It was 3,000 years ago that King David made the City of David, also known as Jerusalem, the capital of Israel. Learn all about this key place in Israel. See a complete overview and in-depth tour of the City of David. No stone is left unturned. Learn about the history, places of interest, key events from the Bible that happened here, and a faith lesson about how it all applies to our lives today. City of David Overview Photo Gallery Places of Interest City of David Overview Introduction Welcome to the City of David. This is where Jerusalem all began. 1. It was established by King David as his capital over 3,000 years ago. 2. It is strategically located with the Kidron Valley to the east, the Tyropoeon Valley to the West, and the Hinnom Valley to the south. These valleys provided it with natural protection. Psalms 125:2: As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds His people from this time forth and forever. 3. It has been the most excavated site in Israel over the past 150 years. 4. Before King David conquered this site, it was known as the city of Jebus. 5. David built houses for himself and prepared a place for the Ark of the Covenant in the City of David. 6. This site has so much to see, and its history is packed. We'll see and explore the following: Ancient ruins dating back over 3,500 years. King David's Palace and retaining wall. Walls Nehemiah built. What's believed to be Melchizedek's Temple. Gihon Spring Hezekiah's Tunnel King David's Tomb Pool of Siloam 7. Let's explore and experience this incredible site where Jerusalem began. Location 1. The City of David is located just south of the Temple Mount on a plateau ridge. 2. It’s where all the history of Jerusalem began. 3. It is strategically located with the Kidron Valley to the east, the Tyropoeon Valley to the West, and the Hinnom Valley to the south. These valleys provide it with natural protection. Psalms 125:2: As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds His people from this time forth and forever. 4. It has been the most excavated site in Israel over the past 150 years. Historical Background 1. King David made the City of David, also known as Jerusalem, the capital of Israel 3,000 years ago. 2. Before David, Abraham traveled here when he met with the King of Salem (Jerusalem). 3. Later, Abraham would be willing to offer his son, Isaac, to the Lord on Mt. Moriah, just above the City of David. 4. The City of David had an amazing source of fresh water known as the Gihon Spring. 5. The City of David is also called Zion in Scripture. 2 Samuel 5:7: Nevertheless, David captured the stronghold of Zion, that is the city of David. Places of Interest 1. A theater with an excellent movie showing the history of the City of David. 2. Bet Hatsofeh Lookout – Great place to see a panoramic view of the City of David and the sites around it. 3. Palace of King David Royal Phoenician Capital – 2 Samuel 5:11: And Hiram king of Tyre [Phenicia] sent messengers to David, and cedar trees, also carpenters and masons who built David a house. Two Bullae (clay seals) – Recent discoveries unearthed these clay seals, dating to the beginning of the 6th Century BC, bearing the names "Gedaliah son of Pashur " and "Jehucal son of Shelemiah ." Both officials are named in the Bible. Jeremiah 38:1 says: "Then ... Gedaliah the son of Pashur , and Jehucal the son of Shelemiah ... heard the words that Jeremiah had spoken unto all the people." This is the first time two bullas from a single Bible verse have been discovered in one place. From here, David looked down upon Bathsheba bathing. 2 Samuel 11:2: It happened, late one afternoon, when David arose from his couch and was walking on the roof of the king's house, that he saw from the roof a woman bathing ; and the woman was very beautiful. 4. Givati Excavation Area Excavations began in 2007. It was a parking lot. Jeremiah's Dungeon was likely in this area. Jeremiah 38:6: "So they took Jeremiah and cast him into the cistern of Malchiah, the king's son, which was in the court of the guard, letting Jeremiah down by ropes. And there was no water in the cistern, but only mud, and Jeremiah sank in the mud." Public building: 900-700 BC Fortification structure: 300-200 BC Multilevel structure: 100-0 BC Massive Roman Villa: 63 BC - 100 AD Byzantine structure: 600 - 700 AD Muslim bakery structure: 700 - 800 AD 5 . Stepped Stone Retaining Wall by King David's Palace 6. Ancient 3,000-year-old walls 7. Walls Nehemiah repaired 8. House of Ahiel (four-room house) 9. Hasmonean Tower 10 . Burnt Room – Evidence of a room burnt during the Babylonian destruction in 586 BC. A burnt ash level from this same time period was also discovered throughout the site. Jeremiah 52:12–13: "In the fifth month, on the tenth day of the month—that was the nineteenth year of King Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon—Nebuzaradan the captain of the bodyguard, who served the king of Babylon, entered Jerusalem. 13 And he burned the house of the Lord, and the king's house and all the houses of Jerusalem; every great house he burned down." 11 . Gihon Spring Jerusalem’s primary water source King Solomon was anointed here, along with many other kings. 1 Kings 1:45: Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him king in Gihon, and they have come up from there rejoicing, so that the city is in an uproar. This is the noise which you have heard. King Hezekiah diverted the water down to the Pool of Siloam. 12. Hezekiah’s Water Tunnel 13. Canaanite Tunnel 14. Warren Shaft System 15. Melchizedek's Temple 16. Ancient 3,000-year-old walls Nehemiah repaired. 17. Tower of Siloam Luke 13:1-5: There were some present at that very time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. 2 And he answered them, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way? 3 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. 4 Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? 5 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.” 18. The Hezekiah Tunnel Inscription Also known as the Siloam Inscription, commemorates the construction of the Siloam Tunnel in 8th century BC Jerusalem and provides one of the earliest Hebrew records of public works. Inscription Wording: “… (When) (the tunnel) was driven through. And this was the way in which it was cut through: While (…) (were) still (…) axe (s), each man toward his fellow, and while there were still three cubits to be cut through, (there was heard) the voice of a man calling to his fellow, for there was an overlap in the rock on the right (and on the left). And when the tunnel was driven through, the quarrymen hewed (the rock), each man toward his fellow, axe against axe; and the water flowed from the spring toward the reservoir for twelve hundred cubits, and the height of the rock above the head of the quarrymen was 100 cubits” (W.F. Albright, ANET 321). 19. Tomb of King David 20. Synagogue of Theodotus In John chapter 9, when Jesus rubbed clay on the blind man’s eyes, He told him to go wash it off in the Pool of Siloam. After the blind man was healed, he was brought to this synagogue to be questioned by the Pharisees. The synagogue is located below the Tomb of David. 21. Pool of Siloam – Siloam means “safe” Herod the Great enlarged the Pool of Siloam to make it a massive Mikveh A blind man was healed here by Christ 22. Pilgrim's Road leading up to the temple from the Pool of Siloam is called the Herodian Street. Countless Jews used it to ascend to the temple. There is no doubt Jesus walked this road as well. 23. There was a canal tunnel under the Herodian Street that was used for waste purposes. In this tunnel, thousands of Jews were slaughtered by the Romans in 70 AD as they tried to escape the city. 24. In this same tunnel, a rare gold bell sewn onto priests' garments, an ancient silver shekel used to pay the half-shekel temple tax, and a Roman sword with its leather sheath still partly intact were recently discovered. City of David in the Bible 1. Before King David conquered this site, it was known as the city of Jebus. 1 Chronicles 11:3–5: So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and David made a covenant with them in Hebron before the Lord; and they anointed David king over Israel, according to the word of the Lord through Samuel. 4 Then David and all Israel went to Jerusalem (that is, Jebus); and the Jebusites, 5 the inhabitants of the land, were there. The inhabitants of Jebus said to David, “You shall not enter here.” Nevertheless, David captured the stronghold of Zion (that is, the city of David). 2 Samuel 5:9: So David lived in the stronghold and called it the city of David. And David built all around from the Millo and inward. 2. David built houses for himself and prepared a place for the Ark of the Covenant in the City of David. 1 Chronicles 15:1: Now David built houses for himself in the city of David; and he prepared a place for the ark of God and pitched a tent for it. 3. David brought the Ark of the Covenant to the City of David. 2 Samuel 6:12: Now it was told King David, saying, “The Lord has blessed the house of Obed-edom and all that belongs to him, on account of the ark of God.” David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom into the city of David with gladness. 4. David strongly desired to build a house for the Lord, but God said "no" because of all the bloodshed he had shed in battle. However, he made all the plans and prepared much of the materials his son, Solomon, would use to build the House of the Lord. 1 Chronicles 22:5: Now David said, “Solomon my son is young and inexperienced, and the house to be built for the Lord must be exceedingly magnificent, famous and glorious throughout all countries. I will now make preparation for it.” So David made abundant preparations before his death. 5. From David’s palace rooftop, he saw Bathsheba bathing and committed a serious sin. 2 Samuel 11:2: It happened, late one afternoon, when David arose from his couch and was walking on the roof of the king's house, that he saw from the roof a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful. 6. David died and was buried in the City of David. 1 Kings 2:10: Then David slept with his fathers and was buried in the city of David. David’s tomb is located close to the City of David. 7. King Solomon was anointed as king at the Gihon Spring. 1 Kings 1:45: Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him king in Gihon, and they have come up from there rejoicing, so that the city is in an uproar. This is the noise which you have heard. 8. After David built his palace and much of the city of David, his son, Solomon, built the temple just north of the City of David. 1 Kings 6:1: In the four hundred and eightieth year after the people of Israel came out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon's reign over Israel, in the month of Ziv, which is the second month, he began to build the house of the Lord. 9. The people would go up from the City of David to the temple to worship God. Isaiah 2:3: And many peoples shall come, and say: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.” 10. Later, King Hezekiah built a tunnel to divert the water from the Gihon Spring (the city’s water source) down to the Pool of Siloam to keep the water inside the city walls so warring armies (the Assyrians) couldn’t cut off the water to the city. 2 Chronicles 32:30: This same Hezekiah closed the upper outlet of the waters of Gihon and directed them down to the west side of the city of David. Faith Lesson from the City of David 1. The City of David has provided overwhelming archaeological evidence supporting the truthfulness of Scripture. Do we embrace these and many other pieces of evidence that yield more and more proof that the Bible is true and historically accurate? 2. The City of David, along with Jerusalem, was destroyed by the Babylonians because of Israel’s disobedience to God. Do we understand that obedience brings life and peace, but disobedience brings death and destruction? 3. In what areas of my life am I experiencing pain and problems because of disobedience to God’s Word?

