Jericho
(Joshua 3:16)
Arab city in southern Jordan Valley at the junction of major north-south and east-west arteries.
Jericho is considered the oldest city in the world and the lowest on earth – 250 meters (820 feet) below sea level; the first place conquered by Joshua after crossing the Jordan.
Desert climate but abundant water sources give it the character of an oasis.
History of Jericho: Inhabited during the Mesolithic Period. One theory attributes the derivation of the name to the word moon (yare’ah) because of the cult practiced here. Another theory attributes the name to the pleasant fragrance (re’ah) of its flora.
Captured by Joshua and included in Benjamin’s tribal allotment. Mentioned several times in texts dealing with the Monarchy and Hasmoneans. It was a district center during the Roman conquest. Antony gave the city as a present to Cleopatra; Augustus Caesar returned it to Herod who built his winter palace and other buildings here. Destroyed during the Revolt against Rome but rebuilt by Hadrian. Even after the destruction of the Second Temple a Jewish community still persisted here. After the Arab conquest in the 7th century, Jews who were expelled from Arabia were settled in Jericho. It was destroyed in clashes between Moslems and Crusaders, remaining desolate until the 19th century when settlement was renewed.
Tel Jericho: Site of ancient Jericho (Tell es Sultan) northwest of the present city. Record habitation going back to prehistoric Natufian culture of 11th-9th century BCE. In 8000 BCE Neolithic Jericho was a city of 2,000 inhabitants protected by fortifications.
In the many excavations on the site, finds include a round tower from pre-pottery Neolithic Period, tombs from the Chalcolithic Period, walls from Early and Middle Bronze Ages and later periods. These walls may have in fact been the ones destroyed by Joshua’s trumpet blasts, since destroyed sections have been unearthed sedative-meds.com no traces of battle damage.
Spring of Elisha: At foot of Tel Jericho is a spring (Arabic: Ein es Sultan) whose waters Elisha miraculously purified (II Kings 2:22).
Herod’s winter palaces were discovered west of the present city on both banks of Wadi Qilt. Palaces from the Hasmonean Period and Herod’s time on site called Tulul Abu Ala’iq. On south bank remains of one palace were found with garden and pool alongside it. On north bank remains of a second palace were found; it contains a magnificent bathhouse. The two palaces were protected by a fortress called Cypros after Herod’s mother. Recently, remains were found of a third magnificent palace northeast of the first palace.
Tell es Samrat: Remains of a large cemetery and hippodrome.
Remains of the synagogue: Within Jericho a mosaic floor from a 6th century synagogue was found. Depictions include: Ark of the Law, underneath a seven-branched menorah, and at the sides a lulav and shofar. Below is a Hebrew inscription: “peace upon Israel.”
Khirbet el Mafjar: Three km. to the north are remains of a Byzantine city and of an 8th-century Arab Umayyad palace.
