Cairo: Jesus in Egypt & God's Unusual Leaning
God seldom gives us all we need to understand, but He always gives us what we need in order to obey. The story of Jesus in Egypt as a boy offers a...
3 min read
Wayne Stiles
:
May 7, 2014 12:00:00 AM
Most students of the Bible know about Beersheba. It played a major role in Genesis, and yet, few pilgrims go there today. That’s strange, because there’s plenty to see at Tel Beersheba.
(Photo: Beersheba tell from east. Courtesy of the Pictorial Library of Bible Lands)
Visitors today can observe various remains, including:
As significant as Tel Beersheba is, it seldom finds itself on the tour itinerary of pilgrims to the land of Israel—probably because the site seems too far south. Beersheba has several neighboring sites that even fewer see (or have even heard of).
Let’s take a peek at these 3 sites and see their significance.
Beersheba’s name means, “Well of the Seven,” or “Well of the Oath,” from Abraham and Isaac’s conflicts with the locals over the rights to water—the Negev’s most precious commodity (Genesis 21:25-34; 26:26-33).
The phrase “from Dan to Beersheba” delineated the practical north-south borders of ancient Israel (1 Kings 4:25).
(Photo: Beersheba excavations. Courtesy of the Pictorial Library of Bible Lands)
An ancient horned altar from the time of Josiah was discovered in Beersheba. You’ll find a replica there today and the original in the Israel Museum.
Beersheba has had seasons of significant residents:
You can read more about Beersheba here.
Nearby Beersheba in the Negev, several other sites have significance.
With its commanding view of the eastern Negev basin, it’s easy to understand why Tel Arad remained continually busy until the Islamic occupation of the 7th-century AD.
(Photo: Arad Israelite fort. Courtesy of the Pictorial Library of Bible Lands)
When the Hebrews passed Arad on their way from Egypt to the Promised Land, they defeated the King of Arad in battle (Numbers 21:1-3).
The descendants of Moses’ father-in-law, Jethro, resettled “in the south of Arad” (Judges 1:16).
(Photo: Arad Early Bronze city wall. Courtesy of the Pictorial Library of Bible Lands)
An oasis of archaeology, Arad has two levels that represent two eras.
You can read more about Tel Arad here.
Before he was king, David came to this area with his band of 600 men in pursuit of their stolen wives and children. The 200 men who were too weary to travel further remained “at the brook Besor” (1 Samuel 30:9-10; 21-22).
(Photo: Nahal Besor. Courtesy of the Pictorial Library of Bible Lands)
The modern 875-acre Eshkol National Park sits near the Besor Stream, and offers a visual feast for the visitor.
(Photo: Besor spring. Courtesy of the Pictorial Library of Bible Lands)
Twelve miles southeast of Beersheba lies the Old Testament city of Aroer, the likely hometown of Shama and Jeiel, two of David’s mighty men (1 Chronicles 11:44).
(Photo: Aroer excavations on eastern side. Courtesy of the Pictorial Library of Bible Lands)
When David sent gifts to the elders of Judah, he included Aroer in the Negev (1 Samuel 30:28).
Archaeologists dug from 1975 and 1982 and revealed several layers of cities from the Iron Age and another from the Herodian period.
Tell me what you think: Have you ever heard of Arad, Besor, and Aroer? To leave a comment, just click here.
You’ll find these sites and more in a book I wrote for the Israel Ministry of Tourism, 100 Off-The-Beaten-Path Sites. You can download a free copy.
Click here to leave a comment.
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