That the World May Know

The WildernessWe may not want to face the wilderness, but the "rocks" of life are the very places where God often brings sweetness into our lives.Rugged wilderness covers much of Israel. The two most prominent deserts are the Judea Wilde...

When Storms Come

Sea of GalileeMuch of Jesus' ministry occurred around the Sea of Galilee, a beautiful sea set in the fertile and prosperous region of northern Israel.Much of Jesus ministry occurred around the Sea of Galilee, and he sometimes used the symbolism of...

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Encyclopedia

The Gate at Dan

Just past the entrance to the gate at Dan, a large stone extends into the street. Just beyond it, along the wall, archaeologists uncovered a cultic high place containing five standing stones. Just beyond and to the left of the large stones, agains...

The High Place and Altar at Dan

The high place at Dan, in northern Israel, dates to 920 BC, when Israel was divided into the northern (Israel) and the southern (Judah) kingdoms.The high place measured 62 feet square and was surrounded by a wall. On top of the high place were bui...

The High Place at Dan

Five standing stones (or masseboth) were found in the high place of the gate at Dan. This high place is similar to the ones Josiah destroyed in his reform (2 Kings 23:8) because they were used in the fertility rites of the culture. Standing stones...

The Judge's Platform

Just through the entrance of the gate, archaeologists reconstructed a canopy over the platform on which the ruler of the city sat. To the right, along the stone wall, is a bench possibly where the elders of the city sat. Note the decorative stones...

The Mudbrick Gate in the Tel of Dan

This gate was filled in 3,500 years ago, during an ancient "urban renewal." You can still see the stone pavement leading to the gate. Note the mud brick arch over the supported entrance. Just inside the entrance are the gate chambers typ...

The Sea and the Abyss

The Sea of Galilee is beautiful, but its calm, peaceful setting does not present a complete picture of ancient people's feelings toward it: Many biblical images related to the sea had very negative connotations.Jews were not seafarers; they were d...

Watching the Flock

The flocks of contemporary shepherds contain both sheep and goats. Although both were called "small cattle" in Hebrew, clear differences distinguish them. For instance, goats are generally dark and aggressive, while sheep are usually lig...

Water for the Sheep

The availability of water was the most important survival factor in the desert. Several biblical images about searching for water came from the Israelites' experiences of wilderness wandering. One such example is conveyed in Psalm 63:1, where the ...

Water systems: The Water Shaft of Hazor

The water system of Hazor dates to approximately the same time as that of Megiddo but is different in one respect. The Israelites sunk a shaft nearly 100 feet through the tel. But instead of building a tunnel to a water source outside the city, th...

Wet Feet

The JordanThe Jordan River, mentioned nearly 200 times in the Text, is one of the fastest flowing rivers of its size.As a prominent feature in ancient Israel, the Jordan River was mentioned nearly 200 times in the bible. Its fast flowing waters cr...

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