Biblical Geographic

Northern Beqaa Valley

For More Photos Visit: Beqaa Valley, LEBANON

 Zoba, Zobah, Soba, Tsobah, Subutu; Assyrian

The ancient kingdom of Syria, not unlike the modern country of Syria was divided into seven  protectorates or governates. A number of these are mentioned in the bible, including Aram-Naharaim (Syria between the rivers) Aram Zobah, Aram Hamath, Aram Maachah, Aram Rehob, Aram Damascus.

Aram-zobah was located in the central and northern Beqaa. Although some consider the territory to be east of the anti-Lebanese, this makes no sense for a place of refuge for the fleeing king under Solomon 1 Kings 11. Further Zobah is connected with the Itureans (1,2) and is confirmed by three central Beqaa towns of the governate identified within towns mentioned in the texts of Sargon II when undertaking primarily an action on Hamath 720BC (3). The Beqaa has a watershed south of modern Hermel, where the springs that give rise to the nahr al-Asi or the river Orontes. From here the waters of the Orontes rush northwards, making this river alongside the Nile a peculiarity in the middle east.  The other river, the Litani [nah al Litani] also finds origins close to this region, but flows south to enter the mediterranean just north of modern Sour or biblical Tyre at biblical Misropheth-main. The Orontes appears to be completely within the territory of Zobah with the location of Labwa included in ancient lists, and located south of Baalbek. (3) Zobah mentioned in Neo-Assyrian lists (4) was later attacked by Assurbanipal c7BC (5).

Near the Source of the Orontes River

The area of Zobah in biblical terms went as far as Hamath (the governate) and so most likely extended to the northern margins of the Beqaa to around Kadesh. 1 Chron 18:3 Later in Israel’s history under Solomon, the governates of Zobah and hamath were combined to form one larger state called Aram Hamath-zobah, with the city of Hamath being the capital of both areas, 2 Chron 8:3 [The LXX has beth-Zobah, the house of Zobah]. It is apparent from the record of 1 Kings 11:24 that the area of Zobah was adjacent to Damascus.  Further information can be gleaned from 2 Sam 10:8 where the men of Zobah were joined with Rehob (the southern Beqaa), Maachah (the extreme south of the Beqaa) and Tob (the lands of eastern Golan)

There is considerable uncertainty of the location of the towns listed within this governate. Berothai and Betah 2 Sam 8:8. I spent considerable time in the central Beqaa viewing locations suggested by various authors, but few made strategic sense except a small town south of Baalbek called Britel whose elevation and location on the ancient roman trade routes may be a possibility. These locations will be dealt with in a future blog.

Of it’s most famous kings was Hadadezer, helped of Hadad; Hadad being another name for Baal. (see previous article) Zobah  means bright yellow, and may reflect the colour of the wheatfields of the productive north Beqaa, or the brightness of polished brass. It comes from a root word meaning red or copper. It was from here that David was to aquire “exceeding much” brass 2 Sam 8:8 ”very large amount” NASB  It’s name reflects the vigour of flesh, in its energisedvitality, whether in lust or in its military prowess.  But what was to be a great challenge to David, proved to be one of the greatest benefits, and although a recurring enemy, the area was to provide enormous amounts of brass for the construction of the temple under Solomon. This would be used in vessels, and within the massive pillars at the entrance, and the brasen sea  1 Kings 7:15; 2 Kings 23:5 Jer 52:17,20.

Two important lessons are highlighted in David’s campaign with Zobah:

1. What is achieved in the struggle with personal problems should result in the building of ecclesias.
2. Saul was engaged with the very same enemies as David, but was unsuccessful cf 1 Sam 14:47, 2 Sam 8:12 the recorded difference being that David included Yahweh whithersoever he went 2 Sam 8:6,14 whereas Saul turned himself!, and then went up from following 1 Sam 14:46 and turned back from following 15:11 not following the commandments of deity.  Persistence and inclusion of deity in all our decisions, whatever the personal cost is required for success with deity. Rejection of the word of God leads to rejection by God 1 Sam 15:23.

