Samaria – Journey to Holy Land

Biblical City of Samaria

webmaster — Thu, 04 Aug 2016 06:21:38 +0000

Samaria is shaped like a watch tower. Located in the heart of the mountains of Israel, a few miles northwest of Shechem, stands the “hill of Shomeron,” a solitary mountain, a great “mamelon.” It is an oblong hill, with steep but not inaccessible sides, and a long flat top. Omri, the king of Israel, bought this hill from Shemer its owner for the price of two talents of silver, and built on its broad summit the city to which he gave the name of “Shomeron”, i.e., Samaria, as the new capital of his kingdom instead of Tirzah (1 Kings 16:24). As such it possessed many advantages. Here Omri resided during the last six years of his reign. As the result of an unsuccessful war with Syria, he appears to have been obliged to grant to the Syrians the right to “make streets in Samaria”, i.e., probably permission to the Syrian merchants to carry on their trade in the Israelite capital. This would imply the existence of a considerable Syrian population. “It was the only great city of Palestine created by the sovereign. All the others had been already consecrated by patriarchal tradition or previous possession. But Samaria was the choice of Omri alone. He, indeed, gave to the city which he had built the name of its former owner, but its especial connection with himself as its founder is proved by the designation which it seems Samaria bears in Assyrian inscriptions, Beth-khumri (‘the house or palace of Omri’).”, Stanley.

Samaria was frequently besieged. In the days of Ahab, Benhadad II. came up against it with thirty-two vassal kings, but was defeated with a great slaughter (1 Kings 20:1-21). A second time, next year, he assailed it; but was again utterly routed, and was compelled to surrender to Ahab (20:28-34), whose army, as compared with that of Benhadad, was no more than “two little flocks of kids.”

In the days of Jehoram this Benhadad again laid siege to Samaria, during which the city was reduced to the direst extremities. But just when success seemed to be within their reach, they suddenly broke up the seige, alarmed by a mysterious noise of chariots and horses and a great army, and fled, leaving their camp with all its contents behind them. The famishing inhabitants of the city were soon relieved with the abundance of the spoil of the Syrian camp; and it came to pass, according to the word of Elisha, that “a measure of fine flour was sold for a shekel, and two measures of barely for a shekel, in the gates of Samaria” (2 Kings 7:1-20).

Shalmaneser invaded Israel in the days of Hoshea, and reduced it to vassalage. He laid siege to Samaria (B.C. 723), which held out for three years, and was at length captured by Sargon, who completed the conquest Shalmaneser had begun (2 Kings 18:9-12; 17:3), and removed vast numbers of the tribes into captivity. (See SARGON.)

This city, after passing through various vicissitudes, was given by the emperor Augustus to Herod the Great, who rebuilt it, and called it Sebaste (Gr. form of Augustus) in honour of the emperor. In the New Testament the only mention of it is in Acts 8:5-14, where it is recorded that Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached there.

It is now represented by the hamlet of Sebustieh, containing about three hundred inhabitants. The ruins of the ancient town are all scattered over the hill, down the sides of which they have rolled. The shafts of about one hundred of what must have been grand Corinthian columns are still standing, and attract much attention, although nothing definite is known regarding them. (Comp. Micah 1:6.)

In the time of Christ, Western Palestine was divided into three provinces, Judea, Samaria, and Galilee. Samaria occupied the centre of Palestine (John 4:4). It is called in the Talmud the “land of the Cuthim,” and is not regarded as a part of the Holy Land at all.

It may be noticed that the distance between Samaria and Jerusalem, the respective capitals of the two kingdoms, is only 35 miles in a direct line.

“Samaria,” Easton’s Bible Dictionary, paragraph 6312.

Flavius Josephus relates (Ant. 11:8, 2-4) that Sanballat built a temple for the Samaritans on this mountain, and instituted a priesthood, as rivals to those of the Jews at Jerusalem. This temple was destroyed after it had stood two hundred years. It was afterwards rebuilt by Herod the Great. There is a Samaritan tradition that it was the scene of the incident recorded in Gen. 22. There are many ruins on this mountain, some of which are evidently of Christian buildings. To this mountain the woman of Sychar referred in John 4:20. For centuries Gerizim was the centre of political outbreaks. The Samaritans (q.v.), a small but united body, still linger here, and keep up their ancient ceremonial worship.

