Negev Day 1

Trade Route of Advat

     With bags packed, cameras charged, and camelbacks filled our group was ready to spend four days in the Negev and Southern regions of Israel!  Our first day mainly focused on the Biblical Negev Region, with Tels, Ben Gurion’s desert home, some wilderness here and there, as well as caves and tombs! 

Altar Repleca at Beersheva

     Our first stop of the trip was the Beersheva Tel.  While Beersheva is mentioned in the Bible (Gen. 21:22-34), the site that we visited does not properly date to the time of Abraham.  Where then is the site from Abraham’s day?  It could be plausible that there are two different sites, we can’t know for certain.  At the entrance to the Tel was a reconstruction of a four-horned altar that was made out of hewn stone, contrary to what Scripture commanded the people. (Ex. 20:22-26) There was also a well, 65 feet deep by the gate of the city.  Next to it was planted a Tamarisk tree, symbolizing and remembering the treaty made in Gen. 21 with Abimelech. The site gave a good visual demonstration of what is called a casemate wall.  The wall of the city would be comprised of two parallel walls, the inner wall often times making us the back wall of a resident’s house.  There were also cisterns, and examples of Israelite homes at the Tel.  Beersheva is also known for being the practical border of Israel.  Many times in scripture there will be references describing the whole land of Israel as stretching from Dan to Beersheva.  While Beershevah is not the furthest point in Israel, it is most recognized. A parallel would be how in the United States we say from “New York to L.A.”

     The next stop was Arad on the Eastern border of the Negev.  Arad has a similar situation as Beersheva in that the site excavated today is not from the days of Joshua (Numbers 21:1) but holds remains from the Early Bronze Age and the Iron Age. Our professor explained that historically according to Pharaoh Sheshak there are two Arads mentioned in his writings. It is not that the Tel Arad in the eastern Negev contradicts Numbers 21:1, but that it could be the other city. At Arad was a fortress probably built by Solomon, as well as a Jewish temple from the Iron Age.  Not only was it unlawful for the Israelites to build a temple other than the one temple, but they also defiled it with the worship to a pagan god as well. You could see the Holy of Holies, which had two incense altars, signifying that there was the worship of two deities at this temple as opposed to devoted worship to the one true God. 

     We next drove to Sdeh Boker, the desert home of Ben Gurion the first prime minister of Israel.  He saw potential in the Negev and the desert and wanted to encourage the people to dwell in the land, and so he led by example by living out there himself.  His house felt like it came from the 50’s, nothing had really changed, and it was preserved very well.

     Because of the rainy weather we were unable to go to our next stop, a hike through the Nahal Zin.  Instead we walked a short way to a lookout where we could see wilderness for miles and miles.  It is crazy to think that a few hours ago we were in the green rolling hills, and now in the middle of the desert.  Israel is a diverse land geographically.  Since our hike was “rained out” we had more time to explore at our second stop, Advat.

     Advat was a Nabatean Trade Route city along the Spice Route.  It does not hold much Biblical significance as far as events that happened here, but there are references to the Nabatean people.  For instance Herod the Great’s mother was Nabatean and Herod Antipas’ wife was Nabatean, before he left her for his brother’s wife. They went out of existence or remembrance in the fourth century, and the city was most likely abandoned after a large earthquake of some sort. There were tombs that we stood in, as well as caves in the side of the hills to explore. There was a ton of pottery shards over the site, and the city itself was very well preserved (compared to some) and cleverly set up for tourists with metal figurines of Nabatean people living daily life throughout the tel.

     Our bus driver Naphtali took us to one last spot before we rested at our hostel.  He took us to see Camel Hill, which gets its name from its appearance at a distance.  It is a lookout over the Maktesh Ramon Crater, one of the biggest craters of the Makteshim.  We hit it at the right timing, for as we were descending the Camel to walk along the ridge to our hostel, the storm was rolling in right behind us, a few minutes later and we were all surrounded by thick, dark, wet, and windy clouds! Fortunately we were able to catch the sunset before the storm!

Maktesh Ramon Crater- being quickly covered by the approaching storm!