The crossing of the Jordon was a much bigger miracle than we think. The river was at flood stage, and its waters backed up for about 20 miles while the 3 million or more Israelites crossed the river. A wall of water would have accumulated that would have been about 100 ft. (30 m.) high, as this is. Adam: The place where the waters of the Jordan backed up to when the Israelites crossed the river (20 miles, 32 km., above the crossing site), Shittim, Camp Gilgal, Jericho. Jordan River Crossing into the Promised Land Photo Gallery Places of Interest Jordan River: Crossing into the Promised Land Introduction Welcome to this site on the Jordan, where the Israelites crossed the river into the Promised Land. 1. It was a far bigger miracle than most think. 2. It was also here that John the Baptist baptized many people. 3. There are many churches and monuments marking these biblical events. Location 1. The crossing place where the Israelites entered the Promised Land is just opposite Jericho. 2. It’s amazing that it’s in the same area where John the Baptist baptized many and where John baptized Jesus. 3. Today, it’s known as Qasr el Yahud (Kasser Al Yahud, Qaser, the Baptismal Site of Jesus. 4. It’s about 2 miles (3.3 km.) east of Hwy. 90, opposite Jericho. Historical Background 1. The nation of Israel spent 430 years in Egypt. Four hundred of these years they were slaves (Gen. 15:13), and thirty years they enjoyed peace during the time Joseph was alive. 2. God supernaturally delivered the Israelites out of the hands of the Egyptians through Moses. 3. After the Exodus, they crossed the Red Sea on dry ground. 4. They spent a year at Mount Sinai receiving the Law and then headed to Kadesh Barnea to enter the Promised Land. 5. After the 12 spies returned from scouting out the land, 10 spies convinced the people that the inhabitants of the land were too strong for them to conquer and they should return to Egypt (Num. 13:25–33). 6. Because of their unbelief and disobedience, they were banned from entering the Promised Land and ordered to wander in the desert 40 years until every person 20 years old, and older died (Num. 14:20–25). 7. During the 40 years of wandering in the desert, entering the Promised Land became a deep yearning within the souls of the new generation. Day after day they dreamt about a new life in the Promised Land, which would bring an end to their seemingly vain wandering in the desert eating Manna day after day. 8. After 40 long years, they were poised to enter the Promised Land, and their hearts were overflowing with enthusiasm and expectation as the time had finally arrived. 9. The word “Hebrew” means to cross over. Abraham crossed over from false gods to the one and only true God. He crossed over physically by leaving his homeland and coming to the Promised Land. The Israelites were delivered by God from the Egyptians as they crossed through the Red Sea, and then crossed through the Jordan River into the Promised Land. All these acts are pictures of deliverance and salvation. We also cross over from death to life through Christ. Places of Interest 1. Crossing site of the Israelites into the Promised Land. 2. Baptismal Site of Jesus: The believed place where Jesus was baptized and where many are baptized today. 3. Adam: The place where the waters of the Jordan backed up to when the Israelites crossed the river (20 miles, 32 km., above the crossing site). 4. Shittim 5. Camp Gilgal 6. Jericho 7. Church of John the Baptist 8. Elijah's Hill 9. Cave of John the Baptist 10. Bethany Beyond the Jordan Crossing the Jordan River in the Bible 1. Before entering the Promised Land, the Israelites camped on the east side of the Jordan River, opposite Jericho. Joshua 3:1: Then Joshua rose early in the morning, and they set out from Shittim . And they came to the Jordan , he and all the people of Israel, and lodged there before they passed over. 2. The Israelites crossed the Jordan River on dry ground as God miraculously parted the waters. Joshua 3:14–17: So when the people set out from their tents to pass over the Jordan with the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people, 15 and as soon as those bearing the ark had come as far as the Jordan , and the feet of the priests bearing the ark were dipped in the brink of the water (now the Jordan overflows all its banks throughout the time of harvest ), 16 the waters coming down from above stood and rose up in a heap very far away, at Adam [20 miles, 32 km. north], the city that is beside Zarethan, and those flowing down toward the Sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea [Dead Sea], were completely cut off. And the people passed over opposite Jericho. 17 Now the priests bearing the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firmly on dry ground in the midst of the Jordan , and all Israel was passing over on dry ground until all the nation finished passing over the Jordan . Using the geographical layout of the land from Adam to the crossing of the Jordan site, the body of water that would have accumulated would have been 20 miles (32 km.) long, 2 miles (3.2 km.) wide, and around 120 ft. (37 m.) high. 3. God ordered that 12 stones be taken out of the Jordan River for a monument. Joshua 4:1–7: When all the nation had finished passing over the Jordan , the Lord said to Joshua, 2 “Take twelve men from the people, from each tribe a man, 3 and command them, saying, ‘Take twelve stones from here out of the midst of the Jordan, from the very place where the priests' feet stood firmly, and bring them over with you and lay them down in the place where you lodge tonight [Gilgal].’” 4 Then Joshua called the twelve men from the people of Israel, whom he had appointed, a man from each tribe. 5 And Joshua said to them, “Pass on before the ark of the Lord your God into the midst of the Jordan , and take up each of you a stone upon his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the people of Israel, 6 that this may be a sign among you. When your children ask in time to come, ‘What do those stones mean to you?’ 7 then you shall tell them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord. When it passed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. So these stones shall be to the people of Israel a memorial forever.” It appears that the 12-Stone Monument was later moved to the permanent Gilgal located about 7 miles north of Camp Gilgal. For more, please see Gilgal. 4. Joshua also erected a monument in the middle of the Jordan River. Joshua 4:9–10: And Joshua set up twelve stones in the midst of the Jordan , in the place where the feet of the priests bearing the ark of the covenant had stood; and they are there to this day. 10 For the priests bearing the ark stood in the midst of the Jordan until everything was finished that the Lord commanded Joshua to tell the people, according to all that Moses had commanded Joshua. 5. After crossing the river, the water flowed again, and the Israelites arrived at Camp Gilgal. Joshua 4:15–19: And the Lord said to Joshua, 16 “Command the priests bearing the ark of the testimony to come up out of the Jordan.” 17 So Joshua commanded the priests, “Come up out of the Jordan.” 18 And when the priests bearing the ark of the covenant of the Lord came up from the midst of the Jordan , and the soles of the priests' feet were lifted up on dry ground, the waters of the Jordan returned to their place and overflowed all its banks , as before. 19 The people came up out of the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and they encamped at Gilgal on the east border of Jericho. 6. Joshua set up 12 stones as a monument of remembrance. Joshua 4:20–24: And those twelve stones, which they took out of the Jordan , Joshua set up at Gilgal. 21 And he said to the people of Israel, “When your children ask their fathers in times to come, ‘What do these stones mean?’ 22 then you shall let your children know, ‘Israel passed over this Jordan on dry ground.’ 23 For the Lord your God dried up the waters of the Jordan for you until you passed over, as the Lord your God did to the Red Sea , which he dried up for us until we passed over, 24 so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the Lord is mighty, that you may fear the Lord your God forever.” Faith Lesson from Crossing the Jordan River 1. Entering the Promised Land was a long-awaited dream for the new generation of Israelites after wandering in the desert for 40 years. It was also the fulfillment of the Abrahamic Covenant of promise, one of the foundational covenants in the Bible. Is there some hope and dream you have that seems like it will never happen? Do you also really believe that God will fulfill His promise of heaven and that one day you’ll actually be there? And are you living in such a way that shows this? 2. Crossing into the Promised Land is also a picture of living in victory. Unfortunately, many Christians today choose to live in the wilderness in defeat and disobedience. Are you living in obedience and victory or living in the wilderness? 3. The crossing of the Jordan was a much bigger miracle than we think as the river was at flood stage, overflowing its banks. As mentioned, the body of water that would have accumulated would have been 20 miles (32 km.) long, 2 miles (3.2 km.) wide, and around 120 ft. (37 m.) high. This was a massive body and wall of water the 3 million or more Israelites would have witnessed as they walked alongside it for about 2 miles (3.2 km.). 4. The miracle was similar to the crossing of the Red Sea after the Israelite’s Exodus from Egypt. God repeated this miracle to reveal His glory and faithfulness. 5. The waters of the Jordan stopped flowing the moment the priests’ stepped into the water. God required the priests to take a step of faith, and then He acted. In the same way, God often asks us to take a step of faith before He moves. What step of faith do we need to take in our lives today? 6. God ordered Joshua to set up a memorial after crossing the Jordan. Do we have memorials in our minds as reminders of the miracles God has done for us, and do we pass these memorials on to our offspring?

Under the Convent of the Sisters of Sion lie ancient ruins going back before the time of Jesus. It is a gold mine of archaeology and insights into ancient Jerusalem. We'll tour this site and see the Struthion Pool, ruins of the Antonia Fortress, and what some believe is the stone pavement where Jesus was tried and condemned to crucifixion by Pontius Pilate. Sisters of Sion, Ecce Homo Arch, Antonia Fortress Photo Gallery Places of Interest Sisters of Sion, Ecce Homo Arch, Antonia Fortress Introduction 1. We are about to descend beneath the streets of Jerusalem into one of the most dramatic and mysterious places connected with the final hours of Jesus. It's known as the Lithostrotos, which means "Stone Pavement." It's believed by some to be the very place Jesus was tried by Pontius Pilate and condemned to crucifixion. We'll see what the evidence shows about this later. It's located beneath the Sisters of Sion, near the Ecce Homo Arch on the Via Dolorosa. 2. Here, hidden below the noise of the Old City, massive stone pavements, ancient cisterns, Roman arches, and the great Struthion Pool reveal layers of history buried beneath our feet. 3. For centuries, pilgrims believed this was the very place where Pontius Pilate judged Jesus and presented Him to the crowd with the words, “Behold the Man.” 4. Is this where Jesus was tried and condemned to crucifixion? Was this where the Antonia Fortress was located? What was this area like during Jesus' time and afterward? And what about the Ecce Homo Arch? This area, just north of the Temple Mount, is vital to understand. It's one of the most important sites in Jerusalem. We'll provide you with an understanding of this area so you can appreciate its vital importance. We'll embark on an effort to uncover the fascinating evidence about the layout of this area in ancient Jerusalem. 5. As we walk on these ancient stones through these tunnels and rooms, we'll discover a story that is fascinating. We'll see a place where faith, tradition, Roman power, and archaeology all meet in the heart of Jerusalem. Location 1. The area we're going to focus on is located just outside the Temple Mount area on its northwestern side. 2. Today, Umariya Elementary School and the Sisters of Zion Convent lie atop much of their ruins. 3. We'll look at the key sites in this area and then descend under the Convent of the Sisters of Zion. 4. Tradition places the Antonia Fortress as the beginning point of the Via Dolorosa, which means painful path. Orientation to the Key Sites Now let's provide some orientation. As mentioned, this area, just north of the Temple Mount, is vital to understand as it's one of the most important areas in Jerusalem. Therefore, we want to orient you to all the key sites in this area. After this, we'll descend beneath the Sisters of Sion Convent and explore ancient Jerusalem before, during, and after the time of Jesus. Sisters of Sion Convent 1. The first place we'll look at is the Sisters of Sion Convent. As mentioned, we'll be going underneath it later and exploring it in depth. But for now, we'll provide an overview. 2. The land was purchased in 1857 by Marie-Alphonse Ratisbonne, a French Jewish convert to Catholicism who founded the Sisters of Zion to build bridges between Christians and Jews. The Sisters excavated the ruins and preserved them. 3. For centuries, Christians believed this area was the courtyard of the Antonia Fortress—the Roman military garrison where Pontius Pilate condemned Jesus. According to John 19:13, Pilate sat on his judgment seat at a place called the Lithostrotos (Stone Pavement), or Gabbatha in Aramaic. The arch outside the convent was believed to be the spot where Pilate presented Jesus, saying, "Ecce Homo" (Behold the Man). 4. The Archaeological Reality Modern archaeology (spearheaded by the brilliant Catholic archaeologist Father Pierre Benoit in the 1970s) proved that the stone pavement and the Ecce Homo arch actually date to 135 AD and were built by the Roman Emperor Hadrian a century after Jesus. Hadrian rebuilt Jerusalem as a Roman pagan city called Aelia Capitolina, and this area served as his eastern public plaza and marketplace. The Temple Mount 1. It was first built by King Solomon around 967 BC and was a walled platform upon which the temple Solomon built would stand. The mountain was originally Mount Moriah, and in order to build the temple on it, it had to be leveled. Solomon's original platform measured 500 cubits square (861 feet, 262.5 meters). 