Benjamin Field Trip

Hey everybody!

Yesterday we embarked on our Benjamin field trip at 7:30am sharp. It was poor weather when we started, rainy and cold. Beginning at Kiriath-Jearim, where the ark of the covenant rested for 120 years, we made our way west to Gezer. Gezer was a very strategic location in ancient times, serving as a major traffic from the west towards the Central Benjamin Plateau. Of the famous Amarna letters, correspondence between the kings of the Land Between and the Pharaoh of Egypt, the origen of ten belong to the city of Gezer. Out of all the southern cities, Solomon saw it fit to make in Gezer his only fortifications.

Tel-Gezer is a place of much archaeological activity, yielding many fascinating discoveries. One interesting item we saw upon arrival was a replica of the Gezer calendar. This find was made 100 years ago by RAS McCalister. It probably served like an erasable slate - what was still on it upon discovery was a poem about the seasons, the harvests, and so it serves as a "calendar" of sorts. This artifact is dated to around 10th century B.C.

Next we viewed a Canaanite period (1500 BC) tower and water system (several of us climbed down into the remaing hole), and continuing around the tel to the south side, we learned about the Solomonic gate which was found. It had a 3-chambered gate, and casemate walls (walls with storage rooms inside). Solomon recieved Gezer as a wedding gift upon marrying Pharaoh's dauhter. It was neat to see this wall, with the surrounding green hills and light rain. It had been recently cleared of brush and weeds, so visibility was high.

We walked on through the gate, over the hill until we reached the remains of an ancient "High Place", "Standing Stones" as warned against in Leviticus 26. Originally 10 stones, only a handful remain as a vivid reminder of idolatrous foolishness.

Having finished with our tour of Tel-Gezer, we returned to the bus. Normally, the bus parks up on the paved road, and we hike down to the tel. Raji, our Arab bus driver, happened to be the adventurous type, and drove down the steep slope to the tel. We were excited for the lift, but when we were almost back to the top - no good. Raji did his best, and we did what we could by filling the road with rocks and branches, but the bus wouldn't climb. We gave up and turned around, deciding to try another route. Long story short - after pushing the bus out of the mud at least three times, it eventually sank in the mud, and we parted ways with Raji and hiked a long ways through the mud to where another bus would come to pick us up. My favorite quote was "Mud is what memories are made of!"

After knocking the mud off of our shoes and pants and everything else, we ate lunch while we waited for the bus to come. Here we had a very awkward lecture concerning the city of Emmaus. I'm sure we were a crazy sight for all the passerby!

From here, we made our way to Nebi-Samwil, the traditional (yet inaccurate) place of the prophet Samuel's tomb. We climbe atop a large structure where we could see and understand the cities so important to the region, including Gibeon, Ramah, Gibeah, Mizpah, and others. Such a view combined with the mentioning of the stories of the area really made it all come together in my mind.

We then loaded back on the bus and made our way to Jericho. We eventually followed the TOE ridge - a steep, winding route through the wilderness which eventually arrives at Jericho. The view was breathtaking, even through the tinted bus windows. Bedouin camped along the way with their sheep added even more color to the scene. At one point, I was even able to spot an empty sheep "fold", circular with an entryway blocked off with thorns and wire.

Jericho was not at all as I had pictured it, so it is a good thing that we went there. The tel is much smaller than you would expect, but when you take in the surrounding geography, so much makes sense. Looking out toward the east?, you can see all of the tel, surrounded by the modern city, and beyond that you can see the plains of Moab and the Mounains now in Jordan. Standing on the tel, looking back west?, you can see the rocky cliffs in which the spies hid upon their deliverance by Rahab. The tel itself is a bit confusing, but remains of civilization are clearly evident, and the finds match the biblical description of Jericho's destruction. We read the story sitting on the tel looking toward the plains and the mountains - it was a once in a lifetime experience that we will never forget.

After leaving the tel, we stopped by a sycamore tree in "downtown" Jericho, and then on the way out of the area we saw a part of Herod's favorite palace, the one in which he spent the last moments of his life. There were some shepherd boys chucking rocks at their goats, and it reminded me of Jahuara Viejo in Sinaloa, MX.

We made our exit by way of the Ascent of Adummim, and once again the stories came alive upon seeing the reality of the route, the treacherous way by which many men have fled for their lifes, and where the story of a life saved by kindness is likely set (the story of the "good Samaritan"). Our last stop was to view the Wadi-Kilt - and what a view it was. The monastery built in the wall of the cliff, sun setting in the background, Todd's awe-inspiring profile silloueted against the evening sky...(Ok, maybe not.) Analee and I both agree that it was the coolest part of the day, as far as setting is concerned - the view and tranquility of the spot was a great way to cap off the Benjamin field trip. After a few cookies and some photos (we couldn't pass up the great "couple pics" moment), we loaded up and headed for the moshav...home away from home.

Dan