Shephelah Trip Part 2

We loaded onto the bus to return yet again the Shephelah. Our second day in this lovely part of Israel was spent at the Aijalon Valley (Gezer), in between the Guvrin and Lachish Valleys (Maresha), and then at the Elah Valley (Adullam)

Standing Stones

     One can distinguish the importance of a tel based upon its size, location, and historical records (Biblical and extra Biblical). Tel Gezer, some 33 acres, located off a main road, and mentioned several times in Biblical and extra Biblical text is one such important tel. Unfortunately in the 1900’s it was poorly excavated, which ruined most of the site, however excavators today are trying to make up for the damage done.  Some of the ruins we could see were the remains of two city gates.  Benj explained to us that gates could have multiple chambers and rooms and doors that invaders would have to penetrate before actually getting into a city.  Gates were almost like mini castles full of soldiers. Another ruin that was observable at Gezer was a “high place” where 10 stone pillars stood at one point. Historically the location could have been remains of a covenant similar to Ex. 24:3-8 or they could have been worshiped as those mentioned in Lev. 26:1.

          

Columberia Cave

     
We next went to Maresha.  In the tribe of Judah, Maresha lies between the Guvrin Valley and the Lachish Valley.  It was near Maresha that Asa of Judah with 300,000 men and the strength of the Lord defeated the army of a million men from Ethiopia. (2 Chron. 14:1-15) It was also where Edomites were forced to convert to Judaism in the time of the Hasmoneans, becoming known as Idumeans.  They were looked down upon by the Jews, and it was out of this group of people that Herod the Great would come from.

Family Tomb

     Around Maresha were several little places to go and explore. Columbaria Cave.  This was a cave filled with more than 5,000 niches in the walls where pigeons were bred and housed. They were used for sacrifices, food, and their dung for fertilizer. Another site was a family tomb.  When it was found it still had paintings on it, and since then the paintings have been touched up.  It was neat to go in and see a tomb that was more preserved.  There were several spots where sarcophagi would have lain, and we managed to fit 15 of us in one of the spots! The last sight we saw at this stop was appropriately called the Bell Caves.  They were these huge bell shaped caves with holes in the top.  We gathered together in one of them and sang some hymns and the Doxology.  It was really pretty hearing our voices echoing off the walls. 

Bell Caves

     We stopped for lunch at a gas station, and then walked next door to a well-preserved amphitheater. The tunnels were still intact, as well as some of the underground chambers.  We split into two teams and re-enacted a gladiator fight.  Unfortunately I did not live long, and was slain by my friend Lana.  We got to climb around and fantasize what it might have been like back in the day.  The sounds of crowds cheering, the roaring of the animals, the sound of swords clashing.  As unpleasant as bloodshed is to me, it is most difficult to imagine how it was desired and demanded by the people at the time.  (Perhaps not at this particular amphitheater, but amphitheaters in general) The people had an unhealthy thirst for blood that could never be satisfied.

     We went from one place of blood shed and violence to a place of peace and victory.  Adullam in the Elah Valley is most likely where David might have been as he wrote some of his Psalms praising God for delivering him from his enemies. (1 Samuel 21:10-22:2).  It was a beautiful spot too.  We hiked a trail that was incredibly steep and many of us felt our calves burning off, but the view was incredible.  We could see crops below, and hills in the distance.  This was one of my favorite stops. Our professor gave us the three psalms that David could have written at this spot (Psalm 34, 56, and 57) and gave us the freedom to separate and spend a little quite time meditating on his words and truths.  Many of the sites we go to are rushed so that we can make it to another one.  It was nice to be able to sit down and soak in the words of the Scriptures personally with God at the site.  It is easy for me to get focused on myself and my problems that I never take a step back and see the big picture. It was encouraging in Psalm 57, to see how David (who had every right humanly speaking to complain and worry) only spent a few lines describing his needs to God, and the majority of his psalm praising God. “I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples; I will sing praises to you among the nations.  For your steadfast love is great to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds.  Be exalted O God, above the heavens! Let your glory be over all the earth!” (Psalm 57:9-11) He was not daunted by his circumstances because he was focusing on someone greater- God. There is a quote that says, “Don’t tell God how big your problems are, tell your problem how big your God is.” I think to, the more we focus on God, like David, the less we will focus or be consumed by our worries, fears, or circumstances.

     After our refreshing time with the Word, we managed our way back down the super steep trail and back onto the bus where Benj treated us with cookies!  It was a shorter day, but fun and refreshing!

Nahal Parat Hike

Not much to say about this trip other than that the pictures speak for themselves, God's creation is so beautiful!  We walked through this river canyon, there were steams to jump in, fish to catch, goats to see, as well as rocks to climb!  There were steep moments where we had to rely on each other to cross from one part to the next, and it was handy to have bars placed in the rocks to hold onto as we climbed down some ridges.  There were definitely moments where I felt like Indiana Jones!