1. Never Been There Before!
These images are distributed with the August 2016 edition of the BiblePlaces Newsletter. They come from the collection of BiblePlaces.com and are copyrighted by Todd Bolen. Permission to use is granted for personal and educational purposes. Commercial use or re-distribution requires written permission.
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2. Kerioth, hometown of Judas Iscariot
We'll start our little journey in the south, with the site of Khirbet el-Qaryatein, identified by some as biblical Kerioth (Josh 15:25), and of greater interest to those who believe it is the hometown of Judas Iscariot. The derivation of the word “Iscariot” is not certain, but one theory is that it comes from "man" (ish) of Kerioth. If so, this would make Judas the only apostle we know that was not from Galilee. This proposal is supported by the observation that Judas’s father Simon was also called “Iscariot” (John 6:71; 13:26). This probably indicates that “Iscariot” was a place of origin name which became a family name. In addition, some NT manuscripts read "from Kerioth" in place of "Iscariot." But there are other theories, including one that Iscariot was his nickname, deriving from the Aramaic root that means “liar.” Kh. el-Qaryatein is located 12 miles (20 km) south of Hebron and 4.5 miles (7.5 km) north of Tel Arad. An alternate identification for the site is the Gibeah mentioned in Joshua 15:57. tb
Kerioth, hometown of Judas Iscariot

3. Canaanite wall of Hebron
Hebron is not so easy to visit, given the ever-present security issues. It is the only Palestinian city in the West Bank with a community of Jews living within it. I’ve visited several times, but this was my first chance to see the massive Canaanite wall on the south side of Tell er-Rumeida. It is known locally as “Giant’s Wall,” which is not a bad name considering its size. The name also recalls the fear of the Israelite spies who refused to enter the Promised Land because of the giants they saw in the land (Num 13:22, 32-33). In later years, Hebron was the capital of David’s kingdom for the first 7½ years of his rule. In recent excavations up the path to the left, archaeologists uncovered large and impressive remains of ritual baths from the first century AD. tb
Canaanite wall of Hebron

4. Location of the Praetorium Entrance
This next site is a little different, because I have in fact “visited” it countless times. For a good while, I jogged every morning along the western wall of the Old City of Jerusalem and sometimes walked by it multiple times a day. But I didn’t know the possible significance of what you can see in the photo above. Shimon Gibson excavated along this wall in the 1970s, and in his recent book The Final Days of Jesus: The Archaeological Evidence he proposes that this area was where Pilate condemned Jesus to be crucified. He reasons this on the basis of a gate discovered here that gave access to Herod’s palace (the praetorium). The two walls in the center of the photo above were on either side of a staircase that ascended to an enclosed courtyard where the crowd stood before Pilate. If this is the case, then the true Via Dolorosa began here. tb
Location of the Praetorium Entrance

5. Herodian architectural fragments on display in the Via Dolorosa Museum
Even so, you don’t want to skip the traditional Via Dolorosa, in part because of the new Via Dolorosa Museum. Located at the Monastery of the Flagellation opposite Herod’s Antonia Fortress, the museum offers a multimedia presentation centered around some impressive Herodian-period remains, including a fluted column with Ionic capital (back) and fragments of a vaulted ceiling with meander reliefs (lower left), both of which once belonged either to the Temple Mount or to the Antonia Fortress. They also have displayed a Roman inscription dedicated to Hadrian. All of this anticipates a new archaeological wing to be opened in the near future. If you can't wait, many (unlabeled) photos are online at the official website. tb
Herodian architectural fragments on display in the Via Dolorosa Museum

6. Ramah, hometown of the Prophet Samuel
It seems hardly possible that one could look at a site dozens of times, drive around it quite a few times, and even fly right next to it in an airplane, but never actually set foot on the site. Even more to the point, Ramah sits at the “crossroads” of the Central Benjamin Plateau, making it well-traveled in ancient times. But in recent decades the area has been covered by construction and I just never found my way there. What you’ll see if you climb to the summit of this hill is a cluster of old dwellings surrounding by modern apartment buildings. These houses date to much, much later than the time of Samuel, but their traditional look makes for a more interesting photograph than the high-rises or the minaret next door. The prophet Samuel made an annual circuit, returning each year to Ramah (1 Sam 7:15-17). When he died, Samuel was buried here (1 Sam 25:1), making the traditional location of his tomb at Nebi Samwil an inaccurate identification. tb
Ramah, hometown of the Prophet Samuel

