Israelson Ministries International

Beth Shean

Since ancient times, the valley of Beth Shean been a crossroads connecting the vast east to west valley of Jezreel and the Via Maris to the Rift Valley Road to Jericho. Villagers who settled the valley, which gets its name from the ancient city of Beth Shean, were blessed with plentiful sources of fresh water from the adjacent springs of Mt. Gilboa. Beth Shean grew and prospered, figuring prominently in the history of the Land of Israel.



The city is mentioned a number of times in the Bible. The fall of King Saul to the Philistines at Gilboa is thus recorded: "The next day, when the Philistines came to strip the dead, they found Saul and his three sons fallen on Mount Gilboa. They cut off his head and stripped off his armor, and they sent messengers throughout the land of the Philistines to proclaim the news in the temple of their idols and among their people. They put his armor in the temple of the Ashtoreths and fastened his body to the wall of Beth Shean" (1 Samuel 31:8-10).

Shiloh

After Joshua conquered the Land of Israel, the Ark of the Covenant was placed in the village of Shiloh. Located in the area settled by the tribes of Benjamin and Ephraim, Shiloh became known as the "place of the Lord’s Tabernacle." It was to Shiloh that the Israelites brought their sacrifices. It was at Shiloh that the priest Eli promised that Hannah would bear a son. That son, Samuel, became a prophet who dedicated himself to the Lord and served the Tabernacle in Shiloh.

Shiloh was also the site of a wonderfully carefree holiday, Tu B’Av. At that time maidens would "catch" a future spouse while dancing in the vineyards. (Judges 21:19).

But the village began to wane when the Ark of the Covenant was taken out of the Tabernacle and lost to the Philistines in the battle of Eben Ezer. Although occupation continued in Shiloh, the city’s glory was lost and would never return.

Alon Moreh

Where Abraham first travelled to when entering Canaan, and the site of his first altar built unto God. Here God spoke to him saying,,
"To your descendants I will give this land (Genesis 12:7)".

From here Shechem can be clearly seen, a city of great significance in the history of Israel. It was once a dwelling place for Jacob and the site where his sons enacted bloody retribution for the rape of Dinah, their sister (Genesis 33:18-34:31).

This is also the site where Israel as a nation was split in two following Rehoboam's choice to hearken to the counsel of his young men over that of the elders (1 Kings 12:1-15).

Also clearly visible from Alon Moreh are the mountain of cursing, Ebal (Deuteronomy 27:1-26), and the mountain of blessing, Gerazim (Deuteronomy 28:1-14).

Bethel

Originally named Luz in Canaanite times and first mentioned in Genesis 12:3, it is the appearance it makes in Genesis 28:10-22 which most remember. Here, fleeing from Esau, Jacob falls asleep with a stone for his pillow. Dreaming of a ladder stretching between Heaven and Earth, he sees angels ascending and descending upon it, with God standing at the top saying,

"I am The LORD, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie, I will give it to you and to your descendants" (Genesis 28:13).

Bethel was a part of the prophet Samuel's circuit where he would judge the people of Israel (1 Samuel 7:16).

Bethel was an important cult center for the northern Kingdom of Israel following the break-up of the united kingdom of David and Solomon. Jeroboam set up false worship of his Golden Calf cult at Bethel and Dan (1 Kings 12:25–33 ).

Ein Harod

At the foot of Mount Gilboa in the Jezreel valley is Ein (the spring of) Harod. Judges 7:1-7 describes how Gideon's army was thinned out from 32,000 men to just 300, and how God used this small number to glorify His Name. The men in question were brought to the spring and sorted on the basis of how they drank from the water. Today the swimming pool sits just in front of the cave where the spring emerges.

Genesis Land

Genesis Land is situated in the heart of the Judean desert, on the way to the Dead Sea, in the land where the Patriarchs lived. A magical place, it enables visitors to experience life as it was in biblical times.

Visitors to Genesis Land are greeted by Eliezer, Abraham's manservant, and by a train of camels which lead you down to Abraham's tent, where you will experience his legendary hospitality.

Perhaps you'll witness the courtship of Isaac and Rebecca. You might even come across Joseph and his brothers, just before they throw him in the pit.

At Genesis Land, the stories of the Bible come to life in the very landscape in which they took place.

http://www.genesisland.co.il/index.html

Ariel

Ariel, or "lion of God," is one of the symbolic names for Jerusalem (Isaiah 29:1-2). It is also used as a synonym for bravery and courage. Ariel is now the name of Samaria's capital city. It was established as a settlement in 1978 by a group of young Israelis, among which was its current Mayor Ron Nachman. One of the reasons its location was chosen was for its strategic importance, namely defending Tel-Aviv from possible Jordanian invasion.

Israel's patriarchs and valiant men lived in and around this city's location. Abraham began his journey to the Land of Israel in the Samarian hills, Joshua received the hills of Ephraim as his inheritance, and he and Caleb are buried opposite the foot of modern day Ariel. Ariel represents a continuation of this same pioneering spirit.