2. Later, the Hasmoneans added onto the southern part of the platform around 140 BC. The addition lines can still be seen today. 3. Then Herod the Great enlarged the platform as well, almost doubling its size. He enlarged it to the south, west, and north. The lines of his addition are still visible today. 4. Exactly where the Dome of the Rock stands today is where the original temple once stood. The evidence for this is overwhelming. We have done videos about this. The Via Dolorosa 1. The Via Dolorosa, meaning “The Way of Suffering” or “The Sorrowful Way,” is the traditional route through Jerusalem’s Old City that remembers Jesus carrying the cross from His condemnation to His crucifixion. Today it begins inside where the Antonia Fortress once stood, and ends at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, where Christians have long identified the place of Jesus’ crucifixion, burial, and resurrection. The route is marked by 14 Stations of the Cross—nine along the streets and five inside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. 2. Historically, the exact path has changed over time. Jerusalem was destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD, later rebuilt by Hadrian as Aelia Capitolina, and reshaped many times afterward, so the original first-century street route cannot be known with certainty. The Via Dolorosa, as a Christian pilgrimage route, developed mainly during the Crusader Period (1099 - 1260), especially through the work of the Franciscans, who were entrusted with the care of many Holy Land sites and led pilgrims in devotional walks connected with the Passion of Christ. 3. The route followed today took on its modern form around the 18th century, replacing earlier versions. Because many scholars believe Pilate’s Praetorium was likely at Herod’s Palace near Jaffa Gate, not at the Antonia Fortress, the present route may not be the exact path Jesus walked. However, it remains one of the most meaningful Christian pilgrimage routes in the world because it allows believers to prayerfully remember the suffering, sacrifice, crucifixion, and resurrection of Jesus in the city where these events took place. Ecce Homo Arch 1. Most pilgrims know this arch by the words Ecce Homo, Latin for "Behold the Man." These words come from John 19:5, when Pilate presented Jesus to the crowd after the scourging and mocking. 2. For centuries, many Christians believed this arch marked the place where Pilate said those words. But archaeology tells us the arch itself was not standing in Jesus’ day. It was later built by the Roman emperor Hadrian around 135 AD, when he rebuilt Jerusalem as a Roman colony called Aelia Capitolina after the Jewish revolts. 3. The arch was part of a triple-arched Roman gateway connected with Hadrian’s eastern forum or public plaza. The large central arch is the one visible today over the street, while part of one smaller side arch can still be seen inside the Ecce Homo Church. 4. It was a Roman monumental gateway, built to mark a main entrance into Hadrian’s new city center, displaying Roman power, order, and victory after Jerusalem had been destroyed and reshaped. Only later did Christian tradition connect the arch with the Passion of Christ and the words “Ecce Homo.” The Antonia Fortress 1. The geography of ancient Jerusalem dictated its defenses. While the city was naturally protected by steep ravines to the east, south, and west, the northern approach lacked natural barriers. Consequently, the northwestern corner of the Temple Mount was its most vulnerable point. 2. Following the Babylonian exile, a fortress called the Birah was constructed near this spot by Nehemiah around 444 BC to protect the Second Temple on the Temple Mount, originally built by King Solomon. 3. During the Hellenistic and Hasmonean periods (332-63 BC), the Jewish priest-kings built a heavily fortified tower known as the Baris. It housed a military garrison, protected the northern flank of the Temple Mount, and securely stored the sacred vestments of the High Priest. 4. When Herod the Great captured Jerusalem and secured his throne as the Roman client king of Judea in 37 BC, he recognized the necessity of controlling a volatile city that largely viewed him as an illegitimate ruler. He completely rebuilt and expanded the old Baris into a formidable, state-of-the-art military complex. When completed, it was a massive, strategically vital military citadel situated on a rocky escarpment at the northwestern corner of the Temple Mount. It stood as a towering symbol of military might and imperial control over the sacred heart of Judaism. 5. Herod named the citadel the Antonia Fortress in honor of his Roman patron and friend, the general and triumvir Mark Antony. Because Antony was defeated by Octavian at the Battle of Actium in 31 BC and died shortly after, the fortress was certainly built and named prior to that date. 6. Our primary source for the physical appearance of the fortress is the 1st-century Jewish historian Flavius Josephus. He recorded that it was built on a steep rock outcropping 50 cubits (23 meters) high, covered with smooth stone slabs to prevent scaling. 7. The citadel was rectangular and featured massive corner towers. Three were 50 cubits (23 meters) high, but the southeastern tower was 70 cubits (32 meters) high. This specific tower offered a direct, unobstructed view down into the courts of the Temple Mount, allowing soldiers to monitor the massive crowds below. 8. Although built as an impregnable fortress, Josephus noted it was designed with the luxury of a palace, containing baths, broad courtyards, and barracks large enough to house a full Roman cohort. Subterranean passages and staircases connected the fortress directly to the northern porticoes of the Temple. Pools of Bethesda 1. The Pools of Bethesda are located just inside the Lions’ Gate, beside the Church of St. Anne, near the traditional beginning of the Via Dolorosa. In Jesus’ day, this area was near the Sheep Gate, where animals connected with Temple sacrifice may have passed, and the pools served as a large water and purification complex. 2. They consist of two pools, a northern and a southern pool. The northern pool was built by King Hezekiah around 700 BC, and the southern pool was built by the Hasmoneans around 150 BC. They were living-water pools near the Temple Mount for purification and as reservoirs. 3. The Gospel of John says that Jesus healed a man there who had been unable to walk for 38 years, and John describes the pool as having five porticoes. For many years, critics thought this detail was strange, but excavations revealed a large pool complex with two basins separated by a central wall, which helps explain the “five porticoes” description. 4. In the time of Jesus, the site had a northern pool used as a reservoir and a southern pool with steps, likely used as a mikveh, or Jewish ritual bath. The pools were famous in Jesus' time and were associated with healing and purification. Pool of Israel 1. The Pool of Israel was once a huge open reservoir located just inside the Old City near the northeastern corner of the Temple Mount, close to today’s Lions’ Gate. It was one of Jerusalem’s largest reservoirs, measuring roughly 110 meters long, 38 meters wide, and about 24 meters deep, and it helped collect and store rainwater for the city and the Temple Mount area. It also likely functioned as a kind of defensive ditch or moat along the vulnerable northern side of the Temple Mount. It existed before the time of Herod the Great, who reigned over Israel (37 - 4 BC), but he refortified it. Struthion Pool 1. It is also called the Sparrow Pool. Probably because it was the smallest of the pools on the northern side of the Temple Mount. 2. Before Hadrian covered it in 135 AD, it was an open-air pool or reservoir. It was connected with the water system north of the Temple Mount and the defensive area of the Antonia Fortress. 3. The pool is described as about 54 meters long and 14 meters wide, with a depth of around 5 meters. It was originally an open-air reservoir, and Josephus refers to the pool called Struthion. 4. Hadrian later installed vaulting over it so his plaza could cover it. 5. The pool itself belongs to the late Second Temple period (515 BC - 70 AD). The covering vaults above it date to Hadrian in 135 AD. So, think of two layers: the Struthion Pool at the lowest level and Hadrian’s second-century Roman city on top of the Struthion Pool. 6. In summary, the pool was from the time of Herod and associated with the Antonia Fortress. Then, Hadrian covered it with two parallel vaults around 135 AD and built the paved plaza above it so it wouldn't be in the way of his plaza and the city's gate entrance. Church of the Holy Sepulchre 1. The church marks the spot of Golgotha, where Christ was crucified, buried, and rose again. The evidence supporting this is overwhelming. 2. It is where the Via Dolorosa ends. Five of the stations of the Via Dolorosa are located inside the church. Herod & Pilate's Palace 1. Herod's Palace Fortress, which later was used by Pontius Pilate, is located on the west side of Jerusalem just south of Jaffa Gate. It was built by Herod and consisted of two palace wings, one to the north and one to the south, with a large plaza garden in the middle. To the far north, it had massive protective towers, and to the far south, barracks for around 500 soldiers. Touring Underneath the Sisters of Sion Convent The Sisters of Sion hase a total of 16 stations or places to see on their tour map. We will follow this route and see the tour's highlights. 1. Descending Down in Time 1. As we descend down the stairs from the Sisters of Sion meeting area, we are traveling back in time. Jerusalem is a city built on a 'layer cake' of its own ruins. Every time the city was destroyed, the next empire built right on top of the rubble of the previous empire. This first lower level is from the time of Hadrian (135 AD). 2. Struthion Pool 1. Struthion is Greek for "sparrow"—likely a nickname because it was considered a smaller pool compared to the other pools in the area and the massive Temple Mount reservoirs. It was originally carved out around 140 BC by the Hasmonean kings and later expanded by King Herod. 2. Its purpose was to catch rainwater and provide drinking water for the Antonia Fortress, a massive Roman military barracks that stood right above it. But here is the catch: In the time of Jesus, this pool was open to the sky. It acted as a massive, open-air defensive moat for the fortress. If Jesus had walked past the Antonia Fortress during His life, He would have seen the Struthion Pool along with the other sites. 3. So, why is it in a dark cave today? Remember Emperor Hadrian in 135 AD? When he wanted to build his new paved marketplace (the forum), he didn't want a giant open pool in the middle. So, his engineers built these beautiful, soaring stone barrel vaults right over our heads. He put a 'roof' on the pool, and then laid his stone plaza directly on top of it. At the far end of the pool, there is a cinderblock wall blocking the water. In 1970, Israeli archaeologists digging the famous Western Wall Tunnels accidentally broke through the rock into the Sisters of Sion side of the pool. That wall was built to divide the Sisters of Sion Convent's private property from the public tunnels. If you take the tunnel tour today, your grand finale is walking along the other half of this exact same body of water. 3. Lithostrotos (Stone Pavement) 1. We have now moved up one layer, standing on the "roof" of the pool. Welcome to the Lithostrotos, a Greek word meaning "The Paved Place." In the Gospel of John (19:13), it states: "When Pilate heard this, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judge's seat at a place known as the Stone Pavement (which in Aramaic is Gabbatha)." 2. When early archaeologists discovered these massive, beautiful flagstones in the 1800s, they fell to their knees. They were convinced they had found the exact courtyard of the Antonia Fortress where Jesus stood trial. 3. Take a look at the stones. Notice how massive they are. Notice the rough grooves carved into the rock by Roman stonemasons to keep horses and chariots from slipping on the wet stone. But here is the archaeological truth. Because these paving stones sit atop the vaulted roof Hadrian built over the pool in 135 AD, they cannot be from the time of Jesus. They belong to Hadrian’s 2nd-century Roman forum. 4. Ceiling Over the Lithostrotos Under our feet are these massive stones that were those of Hadrian's large plaza built over the Struthion Pool, but what about the ceiling above us, when was it built? 1. After Hadrian's plaza was built over the Struthion Pool below us, Jerusalem was repeatedly besieged, leveled, and rebuilt by the Byzantines, Persians, Islamic empires, Crusaders, Mamluks, and Ottomans. 2. In ancient cities, it was too difficult to haul away heavy stone rubble. When buildings collapsed, new builders simply smoothed out the debris and built their new streets and homes right on top of the old ones. As a result, the street level of Jerusalem slowly rose by 4 to 6 meters. Hadrian's open-air pavement was buried beneath tons of earth, debris, and the foundations of medieval buildings, completely disappearing from history. 3. In 1857, a French Jewish convert to Catholicism and Jesuit priest named Marie-Alphonse Ratisbonne purchased a tract of ruined land along the Via Dolorosa. His goal was to build a church, an orphanage, and a convent. 4. When Ratisbonne's workers began digging deep into the debris to lay the foundations, they made an incredible discovery: they hit the ancient Roman paving stones of Hadrian's forum. At the time, Ratisbonne and early archaeologists mistakenly believed these stones were the biblical Gabbatha—the courtyard of the Antonia Fortress where Jesus was condemned by Pontius Pilate. (Modern archaeology in the 1970s conclusively proved this pavement actually belonged to Hadrian's 135 AD forum, but the spiritual tradition remains). 