Tag Archives: Moab

Visualizing Isaiah 15-16: the fords of the Arnon in Moab

Posted on February 24, 2014 | 1 comment

When the prophets of ancient Israel pointed out the coming judgment of God upon the Israelites they typically pointed out that their enemies had already, or were going to, face the same judgment. This applied not only to the major powers such as Assyrian, Babylon, or Egypt, but also smaller powers that lived closer. It included Syria (Damascus), the Philistines, Moab, Edom, and the Ammonites. When Judah is being addressed there will be also a reference to Israel (Ephraim, Samaria).

Chapter 15 begins “an oracle concerning Moab.” We have, in previous posts, mentioned many of the Moabite towns. I think you can use the search box and locate photos of Dibon, Nebo, Medeba (Madaba), Elealeh, and Kir-hareseth. Isaiah mentions the daughters of Moab fleeing across the Arnon.

Like fleeing birds, like a scattered nest, so are the daughters of Moab at the fords of the Arnon. (Isaiah 16:2 ESV)

We commonly think of the Arnon River (or gorge) serving as the dividing line between Moab (to the south) and Ammon (to the north). However, you will notice that most of the towns mentioned above are north of the Arnon. The boundary changed throughout Biblical history. At the time of Isaiah the boundary certainly includes cities north of the Arnon.

The Arnon River is shown on this map. BibleAtlas.org.

The Arnon River is shown on this map. BibleAtlas.org.

The Arnon is now known as the Wadi el-Mujib in Jordan. It was not an easy one to cross in ancient times.  The river served as a major barrier for north-south travel. A modern road runs through it today. The river flows from East to West where it empities into the Dead Sea. The locals now refer to this as the “Grand Canyon of Jordan.”

The Arnon gorge in Transjordan. View south. Photo by Ferrell Jenkins.

The Arnon gorge in Transjordan. View south. Photo by Ferrell Jenkins.

From this point the river flows west about 13 miles till it reaches the Dead Sea. A modern road now runs along the Dead Sea, and a small dam has been constructed to help control the water when it fills the gorge.

The Arnon River immediately before flowing into the Dead Sea. Photo by Ferrell Jenkins.

The Arnon River immediately before flowing into the Dead Sea. View east. Photo by Ferrell Jenkins.

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Posted in Bible Lands, Bible Places, Bible Study, Israel, Jordan, Old Testament, Photography, Travel

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Scenes around Tell Ḥesbân (Heshbon)

Posted on December 10, 2013 | Leave a comment

The photo below was made from the top of Tell Ḥesbân in Transjordan. It provides us a view of the general area of Moab during the period of the United Kingdom of Israel, and the Divided Kingdoms of Israel and Judah.

Sheepfold on the slope of Tell Ḥesbân. View of territory of Moab. Photo by Ferrell Jenkins.

Sheepfold on the slope of Tell Ḥesbân. View of territory of Moab. Photo by Ferrell Jenkins.

There are several biblical references to the sheepfold, or the fold of the sheep (Jeremiah 50:6; Micah 2:12; John 10:1, 16). Jesus used an illustration involving the sheepfold:

Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. (John 10:1-2 ESV)

We associate the land of Moab with Ruth the grandmother of King David.

So Naomi returned, and with her Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter-in-law, who returned from the land of Moab. And they came to Bethlehem at the beginning of barley harvest. (Ruth 1:22)

I find it fascinating that the modern locals pick up on the ancient names in order to attract the tourists who visit the area. At Madaba, about six miles south of Ḥesbân, there is a small hotel named Mo’ab Land Hotel. How appropriate.

The Moab Land Hotel in Madaba, Jordan. Photo by Ferrell Jenkins.

The Moab Land Hotel in Madaba, Jordan. Photo by Ferrell Jenkins.

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If not Tell Ḥesbân, where is Heshbon?

Posted on December 9, 2013 | 1 comment

If Tell Ḥesbân is not biblical Heshbon, then the pool uncovered by S. H. Horn is likely not the pool mentioned in Song of Solomon 7:4.

If Tell Ḥesbân is not biblical Heshbon, then where is biblical Heshbon?

A sign at Tell Ḥesbân, erected by the excavators, lists evidence of occupation during the following periods:

  • Ajarmah [local tribe] village – ca. AD 1870-present
  • Ottoman Village
  • Mamuluk Regional capital – AD 1260-1500
  • Abbasid pilgrim rest. – AD 750-1260
  • Umayyad market town – AD 650-750
  • Byzantine Ecclesiastical center – ca. AD 350-650
  • Roman temple town – ca. 63 BC – AD 350
  • Hellenistic fortress – ca. 198 BC – 63 BC
  • Ammonite citadel – ca. 900 – 500 BC
  • Proto Ammonite village – ca. 1200 – 900 BC
  • Traditional Ammorite Stronghold.
Roman steps and market area at Tell Ḥesbân. Photo by Ferrell Jenkins.

Roman steps and market area at Tell Ḥesbân. Photo by Ferrell Jenkins.

Remember that we are looking for a town of Moab, and there is no evidence of the Moabites at Tell Ḥesbân.

Because not every reader of this blog speaks Bronze Age and Iron Age, I think I should list the general dates of these archaeological periods (following J. A. Thompson, The Biblical World (ed. Charles Pfeiffer).

