JOSHUA’S ALTAR,
JACOB’S WELL
&
JOSEPH’S TOMB
001.jpg
Google aerial showing Shechem, Askar, Jacob’s Well, Joseph’s Tomb, Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim. Joshua’s Altar is farther to the north.
PART ONE
JOSHUA’S ALTAR
JACOB’S WELL
&
JOSEPH’S TOMB
001.jpg
Google aerial showing Shechem, Askar, Jacob’s Well, Joseph’s Tomb, Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim. Joshua’s Altar is farther to the north.
PART ONE
JOSHUA’S ALTAR
002.jpg Drawing of the Israelites carrying the coffin with Joseph’s bones into the valley between Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal.
003.jpg
Mount Ebal, angular view looking west, with Jacob’s Well, Joseph’s Tomb in the foreground, and Joshua’s Altar on the northern face of the mountain.
Then Joshua built an altar unto the LORD God of Israel in mount Ebal, As Moses the servant of the LORD commanded the children of Israel, as it is written in the book of the law of Moses, an altar of whole stones, over which no man hath lift up any iron: and they offered thereon burnt offerings unto the LORD, and sacrificed peace offerings. And he wrote there upon the stones a copy of the law of Moses, which he wrote in the presence of the children of Israel. (Joshua 8:30-32)
004.jpg Adam Zertal ( 1936 – October 18, 2015) was injured in the 1973 Yom Kippur War, was hospitalized for twelve months, and since then has to walk with crutches.
In 1978 Adam Zertal, professor of archaeology at the University of Haifa, began an archaeological survey of the regions occupied by the tribe of Manasseh, a task that was expected to last twelve years.
In 1980 he began to survey Mount Ebal. Among his earlier finds were several heaps of stones with no significant historical value. On April 6 he and his team found another heap on the northeastern face of the mountain. It was larger than the others, but this one had several scraps of pottery fragments dating to Iron Age 1 (about 1220-1000 B.C.) The next two years were spent raising funds for further expeditions to the site. 1982-1984 saw several trips to the site to excavate the stone heap.
005.jpg The stone heap found by Adam Zertal, before excavation.
Beneath the stones they found several structures. The central structure, made of uncut stone cemented together, was a rectangle measuring 25'x30' on the exterior. Its walls were nine feet high and five feet thick, and had no entrance. Adjoining the structure on the southwest are two small courtyards outlined by rock walls. Between the two courtyards is a rock ramp three feet wide, 23 feet long, with a 22 degree incline leading to the top of the central structure. The central structure contained several layers of earth, rock, pottery fragments and animal bones. The bones were later taken to a zoological laboratory where they were determined to be male sheep, goats, bulls and deer, mostly burnt in open-flame fires at low temperatures. But what were these structures? It was an unlikely place for a watchtower. The scarcity of domestic pottery ruled out its being a house.
007.jpg Enhanced color view of the structure after excavation
It wasn’t until October, 1983 that David Etam, a visiting archaeologist, suggested an idea, a paradigm shift: Instead of looking at the structure, look to the fill material for clues. It was an altar of sacrifice! But was it Joshua’s altar?
009.jpg Illustration of how the altar probably looked.
011.jpg A reconstruction of the altar, at Garden of Biblical Samaria, located at Eshal Hashomron. The human figure is disproportionately large in comparison to the structure's actual size.
It fit the Biblical description of what God commanded, made of unhewn stones cemented together. It was square and had a ramp rather than steps leading to it. Goats, bulls and sheep were used for sacrifices to the God of the Israelites. Although deer aren’t, they are considered ceremonially clean animals. It was odd that it was on the northeast side of the mountain, facing away from the valley between Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim where the Israelites gathered together.
We read in the Old Testament about the beginning of construction of Solomon’s temple,
And it came to pass in the four hundred and eightieth year after the children of Israel were come out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon's reign over Israel, in the month Zif, which is the second month, that he began to build the house of the LORD. (1 Kings 6:1)
There are reasons to support this date. For example, the clay tablets containing letters to Pharaoh Akhetaten from Canaanite cities asking for military help against the invading Hapirus. Evidence of destruction at Jericho and Hazor dating around 1400 BC.
But several doubts have been raised by scholars, even by conservative Christian scholars, about those words in bold type. Egyptian and Canaanite history (such as the absence of an Egyptian military presence in Canaan) suggest an exodus and conquest of Canaan in the 1200s BC. Archaeology suggests many cities had been destroyed at this time. Josephus and several church fathers seem either unaware of this phrase, or quote the verse without the boldface text. The loosely-translated Septuagint has a different number altogether. Was it missing from the Hebrew Scriptures of their day?
What about the chronology of the Book of Judges. The years of the judges add up to at least 306 years. But are they end-to-end or overlapping?
There are many supporters on both sides. And strong historical, archaeological and Scriptural arguments for both sides.
