Today we begin Joshua Chapter Two.
To read the Complete Jewish Bible, click here.
To read the King James version, click here.
Alrighty folks, we’ve just entered one of the most exciting parts of the Bible: the battle of Jericho and how a Canaanite prostitute named Rahab was transformed into a Biblical hero.
About two years ago when I visited Israel with some friends, we drove past the city of Jericho on our way to the Dead Sea.
Unfortunately, this territory is now controlled by local Arabs, so it can be a bit dangerous to venture out into that territory especially if you’re from the West.
I heard that about 15 years ago, the whole area was a thriving tourist site but not so much any more.
If one does dare to venture out into that region, it is possible to look down upon the walls of this ancient city.
Most of the walls have collapsed but some are still standing.
I have heard that for those who have visited Jericho, it stands second only to the “Old City” of Jerusalem in terms of the list of inspiring places to visit in Israel.
Here are some interesting facts about this ancient site.
First, many scholars believe that Jericho existed before God destroyed the world with the Great Flood.
And as is typical with many ancient cities, Jericho has been destroyed and rebuilt over and over again many times.
Another interesting fact is that Jericho is literally the lowest city on planet.
Exactly how low is it?
We’re talking about a whopping 800 feet below sea level.
It’s about a 2-hour walk from the Jordan River and located about 6 miles north of the Dead Sea.
This is a true ancient relic from history.
The walls that one can go and see today are about 3500 years old.
But the walls buried under those walls are about 5000 years old.
And it doesn’t end there.
When we dig down even deeper, we’ll discover stone structures that according to archeologists date back 10,000 years or more.
After the Israelites destroyed Jericho, the city was deserted until around the 8th century B.C.
But after that, as I mentioned the city was…
…rebuilt and abandoned…
…and rebuilt and abandoned…
…over and over again…
…pretty much up until our modern times.
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