Saturday, March 2, 2019

BIBLICAL TOUR TO SHECHEM – Februari 28, 2019


Even though it was raining cats and dogs and it was very cold, about 35 participants (of
whom 10 were Dutch!) joined us on our JBC pilot tour.
Our guide for the day: Pastor Al Nucciarione; our driver, Joseph, a Christian Arab, originally from Taybeh.

Because of the cold weather, the foggy bus windows didn’t allow us to see much of the beautiful road we were taking – the so-called “Derech haGav"- 'road of the back'. 
This ancient route runs all the way from Lebanon in the north to the Red Sea in the south.
The high hills/mountains of this area form the biblical 'Heartland'. Here, God gave His people many promises. Beit El (Bethel)'s and Hebron's mountains are about 1.000 meters high, while Jerusalem lies at a height of 865 meter.

Just after going through the military checkpoint at Pisgat Zeev, we enter the area that was given to the Biblical tribe of Benjamin. Jacob called his son a 'ravenous wolf', hence you'll find many road signs with a wolf. We were now 'behind' the wall which protects Israeli citizens against terror attacks.

Geva Binyamin (the hill of Benjamin) is also called Adam (see Jozua 18:24). It is situated between the Arabic Jabah and Mikhmus (Geva and Michmas).

At about 839 meter above sea level lies Gibeah (of Saul), Tel el-Ful (hill of beans) in Arabic. Gibeah was a very important city in Bible times. Judges 19-21 tells us the story of the Levite and his concubine. Israel's first king, Saul, ruled 38 years from Gibeah (1 Samuel 8:31). In the time of the divided Kingdom the city is mentioned by several prophets: Hosea 5:8-10; Isaiah 10:29). During the siege of Jerusalem in 70 AD the 10th Roman Legion camped here. Between 1948 and 1967 this area was in the hands of the Jordanians. On this spot, where king Saul had reigned, King Hussein began to build a summer palace. It was never completed, because Israel conquered the territory during the Six Day War.

Not far from Gibeah, on the side of Road no. 437 we pass a stone wall called "Kubur Bani Yirsae'il" – "the graves of the Children of Israel", which are about 2000 years old. Archeologist and Bible scholars believe that the grave of Rachel is here, and not as supposed near Bethlehem.
Genesis 35:19. Joshua 18:23 mentions the city Farah, also called Efrat (has the same Hebrew root). Because this town was situated in an area which had many barley and grain fields, it was called "Beit Lechem" – House of Bread. The Arabic name kept the Hebrew tradition alive. In the 19th century, this helped the archeologists to locate and find many original Biblical cities. Barren hills carry sound for long distances. That's why it is possible what Jeremiah describes in 31: 15 that the mourning for Rachel could be heard in Rama.

We pass the Arab town Mukhamas and the sign for the Jewish settlement of Ma’aleh Michmash. Michmash is featured in the story of Jonathan and his weapon bearer in 1 Samuel 10; 1 Samuel 13-14.  The two stone teeth in the wadi are called Bozez (Philistine side) and Seneh (Israeli side). 
According to the Bible, Migron was the area where Saul and his 600 soldiers pitched their tents before attacking the Philistines who were camped in Michmash (1 Samuel 14:2) with the dry riverbed (wadi) between them. In February 13, 1918, British troops prepared to attack the Turks also camping at Michmash. The British army knew they would lose many soldiers in this attack. On the evening before the battle, Major Gilbert leafed through his Bible in search of a name that seemed to elude him. He found the story in 1 Samuel 13 and 14 and after reading it, he awoke General Watson to share the story with him. Figuring that the area had not changed much since Biblical times, the general sent out scouts. They found the pass, which was lightly guarded by the Turks. Instead of sending out a brigade, that night the general sent an infantry unit through the pass, between the stones of Bozez and Seneh, that overpowered the Turkish guards. The next day, presuming they were surrounded by many British soldiers, the Turkish soldiers panicked and ran away. A few thousand years later, Jonathan's tactic again proved successful.