“Gerizim,” Easton’s Bible Dictionary, paragraph 2874.

Jesus and the Samaritan Woman

And he must needs go through Samaria. Then cometh he to a city of Samaria, which is called Sychar, near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. Now Jacob’s well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour. There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink.(For his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat.) Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans. Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water? Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle? Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again:But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw. Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither.The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband:For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly.The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet. Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship. Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things. Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he.

John 4:4–26 KJV

Jesus and the Samaritans People

And upon this came his disciples, and marvelled that he talked with the woman: yet no man said, What seekest thou? or, Why talkest thou with her? The woman then left her waterpot, and went her way into the city, and saith to the men, Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ? Then they went out of the city, and came unto him. In the mean while his disciples prayed him, saying, Master, eat.

But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of.Therefore said the disciples one to another, Hath any man brought him ought to eat? Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together.And herein is that saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth.I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours.

And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him for the saying of the woman, which testified, He told me all that ever I did. So when the Samaritans were come unto him, they besought him that he would tarry with them: and he abode there two days. And many more believed because of his own word; And said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world.

John 4:27–42 KJV

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Joshua’s Altar on Mount Ebal

webmaster — Sun, 31 Jul 2016 19:17:52 +0000

The recent discovery of Joshua's Altar changes the face of biblical archaeology because it finds contradictions in the myth of the Canaanite origin - Israelites.

It was not until 1996 when Professor Adam Zertal from Haifa University uncovered the true biblical events and discovered the prophet Joshua's altar complex on Mount of Ebal.

The Altar of Joshua is one of most important ever biblical archaeological finds built near Nablus in the West Bank. It is a very large and impressive site.

Then Joshua built an altar unto the LORD God of Israel in mount Ebal, As Moses the servant of the LORD commanded the children of Israel, as it is written in the book of the law of Moses, an altar of whole stones, over which no man hath lift up any iron: and they offered thereon burnt offerings unto the LORD, and sacrificed peace offerings. And he wrote there upon the stones a copy of the law of Moses, which he wrote in the presence of the children of Israel. And all Israel, and their elders, and officers, and their judges, stood on this side the ark and on that side before the priests the Levites, which bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD, as well the stranger, as he that was born among them; half of them over against mount Gerizim, and half of them over against mount Ebal; as Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded before, that they should bless the people of Israel. And afterward he read all the words of the law, the blessings and cursings, according to all that is written in the book of the law. There was not a word of all that Moses commanded, which Joshua read not before all the congregation of Israel, with the women, and the little ones, and the strangers that were conversant among them.

Joshua 8:30–35 KJV

The altar on Mt Ebal. Instructions for two ceremonies now follow, to be held on Mt Ebal and, in the second case, Mt Gerizim also. These are mountains near Shechem, close to the centre of the promised land, and the ceremonies were to take place soon after the people had gone into it. The first ceremony (already foreshadowed in 11:26-32) consisted of setting up stones on Mt Ebal, containing all the words of this law, possibly meaning chs. 1-26 as a whole. The stones thus inscribed were to be a permanent reminder of them.
The setting up of the stones was to be solemnly marked by a sacrifice, for which an altar was to be separately erected. It is not likely that Shechem was thus marked out as the central place of worship which the Lord was to choose and which Israel was to seek (12:5); rather, this act of worship on Mt Ebal was a unique event marking the confirmation of the covenant at the beginning of the people’s life in the land. For the rules for building the altar see also Ex. 20:24-25.
In this whole ceremony Deuteronomy is once again like an ancient treaty, in which a copy of its terms was placed in the temple of the god of each of the parties, in a ceremony accompanied by sacrifices. The ceremony was in fact carried out by Joshua in due course (Jos. 8:30-35).