5. Believing he had found one of the holiest sites in Christianity, Ratisbonne ordered his architects to preserve the pavement exactly where it lay. However, he still needed to build a massive complex atop it. 6. To protect the Roman pavement without destroying it, between 1858 and 1868, the builders constructed heavy stone pillars and a series of sturdy, arched stone vaults directly over the ancient plaza. 7. This new roof served a dual purpose: it created a protective subterranean crypt to showcase the Roman pavement, and it served as the heavy foundational floor to hold up the massive Convent of the Sisters of Zion and the Basilica of the Ecce Homo, which still sit above it today. 5. The "Game of the King" 1. On the floor is the 'Game of the King," also known as "Nine Men's Morris." The gameboard is etched with several large stones in this area. There is also the faint circle radiating like a king's crown right beside it. Interestingly, this game is still played today. 2. This is one of the most chilling artifacts in Jerusalem. This is a game board, carved by bored Roman soldiers while on guard duty. It is called the Game of the King. Roman soldiers played this with knuckle-bone dice. The winner was allowed to choose a condemned prisoner as the mock "King." They would dress the terrified prisoner in a fake royal robe, put a makeshift crown on his head, give him mock orders, beat him, and at the end of the festival, execute him. Do you see the connection to this game and what was done to Jesus? 3. Even though these specific etchings date to a century after Christ, they were carved by the exact same type of Roman legionaries who occupied the Antonia Fortress. The Gospels tell us that Roman soldiers stripped Jesus, put a scarlet robe on Him, twisted together a crown of thorns, struck Him, and mocked Him, yelling, "Hail, King of the Jews!" 4. When you look at this game board, the mockery of Jesus is no longer just a story on a page. You are looking at the exact cultural and psychological reality of the Roman military machine that crucified Him. 6. Murial of Jesus and His Cross 1. Here we see Jesus carrying His cross. It provides a visual aid to help us realize what Jesus did for us all. He willingly went to the cross to die for our sins, rise from the dead, and give us eternal life in paradise with Him. 2. Even though Jesus did not walk at this level of ancient Jerusalem, some of the things under this floor were here when He was here. Was the Antonia Fortress Where Jesus was Tried? 1. Some believe Jesus appeared before Pilate here and was condemned to death by crucifixion. Others believe that Pilate’s Headquarters, also called Pilate’s Palace or Praetorium, was the place Christ appeared before Pilate. 2. If the stones of the Lithostrotos are from a century later, we have to ask: Where was the actual trial of Jesus? Where was Pilate's Praetorium? 3. For centuries, pilgrims assumed Pilate stayed right here at the Antonia Fortress, which is why the Via Dolorosa starts at the Antonia Fortress today. However, Roman history tells us a different story. Pontius Pilate usually lived in luxury on the Mediterranean coast in Caesarea. When he came to Jerusalem for Passover, he did not sleep in a sweaty, cramped military barracks with the common soldiers. 4. Historical records from ancient writers like Flavius Josephus and Philo indicate that Roman governors like Pilate did not stay in the cramped Antonia Fortress when visiting Jerusalem. They stayed in the most luxurious location in the city: Herod's Palace (on the western side of the city, near the modern Jaffa Gate/Tower of David). 5. So why do we walk the Via Dolorosa here, on the east side? Because faith and tradition are powerful. During the Crusades and medieval periods, the ruins of Herod's palace were repurposed, and pilgrim routes shifted in response to safety and church locations. The Franciscans finalized this route in the Middle Ages. The Via Dolorosa is a spiritual journey—a physical meditation on the Passion of Christ—not an exact GPS map. Was the Present-Day Temple Mount Once the Antonia Fortress? 1. Some believe that the Antonia Fortress encompassed all the current Temple Mount and that the original Temple Mount was in the City of David. However, Scripture clearly states that at the dedication of the temple that Solomon built, in 2 Chronicles 5, the Ark of the Covenant was brought “out of the City of David” to the temple. “Then Solomon assembled to Jerusalem the elders of Israel and all the heads of the tribes, the leaders of the fathers’ households of the sons of Israel, to bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord out of the City of David , which is Zion” (2 Chron. 5:2). 2. If the Ark was brought out of the City of David to the temple, then the temple couldn't have been in the City of David. There is also overwhelming historical and archaeological evidence, as well as the writings of the famous Jewish historian Flavius Josephus, that contradict the belief that the Antonia Fortress encompassed the entire Temple Mount. This Area Around the Sisters of Sion in the Bible 1. The possibility that Jesus was tried in or by the Antonia Fortress, John 19:16. If this is the place, then it was here that Christ was condemned to crucifixion and was led away to Golgotha. This is a monumental event in God's plan of redemption for humanity. John 19:16: “Finally, Pilate handed him over to them to be crucified. So, the soldiers took Jesus away.” 2. The Apostle Paul addresses a large crowd, Acts 21:31–40. After Paul was falsely accused of bringing Gentiles into the temple, an angry mob seized him, dragged him out, and tried to kill him. Roman soldiers from the Antonia Fortress quickly came down, rescued Paul, and carried him up the stairs into the barracks because of the crowd’s violence. As he was being taken inside, Paul asked permission to speak, and from the fortress stairs he addressed the mob in Hebrew. 3. Jesus healed a sick man at the Pools of Bethesda, John 5:1-17. While in Jerusalem for a Jewish feast, Jesus visited the Pool of Bethesda near the Sheep Gate, where many sick and disabled people waited for healing. There He saw a man who had been sick for thirty-eight years and asked if he wanted to be made well. Jesus then commanded him, “Get up, pick up your mat and walk,” and the man was immediately healed. Because this happened on the Sabbath, the Jewish leaders opposed Jesus, but He answered that His Father was still working, and He too was working. Faith Lesson from the area by the Sisters of Sion 1. Jesus willingly chose to suffer a horrific death to pay for our sins. What about us? Are we grateful for what Christ has done for us? Have we repented of our sins and placed our trust in Christ for salvation? Are we right before the Lord and walking in obedience to Him? 2. Paul suffered at the Antonia Fortress for his faith. Are we willing to boldly proclaim our faith and suffer as a result if necessary? Paul shared his testimony often. Do we have our testimony memorized, and do we share it when talking to others about God? 3. The sick man whom Christ healed apparently was sick because of some sin in his life. What about us? Are we in danger of God's discipline in our lives because of sin we are clinging to? The sick man showed extreme perseverance in going to the Pool of Bethesda for 38 long years. Are we persistent in seeking the Lord, or do we give up easily?

We have led many tour trips to Israel during tension and unrest. Hear our perspective as experienced tour guides who have made many trips to Israel. Must see perspective for anyone concerned with what's happening in Israel, and if they should take a tour trip at this time. Is It Safe to Travel to Israel During Unrest? Safety In Israel We know the current war might be causing you to reconsider going to Israel at this time. However, here is some information and context to help you. 1. We have tour guide colleagues in Israel leading teams there right now. Things are safe with no issues. They are having a great time and enjoying all the sites. 2. Right now, we can visit all of the sites on our itinerary. 3. Security in Israel is better than ever right now. There have been virtually no terrorist attacks inside Israel since the war began. 4. Israel is open for business: all restaurants, hotels, parks, services, etc., are functioning normally. 5. Ben Gurion Airport is functioning normally, with all major airlines operating without issues. 6. Israel is winning the war with Hamas and should have Gaza under complete control soon. 7. The war is happening in Gaza, not within the country of Israel. We will not be touring any sites in or close to Gaza. 8. Our tour bus driver assures us that things are safe for tourism in Israel right now. 9. There are far fewer tourists in Israel, so some of the sites that are difficult to see due to long lines are very accessible. Now is a great time to visit Israel. 10. We know the current situation could seem scary to you, but we have traveled throughout Israel many times during tensions and have not felt unsafe. Virtually all of the country functions normally with no issues. Therefore, we want to assure you that we are moving forward with our tour trips and have no plans to cancel them. Other Safety Concerns Good News Before I share the inside perspective on tension and unrest in Israel, let me share some good news from our bus driver, with whom we are in regular contact about safety for the tour trips we lead to Israel. Here’s his quote: “Do not worry, my brother, the conditions here are not as the media presents. I now have an American group in these conditions during this month of Ramadan [Muslim Holy Month], and everything is going on safely, and there are no problems.” This quote comes during a time of high tension in Israel during Ramadan. Now, let’s discuss the inside story of what’s happening in Israel and whether we should be concerned. Spiritual Warfare All that’s happening can be traced to spiritual warfare. The Israeli government has been passing new laws allowing Jews to go up to the Temple Mount. The Muslims don’t like this, so they gather rocks and things inside the Al Aqsa Mosque to throw at the Jews when they’re up there. We saw this firsthand recently. The Israeli police have therefore gone into the Al Aqsa Mosque to clear this out and arrest the Muslim protesters. The Temple Mount authority has been given to the Muslims, but the Israeli police control the security there. The surrounding places, like Gaza and Lebanon, support the Muslims and therefore are aiding them in this spiritual warfare. Ramadan Ramadan is a Muslim holy month. During this time, there is always more tension because the Muslims engage more in Jihad. So this explains why there is more tension during this time. After Ramadan, things will settle down considerably. This is why we don’t plan our trips to Israel during Ramadan. Also, it’s hard to go onto the Temple Mount during Ramadan because it’s so busy with Muslims. Most Arabs Are Very Friendly Every experience we have had with Arabs has been highly positive. They tend to love tourists and view them as a positive influence. Our Experiences In Israel During Unrest We have been in Israel during some terrorist attacks and didn’t even know it until we heard it on the news or someone told us. I’ll briefly share two incidents. A few years ago, my wife and I were filming a Bible teaching on the Mount of Olives and heard some helicopter noise. It was somewhat annoying, but we didn't think much of it, as airplanes and helicopters are quite common in Israel. They patrol their skies quite well. Later, we learned that an Arab had run into some Jews by the Damascus bus station. We were just a quarter mile away from this incident. It was dealt with, and life went back to normal very quickly. Later, we took the light rail train that departs beside the Damascus bus station, where this event happened, to our hotel. We didn’t even know what had happened until later. On a recent tour trip to Israel with a group, we visited Pilate’s Palace, discussing the location of Jesus' trial. During the teaching, we heard some sirens and so forth. Later, we learned there had been a terrorist attack inside Old City Jerusalem. After our teaching, we entered the Old City and would never have known anything had happened if we hadn’t been told. We must understand that things happen in a moment in time and then return to normal. This is normal for Israel. We’ll Avoid Any Hotspots If, by chance, an incident were to happen, we would avoid it. Our bus driver is an Arab Christian and has been driving tour buses for many years. He will not lead us into any danger. While in Jerusalem, the Israeli police are incredible and provide fantastic security. Also, tourists are not targeted. In fact, they are welcomed. The tension is between Muslims and Jews. Israel’s Iron Dome Defense System Israel has developed a sophisticated Iron Dome that shoots most rockets fired into Israel. The chances of us being hit by a missile are one in a million. It’s not like rockets are raining down from heaven everywhere in Israel. God’s Sovereignty The hairs on our heads and our days are numbered. We won’t die one minute sooner or later than what God has determined for us, so we can rest in His sovereignty and enjoy His peace and will for us. I tell those who think I am taking a risk in going to Israel that if God determines it’s my time to die, I couldn’t think of a better place to go to be in the presence of the Lord (which is much better than this life) than the Holy Land. We are not worried about safety issues in Israel. We fully trust the Lord’s perfect will for us, so we are at peace with our trips. We have gone to Israel many times in the midst of some unrest and haven’t had any issues. Some incidents happen on occasion, and most of the time, those in Israel don’t even know what’s happened until they hear it on the news. We won’t be canceling any upcoming tour trips to Israel, as we have visited the country many times during unrest, and virtually all of it functions normally regardless of what’s happening in a particular area. However, if you feel uncomfortable, we understand. We Don’t Cancel Our Trip s Unless There Is Extreme Danger Based on the above info, we have no plans to cancel any upcoming tour trip to Israel. We know it’s hard for some to understand this without having been to Israel. However, life goes on as usual for 99.9 percent of the population, and for those whose lives are interrupted, it’s only for a short time. Then it quickly passes, and life goes back to normal.

