Faith Bible Church

Cedar Rapids, IA

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Day 10

Day 10. Went south into the lowlands (Shephelah) just east of the Philistine controlled coastal plain. We ended up just one mile from the Gaza Strip before heading into the Negev to our hostel tonight in Arad, Israel!

Spiny broom – crown of thorns could have contained this
Prickly Burnett – crown of thorns could have contained this
A byway – unlike the highways which would have carried a lot of traffic, the byway would be for more local traffic and often just wide enough for foot traffic
Pomegranate
Fig Tree
Almond tree – green one here
Evan Sapir – traditional birth place of John the Baptist at the top of the hill
Sorek canyon spring
Terraces of Judea – 1 Kings 4:20-25 (the good life) – a farmer might spend 7-10 years creating a one acre field, having to bring the soil up from the bottom of the valley.
Sorek Valley – the tribe of Dan was given all the cities of the Sorek valley and the Aijalon valley – problem: the Philistines. Dan could not take this land so they moved north.
Bet Shemesh – a center of Canaanite worship
Zorah – Judges 13 – birthplace of Samson
Timnah – see Judges 14
Gath
Ashdod
Ashkelon
Elah Valley – pic taken from Azekah – David vs Goliath would have happened on the eastern side of the Elah Valley (the other side of the valley below)
Community well – trough – Roman mile marker next to it!
Water trough connected to the well
Bet Guvrin Bell Caves
Bell caves were hollowed out for the chalky limestone to use as plaster
Tel Lachish
Reigns of Israel’s kings represented by the height of each chair
Barb enjoyed putting her feet in the Mediterranean at Ashkelon
Saw several horses in the Negev tonight! We aren’t in Iowa!!