Gordon McConville, Deuteronomy, New Bible Commentary: 21st Century Edition; ed. D. A Carson et al.; Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1994, 223.

After the discover of Adam Zertal revealed the biblical altar of Joshua on Mount Ebal, the minimalist school of archaeology is under several critics

Israeli scholars have played a central role in revitalizing debate concerning the processes of Israelite settlement in Canaan. The discourse focuses on four general models of settlement: a literal interpretation of a military conquest as portrayed in the book of Joshua; a more peaceful “infiltration” as seen in Judges; a “peasant revolt”; and a symbiosis model. The Israeli contribution has been spearheaded by comprehensive archaeological field surveys by Israel Finkelstein, Adam Zertal, Ram Gophna, and others. This huge settlement pattern database has made it possible to evaluate carefully these and other models with hard empirical data previously unavailable, providing an additional source of extrabiblical data to examine the historicity of the biblical accounts. Finally, there have been a number of large-scale excavations at sites including Acco, Aphek, Beth-shean, Dan, Megiddo, Tel Qasile, Tel Mevorakh, Tel Seraʿ, and Yoqneʿam which provide additional data for testing archaeological models.

“ARCHAEOLOGY AND THE BIBLE,” Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible, 94.

The “minimalist” position would be that of Finkelstein currently, along with the minority “revisionist” biblical schools of Philip R. Davies, Niels P. Lemche, Thomas L. Thompson, and Keith W. Whitelam. The “maximalist” position, if there is one, would have to espouse some sort of large-scale military conquest by incoming Israelites from Transjordan, or even ultimately from Egypt, for which there is simply no archaeological evidence. The present treatment has tried to outline a middle-ground position, representing a growing consensus of scholars of several different schools, including virtually all archaeologists.

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Jacob’s Well

webmaster — Sun, 31 Jul 2016 19:00:53 +0000

During the Byzantine era, between the 5th and 6th century, a citadel and a monastery with two churches were built on the acropolis of Avdat on the top hill. The city includes important churches, Saint Theodore's Church is the most interesting Byzantine relic in Avdat.

In the church, marble tombstones was inserted in the floor are covered with cleared Greek inscriptions. St. Theodore was a Greek martyr of the 4th century. The Monastery stands next to the church and nearby a lintel is carved with lions and it marks the entrance to the castle.

As you stand among the ruins of the Negev Highland city of Shivta, the echoes of the bells tinkling on the bridles of the camels that passed this way in their caravans of hundreds, bringing the riches of the East – frankincense and myrrh – to market via the Mediterranean. Avdat was founded by Nabatean traders, the masters of those caravans as a way station on this Incense Route. Long before, the Israelites had wandered near here through the Wilderness of Zin.
At the visitor center a short film will introduces you to the mysteries of this site. Then you’ll visit a luxurious ancient bathhouse with a dressing room, two steam rooms, a furnace and a 210-foot-deep well. At the top of the city, you’ll discover a third-century guard tower with a Greek inscription, and a Nabatean shrine to their god Oboda (after whom Avdat was named). This temple eventually became a church, whose pillars frame a magnificent Negev deserts cape.

Source: Israel Ministry of Tourism

A main attraction in the park is the Colt house, used by the archeologists led by H. Colt (son of the famous American gun manufacturer), who dug at Shivta from 1933 to 1934. Over the entrance is an inscription in ancient Greek that translates: “With good luck. Colt built (this house) with his own money.”

Houses at Avdat and Shivta used arches that came out from the walls to form the roof. After placing thin slabs of limestone over the arches, the builders plastered the entire roof. In the lower city of Jerusalem, houses constructed with small stones were crowded closely together. Yet they still maintained small courtyards.

“ARCHITECTURE,” Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary, paragraph 1506.