Other than the main holy sites we have on our website about northern Israel, this page lists many other sites of interest in the area: Acre (Akko, Acco, Ptolemais), Belvoir Fortress, Jezreel (Yizreel), Nimrod Fortress National Park Other Sites of Interest ~ Northern Galilee Photo Gallery Places of Interest Other Sites of Interest In Northern Israel Acre (Akko, Acco, Ptolemais) Located about 9 miles (14 km.) north of Haifa, Acre was one of the best seaports in Israel. Acre was allotted to the tribe of Asher, but they were never able to conquer it (Josh. 19:24–31; Judg. 1:31). It was similar to Tyre and Sidon, cities the Israelites failed to conquer. As a result, Acre became a fortress city of unusual strength that stood up against its many attackers. However, when Assyria arose to power, Acre was conquered and came under its control. When Assyria fell from world power, Acre, along with other Phoenician towns, came under the rule of Babylon, and then later, to Persia. In the Seleucid period (BC 312–65), Acre rose to prominence in the battles between the Seleucids and the Ptolemies. The Ptolemies had control of it during the struggles after the death of Alexander the Great and made it their stronghold on the coast. At this time, the city of Acre was changed to the name Ptolemais. This would be the name it would be known as during the Greek and Roman occupations of Israel. Therefore, the New Testament authors refer to Acre as Ptolemais (Acts 21:7). In the period of the Crusaders, Acre was the most famous stronghold on the coast. It declined after the Crusader period and fell into the hands of the Ottomans under Selim I in 1516. Belvoir Fortress This Crusader castle is located on a hill of the Naphtali Plateau, 12 miles (20 km.) south of the Sea of Galilee. This impressive structure sits about 1,641 ft. (500 m.) above the Jordan Valley, which was a strategic location during the time of the Crusades. Designed to withstand the Muslim invaders, the fortress provided strong combat positioning as well as an amazing view of the surrounding area. Built in 1168 by the Hospitallers order, it withstood a year and a half siege by Saladin’s forces. The structure itself consists of an outer and an inner square fortress. It is still well-preserved, and visitors can explore the grounds while taking in a stunning view of the Jordan Valley, the Sea of Galilee, and the Golan Heights. It is the most complete and preserved Crusader fortress in Israel. Jezreel (Yizreel) Jezreel, located in the fertile Jezreel Valley, is about 24 miles (38 km.) east of the Mediterranean Sea and about 17 miles (28 km.) southwest of the Sea of Galilee. Jezreel was a major biblical city, and during the 9th century BC, it was the northern capital of the Israelite Kingdom. When Saul and Jonathan were killed in battle on Mount Gilboa, news of this event came from Jezreel. Mephibosheth, Jonathan’s son, became crippled when his nurse fell while carrying him as she ran in haste after hearing the terrible news of Jonathan’s death (2 Sam. 4:4). After the Kingdom of Israel was divided in around 930 BC, King Ahab made Jezreel one of his royal residences, erecting a palace here (1 Kings 21:1). At Jezreel lived King Ahab’s wife, who instituted the worship to the false gods of Baal and Asherah. This provoked God to send a drought that lasted 3 years. It ended with the great showdown between Elijah and the 850 false prophets of Baal and Asherah. God sent fire from heaven that consumed Elijah’s altar to show the nation of Israel He was God. Afterward, Elijah killed all the false prophets (1 Kings 18). The vineyard of Naboth was by King Ahab’s palace in Jezreel. Ahab wanted the vineyard for a vegetable garden, but Naboth refused to sell it. So Ahab’s wicked wife, Jezebel, arranged for Naboth to be wrongly accused and executed so Ahab could rob his land (1 Kings 21). Apparently, it was on the city's eastern wall from which Jehu entered when he ordered Jezebel (King Ahab’s wife) to be thrown down according to prophecy. Some of her blood spattered on the wall when she landed, and the dogs ate her body (2 Kings 9:30–37). Nimrod Fortress National Park Nimrod Fortress is situated in the northernmost part of Israel, just a few miles north of Caesarea Philippi. It’s on a ridge rising some 2,600 ft. (800 m.) above sea level and is the biggest Crusader castle in Israel. The mountain-top stronghold overlooks the deep narrow valley separating Mount Hermon from the Golan Heights and the road linking the Galilee with Damascus (present-day Syria). The Crusaders built it in the Middle Ages to guard this major access route against armies coming from the west. On the eastern edge of the fortress was a large keep (a keep is a fortress within a fortress), protected by large rectangular towers. In the west, it was separated from the main fortress by a moat, accessed by a bridge. The keep served as living quarters for the commander of the fortress. In times of siege, it became an additional defense position. The fortress is named after a biblical hero, the hunter, Nimrod, the great warrior (Gen. 10:8-9) who, according to local tradition, dwelt on this summit.

See and learn about the epic battle between Gideon and the Israelites, and the Midianites. Sites of interest include the Hill of Moreh, where the Midianites camped. Jezreel Valley. Gilboa Mountains, where the Israelites hid out in. The period of the Judges saw the nation of Israel experience many cycles of obedience and disobedience. One verse is repeated several times in Judges that summarizes their day: "In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes." Gideon's Spring Photo Gallery Places of Interest Gideon’s Spring Introduction Welcome to Gideon's Spring. This is where the famous battle took place between Gideon and his 300 men and the Midianites, who were in number like the sand of the sea. All the places mentioned in the Bible can be found in this vicinity. 1. Hill of Moreh, where the Midianites camped. 2. Midianite Camp 3. Jezreel Valley 4. Battle Area 5. Gideon’s Spring, where Gideon chose 300 men for battle. 6. Gilboa Mountains: Where the Israelites hid out. Location Gideon’s Spring, or also known as Harod Spring, is located in the fertile Jezreel Valley about 26 miles (42 km.) from the Mediterranean Sea and about 17 miles (28 km.) south of the Sea of Galilee. Just to the south of Gideon’s Spring are the Gilboa Mountains. Historical Background 1. The period of the Judges saw the nation of Israel experience many cycles of obedience and disobedience. 2. They would walk with God for a bit and then fall away. 3. One verse is repeated several times in the book of Judges that summarizes the mentality of their day: "In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes" (Judges 17:6, 21:25). 4. In order to bring the nation of Israel back to Himself, God would send them oppressors to make their lives difficult. 5. As a result, the Israelites would look to the Lord, and He would send them a deliverer, or also known as a Judge. 6. Gideon was one of these deliverers that God raised up to deliver the Israelites out of the hand of the Midianites who were oppressing Israel at that time. 7. There were a total of 13 Judges or Deliverers in the book of Judges. 8. Gideon was the 5th Judge. Places of Interest 1. Hill of Moreh: Hill area where the Midianites camped. 2. Midianite Camp 3. Jezreel Valley 4. Battle Area 5. Gideon’s Spring: Area where Gideon chose 300 men for battle. 6. Gilboa Mountains: Where the Israelites hid out. 7. Hankin House Museum: Located above the spring entrance. Gideon’s Spring in the Bible 1. God gave the Israelites into the hands of the Midianites because they abandoned and disobeyed Him. Judges 6:1–6: Then the sons of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the Lord ; and the Lord gave them into the hands of Midian seven years. 2 The power of Midian prevailed against Israel. Because of Midian the sons of Israel made for themselves the dens which were in the mountains and the caves and the strongholds. 3 For it was when Israel had sown, that the Midianites would come up with the Amalekites and the sons of the east and go against them. 4 So they would camp against them and destroy the produce of the earth as far as Gaza, and leave no sustenance in Israel as well as no sheep, ox, or donkey. 5 For they would come up with their livestock and their tents, they would come in like locusts for number, both they and their camels were innumerable ; and they came into the land to devastate it. 6 So Israel was brought very low because of Midian, and the sons of Israel cried to the Lord. 2. God hears the prayers of the Israelites and decides to deliver them. Judges 6:7–10: Now it came about when the sons of Israel cried to the Lord on account of Midian, 8 that the Lord sent a prophet to the sons of Israel, and he said to them, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘It was I who brought you up from Egypt and brought you out from the house of slavery. 9 I delivered you from the hands of the Egyptians and from the hands of all your oppressors, and dispossessed them before you and gave you their land, 10 and I said to you, “I am the Lord your God; you shall not fear the gods of the Amorites in whose land you live. But you have not obeyed Me.” 3. God visits Gideon through an angel and chooses to deliver the Israelites through him. Judges 6:11–12: Then the angel of the Lord came and sat under the oak that was in Ophrah, which belonged to Joash the Abiezrite as his son Gideon was beating out wheat in the wine press in order to save it from the Midianites. 12 The angel of the Lord appeared to him and said to him, “The Lord is with you, O valiant warrior.” 4. Gideon responds by saying that his family was the least in the tribe of Manasseh and that he was the youngest in his family (Judges 6:15). This is similar to the response of Moses when God called him. 5. God allows the angel to show Gideon a couple of miracles to prove God will help him. Judges 6:21: Then the angel of the Lord put out the end of the staff that was in his hand and touched the meat and the unleavened bread ; and fire sprang up from the rock and consumed the meat and the unleavened bread. Then the angel of the Lord vanished from his sight. 6. God commands Gideon to tear down the altars to Baal that his father had erected and to erect an altar to the Lord in their place (Judges 6:28–32). 7. Shortly afterward, many nations gathered together to wipe out the Israelites. Judges 6:33–35: Then all the Midianites and the Amalekites and the sons of the east assembled themselves ; and they crossed over and camped in the valley of Jezreel [just north of Gideon’s Spring]. 34 So the Spirit of the Lord came upon Gideon ; and he blew a trumpet, and the Abiezrites [descendants of Abiezer, the son of Gilead] were called together to follow him. 35 He sent messengers throughout Manasseh, and they also were called together to follow him; and he sent messengers to Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali, and they came up to meet them. The Midianites were the descendants of Midian and therefore, children of Abraham. They settled in “the land of the east.” When Moses fled the wrath of Pharaoh, he traveled to Midian (Exodus 2:15). There, Moses met and married his wife, Zipporah, and served his father-in-law, Jethro, as a shepherd for forty years. The Amalekites were the first ones to attack the Israelites upon their exodus from Egypt. Genesis 36 refers to the descendants of Amalek, the son of Eliphaz and grandson of Esau, as Amalekites. So, the Amalekites were somehow related to, but distinct from, the Edomites. 8. As a result of the nations who had gathered together to wipe out the Israelites, Gideon asks for a sign from God that he will be successful. The sign of the wet and dry fleeces is used by Gideon to seek assurance of God’s help (Judges 6:36–40). However, it reveals a lack of faith in what God had said He would do. 9. God commands Gideon to choose 300 men for battle so that He gets all the glory for the victory. Judges 7:1-7: Then Jerubbaal [Gideon] and all the people who were with him rose early and encamped beside the spring of Harod . And the camp of Midian was north of them, by the hill of Moreh, in the valley. 2 The LORD said to Gideon, "The people with you are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hand, lest Israel boast over me, saying, 'My own hand has saved me.' 3 Now therefore proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, 'Whoever is fearful and trembling, let him return home and hurry away from Mount Gilead.'" Then 22,000 of the people returned, and 10,000 remained. 4 And the LORD said to Gideon, "The people are still too many. Take them down to the water, and I will test them for you there, and anyone of whom I say to you, 'This one shall go with you,' shall go with you, and anyone of whom I say to you, 'This one shall not go with you,' shall not go." 5 So he brought the people down to the water. And the LORD said to Gideon, "Everyone who laps the water with his tongue, as a dog laps, you shall set by himself. Likewise, everyone who kneels down to drink." 6 And the number of those who lapped, putting their hands to their mouths, was 300 men, but all the rest of the people knelt down to drink water. 7 And the LORD said to Gideon, "With the 300 men who lapped I will save you and give the Midianites into your hand, and let all the others go every man to his home.” It's believed God chose those who lapped like dogs because they were less civilized. This would give God even more glory for the victory. 10. The size of the opposing army was enormous. Judges 7:12: Now the Midianites and the Amalekites and all the sons of the east were lying in the valley as numerous as locusts; and their camels were without number, as numerous as the sand on the seashore. 11. God allows Gideon to visit the camp of the opposing army to be assured of victory. Judges 7:13–14: When Gideon came, behold, a man was relating a dream to his friend. And he said, “Behold, I had a dream; a loaf of barley bread was tumbling into the camp of Midian, and it came to the tent and struck it so that it fell, and turned it upside down so that the tent lay flat.” His friend replied, “This is nothing less than the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel; God has given Midian and all the camp into his hand.” 12. God delivers the nations into the victorious hands of the Israelites. Judges 7:15-25: As soon as Gideon heard the telling of the dream and its interpretation, he worshiped. And he returned to the camp of Israel and said, "Arise, for the LORD has given the host of Midian into your hand." 16 And he divided the 300 men into three companies and put trumpets into the hands of all of them and empty jars, with torches inside the jars. 17 And he said to them, "Look at me, and do likewise. When I come to the outskirts of the camp, do as I do. 18 When I blow the trumpet, I and all who are with me, then blow the trumpets also on every side of all the camp and shout, 'For the LORD and for Gideon.'" 9 So Gideon and the hundred men who were with him came to the outskirts of the camp at the beginning of the middle watch [10:00 pm to 2:00 am], when they had just set the watch. And they blew the trumpets and smashed the jars that were in their hands. 20 Then the three companies blew the trumpets and broke the jars. They held in their left hands the torches, and in their right hands the trumpets to blow. And they cried out, "A sword for the LORD and for Gideon!" 21 Every man stood in his place around the camp, and all the army ran. They cried out and fled. 22 When they blew the 300 trumpets, the LORD set every man's sword against his comrade and against all the army. And the army fled as far as Beth-shittah toward Zererah, as far as the border of Abel- meholah, by Tabbath [cities by the Jordan River directly east]. 23 And the men of Israel were called out from Naphtali and from Asher and from all Manasseh, and they pursued after Midian. 24 Gideon sent messengers throughout all the hill country of Ephraim, saying, "Come down against the Midianites and capture the waters against them, as far as Beth-barah , and also the Jordan." So all the men of Ephraim were called out, and they captured the waters as far as Beth- barah , and also the Jordan. 25 And they captured the two princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb. They killed Oreb at the rock of Oreb, and Zeeb they killed at the winepress of Zeeb. Then they pursued Midian, and they brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon across the Jordan. Faith Lesson from Gideon’s Spring 1. God sent oppression to get the attention of the Israelites because they had fallen away from Him. He often sends us problems to get our attention as well. 2. God often puts us in difficult situations, so He gets all the glory when He helps us with our problems. 3. We, like the Israelites, can worship idols as well. An idol is anything that distracts us from our time and attention on God. What is distracting you away from God at this time in your life? 4. We should look at the size of our God rather than the size of our difficulties. 5. God delights in our faith but is grieved by our lack of it. 6. God chooses the weak things to show His glory: But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, so that no man may boast before God (1 Cor. 27-29). 6. Even if we have weaknesses, God can use us if we trust and follow Him.