We pass the Arab city of Dayr (Deir) Dibwan, which means "the monastery of the Council".
According to many, this was the place where the prophet Elisha, on his way to Bethel, was taunted by a group of children, calling him, "Bold head!" 2 Kings 2:23. (Because Elisha cursed the children, two bears mauled 42 of them. Deir Dibwan (Doobee = bear in Hebrew) – the monastery of the two bears – that seems more plausible.

Mizpah/mitzpeh is a watch tower, which you can see scattered in the fields of this area. In Biblical times families lived in them during the harvest season. When part of a city wall, they also had a military function.


Road no. 60 is also called the Trans-Samarian Highway. This ancient road from Shechem (Nablus) to Jerusalem has become much better compared to the picture taken in 1911!

We pass the Arab ghost town of Turmus Aya, where empty villas, built by rich American Muslim millionaires, are waiting for their owners to come and live in them. One day...

Ma'aleh Levonah means "the ascent of the frankincense". The area was known for its bushes giving off white fragrant resin. This was used as frankincense in the Tabernacle in Shiloh, not far from there. In Judges 21:29 we read about a village with that name. The Arabic village still carries the same name: AlLubban ash-Sharqiya (east Levonah).

In an Arab village, we stop for sweets, coffee and toilets!


On our way to Mt. Gerizim (near Shechem) we pass through a long village called Huwara, well known because of its excellent car mechanics. Before the Intifada (uprising) these Arabs used to work in Shechem (Nablus).  When business closed (due to the many terror attacks) these mechanics opened their own car repair shops in Huwara – with great success!

Today, the Tappuach junction is freely accessible. During the Intifada it looked like a military stronghold with many security measures to protect Israelis against the constant terror attacks. Kfar Tappuach is a village near this biggest central junction in Israel. From this point one can travel through all parts of the country. Joshua 12:4 speaks about a village Tappuach (Apple). The fields belonged to the tribe of Menashe, but the village belonged to Ephraim. It lies on the Road of the Patriarchs, which Abraham, Isaac and Jacob travelled on their journey south.

Entering Nablus, (the Roman name) or Shechem, the Biblical name, we drive to the Greek Orthodox church to visit Jacob's Well (also known as Jacob's fountain and Well of Sychar). The well is 76 meters (249 ft) from the archaeological site of Tell Balata, thought to be the site of biblical Shechem, but now a notorious refugee camp.
Jewish, Samaritan, Christian, and Muslim traditions all associate the well with Jacob. The well is not specifically mentioned in the Old Testament, but Genesis 33:18-20 states that when Jacob returned to Shechem from Paddan Aram, he camped "before" the city and bought the land on which he pitched his tent and erected an altar.
The well is accessed by entering the church on the monastery grounds, and descending the stairs to a crypt where the well still stands, along with "a small winch, a bucket, ex-voto icons and lots of lit candles."
Based on a measurement made in 1935, the total depth of the well is 41 meters (135 ft).
The priest has been painting icons for many years, and pastor Al was thrilled when he saw that the old man was still there, and continued to paint! 
















Our driver was able to talk to the PA policeman guarding Joseph’s tomb, and after giving him some ‘baksheesh’, the man opened the gate so we could have a glimpse of the tomb from the outside, but no one was allowed to enter! Joseph's Tomb is located at the eastern entrance to the valley that separates Mounts Gerizim and Ebal, 300 metres northwest of Jacob's Well. Joseph's tomb has been venerated throughout the ages by Samaritans, for whom it is the second holiest site, by Jews, by Christians, and by Muslims. The present structure dates from 1868. The lack of Jewish or Christian sources prior to the 5th century that mention the tomb indicates that prior to the 4th century it was a Samaritan site. 

