Tuesday, March 20, 2012

 Welcome to Tel Bethshemesh.  You might not even remember this town, but it played a fairly important part in the ancient history of Israel.  About the time that the prophet Samuel became the prophet of Israel, the sons of Eli, Phineas and Hophni, took the ark of the covenant hoping it  would give them the advantage in a battle against the Philistines, instead the Israelites were routed and the ark of the covenant was taken by the Philistines.  After 7 very bad months of plagues and death the Philistines decided to return the ark. They crafted a new cart, attached 2 milk cows, who had never been trained to wear a yoke and placed gifts of gold with the ark and sent it on its way.  The oxen headed directly for Bethshemesh, which was a Levite city.  The Israelites gratefully received the ark, performed sacrifices and then the Lord slew 50,070 Israelites for disobediently looking into the ark of the covenant.  It was moved then to Kirath-Jearim

The place is also near the hometown of Sampson.  If you enlarge the photo you will see a white barn in the distance that is near the birthplace of Sampson or the ancient town of Zorah, as mentioned in Judges 13
 And also from the top of Tel Bethshemesh, looking west towards ancient Philistia town of Gaza, beyond the ponds is where Delilah was living when she seduced Sampson, cut his hair and delivered him into the hands of the Philistines
And we finish this session with a flock of sheep returned from a morning of grazing to the tent of their shepherd

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