Jacob's Well in Shechem (Sychar) is the place where Jesus met the Samaritan woman. Shechem is also where Abraham lived, Jacob lived, Joshua rallied the nation of Israel together and gave the curses and blessings on Mt. Gerizim and Mt. Ebal. The nation of Israel was divided at Shechem. Filmed on location at the very place Jesus met with the Samaritan woman in Sychar (Shechem). See this story and the place where it happened like never before. Church of St. Photina: Jacob's Well Photo Gallery Places of Interest Church of St. Photina: Jacob's Well Introduction 1. In John chapter 4, we learn that on His way back to Galilee from Jerusalem, Jesus and His disciples stopped here at Jacob's Well to refresh themselves. 2. It was here that He and a woman both came to this well at the same time, and the two of them struck up a conversation. 3. This woman was from a race of people that the Jews despised - the Samaritans. 4. We learn from the Bible that she had five former husbands, and that she was currently living with a man to whom she was not married. 5. We don’t know her real name. However, history has given her a name: Photini, meaning "the enlightened one." Why? Because, according to the Gospel of John, she was the first person in the world to whom Jesus revealed that He was the Messiah. 6. This church here, called "Church of St. Photina," was named after the Samaritan woman and marks the place of Jacob's Well, the place where she and Jesus met and talked. 7. Jacob's Well was built by Jacob around 1906 BC, when Jacob settled here in Shechem after returning from Pan Haram with his family. 8. The well was never destroyed over its 4,000-year history because everyone needs water, and this was an excellent source of fresh, cool water. 9. We're going to explore this site and drink out of the same well Jesus did. We will literally be in the footsteps of Jesus at this site. Location 1. Shechem had a significant role in the Bible and is mentioned 58 times. 2. Jacob's Well is located in the Church of St. Photina, in Biblical Shechem. It is also known as Sychar in the New Testament, and as Tel Balata and Nablus today. 3. Shechem is located about 30 miles (48 km) north of Jerusalem and about 30 miles (48 km) northeast of Tel Aviv. 4. It was in the Samaria region of Israel in the territory of Ephraim during Bible times. 5. It was on a main north-south travel route that linked the northern and southern parts of Israel. 6. It was also on a main east-west route that linked the coastal plain of Israel with the Jordan Valley. 7. Shechem lies between the two famous mountains of Gerizim and Ebal. Historical Background 1. God first appeared to Abraham in Shechem and gave him the promise that he would inherit the land. 2. Abraham and Jacob lived here. 3. Jacob settled here after returning from Pan Haram with his family and built the well here around 1906 BC. This means this well is almost 4,000 years old. 4. Joseph’s bones are buried here. 5. Later, after the Assyrian conquest of this area in 720 BC, it was also called the Samaria region. 6. The Samaritans were a mixture of Assyrian and Israelite blood and were considered impure by the pureblooded Jews. As a result, the Jews had no dealings with the Samaritans. History of the Church of St. Photina 1. Shortly after the time of Christ, early Christians venerated this site. 2. 384 AD: A Byzantine church was built over Jacob's Well. Jerome mentioned this church in his writings. 3. The church was most likely destroyed during the Samaritan revolts of 484 or 529 AD. 4. 550 AD: The Roman Emperor, Justinian I, rebuilt the church. 5. 1099 AD: The church was in ruins by the time the Crusaders occupied Nablus (also known as Shechem). Shortly afterward, the Crusaders rebuilt the church. 6. 1187 AD: The church was destroyed by Saladin, the first sultan of Egypt and Syria, but the well survived. 7. No church existed for centuries, but Christians continued to venerate the place. 8. 1860 AD: The Greek Orthodox Church purchased the site, and a new church named after the Samaritan woman (St. Photini) was built in 1893. Places of Interest In Shechem 1. Tel Balata 2. Mount Gerizim 3. Mount Ebal 4. Jacob’s Well (135 feet, 41 m. deep) 5. Joseph’s Tomb 6. Modern Shechem (Nablus) 7. Sychar Places of Interest at the Church Outside the Church 1. Ruins of previous churches. 2. Mosaic ruins of the early Byzantine Church on each side, to the front. There is a drawing of this church from an early pilgrim depicting it as being in the shape of a cross. The well is directly under the intersection of the cross lines. 3. Half Dome on the roof that is directly over Jacob's Well. 4. Columns and pillars from the Byzantine and Crusader Churches. 5. Mosaic entering the church depicting Joseph's Well. 5. Image of St. Photina above the entry to the church. Inside the Church 1. Clay Jar On a platform at the top of one of these pillars is a glass case containing a jar. This jar is either presumed to be the one that Photini used to gather her water, or it simply represents the jar that she carried at that time. 2. The Skullcap of Photini Near the front of the church, inside a glass case, is a fragment of a skullcap, which is believed to be part of the remains of Saint Photini herself. 3. Icon in the Church – The Killing of Father Philoumenos On November 29, 1979, Father Philoumenos was killed by a disturbed man named Asher Raby. Raby threw a grenade inside the church, and while Father Philoumenos tried to escape, Raby attacked him with an ax and killed him. An icon in the central part of the church shows this tragic event. Raby ran away and was not caught until three years later, when another priest, Father Justinos, became guardian of the church. Raby came back and tried to kill Father Justinos, too, but this time the priest managed to break Raby’s leg, and he was arrested. Today, the sarcophagus of Saint Philoumenos is at the front of the church. After his death, Father Justinos worked to restore the church, and the restoration was completed in the early 2000s. Father Justinos laid all of the mosaics, and painted all of the icons in the church, including the great picture of Jesus high above on the dome. To do this, he had to lie on his back, suspended on a scaffold, painting what is called the Christ Pantocrator, or Christ the Almighty. This particular image of Jesus is on the dome of virtually every eastern Orthodox church in the world. 4. Images of persecution and martyrs. 5. Remains of columns of the Crusader Church. 6. Stairs in the front of the church leading down to the crypt where Jacob's Well is located. 7. Crypt with Jacob's Well The well is around 135 feet deep (41 m). The well has a narrow opening, just wide enough to allow a man's body to pass through with arms uplifted. This narrow neck, approximately 4 ft. (1.22 m) long, opens into the well itself, which is cylindrically shaped and measures about 7 ft. 6 in. (2.29 m) in diameter. If you were to look at the well from a side angle, it would be in the shape of a wine bottle. It's narrow at the neck, and then opens up wider the rest of the way. The entrances to Old Testament wells were narrow, allowing a rock to be placed over them for protection. Example: Moses in Midian. Genesis 29:3: When all the flocks were gathered there, the shepherds would roll the stone away from the well’s mouth and water the sheep. Then they would return the stone to its place over the mouth of the well. It fits the Bible's description as being very deep. Jacob's Well and the Samaritan Woman In the Bible Shechem, called Sychar, is the place where Jesus met a woman at Jacob’s well and conversed with her. John 4:1–26: Now when Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John 2 (although Jesus himself did not baptize, but only his disciples), 3 he left Judea and departed again for Galilee. 4 And he had to pass through Samaria. 5 So he came to a town of Samaria called Sychar, near the field that Jacob had given to his son Joseph . 6 Jacob's well was there; so Jesus, wearied as he was from his journey, was sitting beside the well. It was about the sixth hour. 7 A woman from Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.” 8 (For his disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.) 9 The Samaritan woman said to him, “How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria?” (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.) 10 Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.” 11 The woman said to him, “Sir, you have nothing to draw water with, and the well is deep [120 feet, 40 m.]. Where do you get that living water? 12 Are you greater than our father Jacob? He gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did his sons and his livestock.” 13 Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” 15 The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water, so that I will not be thirsty or have to come here to draw water.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come here.” 17 The woman answered him, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “You are right in saying, ‘I have no husband’; 18 for you have had five husbands, and the one you now have is not your husband. What you have said is true.” 19 The woman said to him, “Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. 20 Our fathers worshiped on this mountain [Gerizim] , but you say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship.” 21 Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. 22 You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23 But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. 24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” 25 The woman said to him, “I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ). When he comes, he will tell us all things.” 26 Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am he.” John 4:39–42: Many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman's testimony, “He told me all that I ever did.” 40 So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them, and he stayed there two days. 41 And many more believed because of his word. 42 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 this is indeed the Savior of the world.” Faith Lesson from Jacob's Well 1. Of all the events that happened at Shechem, Jesus summed up God’s desire for us when He told the woman at the well, “The hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth ” (John 2:23–24). 2. Do we worship God in spirit? 3. Do we walk in the Spirit and stay in close fellowship with God (Gal. 5:16–26)? 4. Do we worship God in truth? 5. Do we know God’s Word well and the truth it contains (2 Tim. 2:15)? 6. We will only know God to the degree we know His Word. How well do you know God?

