A busy weekend

My friend Jamie caught me documenting some desert flora on Saturday. We were hiking to the ruins of another one of Herod's fortresses just northwest of the Dead Sea. The fortress remains are not all that impressive but the view of the desert is.

Unknown desert flower: Almost all of the plants in the desert are in bloom right now in the winter rainy season. I was not going to post this one but with the above shot I had to...

A view from the top of the fortress.

A wild Ibex wandered right through the picnic area we where we ate lunch.

Date Palms at En Gedi on the shores of the Dead Sea. They have been cultivated here since ancient times since they thrive on the natural, salty springs.

On Sunday we visited the remains at Shiloh, the ancient site of worship where Samuel first heard from the Lord. Notice the much more lush vegetation. In the north, the land of Samaria, there is ample rain for crops and vegetation. These red flowers, that are a type of poppy, grow throughout the country and have been in full bloom for the past several weeks.

Therefore Eli said to Samuel, "Go, lie down, and if he calls you, you shall say, 'Speak, LORD, for your servant hears.'" So Samuel went and lay down in his place. And the LORD came and stood, calling as at other times, "Samuel! Samuel!" And Samuel said, "Speak, for your servant hears." Then the LORD said to Samuel, "Behold, I am about to do a thing in Israel at which the two ears of everyone who hears it will tingle. I Samuel 3:9-11

The story of the presence of the Lord at Shiloh is a painful one as the Lord removed it as the center of the kingdom and of worship. This region is very blessed with good farmland and access to other cities and nations but ultimately it was rejected for its unfaithfulness.

More remains at Shiloh.

There are about 600 Samaritans still in existence and they live in a tight community and still practice ritual sacrifice. This is the place where they slaughter and offer the animals to the Lord. The blue posts are for hanging the animals and the grate is for burning the inner parts. The meat is cooked and eaten hastily and all that is not eaten is burned as a sacrifice to the Lord. I will probably attend their Passover sacrifice as an example of how the Israelites may have conducted their sacrifices. We had an opportunity to speak with their high priest.

They shall eat the flesh that night, roasted on the fire; with unleavened bread and bitter herbs they shall eat it. Do not eat any of it raw or boiled in water, but roasted, its head with its legs and its inner parts. And you shall let none of it remain until the morning; anything that remains until the morning you shall burn. In this manner you shall eat it: with your belt fastened, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand. And you shall eat it in haste. It is the LORD's Passover. Exodus 12:8-11

A view of Shechem from Mt. Gerizim. This was the capital of Israel (the northern kingdom) for a while and has great agricultural opportunity. You can see the vast plain that does not exist near Jerusalem that is about 30 or so miles away. This plain is really the intersection of four great flat valleys that serve both as good farmland and natural routes between cities and the coast. Mt. Gerizim is also an important Biblical site. I will let you investigate biblical stories on your own for this one. Have fun!