After excavating the layers of debris in the altar, Adam Zertal found something else: another stone structure, somewhat older. It too was made of uncut stone and cemented together, a circular structure 6.5 feet in diameter. It definitely predates the upper structure, but by how much? Some have argued that this circular structure may date back to the 1400s BC, and maybe this, and not the upper structure, is the true altar of Joshua.
THE MOUNTAIN OF BLESSINGS AND
THE MOUNTAIN OF CURSINGS
012.jpgTHE MOUNTAIN OF CURSINGS
Angular Google view of the amphitheater.
013.jpg Photograph of the amphitheater taken from above Mount Gerizim.
014.jpg View of Mount Gerizim to the left, Mount Ebal on the right, and Nabulus in the valley between the mountains. In the immediate foreground are remains of Shechem.
And it shall be on the day when ye shall pass over Jordan unto the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, that thou shalt set thee up great stones, and plaister them with plaister: And thou shalt write upon them all the words of this law, when thou art passed over, that thou mayest go in unto the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, a land that floweth with milk and honey; as the LORD God of thy fathers hath promised thee. Therefore it shall be when ye be gone over Jordan, that ye shall set up these stones, which I command you this day, in mount Ebal, and thou shalt plaister them with plaister. And there shalt thou build an altar unto the LORD thy God, an altar of stones: thou shalt not lift up any iron tool upon them. Thou shalt build the altar of the LORD thy God of whole stones: and thou shalt offer burnt offerings thereon unto the LORD thy God: And thou shalt offer peace offerings, and shalt eat there, and rejoice before the LORD thy God. And thou shalt write upon the stones all the words of this law very plainly. And Moses and the priests the Levites spake unto all Israel, saying, Take heed, and hearken, O Israel; this day thou art become the people of the LORD thy God. Thou shalt therefore obey the voice of the LORD thy God, and do his commandments and his statutes, which I command thee this day. And Moses charged the people the same day, saying, These shall stand upon mount Gerizim to bless the people, when ye are come over Jordan; Simeon, and Levi, and Judah, and Issachar, and Joseph, and Benjamin: And these shall stand upon mount Ebal to curse; Reuben, Gad, and Asher, and Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali. And the Levites shall speak, and say unto all the men of Israel with a loud voice, Cursed be the man that maketh any graven or molten image, an abomination unto the LORD, the work of the hands of the craftsman, and putteth it in a secret place. And all the people shall answer and say, Amen.... (Deuteronomy 27:2-15)
And all Israel, and their elders, and officers, and their judges, stood on this side the ark and on that side before the priests the Levites, which bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD, as well the stranger, as he that was born among them; half of them over against mount Gerizim, and half of them over against mount Ebal; as Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded before, that they should bless the people of Israel. And afterward he read all the words of the law, the blessings and cursings, according to all that is written in the book of the law. There was not a word of all that Moses commanded, which Joshua read not before all the congregation of Israel, with the women, and the little ones, and the strangers that were conversant among them. (Joshua 8:33-35)
In the valley between Mount Ebal to the north and Mount Gerizim to the south is one such cwm.
Mount Ebal, to the north, is the higher and steeper of the two mountains. It is dry, barren and rocky. To its south is Mount Gerizim, covered with trees and fountains.
God commanded through Moses that when the people entered into the promised land, they were to gather into two groups on the sides of the two mountains. The altar of unhewn stone was to be built on Mount Ebal and a sacrifice was to be made to the Lord. Then from Mount Gerizim the priest would shout to the people about the Lord’s promises of blessing for obedience. Then the priests would shout from Mount Ebal the Lord’s warnings of the curses for disobedience. (Deuteronomy 27-28)
After Joshua led the people of Israel into the Promised Land and they conquered the cities of Jericho and Ai, he led the people to the two mountains and fulfilled God’s commandment to Moses.
In case you’re still wondering, crwth is a stringed musical instrument. It’s used to play Welsh music.015.jpg
MOUNT GERIZIM
According to the ancient historian Flavius Josephus, Alexander the Great, while invading Tyre, granted a man named Sanballat permission to construct a temple on Mount Gerizim, to be a refuge for all Jews who had violated the Law of Moses. This account appears to be a variation of Nehemiah 13:28, which occurred 90 years earlier.
The Samaritans follow the writings of the Samariatan Pentateuch, a document copied from the Hebrew Pentateuch but with minor deliberate changes. The most significant change is Deuteronomy 27:4, where it reads that the Israelites were commanded to build the altar on Mount Gerizim, not on Mount Ebal.
Antiochus Epiphanes, king of Syria, consecrated the temple to Jupiter, defender of strangers, at the request of the Samariatans (2 Maccabees 6:2) According to tradition in the Talmud, John Hyrcanus destroyed the temple in 109 B.C. The Samaritans, though few in number, still sacrifice their Passover lamb on top of the mountain.
Excavations from 1882 to 2000 have resulted in uncovering some remains of the temple, including a flight of steps and outlines of gateways. The remains of animal sacrifices have also been found.
Next: Part Two, BIR YAKUB (JACOB’S WELL)
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