Experience one of the greatest miracles in the Bible about how God saved Hezekiah and the city of Jerusalem. Sennacherib, King of Assyria, was defeated supernaturally by God because an angel of the Lord killed 185,000 soldiers. Because of King Hezekiah's great faith in the Lord, God provided an astounding miracle to save him and Jerusalem. Learn all about it here. Hezekiah’s Broad Wall, Gihon Spring, Pool of Siloam, Hezekiah's Tunnel, City of David, Temple Mount, Tel Lachish, Tel Azekah. Hezekiah's Broad Wall Photo Gallery Places of Interest Hezekiah's Broad Wall Introduction Hidden within the Jewish Quarter of the Old City lies one of Jerusalem’s most impressive archaeological finds: Hezekiah’s Broad Wall. 1. Built around 710 BC by King Hezekiah, this massive fortification was constructed to protect Jerusalem from the Assyrian army. 2. It's over 23 feet thick (7 m) and hundreds of meters long. It cut through houses and streets to strengthen the city’s defenses. 3. It matches the account in Isaiah and 2 Chronicles describing Hezekiah’s preparations for the Assyrian siege. 4. It was unearthed in the 1970s and revealed how urgently Jerusalem expanded its walls to shield its growing population. 5. Today, visitors can stand beside its remains and imagine the tense days when Jerusalem prepared for war and survival. 6. Let's experience and relive the miracle God did here to protect Jerusalem from the most powerful nation on earth at that time Location 1. Hezekiah’s Broad Wall connected the lower part of the City of David with the west side of the Temple Mount. 2. The part that is visible today is located just north of the Hurva Synagogue, to the left of Bonei ha-Khoma St. Historical Background 1. After the division of the nation of Israel into two kingdoms (Israel and Judah), God sent prophet after prophet to warn them to turn from their sinful ways and follow Him. However, all these warnings fell on deaf ears. 2. All the 19 kings who reigned in the northern kingdom of Israel did not follow the Lord and acted wickedly. 3. As a result, the northern kingdom of Israel was conquered and taken into captivity by 722 BC by the Assyrians because of Israel’s continual disobedience. 2 Kings 18:11–12: Then the king of Assyria carried Israel away into exile to Assyria, and put them in Halah and on the Habor, the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes, 12 because they did not obey the voice of the Lord their God, but transgressed His covenant, even all that Moses the servant of the Lord commanded; they would neither listen nor do it. 4. The Assyrian army was brutal and known for its torturous tactics. They intentionally instilled fear in the hearts of those they conquered, causing other countries to surrender rather than fight. 5. By 701 BC, the Assyrians, headed by Sennacherib, invaded Judah, the Southern Kingdom of Israel, because they had disobeyed God repeatedly over centuries. 6. According to an Assyrian stele found in the ruins of the royal palace of Nineveh, Sennacherib conquered 46 cities in Judea before attempting to destroy Jerusalem. 7. God allowed most of Judah to be conquered but protected Jerusalem because of Hezekiah’s obedience to Him. 8. As Hezekiah began to prepare for what he knew would be a terrible siege by a merciless Assyrian war machine, he had to figure out how to protect his people. This meant building new defenses. 9. During the time of Hezekiah, Jerusalem’s urban population had grown far outside the old walls of the city and was unprotected. 10. King Hezekiah fortified the existing walls of the city and rapidly built a new wall to protect those living outside the city walls. 2 Chronicles 32:5: He set to work resolutely and built up all the wall that was broken down and raised towers upon it, and outside it he built another wall, and he strengthened the Millo in the city of David. He also made weapons and shields in abundance. 11. Hezekiah’s new wall measured about 22 feet wide (7 m.) by 25 feet high (8 m.). 12. It was a massive undertaking and measured around 2.5 miles (4 km) in length. 13. A portion of the wall was discovered in the 1970s by Israeli archaeologist Nahman Avigad and dated to the reign of King Hezekiah (716-687 BC). 14. It was called “Hezekiah’s Broad Wall” by archaeologists because of how wide it is. 15. King Hezekiah also built a water tunnel to keep the water from the Gihon Spring inside the city walls so the Assyrians couldn’t cut off the water supply (2 Chron. 32:3–4). The curving tunnel is 583 yards (533 m.) long and has an altitude difference of 12 inches (30 cm.) between its two ends. It was chiseled from both ends to the middle simultaneously. It took the water from the Gihon Spring, located under the mountain, to the Pool of Siloam, situated below the city of David. Places of Interest 1. Hezekiah’s Broad Wall. 2. Gihon Spring 3. Pool of Siloam 4. Hezekiah's Tunnel 5. City of David 6. Temple Mount Hezekiah in the Bible 1. King Hezekiah’s father, Ahaz, was a wicked king. He closed the doors to the temple and burned his children in sacrificial worship to false gods. 2. King Hezekiah was a godly king who reopened the temple and restored worship to God. 2 Kings 18:3–6: And he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, according to all that David his father had done. 4 He removed the high places and broke the pillars and cut down the Asherah. And he broke in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made, for until those days the people of Israel had made offerings to it (it was called Nehushtan). 5 He trusted in the Lord, the God of Israel, so that there was none like him among all the kings of Judah after him, nor among those who were before him. 6 For he held fast to the Lord. He did not depart from following him, but kept the commandments that the Lord commanded Moses. 3. King Hezekiah chose not to serve the King of Assyria. 2 Kings 18:7: And the Lord was with him; wherever he went he prospered. And he rebelled against the king of Assyria and did not serve him. 4. Sennacherib, the King of Assyria, conquered the southern part of Judah, including the mighty city of Lachish. King Hezekiah tries to keep him at bay by paying him money. 2 Kings 18:13–16: Now in the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah, Sennacherib king of Assyria came up against all the fortified cities of Judah and seized them. 14 Then Hezekiah king of Judah sent to the king of Assyria at Lachish, saying, “I have done wrong. Withdraw from me; whatever you impose on me I will bear.” So the king of Assyria required of Hezekiah king of Judah three hundred talents of silver and thirty talents of gold. 15 Hezekiah gave him all the silver which was found in the house of the Lord, and in the treasuries of the king’s house. 16 At that time Hezekiah cut off the gold from the doors of the temple of the Lord, and from the doorposts which Hezekiah king of Judah had overlaid, and gave it to the king of Assyria. 5. King Sennacherib makes plans to conquer Jerusalem. 2 Kings 18:17: Then the king of Assyria sent Tartan and Rab-saris and Rabshakeh from Lachish to King Hezekiah with a large army to Jerusalem. So they went up and came to Jerusalem. 6. King Sennacherib mocks King Hezekiah and the God of Israel. 2 Kings 18:32–35: And do not listen to Hezekiah when he misleads you by saying, “The Lord will deliver us .” 33 Has any of the gods of the nations ever delivered his land out of the hand of the king of Assyria? 34 Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivvah? Have they delivered Samaria out of my hand? 35 Who among all the gods of the lands have delivered their lands out of my hand, that the Lord should deliver Jerusalem out of my hand?’” 7. King Hezekiah humbles himself before God and sends for the Prophet Isaiah. 2 Kings 19:1–7: And when King Hezekiah heard it, he tore his clothes, covered himself with sackcloth and entered the house of the Lord. 2 Then he sent Eliakim who was over the household with Shebna the scribe and the elders of the priests, covered with sackcloth, to Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz. 3 They said to him, “Thus says Hezekiah, ‘This day is a day of distress, rebuke, and rejection; for children have come to birth and there is no strength to deliver. 4 Perhaps the Lord your God will hear all the words of Rabshakeh, whom his master the king of Assyria has sent to reproach the living God, and will rebuke the words which the Lord your God has heard. Therefore, offer a prayer for the remnant that is left.’” 5 So the servants of King Hezekiah came to Isaiah. 6 Isaiah said to them, “Thus you shall say to your master, ‘Thus says the Lord, “Do not be afraid because of the words that you have heard, with which the servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed Me. 7 Behold, I will put a spirit in him so that he will hear a rumor and return to his own land. And I will make him fall by the sword in his own land.” 8. King Sennacherib once again threatens King Hezekiah and speaks against the God of Israel. 2 Kings 19:9–12: So he sent messengers again to Hezekiah, saying, 10 “Thus shall you speak to Hezekiah king of Judah: ‘Do not let your God in whom you trust deceive you by promising that Jerusalem will not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria. 11 Behold, you have heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all lands, devoting them to destruction. And shall you be delivered? 12 Have the gods of the nations delivered them, the nations that my fathers destroyed.’” 9. Hezekiah seeks the Lord’s help. 2 Kings 19:14–19: Then Hezekiah took the letter from the hand of the messengers and read it, and he went up to the house of the Lord and spread it out before the Lord. 15 Hezekiah prayed before the Lord and said, “O Lord, the God of Israel, who are enthroned above the cherubim, You are the God, You alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth. 16 Incline Your ear, O Lord, and hear; open Your eyes, O Lord, and see; and listen to the words of Sennacherib, which he has sent to reproach the living God. 17 Truly, O Lord, the kings of Assyria have devastated the nations and their lands 18 and have cast their gods into the fire, for they were not gods but the work of men’s hands, wood and stone. So they have destroyed them. 19 Now, O Lord our God, I pray, deliver us from his hand that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that You alone, O Lord, are God.” 10. God answers Hezekiah’s prayer. 2 Kings 19:20–22: Then Isaiah the son of Amoz sent to Hezekiah saying, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘Because you have prayed to Me about Sennacherib king of Assyria, I have heard you.’ 21 This is the word that the Lord has spoken against him: ‘She has despised you and mocked you, The virgin daughter of Zion; She has shaken her head behind you, The daughter of Jerusalem! 22 ‘Whom have you reproached and blasphemed? And against whom have you raised your voice, And haughtily lifted up your eyes? Against the Holy One of Israel!’” 2 Kings 19:32–34: Therefore, thus says the Lord concerning the king of Assyria, “He will not come to this city or shoot an arrow there; and he will not come before it with a shield or throw up a siege ramp against it. 33 By the way that he came, by the same he will return, and he shall not come to this city, declares the Lord. 34 For I will defend this city to save it for My own sake and for My servant David’s sake.” 11. God miraculously destroys King Sennacherib and his army. 2 Kings 19:35–37: Then it happened that night that the angel of the Lord went out and struck 185,000 in the camp of the Assyrians; and when men rose early in the morning, behold, all of them were dead. 36 So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed and returned home, and lived at Nineveh. 37 It came about as he was worshiping in the house of Nisroch his god, that Adrammelech and Sharezer killed him with the sword; and they escaped into the land of Ararat. And Esarhaddon his son became king in his place. Faith Lesson from the Life of King Hezekiah 1. Even though Hezekiah had a wicked father, he chose to serve the Lord. What about us? Do we realize that no matter what our background might be, and the parents we have, God can still use us greatly if we yield ourselves entirely to Him? 3. King Hezekiah was extremely dedicated to God. 2 Kings 18:5–6: He trusted in the Lord, the God of Israel; so that after him there was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor among those who were before him. 6 For he clung to the Lord; he did not depart from following Him, but kept His commandments, which the Lord had commanded Moses. What about us? Do we show the same kind of dedication to God? 4. King Hezekiah trusted in God during times of great trials. What about us? Do we trust God during the trials He send us? 5. God blessed and protected him because of his faith and dedication to Him. What about us? Do we realize that God will bless us too if we stay faithful to Him? 6. He worked hard to fortify the old walls, built a huge new wall, and protected the water source of the city. All this was good, but not needed, as God supernaturally protected Jerusalem because Hezekiah trusted in the Lord. What about us? Do we realize that we can do everything we can think of to protect ourselves, but it's ultimately God who is in control? 7. King Hezekiah lived the kind of life God blesses. What about us? Are we following his example?