The blessing and curse here have played out repeatedly in history. The nations or groups (plural: “those”) who have blessed Abram or his descendants have been blessed by God. The individuals (singular: “him”) who have cursed Abram or Israel have been “cursed,” coming eventually to a bad end. This, however, is not a blank check for the actions of unbelieving Israel, as if the nation could do no wrong or deserves no criticism or has no accountability for its actions. It is a general ongoing promise. Acts 3:25 and Gl 3:8 indicate that all the families of the earth are blessed in the availability of salvation through Jesus Christ, and Gl 6:16 refers to the church as “the Israel of God” through which, by implication, that blessing is extended.

Ted Cabal, ed., The Apologetics Study Bible, Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers, 2007, paragraph 712.

In referring to “the people [Abram] had acquired in Haran” the Bible is not sanctioning slavery. “Acquired” may refer to household servants, which wealthy families of the era had, rather than to slaves. Furthermore, even characters whom the Bible views favorably do not always act in accordance with what God approves. In evaluating their actions, we must recall that God did not reveal His will in its entirety at the beginning, but rather gradually throughout the course of biblical history. Biblical narrative often conveys the divine and human authors’ evaluation of a character’s actions implicitly rather than explicitly, not by denouncing the actions but by recording their outcome. The disgrace resulting from Abram’s lie in verses 12–13 is an example of this.

Some have supposed the note “At that time the Canaanites were in the land” (see note on 13:7) means that in the author’s day they were no longer there. If so, Moses could not be the author. But “that time” is clearly not being contrasted to the author’s time but to Abram’s time. The point is that when God made His promise to Abram the land was already occupied.

Ted Cabal, ed., The Apologetics Study Bible, Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers, 2007, paragraph 713-714.

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Joseph’s Tomb

webmaster — Sun, 31 Jul 2016 18:59:58 +0000

On the death of Jacob in Egypt Joseph carried him to Canaan, and laid him in the cave of Machpelah, the burying-place of his fathers. Joseph lived “a hundred and ten years,” having been more than ninety in Egypt … ” (Genesis 50:26) His trust Moses kept, and laid the bones of Joseph in his inheritance in Shechem, in the territory of Ephraim his offspring. His tomb is, according to tradition, about a stone’s throw from Jacob’s well.

“Joseph,” A Dictionary of the Bible, paragraph 3990.

“So Joseph died, being an hundred and ten years old: and they embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt.”

Genesis 50:26 KJV

“And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him: for he had straitly sworn the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you; and ye shall carry up my bones away hence with you.”

Exodus 13:19 KJV

“And the bones of Joseph, which the children of Israel brought up out of Egypt, buried they in Shechem, in a parcel of ground which Jacob bought of the sons of Hamor the father of Shechem for an hundred pieces of silver: and it became the inheritance of the children of Joseph.”

Joshua 24:32 KJV

On one occasion, however, it refers to the coffin containing Joseph’s remains that were carried from Egypt back to Canaan at his request. His bones were eventually buried at Shechem in a plot of land bought by Jacob, his father, from the sons of Hamor, the father of Shechem described in Josh. 24:32.

“BIER,” Expository Dictionary Of Bible Words, paragraph 2364.

Joseph's Tomb is a tomb complex located at the eastern entrance to the valley that separates Mounts Gerizim and Ebal, 300 metres northwest of Jacob's Well, on the outskirts of the West Bank city of Nablus, near Tell Balata, the site of Shakmu in the Late Bronze Age and later biblical Shechem. One biblical tradition identifies the general area of Shechem as the resting-place of the biblical patriarch Joseph, and his two sons Ephraim and Manasseh.

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Biblical Shechem

webmaster — Sun, 31 Jul 2016 18:59:00 +0000

Shechem was mentioned 60 times in the Old Testament and plays a very important role in Biblical history.

Sitting between Mount Gerizim and Ebal, the city of Shechem was the place of numerous biblical events including where God promised the land to Abraham, and where Jacob purchased land and buried and where the covenant was confirmed.

Shechem was also where the tragic story of Dinah's violation took place, as described in the Book of Genesis 34:13 BBE: “But the sons of Jacob gave a false answer to Shechem and Hamor his father, because of what had been done to Dinah their sister.”

