Beth Shemesh

Beth Shemesh is an Israelite site located 12 mi. west of Jerusalem in the Sorek Valley where it exits from the Hill Country of Judah into the Shephelah.

The tribe of Dan settled in this area and the main activities of Samson took place here (Judges 13–16).

Sorek Valley looking west from Beth Shemesh

During the period of the Judges the Philistines returned the Ark of the Covenant to the Israelites via Beth Shemesh (1 Samuel 4–6).

During the recent excavations, a huge “cruciform” cistern from the years of the Judean Monarchy was discovered.

Interior of the Israelite Cistern

For more free, high-resolution images of Beth Shemesh Click Here.

Advertisement

Jacob’s Sheep In Danger of Dying

From The Times of Israel: After heavy rains, the whole “Jacob’s Sheep” project is in danger as one sheep has died and 40+ are sick!

---

After a few thousand years absence, “Jacob’s Sheep” have returned to Israel—from Canada!

Jacob‘s sheep in quarantine in southern Israel on December 5, 2016. (courtesy The Friends of Jacob Sheep)

From The Times of Israel: ” Biblical sheep in Israel for first time in millennia”

The breed received the name “Jacob sheep” based on Genesis Chapter 30, where Jacob talks about leaving his father-in-law Laban’s home and taking part of the flock as his payment for years of service. “I will pass through all thy flock today, removing from thence every speckled and spotted one, and every dark one among the sheep, and the spotted and speckled among the goats; and of such shall be my hire,” he is quoted as saying in Genesis 30:32.

After three years of high-level negotiations between the Israeli and Canadian governments, 119 heritage sheep, which trace their lineage back 5,000 years to the Middle East, began arriving in Israel on November 30. It is the first time that the breed, called Jacob’s sheep, has been represented in Israel since biblical times.

Genetic markings for the breed date back at least a few thousand years to the Middle East. The journey for the sheep began in ancient Syria (also the biblical home of Laban) and passed through North Africa. Moorish invaders brought the breed to Spain, and then to England, where the animal was something of a trophy sheep. A number were brought to North America, originally for zoos and then later for commercial use.

According to the Lewinskys, the sheep has not been found in Israel for thousands of years.

While sheep generally have two horns, Jacob sheep usually have four to six horns, including large horns that frame their face, like Solomon, a member of the Lewinsky flock. (courtesy Gil Lewinsky/Mustard Seed Imaging)

Mysterious Bridge

Many of you have traveled across the Aijalon Valley (where the moon stood still; Joshua 10:12) and have seen the massive bridge that crosses the valley.

High Speed Railroad Bridge across the Aijalon Valley.

The folk over at Ynetnews have posted an informative article, “Travelling the tracks to connect Israel’s largest two cities,” that describes the bridges and tunnels for the high speed railroad from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.  It will only take 28 minutes for the journey at speeds up to 100 miles per hour!

Aijalon Bridge Detail — Photo: Sasson Tiram

16 HD 3-4 Minute Drone Videos of Israel

To date (29 April, 2015) Amir Aloni has posted 16 3-4 minute HD videos of Israel on Vimeo.  These were taken using a drone!  (If you want to see one of the drones in action click here and view at 0:05).  These are amazing!  His 16 titles include:

1. Qumran Caves
2. Spring 2015 in the Jordan Valley
3. Herodion National Park
4. The Green Desert
5. A Greek Orthodox Epiphany Ceremony at the Jordan River
6. Migdal Tseded-Rosh Haayin
7. 669 Rescue Unit of the Israeli Air force
8. Shokeda Forest 2015
9. Eritreans Celebrate Epiphany
10. Tomb of Samuel the Prophet
11. Israel Dead Sea Rivers Flood
12. Southern Negev and Arava
13. The Dead Sea
14. Tom-mismeret
15. Dead Sea & Judean Desert
16. Megilot Rescue Unit in Judean Desert

Fallow Deer Extinct, but Reintroduced to Israel

Shmuel Brown has a very interesting/informative post about the intrigues, via Iran, entitled “Introducing Fallow Deer” [to Israel].  This is an amazing story!

Photograph by Shmuel Browns

Shmuel Browns is an Israeli Tour Guide/Photographer and also has an online store, “Designed in Israel,” where Calendars, Cards, T-Shirts, and Tote Bags featuring his photography can be purchased.

Israel – Gaza and the Iron Dome – Inspired by a Toy Car?

I usually don’t comment on modern Middle Eastern themes, but some of the readers of this blog are also interested in recent developments between the Hamas of Gaza and Israel.  It is widely reported that the “Iron Dome” missile defense system that Israel has deployed has been very effective (90% success rate) in dealing with significant missile threats from Gaza.

Israel 21ci has posted an interesting article entitled “15 things you didn’t now about the Iron Dome.”

Among them are tidbits such as:

• “A toy car sold by Toys R Us inspired developers . . . .”
• The Iron Dome . . . only intercepts . . .a rocket if it is deemed a critical threat.”

Go figure.

 

Beth Shemesh

Beth Shemesh is an Israelite site located 12 mi. west of Jerusalem in the Sorek Valley where it exits from the Hill Country of Judah into the Shephelah.

The tribe of Dan settled in this area and the main activities of Samson took place here (Judges 13–16).

Sorek Valley looking west from Beth Shemesh

Yodfat/Jotapata — New Road

Paved Road to Jotapata

On July 11 I was in the field teaching a group of students from the Jerusalem University College who were studying “Jesus and His Times.”  I wanted to take them to Jotapata to help them understand Josephus and the First Jewish Revolt, but it was close to the end of the day and remembering last year’s hour walk into the site, and 100 degree F temperatures, I thought we would just view it from above.  Much to my delight I found that a new paved road had been built to the site!  So instead of an hour walk in, we just drove to the foot of the mound and began exploring Jotapata.