• Home

The Complete Pilgrim - Religious Travel Sites

Howard Kramer's, The Complete Pilgrim, Religious Travel Site

  • AMERICAN RELIGIOUS SITES
  • CHRISTIAN SITES
  • JEWISH SITES
  • CATHOLIC SITES
  • ISLAMIC SITES
  • INDIAN/HINDU SITES
  • HOLIDAY SITES
  • CASTLES
  • BATTLEFIELDS
  • MOUNTAINS
  • NATURE
  • WILDLIFE SITES
  • PHOTO GALLERIES
  • ARCHIVES
  • ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

ABRAHAM’S WELL

August 7, 2014 By Howard Kramer Leave a Comment

Beersheba, Israel

Abraham's Well Beer Sheva

Ruins of Ancient Beersheba (wikipedia.com)

At some point between his sojourn in Shechem and his burial in Hebron, the patriarch Abraham resided for a time in the Canaanite settlement of Beersheba.  The site known as Abraham’s Well, believed to be the one mentioned in the Hebrew Bible, still exists near where Abraham once lived.  Beersheba subsequently played a series of minor roles in the history of Biblical Israel and for a long while afterward.  However, following the collapse of the ancient kingdoms until the early 20th century, Beersheba remained little more than a dusty Bedouin outpost in the Negev Desert.  Today it is a sizeable metropolis which, though its modern architecture has seriously infringed on the ancient town’s ancient feel, makes the area’s sacred places much more accessible.  Beersheba is part of the Biblical Tels UNESCO World Heritage Site.

History

The exact Biblical timeline is somewhat confused, but at some point shortly before or after the near-sacrifice of his son on Mount Gezrim, Abraham settled in the small town of Beersheba.  Why he selected this harsh, dusty place on the fringe of the Negev Desert over the more hospitable lands further north is unknown, but it seems to have been his primary residence in Canaan.  Around the time of his arrival, Abraham concluded an alliance of sorts with a neighboring Philistine king named Abimelech.  The pact included the right of ownership to Beersheba’s well, which he himself supposedly constructed, in exchange for seven lambs which were given to the Philistine monarch.

Though Abraham was later buried in nearby Hebron, the family seems to have stayed in the area of Beersheba.  More likely, as a family of shepherds, they probably migrated regularly between Beersheba, Hebron and other places.  According to the Bible, Isaac, Abraham’s younger son, lived in Beersheba long enough to construct an altar here.  Other Biblical traditions suggest that Beersheba also had connections to Isaac’s two sons, Jacob and Esau.  Jacob’s famous dream supposedly took place not too far outside of Beersheba, while the descendents of Esau, the Edomites, still resided in the area centuries later during the Exodus period.

Beersheba fell by the wayside in the history of ancient Israel until the early days of the kings, when its position on the borders of both the Philistine and Amelekite lands made it more strategically valuable.  Its importance was underscored by the fact that King Saul had a fortress constructed here, while the prophet Samuel established his own sons as judges here.  A century or so later, Beersheba made the Biblical scene again when it briefly served as a refuge for the Prophet Elijah during his exile from the Northern Kingdom.

Little is known of the subsequent history of Beersheba.  Even at the height of the Israelite kingdoms it was probably never more than a large town.  It was later annexed by all of the usual conquerors until it was finally abandoned sometime during the early Islamic period.  Over the next twelve centuries, Beersheba was slowly reclaimed by the Negev Desert and the Bedouin nomads who roamed the area.  Interest in redeveloping the area did not occur again until the 20th century.  A small metropolis now thrives here.  Amazingly, Abraham’s Well still survives amidst the urban sprawl.

Visiting

The city of Beersheba today resembles nothing of its ancient self.  The desert has been systematically driven back to make room for a quickly expanding population in what is now Israel’s sixth-largest city.  However, not too far ouside of Beersheba’s boundaries, the Negev still beckons in all of its rugged glory.  Those seeking a more authentic setting for Abraham’s life do not have to look far to find it.

What is now called the Old City of Beersheba was actually developed during the Ottoman and British colonial periods.  Abraham’s Well is located in this part of the town, and its immediate surroundings, which include old brick structures and ruins, give it a more ancient atmosphere.  Unfortunately, much of the well’s current construction dates back to the Ottoman occupation.  However, true believers suggest that it is still the original well, in Abraham’s original location, and that the Ottoman work reflects little more than renovations and restorations.

Beersheba is approximately eighty miles southwest of Jerusalem and a hundred miles south of Tel Aviv.  The direct road from Jerusalem runs through Palestinian territory, so most visitors to Beersheba take the latter route.  Abraham’s Well is an open site.  Nearby is the Abraham’s Well Museum, which consists of an information center and exhibits on ancient Beersheba.  The museum is open Sundays through Thursdays from 8:00am-4:00pm and on Fridays 8:00am-2:00pm.  There is no cost of admission.  Web: www.goisrael.com (official tourism website of Israel)

Other Sites

To get a better feel for the ancient desert town of Abraham’s day, visitors may go to Tel Beersheba, a hill that lies a few miles to the northeast of the modern city.  Excavations there have unearthed the ruins of houses dating back as far as the 12th century BC, as well as later constructions, including an old Roman outpost.

