israel traveled past Megiddo, making it a strategic military stronghold. Megiddo is first mentioned in the Old Testament in the account of the thirty-one kings conquered by Joshua (Josh. 12: 21). In the division of the land of Canaan among the tribes of the Hebrew people, Megiddo was awarded to Manasseh. But the tribe was unable to drive out the native inhabitants of the city (Josh. 17: 11; Judg. 1: 27; 1 Chr. 7: 29).

 During the period of the judges, the forces of Deborah and Barak wiped out the army of Sisera “by the waters of Megiddo” (Judg. 5: 19). During the period of the United Kingdom under Solomon, the Israelites established their supremacy at Megiddo. The city was included in the fifth administrative district of Solomon (1 Kin. 4: 12). Along with Hazor, Gezer, Lower Beth Horon, Baalath, and Tadmor, Megiddo was fortified and established as a chariot city for the armies of King Solomon (1 Kin. 9: 15– 19). The prophet Zechariah mentioned the great mourning that would one day take place “in the plain of Megiddo” (Zech. 12: 11). The fulfillment of Zechariah’s prophecy is the battle at the end of time known as the Battle of ARMAGEDDON. Armageddon is a compound word that means “mountain of Megiddo.” In the end times, God will destroy the armies of the Beast and the False Prophet in “the battle of that great day of God Almighty” (Rev. 16: 14) when He shall gather them “together to the place called in Hebrew, Armageddon” (Rev. 16: 16). Jesus Christ will ride out of heaven on a white horse (Rev. 19: 11) as the “King of kings and Lord of lords” (Rev. 19: 16).

ARMAGEDDON (mountain of Megiddo - Har Megiddo) — the site of the final battle of this age in which God intervenes to destroy the armies of Satan and to cast Satan into the bottomless pit (Rev. 16: 16). Scholars disagree about the exact location of this place, but the most likely possibility is the valley between Mount Carmel and the city of Jezreel.

This valley (known as the Valley of Jezreel and sometimes referred to as the Plain of Esdraelon) was the crossroads of two ancient trade routes and thus was a strategic military site and the scene of many ancient battles. Because of this history, Megiddo became a symbol of the final conflict between God and the forces of evil. According to the Book of Revelation, at Armageddon “the cup of the wine of the fierceness of His [God’s] wrath” (Rev. 16: 19) will be poured out, and the forces of evil will be overthrown and destroyed.

View of Armageddon valley from Mt. Carmel

Mt. Tabor - A mountain of limestone in the northeastern part of the Valley of Jezreel (Josh. 19: 22). Now called Jebel et-Tur, Tabor is 8.8 kilometers (5.5 miles) southeast of Nazareth and about 16 kilometers (10 miles) southwest of the Sea of Galilee. Mount Tabor rises some 411 meters (1,350 feet) above the plain. It rises steeply to form a dome-shaped summit. No other mountains are adjacent to Mount Tabor. Because of its strategic location and commanding height, Mount Tabor frequently was fortified with protective walls. In 218 B.C. Antiochus III captured a town on the summit and fortified it.

As a Jewish general, Josephus added a defensive rampart to the fortress in A.D. 66. The remains of this structure can still be seen today. Situated where the borders of Issachar, Zebulun, and Naphtali meet (Josh. 19: 22), Mount Tabor played an important role in Israel’s history. Here Barak gathered 10,000 men of Naphtali and Zebulun and attacked the Canaanite armies of Sisera at Megiddo (Judg. 4: 6, 12, 14; 5: 18).

Also at Tabor the Midianite kings Zebah and Zalmunna killed the brothers of Gideon (Judg. 8: 18– 19). During the time of the prophets, the top of the mountain was a sanctuary for idolatry (Hos. 5: 1). In fact, the mountain may have been the site of a pagan sanctuary from ancient times (Deut. 33: 19).

