Aswan, Egypt The Israelite Temple on Elephantine Isle in the south of Egypt is one of the least known and most poorly understood important Jewish monuments in the world. From the time of the destruction of Solomon’s Temple in 586 BC until its reconstruction, the Elephantine Temple was a critical center of Jewish religious life and priestly activity. The origins of the Temple … [Read more...]
TOMB OF ISAIAH
Jerusalem, Israel Isaiah was the great Prophet of the City of Jerusalem. He lived there, worked there and, according to both Jewish and Christian tradition, was martyred there. The sites of both his martyrdom and his tomb are located on the Silwan side of the Kidron Valley south of the City of David. However, both of these locations are based on Christian tradition, and … [Read more...]
ELIJAH’S CAVE
Haifa, Israel Elijah’s Cave on the slopes of Mount Carmel has been revered by Jews, Christians and Muslims for millennia. The great Prophet Elijah spent several years of his ministry residing in this cave, sometimes taking refuge from his enemies, sometimes taking refuge from his crowds of devotees. Several Jewish and Christian traditions suggest that this cave may play a … [Read more...]
ANCIENT NINEVEH & TOMB OF JONAH
Mosul, Iraq Ancient Nineveh was the capital city of Assyria, the world’s first truly massive empire. At its height, the Assyrian Empire stretched from Persia in the east to Egypt in the west. It is not surprising that Nineveh played a significant role in the history of the ancient Israelites. The most significant interaction came when the Assyrians conquered the Northern … [Read more...]
ANCIENT SAMARIA
Sebastia, Palestine Samaria was an oddity among the ancient cities of Israel. Unlike the countless other villages and small cities in its immediate vicinity, it never boasted a significant Israelite population, or even a noteworthy Canaanite population, prior to the division of the kingdom. And yet in the period following the separation of Israel from Judea, Samaria soared … [Read more...]
LAND OF SHEBA
Several Locations, Ethiopia & Yemen Of all of the foreign lands associated with ancient Israel, none are as mysterious or exotic as fabled Sheba. From its location to its people to the numerous legends tying this realm to the Israelites, the riddles of Sheba have been slowly unraveling in the modern nations of Ethiopia and Yemen. From Axum to Ma’rib, stories persist of … [Read more...]
KING SOLOMON’S MINES
Timna, Israel According to Biblical tradition, Solomon was the wealthiest king in the history of ancient Israel. While the true source of his riches almost certainly lay in Israel’s control of key trade routes in the region, hints in the Bible have led to the speculation that somewhere there existed a mine or mines which may have been a major source of Israel’s wealth. This … [Read more...]
CEDAR GROVES OF LEBANON
Becharre, Lebanon In the midst of the Holy Land’s countless venerated mountains, deserts, ruins and tombs, it is perhaps fair that there are at least a few sacred places that celebrate life. If there is any such place representative of the early kingdoms period, it is the fabled Cedar Groves of Lebanon. The cedar trees of Lebanon are mentioned many times in the Bible, most … [Read more...]
EARLY JERUSALEM & THE FIRST TEMPLE
Jerusalam, Israel The city of Jerusalem is the most sacred place in Judaism. It is impossible to overstate the religious importance of the place where the Great Temple of Israel once stood. So great does Jerusalem loom in the memories of all of the descendents of Abraham that its sanctity extends deep into the Christian and Muslim faiths as well. But it was first and … [Read more...]
CITY OF DAVID & THE ROYAL TOMBS
Jerusalam, Israel The city of Jerusalem is the most sacred place in Judaism. It is impossible to overstate the religious importance of the place where the Great Temple of Israel once stood. So great does Jerusalem loom in the memories of all of the descendents of Abraham that its sanctity extends deep into the Christian and Muslim faiths as well. But it was first and … [Read more...]
