Page 88 - Bible Geography and Near East Studies - Textbook w videos short

Bethsaida
Bethsaida was the birthplace of Peter, Andrew, and Philip. Jesus
visited this city quite often (Matt. 11:23-23, Mark 6: 45-53).
There were two places in Israel given this name. One was on the
western side of the Sea of Galilee, a short distance north of
Capernaum. The other was a city located on the east side of the
lake, east of Capernaum. It was originally a fishing village, but
was enlarged by Philip the tetrarch and named Julias, in honor of
Julia, daughter of Augustus. It was near this city, probably on the
hillside at the southeastern side of the city, that the Lord fed
5,000 men, plus women and children (Luke 9:10-17). A blind man
was given his sight close to Bethsaida (Mark 8:22).

Chorazin (Korazim)
This was an ancient village 2
½ miles from Capernaum on a hill above the northern shore of the
Sea of Galilee. Here Jesus performed mighty works, healing
perhaps hundreds of sick. In spite of his works, the people of
Chorazin rejected Him as Messiah and were subsequently cursed
(Matt 11:20-24). The Gospels make no other mention of Chorazin or what works had occurred there. It
was not long after that Chorazin ceased to exist. It is now the site of a National Archaeological Park.
The town’s ruins are spread over an area of 25 acres with a synagogue in the center. Picture is ancient
synagogue in Chorazin (By Lev.Tsimbler - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0,
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=43433994)

Tabgha
This is an area on the northwestern shore of the Sea of Galilee. It is traditionally accepted as the place
where Jesus fed the 5000 and the fourth resurrection appearance of Jesus (John 21:1-24) after his
crucifixion.

Magdala

One of the most important women in the Bible was Mary of Magdala, or “Mary Magdalene.” Her village
was accurately identified by archaeologists only in recent years.

In 2009, as workers carefully excavated the synagogue of Magdala, the “Magdala Stone” was uncovered
(photo, right). The stone was used as a “bema,” or place where the Torah scrolls were laid as the
synagogue leader read passages of Scripture. Carvings on the stone depicted the oldest images ever
found of the Second Temple in Jerusalem.

Magdala held a prime position on the Sea of Galilee, just under the slopes of Mt. Arbel. In part because
it was a major fishing port with a ready supply of small boats, Magdala became the headquarters for a
small navy during Israel’s short-lived revolution against Rome about 40 years after Jesus lived.
A mudslide from Arbel covered the village near the end of the first century, leaving it to modern-day
archaeologists to rediscover its secrets.

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