SHILOH— a city in the territory of Ephraim which served an Israelite religious center during the days before the establishment of the United Kingdom. Shiloh was “north of Bethel, on the east side of the highway that goes up from Bethel to Shechem, and south of Lebonah” (Judg. 21: 19). This pinpoints Khirbet Seilun, about 16 kilometers (10 miles) northeast of Bethel.

At Shiloh the tabernacle received its first permanent home, soon after the initial conquest of Canaan by the children of Israel (Josh. 18: 1). This established Shiloh as the main sanctuary of worship for the Israelites during the period of the judges (Judg. 18: 31). Here the last seven tribes received their allotments of land (Josh. 18: 8– 10). Hannah prayed for a son at Shiloh (1 Sam. 1: 3, 11). God granted her request by giving her SAMUEL. The TABERNACLE, with the ARK OF THE COVENANT, was still located in Shiloh during Samuel’s early years as priest and prophet (1 Sam. 1: 9; 4: 3– 4). However the ark was captured by the Philistines because God had forsaken Shiloh as the center of worship (Ps. 78: 60).

When the ark was returned to the Israelites by the Philistines, it was not returned to Shiloh (2 Sam. 6: 2– 17). Archaeologists have determined that Khirbet Seilun (Shiloh) was destroyed about 1050 B.C. After the ark was moved to another city, Shiloh gradually lost its importance. This loss was made complete when Jerusalem was established as capital of the kingdom. After the division of the kingdom, Jeroboam established worship centers at Dan and Bethel; but Ahijah, the prophet of the Lord, still remained at Shiloh (1 Kin. 14: 2, 4). From here, Ahijah pronounced the doom of Jeroboam’s rule (1 Kin. 14: 7– 16). In the days of the the prophet Jeremiah, Shiloh was in ruins (Jer. 7: 12, 14), although some people continued to live on the site of this former city (Jer. 41: 5). Shiloh became an inhabited town again in the days of the Greeks and Romans several centuries later.   Shiloh Valley today

BETHEL (house of God)— the name of two cities in the Old Testament: 1. A city of Canaan about 19 kilometers (12 miles) north of Jerusalem (see Map 3, B– 4). Bethel is mentioned more often in the Bible than any other city except Jerusalem. It is first mentioned in connection with Abraham, who “pitched his tent with Bethel on the west and built an altar to the LORD” (Gen. 12: 8; 13: 3).

                                                 

The region around Bethel is still suitable for grazing by livestock. Jacob, Abraham’s grandson, had a life-changing experience at this site. He had a vision of a staircase reaching into the heavens with the angels of God “ascending and descending on it” (Gen. 28: 12). Jacob called the name of that place Bethel, “the house of God” (Gen. 28: 19). He erected a pillar at Bethel to mark the spot of his vision (Gen. 28: 22; 31: 13). Jacob later built an altar at Bethel, where he worshiped the Lord (Gen. 35: 1– 16). During Israel’s war with the Benjamites in later years (Judg. 20), the children of Israel suffered two disastrous defeats (Judg. 20: 21, 25).

            Sign at Bethel Park                                            

They went to Bethel (the house of God, NKJV) to inquire of the Lord, for the ARK OF THE COVENANT was located there (Judg. 20: 26– 27). At Bethel they built an altar and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord. The third battle ended in disaster for the Benjamites. At the end of the war the Israelites returned to Bethel (the house of God, NKJV), built an altar, and again offered burnt offerings and peace offerings (Judg. 21: 1– 4).

After the death of Solomon and the division of his kingdom, Jeroboam, the king of Israel (the Northern Kingdom), set up two calves of gold, one in Bethel and one in Dan (1 Kin. 12: 29, 32– 33). Thus, Bethel became a great center of idolatry (1 Kin. 13: 1– 32; 2 Kin. 10: 29) and the chief sanctuary of Israel (Amos 7: 13), rivaling the temple in Jerusalem. The prophets Jeremiah and Amos denounced Bethel for its idolatries (Jer. 48: 13; Amos 5: 5– 6). Hosea, deploring its great wickedness (Hos. 10: 5, 15), called it BETH AVEN “ house of idols”, because of the golden calf set up there.

