Beth Shean, Israel
“The next day, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, they found Saul and his three sons fallen on Mount Gilboa… They put his armor in the temple of Ashtaroth, and they fastened his body to the wall of Beth Shan”. 1 Samuel 31:8-10
Beth Shean (also known as Sycthopolis in the Roman New Testament era) is located at the area where the Jordan River Valley and the Jezreel Valley meet - linking it to the ancient International Highway and the Kings Highway. It is an area with unusually plentiful water and a high acropolis with views of the Jordan Valley and the mountains to the east and a stunning view of the archeological site below. All of these features made it an ideal site for a city. Archeology has found evidence of over 6,000 years of occupation and at least 18 settlement levels. The direct Biblical connection to this city is from the Old Testament where we hear that Saul’s humiliation was complete when his dead body was hung on the wall of the city. The New Testament connection is that this is the perfect place to envision the decapolis cities and the influence of the Romans. The decapolis cities would have completely dwarfed the typical Jewish towns and villages. It truly is a miracle that Christianity grew and thrived in such an environment.
Beth Shean, Israel