Hebron

A city of ancient origins; we know this because Numbers 13:22 states that Hebron was built 7 years before the Egyptian city of Zoan, dated to around the time 1700 B.C.

Abraham built an altar here (Genesis 13:18), and he and his son Isaac lived here (Genesis 35:27). Abraham bought the cave of Machpelah and here he buried Sarah. Abraham, Isaac, Rebecca, Leah, and Jacob are also buried here.

Hebron was taken by Joshua, and later designated a city of refuge (Joshua 20:7).

King David was made king over all Israel in Hebron,

"Then all Israel gathered to David at Hebron and said, 'Behold we are your bone and your flesh. In times past, even when Saul was king, you were the one who led out and brought in Israel, and the LORD your God said to you, 'You shall shepherd My people Israel, and you shall be prince over My people Israel'...And they anointed David king over Israel according to the word of The LORD through Samuel" (1 Chronicles 11:1-3).

Gush Etzion

The Etzion Bloc ("Gush Etzion" in Hebrew), which today consists of 18 communities and nearly 40,000 residents, is located between Jerusalem and Hebron. Because of its strategic location, the Bloc was heavily contested during Israel's War of Independence in 1947 and 1948, it was considered an essential buffer against a southern attack upon Jerusalem.

In 1947 Gush Etzion consisted of four settlements: Kfar Etzion, Masuot Yitzhak, Ein Tzurim, and Revadim. On January 14, 1947, an army of more than 1,000 Arabs, led by Abdul-Khadr Husseini, attacked the settlements. The 450 settlers repulsed the attack, but the settlements were devastated and vulnerable to future attack. A platoon of 35 soldiers led by Commander Danny Mass were sent with supplies and ammunition. But the soldiers were detected by Arab forces, with no way to call for assistance, and surrounded by hundreds of Arab militants. They were massacred and mutilated.

Gush Etzion was again the center of conflict in May of 1948, when, for a period of three days, residents of Kfar Etzion were able to hold off a large Arab army headed for Jerusalem. Eventually, despite surrendering to the Arab army, 240 residents of the kibbutz were massacred, another 260 were captured, and the settlement was razed. Only after 1967 were the children of the original residents able to return and re-establish these communities.

Valley of Elah

The valley gets it name from the Elah tree, a type of oak or terebinth tree, and is best known as the place where the Israelites were encamped when David fought Goliath (1 Sam. 17:2, 19).

Recent archaeological exploration has in 2008 uncovered a fortified Judahite city from the Iron Age (1000–900 B.C.). Pottery styles and carbon dating at the site place occupation in the early tenth century—the time of King David.

Beersheva

Abraham, who arrived here 3,700 years ago dug a well to water his flock. Abraham complained to Abimelech after his servants seized the well, and the two of them made an oath that neither they or their offspring would deal falsely with one another.

"Abraham took sheep and oxen and gave them to Abimelech, and the two of them made a covenant. Then Abraham set seven ewe lambs of the flock by themselves. Abimelech said to Abraham, "What do these seven ewe lambs mean, which you have set by themselves?" He said, "You shall take these seven ewe lambs from my hand so that it may be a witness to me, that I dug this well." Therefore he called that place Beersheba, because there the two of them took an oath" (Genesis 21:27-31).

This was also the site of Isaac's well and altar (Genesis 26:23-33), and where Jacob and Esau grew up.

Ramon Crater

This is said to be the most spectacular geological sight in the country. The crater is 24 miles (40km) long, 5 miles (8 km) wide, and 1600 feet (500 m) deep. Officially called Machtesh Ramon, the term machtesh meaning “mortar” as in mortar and pestle, so named due to it resembling a mortar bowl in which grains are pounded with a pestle. This may well be true of the big and little craters but not necessarily of Machtesh Ramon which is stretched out and narrow at one end.

Peaks of ancient volcanoes, jagged chunks of quartzite, huge blocks of overturned rock, and beds of multicolored clays are just a few of the sites in the Ramon crater.

The small town of Mitzpe Ramon has a visitors center located at the edge of the crater. This affords stunning views over the area and has a small and informative museum documenting the geological and natural history of the area - a large picture window in the center affords visitors a breathtaking view of the crater itself.

Jaffa

Jaffa is mentioned in the Bible as a city given to the Hebrew Tribe of Dan (Joshua 19:46), as the port used in the transportation of the cedars of Lebanon to Solomon's Temple (2 Chronicles 2:15), and most memorably, as the place Jonah set-sail for Tarshish (Jonah 1:3).

The account of the Apostle Peter praying for the resurrection of Tabitha/ Dorcas written in Acts 9:36-42 takes place in Jaffa. The Apostle Peter soon after would have a vision here in which he was told concerning the gentiles, "What God has cleansed, no longer consider unholy" (Acts 10:10-15).