One of David’s men came from Zobah, a man called Nathan (heb gift) 2 Sam 23:36 or Joel the brother of Nathan 1 Chron 11:38.

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1. Iturea is another name for the Beqaa with it’s capital at Chalcis. Eupolemos who is quoted by Eseubius mentions Iturea in relation to Zobah; Preparatio evangelica ix.30.3
2. Kraeling: Aram and Israel, The Arameans in Syria and Mesopotamia pg 41
3. Edward Lipinski; The Arameans, Their ancient history, culture, religion pg 319f   also ISBE pg 603
4. Parpola, Toponyms pg 325

Afqa Cave

For More Photos Visit: Afqa, Aphek, LEBANON

Aphek, biblical; Afqa, Afka, modern arabic; Apheca, greek.

The word Aphek comes from a word meaning strength. And this would have to be a word aptly describing not only the strength of strategic position, but the torrents of water that burst from the base of the cliff at Afqa. I was absolutely soaked by walking within 50 metres of the cave from which the limestone filtered, snow cold waters issued out from, and less certain whether it was this soaking that finally did my spare camera body in.  Afqa is a spectacularly beautiful place, with a natural amphitheatre stretched out across the face of the cave, and the gorge of the Nahr Ibrahim that carries the fresh waters to the Mediterranean some distance to the west. The freshness of the water was not surprising as after we left this location we drove through drifts of snow higher than the roof of our car en route eastward to the Beqa.

The location was the northern limit of the inheritance of Asher Josh 13:4, placing inheritance of the tribes a considerable distance north.

The legend of Adonis was to be born here. Greek mythology has the son of Cinyas the king of Cyprus seducing his daughter Myrhha who gave birth to a tree (Myrrh) which after a period of time gave birth in turn to Adonis. The son was raised by Aphrodite (whose origins are near Paphos in Cyprus) causing jealousy with her lover Ares. Adonis was gored in the groin by a boar sent by Ares to kill him, and later died by the origins of the nahr Ibrahim. Each year Adonis is allowed to be resurrected (seen throughout the area by the red poppies or scarlet anenmones known as Adonis flowers) and the changing of the water at Afqa into a red colour (by erosion of the red soils with the rising torrents). The legend continued in this town in the construction of a Greek and  Roman temple, the ruins of which are visible across the road from the fountain.

This myth is based on earlier stories, both Egyptian as indicated by Lucian, but more particularly in the legend of Tammuz,a Babylonian legend mentioned in the bible in Ezek 8:14.  The hebrew תַּמּוּז means spring of life and name of the 10th month of the Jewish calendar, and roughly around July in our calendar. It is a Sumerian form of Dumazid which means son of life.   Tammuz was considered the month in which there was resurrection, and the women would weep and mourn the absence of their lovers, and the feast of Tammuz was a festival riot celebrating the opportunity of newly created sons. This licentious form of festival was hidden within the hearts of Judah, and the prophet after digging through the wall was to see the abomination of their hearts. Tammuz was a cohort of Ishtar who was likewise worshipped as the queen of heaven Jer 7:13. The festival of Tammuz under the Babylonians marked the arrival of the summer solstice with a six day funeral mourning to mark the decline of daylight hours, and it was this mourning that was observed at the very door of the temple in Jerusalem.  The Babylonian festival was known to be celebrated in Haran and also at Byblos (biblical Gebal).

Tammuz is commemorated in a day of fasting, as on the 17th day of Tammuz the walls were  breached by Nebuchadnezzar’s forces, and the only Jewish tradition celebrated and concluded during a declining moon. This is the fast mentioned in Zech 8:19, which the prophet indicated would be changed to a time of delightful celebration of deliverance. The three weeks that follow this day became known as the mourning between the straits, that is leading up to the time at which the first and second temples were destroyed on the ninth of the month Av in 586BC and 70AD respectively. [Jewish tradition also has the report of the ten unfaithful spies Num 13, the overcoming of the Bar Kokhba.

revolt at Betar 135AD and the renaming of Jerusalem as Aelia Capitolina 136AD as all happening on this day]

Incidentally the 2006 war in Lebanon was called in arabic circles as the Tammuz war, because of the time of its commencement.