Samaritan sources tell of struggles between Samaritans and Christians who wished to remove Joseph's bones. Joseph's Tomb often witnessed intense sectarian conflict. Samaritans and Christians disputing access and title to the site in the early Byzantine period often engaged in violent clashes. After the 6 Day war, Muslims were prohibited from worship at the shrine and it was gradually turned into a Jewish prayer room. Interreligious friction and conflict from competing Jewish and Muslim claims over the tomb became frequent. At the beginning of the Al-Aqsa Intifada in 2000, just after being handed over to the PNA, it was looted and razed by rioting Palestinian. Presently, the tomb is guarded by PA police and no one is allowed to enter the tomb.

We drive up the mountain, pass the Jewish village Beit Bracha (House of Blessing) and ascend a steep road up to Mt. Gerizim  (Jebel etTor).  This for the Samaritans holy mountain is the home for about 376 Samaritans, the rest of the group live in Holon, near Tel Aviv. Today, there are only 812 Samaritans left.

We watch a movie about the ancient city and the Sacred Precinct, which now has become a national park. It was too cold and windy to walk around, and we were glad to be back in the (unheated) bus.


Opposite Mt. Gerizim (886 meters) lies Mt. Ebal (938 meters), with Shechem (Nablus) in between. These were the mountains where Joshua and the Israelites spoke the blessing and the curse in the "Valley of Decision". 

The Canaanite /Israelite city was called Tel Balata – now a notorious refuge camp. Moses told the people of Israel to bless Mt. Gerizim and curse Mt. Ebal. (Deuteronomy 27:11-13.) During the Roman Empire this ancient city was called "Flavia Neapolis". Because no one could pronounce it, the people called it "Nablus".

Our next stop was the Samaritan museum, where two young people gave us a short introduction on the traditions and beliefs of the Samaritans. 
These "Guardians/Keepers/Watchers (of the Torah" are an ethnoreligious group originating from the Israelites (or Hebrews). Ancestrally, Samaritans claim descent from the tribe of Ephraim and tribe of Manasseh (two sons of Joseph) as well as from the Levites, who have links to ancient Samaria from the period of their entry into Canaan.
Samaritanism, closely related to Judaism, is based on the Samaritan Pentateuch – the Five books of Moses.
The Samaritans believe that Mount Gerizim was the original Holy Place of Israel from the time that Joshua conquered Canaan. The major issue between Jews and Samaritans has always been the location of the Chosen Place to worship God: The Temple Mount of Moriah in Jerusalem according to the Jewish faith or Mount Gerizim according to the Samaritan faith.

We had the privilege to meet the present high priest, who also shared something about their customs.
When we head back to the main road in the valley, we see a palace on a hill. This house was built by an Arab who had become very rich from helping the Americans during the Gulf War. He created beautiful gardens and imported marble from Italy and Greece to decorate his palace.

The plan was to have lunch around 2.30 p.m. in Taybeh, but the weather-related traffic jam caused us to arrive about an hour later. 

Taybeh, the only Christian town left in Israel, is where our bus driver, Joseph, was born.
“Jesus therefore no longer walked about openly among the Jews, but went from there to a town called (Taybe) Ephraim in the region near the wilderness; and he remained there with the disciples.” (John 11:54) Taybeh (pronounced Tie-bay) is 30 kilometres northeast of Jerusalem. From its elevated site between biblical Samaria and Judea, it overlooks the desert wilderness, the Jordan Valley, Jericho and the Dead Sea. Living amidst Muslim villages, Israeli settlements and military roadblocks, Taybeh’s inhabitants (numbering 1300 in 2010) are intensely proud of their Christian heritage.



Lunch was served in the very cold and dark church hall, because the strong winds had knocked over one of the electricity poles. After eating a nice Arab lunch, by the time we left, it started to rain again.
  
Thankfully, the trip to Jerusalem went smooth, no more traffic jams, and we dropped off near the church.

Despite the rain and cold and leaking bus, it had been a special day. We were grateful for the Lord’s protection and the wonderful things we learned and experienced that day.

To be continued – Lord willing, our next JBC tour will be to Hebron!  Definitely in better weather! 😊

The 'Valley of Decision' - Shechem in the valley


click here for a: video impression of the tour






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