God, in His sovereignty, placed Tel Gezer, Israel, on the crossroads of the ancient world. They were to be a shining light for all to see God’s wonders, love, and miracles. See the importance of this location. Gezer is one of the largest tels in Israel. Whoever controlled Gezer had significant control over the ancient world. Gezer began to be inhabited some 5,000 years ago. It has around 21 layers of civilizations. Many child sacrifices were done here. Tel Gezer: On the Crossroads of the World Photo Gallery Places of Interest Gezer: On the Crossroads of the World Location 1. Gezer is in the eastern foothills of the coastal plain (Shaphelah) of western Israel. It is about 14 miles (22.5 km.) east of the Mediterranean Sea and about 19 miles (30.5 km.) west of Jerusalem. Tel Aviv sits about 17 miles (27 km.) to the northwest of Gezer. 2. Gezer was on the international north-south travel route called the Via Maris. It was also on a major east-west route that linked the coastal plain to Jerusalem and beyond. The Via Maris connected three continents, Africa, Asia, and Europe. This location is significant because Israel forms a narrow land bridge to connect these three continents. To the east is a desert and to the west is the Mediterranean Sea. This forced trade and travelers to use the Via Maris. Whatever happened in Israel was taken to the known world at that time. 3. Whoever controlled Gezer controlled the trade and influence of the ancient world in biblical times. 4. God, in His sovereignty, placed Israel on the crossroads of the known world so they could be a light to the world and communicate His message to them. 5. Gezer was in the territory of Ephraim. Historical Background 1. Gezer is one of the largest tels in Israel. 2. Whoever controlled Gezer had significant control over the ancient world. 3. Gezer began to be inhabited some 5,000 years ago. 4. It has around 21 layers of civilizations. 5. A tel is a mound of earth that develops as one civilization builds upon another. 6. The Canaanites first lived here from around 3000 BC to around 2000 BC. 7. Sadly, there has been found on this site many sacrificed babies. 8. When the Israelites arrived in 1406 BC, they failed to drive out the Philistines and occupy Gezer. 9. As a result, the Philistines lived here from around 2000 BC until King David subdued them in around 1000 BC. 10. Gezer existed during the time of Christ. 11. Gezer is mentioned 14 times in the Bible. 12. During the Hasmonean revolt (167 BC), the Jews lived close to Gezer and used it for battle purposes. 13. The Ottomans (15th and 16th centuries) lived here as well. Places of Interest 1. Parking 2. Canaanite Tower 3. Canaanite Gate 4. Water System 5. Sheikh's Tomb 6. Israelite City 7. Solomon’s Gate 8. Standing Stones 9. Lookout Point Gezer in the Bible 1. In the conquest of the Promised Land, God gave the Israelites victory over Gezer. Joshua 10:33: Then Horam king of Gezer came up to help Lachish. And Joshua struck him and his people, until he left none remaining. 2. The tribe of Ephraim was allotted Gezer, but they didn’t fully drive out its inhabitants and conquer them. Joshua 16:10: However, they did not drive out the Canaanites who lived in Gezer , so the Canaanites have lived in the midst of Ephraim to this day but have been made to do forced labor. 3. Gezer was one of the cities given to the Kohathite clans of the Levites. It was also a city of refuge. Joshua 21:20–22: As to the rest of the Kohathites belonging to the Kohathite clans of the Levites, the cities allotted to them were out of the tribe of Ephraim. 21 To them were given Shechem, the city of refuge for the manslayer, with its pasturelands in the hill country of Ephraim, Gezer with its pasturelands, 22 Kibzaim with its pasturelands, Beth-horon with its pasturelands-four cities. 4. King David, some 200 years later, conquered the Philistines who lived in Gezer. 2 Samuel 5:25: Then David did so, just as the Lord had commanded him, and struck down the Philistines from Geba as far as Gezer . 5. After King David, it appears Egypt also conquered Gezer and gave it to Solomon, who rebuilt and fortified it. 1 Kings 9:15–17: And this is the account of the forced labor that King Solomon drafted to build the house of the Lord and his own house and the Millo and the wall of Jerusalem and Hazor and Megiddo and Gezer 16 (Pharaoh king of Egypt had gone up and captured Gezer and burned it with fire, and had killed the Canaanites who lived in the city, and had given it as dowry to his daughter, Solomon's wife; 17 so Solomon rebuilt Gezer ) and Lower Beth-horon. Faith Lesson from Gezer 1. In the same way Gezer is on a hill found on the crossroads of the world, we too have been placed by God in the world to influence those around us. 2. Unlike the Ephraimites who failed to conquer Gezer and attain what God had promised them, we should subdue what God wants us to become and accomplish for Him. 3. Like the standing stones at Gezer, we should be firm in our faith and persevere under persecution and pressure. We should not allow the world to mold us, but instead, we should impact the world for Christ.

The church of Dominus Flevit marks the place where Jesus wept over Jerusalem as He entered it on Palm Sunday at His famous, Triumphal Entry from the Mount of Olives. See everything you want to know about this historical event. Triumphal Entry Photo Gallery Places of Interest Triumphal Entry Introduction Welcome to the Triumphal Entry Path. You are on the very path Jesus walked on Palm Sunday, just a few days before He was crucified. 1. The Triumphal Entry was prophesied in the Old Testament. 2. The Triumphal Entry was fulfilled in the New Testament. 3. The Triumphal Entry, which occurred the Sunday before the Passover, was also lamb selection day for the Passover. 4. Christ descended this path to Jerusalem riding on a donkey. 5. The crowd took branches of palm trees and cried out, "Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.” 6. On this path, at the place marked by the church, Dominus Flevit, Christ paused and wept over Jerusalem. 7. We're in the very footsteps of Jesus as this was the same route He would have taken. Location 1. The Triumphal Entry begins at the upper part of the Mount of Olives and winds its way down to the bottom of the mountain to the Garden of Gethsemane. 2. A church called, Dominus Flevit, is located halfway down the western slope of the Mount of Olives and marks the place where Jesus wept over the future fate of Jerusalem. Historical Background 1. The Triumphal Entry was a major event in the life of Jesus wherein He entered Jerusalem on the Sunday before He would be crucified and rise from the dead the following Sunday. 2. This event was designed by Christ to broadcast to the Nation of Israel that He was their Passover Lamb. 3. It is also referred to as Palm Sunday because palm branches were laid on the road as Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey. 4. It would mark Christ’s last days of intensive teaching and condemnation of the Jews for rejecting Him and His message. 5. It would be the beginning of Christ’s last week on earth. 6. The Dominus Flevit Church was built in 1953 to commemorate this important event. 7. The current church stands on the ruins of a 6th-century Byzantine church. Some mosaics of the church still remain. 8. Dominus Flevit is Latin and means, “the Lord wept.” Places of Interest 1. Bethphage (beginning point of the Triumphal Entry) 2. Mount of Olives 3. Triumphal Entry Path 4. Dominus Flevit Church The western window of the Dominus Flevit Church provides a beautiful view of the Temple Mount. A mosaic on the altar of the Dominus Flevit Church has an illustration of a hen gathering her chickens, which is based on Luke 13:34: O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, just as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not have it! Ancient burial caves located by the Dominus Flevit Church. Ossuary boxes ~ Bones of people were placed in these boxes after their bodies had decayed. 5. Garden of Gethsemane 6. Temple Mount Triumphal Entry in the Bible 1. The Triumphal Entry was prophesied in the Old Testament. Some 450–500 years earlier, the Prophet Zechariah prophesied: "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, lowly and riding on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey” ( Zech. 9:9). 2. The Triumphal Entry was fulfilled in the New Testament. Matthew 21:7–9: They brought the donkey and the colt, laid their clothes on them, and set Him on them. 8 And a very great multitude spread their clothes on the road; others cut down branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 Then the multitudes who went before and those who followed cried out, saying: “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!’ Hosanna in the highest!” 3. Palm Sunday was also the fulfillment of the Prophet Daniel's "seventy sevens" prophecy. Daniel 9:25: Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the command to restore and build Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince, there shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublesome times. 4. The Triumphal Entry, which occurred on the Sunday before the Passover, was also lamb selection day for the Passover. According to Exodus 12, this was the day set aside for each Israelite family to choose the lamb they would kill for their Passover meal. The blood from their lamb was to be put on the doorposts of their homes so the angel of death would not kill their firstborn children. The Passover was celebrated each year to mark their deliverance from Egypt and how God had miraculously saved them. The fact that Christ entered Jerusalem on this very day was no accident. He was proclaiming Himself as the Passover Lamb, not only for the Israelites but for all humanity. 5. Christ entered Jerusalem riding on a donkey. Luke 19:28–35: And when he had said these things, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. 29 When he drew near to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount that is called Olivet, he sent two of the disciples, 30 saying, "Go into the village in front of you, where on entering you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever yet sat. Untie it and bring it here. 31 If anyone asks you, 'Why are you untying it?' you shall say this: 'The Lord has need of it.'" 32 So those who were sent went away and found it just as he had told them. 33 And as they were untying the colt, its owners said to them, "Why are you untying the colt?" 34 And they said, "The Lord has need of it." 35 And they brought it to Jesus, and throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it. The meaning of a donkey. A donkey was a symbol of peace; a horse was a symbol of war. Christ came to make peace with mankind at His first coming by dying for our sins. However, at His second coming He will come riding a horse to wage war with mankind and judge them for their sinful rejection of Him. 6. The crowd took branches of palm trees and cried out, "Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.” John 12:12–13: So, they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying out, "Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!" It was a cry for deliverance from Roman occupation. The last time the Israelites had their freedom during the Maccabean rule from 167–63 BC, their money had the symbol of a palm branch as a sign of freedom. It was like the national flag of a country. It was the Jews' way of saying that they wanted Christ to be their King and deliver them from the Romans. The meaning of the palm branches. 7. At the place marked by the church, Dominus Flevit, Christ paused and wept over Jerusalem. Luke 19:41–44: And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it, 42 saying, "Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. 43 For the days will come upon you, when your enemies will set up a barricade around you and surround you and hem you in on every side 44 and tear you down to the ground, you and your children within you. And they will not leave one stone upon another in you, because you did not know the time of your visitation." There are only two times in the Bible where it is noted that Christ wept. The first time was at the death of Lazarus, and the second during His triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Both places are located on the Mount of Olives. In this account of Christ weeping, He wept for those who aren’t saved and the judgment that awaits them. Within 40 years, in AD 70, Jesus’ prophecy was fulfilled. Roman legions besieged Jerusalem and, after six months of fighting, burnt the temple and leveled the city. It's estimated that between 600,000 and 1,000,000 Jews were killed and 100,000 taken as slaves and prisoners. 8. The first time Christ wept took place at the death of Lazarus just a week or so earlier on the backside of the Mount of Olives. J ohn 11:33–36: When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled. 34 And he said, "Where have you laid him?" They said to him, "Lord, come and see." 35 Jesus wept. 36 So the Jews said, "See how he loved him!" In this account, Christ weeps for those who suffer. Faith Lesson from the Triumphal Entry 1. The Triumphal Entry was a prophesied event from the Old Testament and reveals the validity of Scripture and God’s sovereignty. 2. Christ wept over Jerusalem because they rejected Him and the coming judgment they would face as a result. Does Christ weep for you because you don’t know Him and will be separated from Him in hell for all eternity? 3. Christ wept with those at the death of Lazarus. Does Christ weep with you as He understands your pain and suffering?