  • Early Bronze (EB) — ca. 3200 – 2100 BC
  • Middle Bronze (MB) — ca. 2100 – 1550 BC – period of the Patriarchs
  • Late Bronze (LB) — ca. 1550 – 1200 BC – period of Moses, the Exodus, and the Conquest
  • Iron I — ca. 1200 – 900 BC – period of the Judges & the United Kingdom
  • Iron II — ca. 900 – 600 BC – period of the Divided Kingdom
  • Iron III — ca. 600 – 300 BC – period of Exile and Return
  • Hellenistic (Grecian) — ca. 300 – 63 BC – Between the Testaments
  • Roman — ca. 63 BC – AD 323 – New Testament & early Christian period

We are looking for a city belonging to the period of Moses, the Exodus, and the Conquest (the Late Bronze archaeological period). [*see note below]

After the disappointment at Tell Ḥesbân, those associated with Horn formed the Madaba Plains Project in order to continue the search for Heshbon. One of the great things about Todd Bolen’s Pictorial Library of Bible Lands is the fact that many of the photos include brief documentation with the photos. With one of the Tell Ḥesbân photos he says,

After this disappointing series of digs, the Madaba Plains Project was formed and the search for Heshbon continued.  Four Late Bronze sites were found within a 6 mile (10 km) radius of Tel Hesban; Tel Jalul is the biggest and thus the most promising site. Tel Jalul is the largest site in Jordan south of Amman.
Three possibilities exist for the location of biblical Heshbon: Tel Hesban, Tel el-Umeiri, and Tel Jalul. Hesban preserves the name, which makes it a good candidate, but it lacks archaeological evidence.
The PLBL collection includes photos of all of these places. The Institute of Archaeology Siegfried H. Horn Museum at Andrews University maintains a helpful web site that includes information about the Madaba Plains Project here.
Byzantine church at Tel Hesban. Photo by Ferrell Jenkins.

Byzantine church at Tel Hesban. Photo by Ferrell Jenkins.

The photo above shows the ruins of the Byzantine church at Tell Ḥesbân. Tel Jalul may be seen in the distance. Look for the long, plain “hill”, on the top of the hill on the far left of the photo.
Added Note: In the original post I stated that “We are looking for a city belonging to the period of the Patriarchs (the Late Bronze archaeological period).” A friend called my attention to the oversight. The chart above shows that the period of the Patriarchs is the Middle Bronze Age. I should have said, as now corrected above, that “We are looking for a city belonging to the period of Moses, the Exodus, and the Conquest (the Late Bronze archaeological period).”

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Posted in Archaeology, Bible Places, Bible Study, Church History, Israel, Jordan, Old Testament, Photography, Travel

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The topography of Kir-hareseth

Posted on July 9, 2013 | 4 comments

Kir-hareseth figures prominently in a story recorded in 2 Kings 3. After the death of Ahab (853 B.C.), Mesha, king of Moab, rebelled against the king of Israel. Jehoram (or Joram; 852–841 B.C.), the king of Israel, did not want to give up the tribute that Mesha had been paying Israel. Jehoram prepared for war and convinced Jehoshaphat (870/69–848 B.C.), king of Judah, to join him to engage Mesha in war. They  decided to take the long, circuitous wilderness route. They would go south of the Dead Sea and approach Moab from the south through Edom.

In the map below you see that Kir-hareseth (site of Karak or Kerak, Jordan) sits only a few miles from the desert and the ancient King’s Highway. The famous Karak Crusader castle provides a view to the west toward the Dead Sea.

Location of Kir-hareseth, modern Kerak in Jordan.

Location of Kir-hareseth, modern Karak in Jordan.

Notice that a valley runs northeasterly from Kir-hareseth to the Dead Sea. Remember that the Dead Sea would be dry south of the Lisan (tongue) except for water that is pumped from the north. In the photos below we can see how this area looks today.

Kerak castle from the west side of the ridge on which it stands. Photo by Ferrell Jenkins.

Karak castle from the west side of the ridge on which it stands. Photo by Ferrell Jenkins.

When we travel down the valley toward the Dead Sea, we can turn back toward the east to see Karak castle on the far right of the ridge. Click on the photo for a larger view.

View from the valley below Kir-hareseth. The view is to the east. Photo by Ferrell Jenkins.

View to the east from the valley below Kir-hareseth. Photo by Ferrell Jenkins.

In the next photo we turn to look down the valley toward the Dead Sea (to the west).

View toward the west from below the Kerak castle. Photo by Ferrell Jenkins.

View toward the west from below the Karak castle. Photo by Ferrell Jenkins.

After the king of Moab offered his oldest son on the wall of the city, the Israelites departed and returned home.

Then he took his oldest son who was to reign in his place and offered him for a burnt offering on the wall. And there came great wrath against Israel. And they withdrew from him and returned to their own land. (2 Kings 3:27 ESV)

The valley we have shown above would be the most natural route to take back to Israel. Kir-hareseth is almost 3000 feet above sea level; the Dead Sea is about 1300 feet below sea level. Highway 50 follows the valley and dead ends at highway 65 which runs north-south along the east side of the Dead Sea.

Understanding the topography of an event helps a lot.

Karak castle plays a role in the 2005 movie Kingdom of Heaven. I found it fascinating because I had been to many of the Crusader sites mentioned in it.

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