The city of Shechem was considered to be "A Way of the Patriarchs" as it was a crossroads in central Israel, therefore, seeing a lot of passerby's and probably why many major historical events occurred there.

Today the Biblical Shechem is called Tel-Ballata. In Samaria it was declared the first center of government as described in the Book of Judges under Abimelech, son of Jerubbaal: “And ye are risen up against my father’s house this day, and have slain his sons, threescore and ten persons, upon one stone, and have made Abimelech, the son of his maidservant, king over the men of Shechem, because he is your brother.” Judges 9:18 KJV

And Abram passed through the land unto the place of Sichem, unto the plain of Moreh. And the Canaanite was then in the land. And the LORD appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto the LORD, who appeared unto him. And he removed from thence unto a mountain on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, having Bethel on the west, and Hai on the east: and there he builded an altar unto the LORD, and called upon the name of the LORD. And Abram journeyed, going on still toward the south.

Genesis 12:6–9 KJV

So Esau returned that day on his way unto Seir. And Jacob journeyed to Succoth, and built him an house, and made booths for his cattle: therefore the name of the place is called Succoth. And Jacob came to Shalem, a city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Padanaram; and pitched his tent before the city. And he bought a parcel of a field, where he had spread his tent, at the hand of the children of Hamor, Shechem’s father, for an hundred pieces of money. And he erected there an altar, and called it Elelohe-Israel.

Genesis 33:16–20 KJV

This place is first mentioned in connection with Abraham’s journey from Haran. At the oak of Moreh in the vicinity he reared his first altar to the Lord in Palestine (Gen 12:6 f). It was doubtless by this oak that Jacob, on his return from Paddan-aram, buried “the strange (ARV “foreign”) gods” (Gen 35:4). Hither he had come after his meeting with Esau (Gen 33:18). Eusebius, in Onomasticon, here identifies Shechem with Shalem; but see SHALEM. To the E. of the city Jacob pitched his tent in a “parcel of ground” which he had bought from Hamor, Shechem’s father (Gen 33:19). Here also he raised an altar and called it El-Elohe-Israel, “God, the God of Israel” (Gen 33:20).

Then follows the story of Dinah’s defilement by Shechem, son of the city’s chief; and of the treacherous and terrible vengeance exacted by Simeon and Levi (Gen 34). To the rich pasture land near Shechem Joseph came to seek his brethren (Gen 37:12 ff). It is mentioned as lying to the W. of Michmethath (el-Makhneh) on the boundary of Manasseh (Josh 17:7). It was in the territory of Ephraim; it was made a city of refuge, and assigned to the Kohathite Levites (Josh 20:7; 21:21). Near the city the Law was promulgated (Dt 27:11; Josh 8:33). When his end was approaching Joshua gathered the tribes of Israel here and addressed to them his final words of counsel and exhortation (chapter 24). Under the oak in the neighboring sanctuary he set up the stone of witness (24:26). The war of conquest being done, Joseph’s bones were buried in the parcel of ground which Jacob had bought, and which fell to the lot of Joseph’s descendants (24:33). Abimelech, whose mother was a native of the city, persuaded the men of Shechem to make him king (Jgs 9:1–6), evidently seeking a certain consecration from association with “the oak of the pillar that was in Shechem.” Jotham’s parable was spoken from the cliff of Gerizim overhanging the town (Jgs 9:7 ff). After a reign of three years Abimelech was rejected by the people. He captured the city, razed it to the foundations, and sowed it with salt.