Bethel, the house of God, had deteriorated into Beth Aven, the house of idols. In a religious reformation that sought to restore the true worship of God, King Josiah broke down the altar at Bethel (2 Kin. 23: 15). Still later in Israel’s history, Bethel was occupied by Jewish people who returned from the captivity in Babylon with Zerubbabel (Ezra 2: 28; Neh. 7: 32). The place again reverted to the Benjamites (Neh. 11: 31).

Today the site of Bethel is occupied by a small village called Beitin. The New Testament does not refer to Bethel, but Jesus must have gone through this area on His trips. The city was situated on the main road from Shechem to Jerusalem.

KISHON — a river in Israel, which flows from sources on Mount Tabor and Mount Gilboa westward through the Plain of Esdraelon and the Valley of Jezreel, then empties into the Mediterranean Sea near the northern base of Mount Carmel. Because the Kishon falls slightly as it crosses the level plain, it often becomes swollen and floods much of the valley during the season of heavy rains. At the River Kishon the Israelites won a celebrated victory over Sisera under the leadership of Deborah and Barak (Judg. 4: 7). Fully armed with 900 chariots of iron (Judg. 4: 13), the forces of Sisera became bogged down in the overflow of the Kishon (Judg. 5: 21), and the Israelites defeated them. It was at the Brook Kishon, also, that the prophets of Baal were executed following their contest with Elijah on Mount Carmel (1 Kin. 18: 40).

JORDAN (descending from Dan or flowing) — The Jordan is the longest and most important river in Israel. The river is part of the “great rift valley” that runs north to south into Africa. This rift valley is one of the lowest depressions on earth. The headwaters of the Jordan River, which has three main sources, begin north of Lake Huleh. After the Jordan flows through Lake Huleh, it descends into the Sea of Galilee. Below: Looking East to Jordan – Baptism ceremony

   

It is possible to ford the river just below the lake where the waters are low. In the ancient world, trade caravans going from Damascus to Egypt probably crossed at this point.

At Lake Huleh the headwaters of the Jordan are about 70 meters (230 feet) above sea level. Some 16 kilometers (10 miles) south of the Sea of Galilee the river is about 213 meters (700 feet) below sea level. At the northern end of the Dead Sea (the end of the Jordan), the river has dropped to about 393 meters (1,290 feet) below sea level. This drastic drop is reflected in the name of the river, which means “the descender.”

The Jordan made a natural boundary as a serious obstacle in any east-to-west movement in the land of Judea. A number of shallow spots, or fords, occur in the Jordan. Possession of these fords was an important military factor. The distance that the Jordan covers from the southern tip of the Sea of Galilee to the northern end of the Dead Sea is only about 113 kilometers (70 miles). But the winding, zigzag pattern of the river is such that it curves for about 323 kilometers (200 miles) as it weaves its way north to south.

To some degree the Jordan River served as the boundary for the tribes (Num. 34: 12). Ancient Israel occupied territory on both sides of the river. The tribes of Reuben, Gad, and half of the tribe of Manasseh settled on the eastern side of the Jordan.

In the period between the Old Testament and the New Testament, the Jordan River formed the main eastern boundary of the Persian and Greek province of Judea. The DECAPOLIS, a federation of ten cities, was formed on the eastern side of the Jordan in the Greek period. John the Baptist carried out his ministry in the Jordan River region (Matt. 3: 5– 6; Mark 1: 5; Luke 3: 3; John 1: 28; 3: 26). Jesus’ ministry was initiated by his baptism in the waters of the Jordan (Matt. 3: 13; Mark 1: 9; Luke 4: 1). Jesus carried out His ministry on both sides of the Jordan (Matt. 4: 15, 25; Mark 3: 8; John 10: 40).

