South, Toward the Other Side of the Land

We said  "goodbye" to Jerusalem today, headed down Highway 1, turned south toward Beth Shemesh, and worked our way south through the Negev. We stopped in the valley of Elah to consider the story of David and Goliath and the Battle with the Philistines under Saul. Here in the dry wadi bed we looked at the hills and considered the text as the remains of Tel Azekah looked down from close at hand.

Temple in the Judaean fortress of Arad

Back on the bus we mosed into the Negev, passing numerous small squatters' villages of Israeli Bedouin now forced into small hamlets. Camels dotted the landscape where once the biblical Patriarchs herded their flocks. We visited the site of the ancient Canaanite city of Arad and walked through the later fortress of Judah. The site included a sanctuary to Yahweh complete with an altar of unhewn stones, a room that served as a Holy Place, and an inner Holy of Holies featuring two incense altars and masseboth (standing stones) that probably represented the deity. Our sharp-eyed travelers managed to walk around and find ancient sling stone (like in the David and Goliath story!), an Early Bronze flint scraper for leather curing, and a flint sickle blade for harvesting wheat or barley--as well as innumerable pottery sherds.

We returned through Beersheva and said goodbye to our guide, Yael, whom we enjoyed immensely and will miss as much. Her insights and teaching will be a gift we carry forever.

We took the 164 mile drive down the Araba Valley south of the Dead Sea, stopped for a brief lunch, and arrived at our hotel in the heart of Eilat. The temperature was a cool 107 F. The Red Sea is visible ust blocks from the hotel. We ate a nice supper and many walked the boardwalk and shopped, ate ice cream, got a little spa treatment and enjoyed this tourist destination as shabbat (sabbath) ended at 8:30 pm and all the shops immediately. opened!

Tomorrow is a day of rest and relaxation before crossing into Jordan on Monday morning. Some will catch up on sleep, and others explore the nearby coral reefs through a mask and snorkel. We will enjoy a little relaxation after walking off more than one set of feet over the last 8 days. More then!