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Overlooking the land of Ephraim and Manasseh. The mound in the distance is another Herodian fortress, Alexandrium |
Today we had our field study to the land of Samaria, which was allotted to the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh. Or first stop was a roadside lookout, where we discussed the Bible's perspective of the land of Ephraim and Manasseh as being especially blessed. It is also the place where the Israelites entered the land after the Exodus. This idea of the Israelites approaching from the east, and then spreading southward into the hills is not only given in the Bible, but is also supported by early archaeological evidence of Israelite settlement.
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Mt. Gerezim seen from Shechem |
Next we stopped at Mt. Gerazim, at the foot of which lies the site of Shechem. This is where Abraham first came when he entered the land of Canaan (Gen. 12), and it was on Mt Gerazim and nearby Mt. Ebal that the blessings and curses of the tribes were given (Deut. 27-18). Gerazim is also where the Samaritans built their temple, when they were shunned by the Jews in Jerusalem. Interestingly, there is still a religious group of Samaritans, only about 800 in the world. Half of them live here near Mt. Gerazim.
At the foot of these hills, near Shechem, is the ancient town of Sychar. Although not much can really be seen beneath the modern city, a church has been erected over a well which is remembered to have been the well where Jesus spoke with the Samaritan Woman. We went down to see it, drew some water and drank it. There's no real way of knowing if this was the well, but it does date to the correct time, and there is nothing suggesting that it isn't authentic.
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Wall at Shechem, made from Cyclopean (really big) stones. |
It was lovely to think of the story again, and how Jesus not only left the main highway to go directly through Samaria, but he even stayed for a few days after he spoke with the woman. This would have been unheard of for a Jew in Jesus' day, but because of it, so many people came to trust in Him. They said to the woman, "It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that indeed this is the savior of the world (John 4:42)."
After visiting Sychar and Shechem, we headed to the city of Samaria, latter named Sebaste by Herod the Great. There we saw Hellenistic and Roman remains of a theater, and a temple which Herod built to Caesar, who had declared himself a god. We also saw the remains of Ahab's palace, beneath Herod's temple. Samaria was a good site to compare architectural techniques. While Ahab's palace is built "streacher-headder," alternating the long and short side of a building stone showing, the Hellenistic towers an walls were built "headder-headder," with only the narrow sides showing, and the built of the stone projecting inward.
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"Header-Header" Helenistic construction
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Our last stop of the day was Shilo, where the Tabernacle of the Lord was built. Samuel was raised here by Eli the priest. We recalled that after Eli's wayward sons, Hophni and Phinehas, died in battle and the arch of the covenant was lost to the Philistines, Israel demanded a king. Samuel anoints Saul as king. Latter, the spirit of the Lord leaves Saul, and Samuel anoints David. Until this point, Jerusalem hasn't even been mentioned in the Bible. David makes this city within the boarders of Benjamin his capitol, and God's blessing on the land of Ephraim and Manasseh is shifted to Zion (Psalm 78:67-68).
And Jerusalem is where we completed our day's adventures, back at campus. What a great day! There is so much more I could say also, both about the ancient sites, the biblical ties, and the land today. Perhaps in another post I will give some impressions of the modern dynamics, but there isn't time here.
I'm really enjoying all these awesome opportunities, but I so hope that I'll be able to remember all I am learning!
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Kyle Dan and I in the Gate of Schechem Abraham would have walked through here! These large orthostats are unique in Archaeology, the idea is that the gates were sliding doors, between the stone slots |
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These guys followed us around the site, they didn't speak English but they liked to listen and watch, and play a bit of soccer. |
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Art within the Church at Sychar |
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A picture of the woman at the well on the ceiling of the church at Sychar |
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A theater at Sebaste |
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A herd of sheep wandering across a wall of Ahab's Palace |
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Sebaste |
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Almond blossoms covering the ground at Shilo |
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Studying the land and God's word at Shilo |
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