MORIAH — the name of two sites in the Old Testament: 1.The land that God commanded Abraham to take his only son Isaac and to offer him as a burnt offering on one of the mountains. The mountains of this land were a three-day journey from Beersheba and were visible from a great distance (Gen. 22: 2, 4).

2. The hill at Jerusalem where Solomon built “the house of the Lord,” the temple. Originally this was the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite (2 Chr. 3: 1), also called Araunah the Jebusite (2 Sam. 24: 16– 24), where God appeared to David. David purchased the threshing floor from Ornan (1 Chr. 21: 15— 22: 1) and built an altar on the site. It was left to David’s son (Solomon) to build the temple. Below: Dome of the Rock, left                                        Dome of Sprits, bedrock Mt. Moriah

 

Some Jews believe the altar of burnt offering in the temple at Jerusalem was situated on the exact site of the altar on which Abraham intended to sacrifice Isaac. To them the two Mount Moriahs mentioned in the Bible are identical. The Muslim structure, the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem, reputedly is situated on this site.

EN GEDI (spring of a kid)— an oasis on the barren western shore of the Dead Sea about 54 kilometers (35 miles) southeast of Jerusalem. It lay on the eastern edge of the rugged Wilderness of Judah, which contained many hideouts where David sometimes hid when he was fleeing from King Saul (1 Sam. 23: 29— 24: 1).

En Gedi was watered by a hot spring yielding an abundance of fresh water that burst forth hundreds of feet above the base of a large cliff.

Its ancient name was Hazezon Tamar or Hazazon Tamar (“ pruning of palms”), indicating the presence of date palms there. Vineyards also prospered at En Gedi (Song 1: 14). In Abraham’s day, CHEDORLAOMER conquered the Amorites who occupied this spot (Gen. 14: 7).

ARAD - A Canaanite city in the southern wilderness of Judah whose inhabitants fought against the Israelites at Mount Hor but were defeated by Joshua (Josh. 12: 14). It was situated about 32 kilometers (20 miles) south of Hebron. The site today is marked by Tell Arad.

En Gedi Springs

BEERSHEBA - (well of the seven or well of the oath) — the chief city of the NEGEV - Beersheba was situated in the territory of Simeon (Josh. 19: 1– 2) and was “at the limits of the tribe of the children of Judah, toward the border of Edom in the South” (Josh. 15: 21, 28).

Midway between the Mediterranean Sea and the southern end of the Dead Sea, Beersheba was considered the southern extremity of the Promised Land, giving rise to the often-used expression, “from Dan [in the north] to Beersheba” (Judg. 20: 1) or “from Beersheba to Dan” (1 Chr. 21: 2).

In Beersheba Abraham and Abimelech, king of GERAR (in Philistia), made a covenant and swore an oath of mutual assistance (Gen. 21: 31). Abraham pledged to Abimelech seven ewe lambs to bear witness to the sincerity of his oath; from this transaction came the name Beersheba. It was in the Wilderness of Beersheba that Hagar wandered as she fled from Sarah (Gen. 21: 33). Abraham dug a well and also planted a tamarisk tree here (Gen. 21: 33), and he returned to Beersheba after God prevented him from offering Isaac as a sacrifice on Mount Moriah (Gen. 22: 19). At Beersheba a number of important encounters took place between God and various people. Here God appeared to Hagar (Gen. 21: 17), Isaac (Gen. 26: 23– 33), and Jacob (Gen. 46: 1– 5). Ancient Beersheba has been identified with a large tract known as Tell es-Saba, situated about 3 kilometers (2 miles) east of the modern city.

Tamarisk. A small tree with thick foliage and spikes of pink blooms. It provided ample shade for desert travelers (1 Sam. 22: 6). The word for tamarisk is translated tree, grove, or oak by the KJV.

Notzrim or Netzer = Christian    Information for this from Nelson’s Bible Dictionary Kindle edition