Filed Under: Jewish, Muslim, Old Testament Site Tagged With: Israel

Where would you like to go?

Africa (North) Africa (Sub-Sahara) Arabia Armenia/Azerbaijan/Georgia Australia/Pacific Austria/Switzerland Balkans Belgium/Netherlands British Isles Canada Caribbean Central Asia China Czech Republic Egypt France Germany Greece Hungary/Romania/Bulgaria India (NE)/Nepal India (NW) India (South)/Sri Lanka Iran/Iraq Israel Italy/Malta Japan/Korea Latin America Mexico Palestine Poland/Lithuania Russia Scandinavia Southeast Asia Spain/Portugal Syria/Jordan/Lebanon Turkey/Cyprus Ukraine US-California US-Mid Atlantic US-Midwest US-New England US-New York US-Pacific Northwest US-South US-Southwest

About Howard Kramer

Howard Kramer is the creator and author of The Complete Pilgrim. He first took an interest in religious sites in his early twenties when traveling through Italy after college. In the two decades since he has traveled to more than two dozen countries and almost every state, visiting and photographing hundreds of the world’s greatest churches, synagogues and other places of religious interest. Howard has been writing about religious sites for the better part of the last decade, and The Complete Pilgrim is a culmination of years of his work and passion.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

THE COMPLETE AMERICAN PILGRIM – NOW AVAILABLE ON AMAZON

THE COMPLETE PILGRIM

Welcome to The Complete Pilgrim(TM)! This site, created by Howard Kramer, is a combination travel blog and online guide to the world's greatest sites of religious interest (with some historic and recreational places thrown in for good measure). All written content has been originally researched and produced and is provided free for public research and enjoyment. Thank you for visiting!

Site of the Week

WITTENBERG CASTLE CHURCH

WITTENBERG CASTLE CHURCH

Wittenberg, Germany The … [Read More...]

Friends of TCP Spotlight

5 PLACES TO VISIT IN HISTORIC PHILADELPHIA – MUSLIM TRAVEL ROCKS

5 PLACES TO VISIT IN HISTORIC PHILADELPHIA – MUSLIM TRAVEL ROCKS

by Glory Ali The City of Brotherly Love offers tons to see and do and get this, it’s FREE. That’s right you heard it right it’s FREE. Click here for complete article  

MOVING THE U.S. EMBASSY TO JERUSALEM – FAITH IN FAITHS

MOVING THE U.S. EMBASSY TO JERUSALEM – FAITH IN FAITHS

by Mary Neuhauser President Trump recently announced his intentions to move the United States Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, thereby recognizing Jerusalem as the official capital of Israel. The purpose of this article is to give you a brief overview of what this decision means and why it matters. Click here for […]

Photo of the Week

BASILICA OF ST. DENIS

Last month, I visited one of the most fascinating churches I have ever been to, the almost completely ignored Basilica of St. Denis in the northern suburbs of Paris.  Almost every French monarch is buried here, and almost nobody goes here.  Here are some pics I took:

Basilica of St. Denis

Tomb of Clovis

Tomb of Clovis

Tombs of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette

Tombs of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette

Tomb of Louis XIV The Sun King

Tomb of Louis XIV The Sun King

Royal Tombs

Royal Tombs

The Crypt

The Crypt

 

 

 

 

Follow us!

Where would you like to go?

Africa (North) Africa (Sub-Sahara) Arabia Armenia/Azerbaijan/Georgia Australia/Pacific Austria/Switzerland Balkans Belgium/Netherlands British Isles Canada Caribbean Central Asia China Czech Republic Egypt France Germany Greece Hungary/Romania/Bulgaria India (NE)/Nepal India (NW) India (South)/Sri Lanka Iran/Iraq Israel Italy/Malta Japan/Korea Latin America Mexico Palestine Poland/Lithuania Russia Scandinavia Southeast Asia Spain/Portugal Syria/Jordan/Lebanon Turkey/Cyprus Ukraine US-California US-Mid Atlantic US-Midwest US-New England US-New York US-Pacific Northwest US-South US-Southwest

Contact Us

Have a comment, a great photo or a religious site you'd like to nominate for the weekly spotlight? We would love to hear from you. Email us at hkramer@thecompletepilgrim.com.

About the Author

Howard Kramer is the creator and author of The Complete Pilgrim. He first took an interest in religious sites in his early twenties when traveling through Italy after college. In the two decades since he has traveled to more than two dozen countries and almost every state, visiting and photographing hundreds of the world’s greatest churches, synagogues and other places of religious interest. Howard has been writing about religious sites for the better part of the last decade, and The Complete Pilgrim is the culmination of years of his work and passion.

Return to top of page
Copyright © 2023 The Complete Pilgrim, LLC || Marietta, GA 30068 || Legal Disclaimers

Website by: Kristina McInerny, Notes From Kris, Inc.