7. The traditional tomb of Joseph in Shechem
The book of Genesis closes with Joseph’s request that his bones be carried out of Egypt and buried in the Promised Land (Gen 50:25). When the Israelites pulled out of Egypt, Moses remembered to pack these in his luggage on their way to Canaan (Exod 13:19). The final words of the book of Joshua record the fulfillment of this mission, with Joseph’s bones being interred in the tract of land that Jacob had purchased at Shechem (Josh 24:32). Fifty years ago, the compound surrounding the traditional tomb of Joseph sat alone in a field east of the ancient tell of Shechem. Today the area is buried in buildings, and Joseph’s tomb is walled off and sealed tight. If you happen to find the guard in the right mood, he may unlock the door and let you take a quick peek at the traditional tomb of the man who saved his family from death by famine. And, if you angle the camera just right, you can include Mount Gerizim in the photo. tb
The traditional tomb of Joseph in Shechem

8. I confess now that the reason that I chose to move from south to north was so that I could end with my favorite new place. For 25 years I've studied and taught about the “Trans-Samaria Expressway” that runs from the Jordan River and connects the three ancient capitals of Israel. And I’ve visited all three—Shechem, Tirzah, and Samaria—when the political situation has permitted. But the eastern portion of that expressway, the Wadi Farah, which connects Tirzah to the Jordan, was terra incognita to me. For many years, it wasn't considered safe to travel to Shechem, let alone north of it where no Israeli settlements are located. But this summer I finally drove the length, and the pleasure was no doubt greater because of the long “forbidden” nature of the area.
My greatest excitement, though, came from seeing this beautiful area where Abraham likely entered the Promised Land on his way to Shechem and where his grandson Jacob almost certainly traveled with his two wives and eleven sons before they settled in Shechem (Gen 12, 34). The reason we can state this with confidence is that this is the best natural route, and surely the patriarchs would have traveled through this broad valley rather than force their flocks and herds to climb unnecessarily over the mountains of Samaria. For me, retracing their steps was a highlight of my summer excursions. tb
The Wadi Farah

9. Mosaic with ship, 6th century AD, in church of Khirbet Beit Lei
The floor of the 6th century church of Khirbet Beit Lei (Beth Loya) was paved with beautiful mosaics. The most impressive scene is this ship, though later iconoclasts destroyed most of the representation of the human figures. The site is located in the southeastern Shephelah, about 4.5 miles (7.5 km) east of Lachish and about 11 miles (17 km) west of Hebron. tb
Mosaic with ship, 6th century AD, in church of Khirbet Beit Lei

10. Foundations of Herod’s palace in the Kishle excavations
Excavations beneath the former Jordanian and British and Turkish police station uncovered remains of King Herod’s palace. The superstructure in antiquity, but the new excavations provide some sense of the scale and design of the building where Jesus was put on trial before Pilate. tb
Foundations of Herod’s palace in the Kishle excavations

11. Roman amphitheater of Neapolis (biblical Shechem)
What once was a scene of Roman glory is today a Palestinian trash heap. The neglected site is located immediately beside the new ten-story shopping mall. tb
Roman amphitheater of Neapolis (biblical Shechem)

12. The Feast of the Samaritan Woman at Jacob’s Well in Shechem
Given the usual lack of tourists to Shechem (Nablus), I expected to have Jacob’s Well to myself. Instead, I had to contend with hundreds of eager pilgrims visiting on the annual feast that celebrates the Samaritan woman who embraced the Messiah here. The pilgrims were all eager to fill their cup/bottle/vessel with some of the water from the well. Fortunately for me, the priest allowed me to take a few photos after he closed the site to visitors. tb
The Feast of the Samaritan Woman at Jacob’s Well in Shechem

13. Mosaic inscribed “Our Lord JC have pity on Shiloh and its inhabitants”
This mosaic was discovered in excavations of the early church at Shiloh and provided ancient confirmation of the identity of the site. The mosaic is now displayed in the Good Samaritan Inn Museum. A replica is located in the museum at the Shiloh excavations. tb
Mosaic inscribed “Our Lord JC have pity on Shiloh and its inhabitants”

14. The Pictorial Library of Bible Lands is a collection of 17,600 high-resolution images of biblical sites and scenes. Volumes in the collection include:
Galilee and the North
Samaria and the Center
Jerusalem
Judah and the Dead Sea
Negev and the Wilderness
Jordan
Egypt
Lebanon
Eastern and Central Turkey
Western Turkey
Greece
The Greek Islands
Cyprus and Crete
Italy and Malta
Rome
Cultural Images of the Holy Land
Trees, Plants, and Flowers of the Holy Land
Signs of the Holy Land
For more information about the Pictorial Library of Bible Lands, go to: