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Show 228 MADELYN CANNON STEWART SILVER of south Palestine. The town, called Bir es Saba by the Arabs, located on an ancient caravan route forty-five miles southwest of Jerusalem, was the extreme southern limit of ancient Palestine. It was the scene of British victory over the Turks in 1917. Madelyn saw the town, Abraham's well, and a camp of Bedouins. Three days' journey from there was where Abraham was expecting to sacrifice Isaac. On the drive north from Beersheba they visited Hebron, one of the principal cities of the southern hill country of Palestine, twenty miles south of Jerusalem. Founded in 1700 B.C., it had an abundant supply of water and was the center for the some production of olives and grapes. At Hebron Abraham's wife Sarah died and there he purchased a cave for the family tomb. In fact, the Silvers saw what purported to be the tombs of Sarah, Isaac, Rebecca, Leah, Joseph, and Jacob (Genesis 23:9). At Hebron David was anointed King of Judah and reigned for and one-half years. In New Testament times it was the site of considerable construction by Herod the Great. Just to seven the north Abraham built an altar and had several theophanic experiences. At Mamre God told Abraham that Sarah would have a son; there he pleaded for Sodom and Gomorrah to be spared. At nearby Eshcol, the Silvers saw the place where Moses dispatched scouts to spy out the country ahead; they brought back grapes, pomegranates, and figs, which suggested a fertile land, but they also reported the residents were "giants," and thus discouraged the Hebrew migrants from entering. A few miles southeast of Hebron was Carmel, an ancient city where Saul commemorated his victory over the Amalekites. This was the location of the story of King David and Nabal. Upon Nabal's sudden death David married his wife Abigail and thereby acquired Nabal's wealth, power, and pres tige. On the way north to Jerusalem and the Mount of Olives, the Silvers visited Solomon's pool, Solomon's gardens, his cypress hedge, and the Mosque of Abraham. They also stepped down to another suggested location of Jacob's tomb. At this point, the Silvers switched plans and went to the coastal cities of Joppa (Jaffa) and its suburb, Tel Aviv. They |