It was then the seat of Canaanite idolatry, the temple of Baal-berith being here (Jgs 9:4,46). In the time of the kings we find that the city was once more a gathering-place of the nation. It was evidently the center, especially for the Northern tribes; and hither Rehoboam came in the hope of getting his succession to the throne confirmed (1 Ki 12:1; 2 Ch 10:1). At the disruption Jeroboam fortified the city and made it his residence (2 Ch 10:25; Ant, VIII, viii, 4). The capital of the Northern Kingdom was moved, however, first to Tirzah and then to Samaria, and Shechem declined in political importance. Indeed it is not named again in the history of the monarchy. Apparently there were Israelites in it after the captivity, some of whom on their way to the house of the Lord at Jerusalem met a tragic fate at the hands of Ishmael ben Nethaniah (Jer 41:5 ff). It became the central city of the Samaritans, whose shrine was built on Mt. Gerizim (Sir 50:26; Ant, XI, viii, 6; XII, i, 1; XIII, iii, 4). Shechem was captured by John Hyrcanus in 132 BC (Ant., XIII, ix, 1; BJ, I, ii, 6). It appears in the NT only in the speech of Stephen (Acts 7:16, AV “Sychem”). Some (e.g. Smith, DB, under the word) would identify it with Sychar of Jn 4:5; but see SYCHAR. Under the Romans it became Flavia Neapolis. In later times it was the seat of a bishopric; the names of five occupants of the see are known.

“Shechem,” ISBE, paragraph 52645.

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Mount Gerizim National Park

webmaster — Sun, 31 Jul 2016 18:56:21 +0000

Mount Gerizim is one of the most important ancient biblical sites which appears for the first time in the book of Deuteronomy of the Torah. It was the place that God chose for the blessing ceremony and Mount Ebal was for the curse. The scenic panoramic view from the top of the hill offers a spiritual experience and makes it an excellent opportunity for visitors to learn about the early days of the People of Israel in the Promised Land.

“And when the Lord your God has taken you into the land of your heritage, you are to put the blessing on Mount Gerizim and the curse on Mount Ebal.”

Deuteronomy 11:29 BBE

And it shall come to pass, when the LORD thy God hath brought thee in unto the land whither thou goest to possess it, that thou shalt put the blessing upon mount Gerizim, and the curse upon mount Ebal. Are they not on the other side Jordan, by the way where the sun goeth down, in the land of the Canaanites, which dwell in the champaign over against Gilgal, beside the plains of Moreh? For ye shall pass over Jordan to go in to possess the land which the LORD your God giveth you, and ye shall possess it, and dwell therein. And ye shall observe to do all the statutes and judgments which I set before you this day.

Deuteronomy 11:29–32 KJV

And all Israel, and their elders, and officers, and their judges, stood on this side the ark and on that side before the priests the Levites, which bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD, as well the stranger, as he that was born among them; half of them over against mount Gerizim, and half of them over against mount Ebal; as Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded before, that they should bless the people of Israel. And afterward he read all the words of the law, the blessings and cursings, according to all that is written in the book of the law. There was not a word of all that Moses commanded, which Joshua read not before all the congregation of Israel, with the women, and the little ones, and the strangers that were conversant among them.

Joshua 8:33–35 KJV

“Gerizim,” Easton’s Bible Dictionary, paragraph 2874.

Jesus and the Samaritan Woman

And he must needs go through Samaria. Then cometh he to a city of Samaria, which is called Sychar, near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. Now Jacob’s well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour. There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink.(For his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat.) Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans. Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water? Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle? Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again:But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw. Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither.The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband:For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly.The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet. Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship. Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things. Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he.

John 4:4–26 KJV

Jesus and the Samaritans People

And upon this came his disciples, and marvelled that he talked with the woman: yet no man said, What seekest thou? or, Why talkest thou with her? The woman then left her waterpot, and went her way into the city, and saith to the men, Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ? Then they went out of the city, and came unto him. In the mean while his disciples prayed him, saying, Master, eat.

But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of.Therefore said the disciples one to another, Hath any man brought him ought to eat? Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together.And herein is that saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth.I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours.

And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him for the saying of the woman, which testified, He told me all that ever I did. So when the Samaritans were come unto him, they besought him that he would tarry with them: and he abode there two days. And many more believed because of his own word; And said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world.

