Page 80 - Bible Geography and Near East Studies

The archeological park is fascinating and unique, as
the area has been positively identified with the age of
the biblical patriarchs and other biblical events.

Tekoa
Tekoa is about 12 miles south of Jerusalem and is
visible from the city. From this place, Joab procured a
wise woman, “who pretended to be in great affliction,
and skillfully made her case known to David.
Her address to the king was in the form of an
apologue, like that of Nathan (2 Sam 12:1-6). The
object of Joab was, by the intervention of this woman,
to induce David to bring back Absalom to Jerusalem (2 The Anatomy of a Tel
Sam. 14:2). This was also the birthplace of the Archaeologists speak of “tels,” as in “Tel Lachish,” which is pictured in
prophet Amos (Amos 1:1). the top photo here. A tel is an artificial hill, and at the same time, a
city. In ancient cultures, people built their fortified towns on top of
natural hills. When an enemy conquered that town, they would build a
Azekah new town on top of the old ruins. Today, if you want to discover the
It was the main border city of Judah. In the Bible, it is past, you’ll have to dig down through layers of civilizations, finding
clues about each town that once stood on the hill. When a winter
one of the places where the Amorite kings were storm damaged a beach-front piece of earth at Caesarea in 2012, it
defeated by Joshua, and one of the places where their was easy to see multiple layers of that city’s life. Each layer had much
army was destroyed by a hailstorm (Josh 10:10-11). It broken pottery and pieces of tile.
was given to the tribe of Judah. In the time of Saul,
the Philistines massed their forces close to here, putting forth Goliath as their champion in the Valley of
Elah. Rehoboam fortified this city along with Lachish and other strategic sites (2 Chr. 11:5-10). Both
these towns fell to the Babylonians before the overthrow of Jerusalem.

A view of the Mount of Olives from inside Jerusalem’s Old City. Bethany and
the Judean Wilderness are just over the hill.

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