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  • Day 14

    Day 11 Biblelands trip

    September 24, 2019 in Israel ⋅ ☀️ 30 °C

    Day 11 Very sad to to leave Jerusalem but every day brings a new adventure! We drove past Bet Shemesh known for being the area given to the tribe of Dan.. one of the 48 cities given to the Levites..where the Philistines brought the ark of the covenant ..the area where Samson judged Israel for 20 years.
    First stop.. Tel Azeka above the Valley of Elah first mentioned where Joshua conquered the land (Josh10) this area given to the tribe of Judah. Best known as the site where David fought Goliath.We can see the brook where David picked up the 5 stones when he fought Goliath, Israel was camped across the valley, the higher hills we are on was where the Philistines were camped(a definite strategic advantage for them and we could imagine the Philistines shouting out challenges across the valley). David carried the head of Goliath to Jerusalem (an hour and a quarter bus ride for us!!
    Then a slow perilous trip down a narrow winding road.. Our bus has a few more scratches to show for it!!
    Next stop-Tel Lachish held by King Hezekiah, conquered by Sennacherib and the Assyrian army 2800 years ago. Trev reckons he found part of a white flint arrow head(or a chicken bone 😂)and Peter found a pottery shard with writing on it 😲
    We then drove down through the Negev with extensive plantings of jojoba beans, heading to BeerSheva(Beersheba) where we visited an Air force museum and heard how the Israeli air force has thrived despite embargoes being placed against them, and their technology has leapt ahead through their own ingenuity in appropriating other nations aircraft.. We then visited the ANZAC memorial to the taking of BeerSheba from the Ottomans in 1917 by the Australian light horsemen along with the Brits. 2 days after this the Balfour Declaration was presented and 2 years after BeerSheba was taken, the Allies succeeded in taking Palestine from the Turks. Sobering seeing so many graves of boys younger than our children 😢
    BeerSheba was also mentioned many times in scripture including the place where Jacob had the dream of the ladder with angels descending and ascending(Gen28), Abraham's oath (Gen 21), Hagar wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba, sons of Samuel were judges here (I Sam 8) .
    Arrived at the Dead Sea (423m below sea level.. The lowest point on the planet) in time for a swim before dinner..a unique experience!
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