John 4:27–42 KJV

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Tel Shilo – Site of the Tabernacle

webmaster — Sun, 31 Jul 2016 18:55:02 +0000

Shilo, in the Land of the Benjamin tribe, was where the tabernacle and Ark of Covenant were set up for approximately 390 years. The ancient Shiloh is situated near several high hills, similar to ancient Jerusalem located in the City of David. In recent years, archeologists discovered that the temple of Shiloh and the priest's house were situated only a few feet from the tabernacle area. When visiting Tel Shiloh, a feeling of ancient ambiance sweeps over you, taking you back to how the People of Israel lived more than 3000 years ago.

Source: Israel Ministry of Tourism

A town in the lot of Ephraim where Israel assembled under Joshua at the close of the war of conquest (Josh 18:1). Here territory was allotted to the seven tribes who had not yet received their portions. A commission was sent out to “describe the land into seven portions”; this having been done, the inheritances were assigned by lot. Here also were assigned to the Levites their cities in the territories of the various tribes (Josh 18–21). From Shiloh Reuben and Gad departed for their homes E. of the Jordan; and here the tribes gathered for war against these two, having misunderstood their building of the great altar in the Jordan valley (Josh 22). From Jgs 18:31 we learn that in the period of the Judges the house of God was in Shiloh; but when the sanctuary was moved thither from Gilgal there is no indication. The maids of Shiloh were captured by the Benjamites on the occasion of a feast, while dancing in the vineyards; this having been planned by the other tribes to provide the Benjamites with wives without involving themselves in responsibility (21:21 ff). While the house of the Lord remained here it was a place of pilgrimage (1 Sa 1:3). To Shiloh Samuel was brought and consecrated to God’s service (1 Sa 1:24). The sanctuary was presided over by Eli and his wicked sons; and through Samuel the doom of their house was announced. The capture of the ark by the Philistines, the fall of Hophni and Phinehas, and the death of the aged priest and his daughter-in-law followed with startling rapidity (1 Sa 3; ch 4).

The sanctuary in Shiloh is called a “temple” (1 Sa 1:9; 3:3) with doorpost and doors (1 Sa 1:9; 3:15). It was therefore a more durable structure than the old tent. See TABERNACLE; TEMPLE. It would appear to have been destroyed, probably by the Philistines; and we find the priests of Eli’s house at Nob, where they were massacred at Saul’s order (1 Sa 22:11 ff). The disaster that befell Shiloh, while we have no record of its actual occurrence, made a deep impression on the popular mind, so that the prophets could use it as an effective illustration (Ps 78:60; Jer 7:12–14; 26:6). Here the blind old prophet Ahijah was appealed to in vain by Jeroboam’s wife on behalf of her son (1 Ki 14:2,4), and it was still occupied in Jeremiah’s time (Jer 41:5).

The position of Shiloh is indicated in Jgs 21:19, as “on the north of Beth-el, on the E. side of the highway that goeth up from Beth-el to Shechem, and on the S. of Lebonah.” This is very explicit, and points definitely to Seilun, a ruined site on a hill at the N.E. of a little plain, about 9 miles N. of Beitin (Bethel), and 3 miles S.E. of Khan el-Lubban (Lebonah), to the E. of the highway to Shechem (Nablus). The path to Seilun leaves the main road at Sinjil, going eastward to Turmus ‘Aya, then northward across the plain. A deep valley runs to the N. of the site, cutting it off from the adjoining hills, in the sides of which are rock-hewn tombs. A good spring rises higher up the valley. There are now no vineyards in the district; but indications of their ancient culture are found in the terraced slopes around.

The ruins on the hill are of comparatively modern buildings. At the foot of the hill is a mosque which is going quickly to ruin. A little distance to the S.E. is a building which seems to have been a synagogue. It is called by the natives Jami‘ el-‘Arba‘in, “mosque of the Forty.” There are many cisterns.

Just over the crest of the hill to the N., on a terrace, there is cut in the rock a rough quadrangle 400 ft. by 80 ft. in dimensions. This may have been the site of “the house of the Lord” which was in Shiloh.

“Shiloh (2),” ISBE, paragraph 52971.

Ted Cabal, ed., The Apologetics Study Bible, Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers, 2007, paragraph 712.

Ted Cabal, ed., The Apologetics Study Bible, Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers, 2007, paragraph 713-714.

