Between Zorah and Eshtaol

And the Spirit of the LORD began to move him at times in the camp of Dan between Zorah and Eshtaol.

Judges 13:25

This was Samson's old stomping grounds. Between the villages of Zorah and Eshtaol was where God dealt with Samson. When Samson died, "his brethren and all the house of his father came down, and took him, and brought him up, and buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol" (Judges 16:31).

Who but God knows all the events that transpired in Samson's life between "Zorah and Eshtaol?" 

Masada

Strangely enough, although Masada is one of Israel's better known archaeological sites, we have never been atop this fortress. I know you need most of a day to get there and tour it. We've never seemed to have that much time to see one site. 

I'll blog about Masada again if we ever get a chance to visit it. But this I know from traveling on the highway near it: Masada would have been a brutal place to live. It is hot, dry and remote. Not my idea of a relaxing mountain retreat, regardless of how many opulent baths and saunas Herod had up there!

Lot's Wife

But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.

Genesis 19:26 

Remember Lot’s wife.

Luke 17:32

In Israel, overlooking the Dead Sea, is Mount Sodom, comprised almost entirely of rock salt. A portion of it broke away and created a rock formation strikingly similar to a woman. 

We took this photo in the dark of night. Our flash provided enough illumination to see the pillar. We know that this is not Lot's wife, but what a sobering reminder that God is not just a God of love but also of judgment.  

Metsad Zohar

This is Metsad Zohar, or "Zohar Stronghold." ("Metsad" means "stronghold.")

This is one of those sites that there is frustratingly little information about. I have looked in every book I have about Israel and searched online and have come up with more questions than answers.

How did this canyon-type settlement get its name? Who lived here and when? What drew people to settle here?

The only fragment of information I found said that there are two ancient fortresses here, one Israelite-era and the other Roman. 

Metsad Zohar is a site in a dry canyon near the intersection of Highways 31 and 90. It seemed odd to me to be looking down at an ancient site. Most archaeological sites in Israel are located on the top of tels, high mounds that you have to climb up to. 

There was greenery near a pool of water, starkly contrasted against the brownness of the landscape, indicating a spring of water that would have made it possible for people to live here. In this dry, inhospitable Negev Desert, water was equivalent with life. 

So many unanswered questions are a reminder that previous generations did not carefully document their life stories and leave them in airtight time capsules for our convenience!

Old Man and the Sea

It was late and we were hungry. We had been in Tel Aviv ministering to a group of people. We found Old Man and the Sea in the Old Jaffa Port. It is an Arabic restaurant. 

The meal began with many small bowls of "salads" - and graduated to include a fish called Dennis. (Ironically, it is not pronounced like the man's name Dennis but more like the woman's name Doniece.)

We first ate Dennis at the Darna Village Hostel in Aqaba, Jordan, where we were assured that it was a "very good…very famous fish." We decided that it was not so famous with us after we spent most of the meal picking bones out of our mouth. It was the boniest fish we'd ever eaten!

We ordered Dennis again at Old Man and the Sea because the server called it by another name. After we began to eat it and found it terribly similar to our experience in Aqaba, we asked the server, "Is this dennis?" 

"Yes, yes. Dennis!" he enthusiastically replied. 

It was a deja vu experience we hope to never repeat. Oh well, at least the "salads" were tasty!

Route 6

If you tour Israel in your own rented vehicle (as opposed to bus tours) you will probably find yourself on Route 6 at some point. It is the main north-south artery in Israel. It is the only toll road in the country, I think. For getting somewhere fast, Route 6 is the way to go. You'll think you are on a U.S. Interstate Highway!

Valley of Ayalon

Then spake Joshua to the LORD in the day when the LORD delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel, Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon; and thou, Moon, in the valley of Ajalon.

Joshua 10:12

 

I have already blogged about the Valley of Ayalon, but these photos are helpful to give perspective to the width and length of this famous valley. A railway bridge cuts through these fields, which were cotton, I think.

Bridge of Strings

 I like it. This artistic bridge is also sometimes called the Chords Bridge. It was designed to symbolize King David's Harp. This rail and pedestrian bridge now features prominently in Jerusalem's landscape.

It is a 246 million shekel (equivalent to about 70 million dollars) architectural achievement that some say was unnecessary. I guess I might think it was rather extravagant also if it had been my tax dollars funding its construction!