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Ramah or Er Ram

webmaster — Thu, 28 Jul 2016 03:55:09 +0000

Saul anointed by Samuel at Ramah

Saul had been anointed by Samuel at Ramah (10:1); then Saul was publicly chosen at Mizpah (10:17-27); his defeat of the Ammonites confirmed his kingship in the people’s minds; at this time, all the people confirmed his rule.

“Then Samuel took the bottle of oil, and put the oil on his head and gave him a kiss and said, Is not the Lord with the holy oil making you ruler over Israel, his people? and you will have authority over the people of the Lord, and you will make them safe from the hands of their attackers round about them, and this will be the sign for you:”
(1 Samuel 10:1 BBE)

Life Application Study Bible, Carol Stream: Tyndale House Publishers, 2004, paragraph 2117.

“This is the heritage of the children of Benjamin, marked out for their families by these limits on all sides. And the towns of the children of Benjamin, given to them in the order of their families, are Jericho and Beth-hoglah and Emek-kezzizAnd Beth-arabah and Zemaraim and Beth-elAnd Avvim and Parah and OphrahAnd Chephar-Ammoni and Ophni and Geba; twelve towns with their unwalled places; Gibeon and Ramah and Beeroth”
(Joshua 18:20–25 BBE)

Ramah is er-Ram, five miles north of Jerusalem; Beeroth may be el-Bireh; Mizpah may be Tell en-Nasbeh; Kephirah is Khirbet Kefirah, southwest of el-Jib; Mozah may be Khirbet Beit Mizze, west of Jerusalem; and Gibeath-Kiriath may be a high place known as the “hill of Kiriath Jearim” (see 1 Sam 7:1–2).

John H. Walton, Victor H. Matthews, and Mark W. Chavalas, The IVP Bible Background Commentary: Old Testament, Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2000, 236.

The Prophet of Jeremiah at Ramah

The text has already related Nebuzaradan’s release of Jeremiah from the guard’s courtyard in Jerusalem (39:14); in this passage, he was releasing him at Ramah, where he had been chained with others awaiting deportation to Babylon. If Jeremiah was released only once, the first account summarized events from Jeremiah’s imprisonment in Jerusalem until his release into the custody of Gedaliah, while this account provided the details of his final release at Ramah. Or Jeremiah was freed in Jerusalem, then in the general confusion, was taken captive again and finally released at Ramah.

Ted Cabal, ed., The Apologetics Study Bible, Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers, 2007, paragraph 5097.

Ramah in the New Testament - Joseph of Arimathea

A place mentioned by each of the Gospels as the hometown of a rich man named Joseph. Granted permission to take the body of Jesus from the cross, he prepared it for burial and placed it in his own tomb (Matt. 27:57; Mark 15:43; Luke 23:50; John 19:38). Referred to as a “Jewish town” by Luke (Luke 23:50), it has been identified with both Ramathain and Rentis, ca. 24 km. (15 mi.) and 32 km. (20 mi.) respectively E of Jaffa. Later tradition (Eusebius and Jerome) identifies Arimathea as the birthplace of Samuel, called Ramah in 1 Sam. 1:19.

Arimathaea ar-i-ma-thē′a (Ἀριμαθαία): “A city of the Jews,” the home of Joseph in whose sepulchre the body of Jesus was laid. Its identity is the subject of much conjecture. The Onomasticon of Eusebius and Jerome identifies it with Ramathaim-Zophim in the hill-country of Ephraim (1 Sa 11), which is Ramah the birthplace and burial-place of Samuel (1 Sa 1:19; 25:1), and places it near Timnah on the borders of Judah and Dan. G. A. Smith thinks it may be the modern Beit Rima, a village on an eminence 2 miles N. of Timnah. Others incline to Ramallah, 8 miles N. of Jerusalem and 3 miles from Bethel (Mt 27:57; Mk 15:43; Lk 23:51; Jn 19:38).

“Arimathaea,” ISBE, paragraph 4546, “ARIMATHEA,” Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible, 100.

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