The feast of Tammuz highlights the value of the resurrection of Christ. Here was  son who was resurrected on real values. It was a son whose resurrection was declared as being powerful because of his real obedience to the values of his father, and a demonstration of real love of sacrifice because of his honour of his father. This was not a resurrection because self-centered personal affliction or self-centered personal licentiousness. It is a resurrection that calls all to say if one has died, then all are dead [if a man with superb values needs to die, then where are we?] and now if he has been raised, then we celebrate a life of raised values with him.

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1. Fuller, John Mee (1864), Essay on the Authenticity of the Book of Daniel pg 200,1

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The question of whether there was Hittite influence south of their homeland in Anatolia and by implication into the land of Israel is confirmed by the presence of this altar from Northern Lebanon. Abraham had bought a field from the Hittites for a burial place at Hebron. The Hittites were a nation located much to the north with their capital located at Hattusha, modern  Bogazkoy, around 150 km east of Ankara in central Anatolia. But it is felt by some that the Hittites originated from the steppe lands much further to the east, north of the Caspian. But the fierce people of central Anatolia were connected with the Syrian Hittites having influence around Damascus in the time of David and Solomon.  This again confirming the southern Hittite interests.

Num 13:29 states that the Hittites controlled hill country in Israel, and Hebron is the notable hill country of Judea, as seen  by the journey of Mary to Elizabeth Luke 1:39.

1. It was here at the place of the Hittite that Abraham would purchase a field for the burial of his dead. It became “an earnest of the inheritance” Eph 1:24; Gen 23:1.
2. Abraham was to “stand” heb make stand before the people of the land. So Christ would be “lifted up” John 3:14 then he bowed himself 23:7,12. So Christ would breath out, giving the spirit, Mark 15:39.
3. People prepared to give 23:6 but Abraham insists on payment Col 2:15 demonstrating that all the world is guilty, and only one could find the ransom Rom 3:19-31; Heb 9:24; Job 33:23,24.
4. In the place of the tomb was a field, trees who represent others participating in the sacrifice of Christ, John 4:35.
5. The cost of the field was 400 shekels, the price of the whole strength of flesh as exhibited by Edom and his followers, Gen 33:1.
6. All in the “end of the field” of the sons of Heth. The field represents the place of toil and labour and its end in death, 23:9. But the end of the week is the sabbath in which no servile labour is done, and rescue is to be found at the end of that day alone in the case of issues, childbirth, leper, Nazarites.
7. The event was “made sure” 23:17,20 an amazing relief for you and me that there is token of the inheritance coming, that will happen for sure!

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Much could be said about Tyre, but the most important is that Tyre is described as being the “sum of perfection” of beauty and wisdom Ezek 28:12. Men had been created with the ability to perceive and appreciate both wisdom and beauty. These were features of the tree of knowledge of good and evil to which men had reached forth their hand to grasp. Men were made in the fashion of Elohim, and as such were endowed with a capacity for divine wisdom and divine moral beauty Gen 1:26. The king of Tyre had been involved with both David and Solomon, and in his early relationship it appears had been privileged to see even the high priest in his robes for the day of atonement on his procession to worship Yahweh on the mount. The word for sum is only used twice, the other occurence where Ezekiel was encouraged to measure the “pattern”.

But Tyre had fallen from this special relationship with deity, and changed their spiritual wisdom and beauty for the accumulation of merchandise and abundance of commercial interchange (Ezek 27). Replacing the position of servant to the most high El, the king now saw himself in the position of El himself! Ezek 28:2 a political statement of his aspirations. A religious position of the same spirit seen in Rome in the one sitting in the temple of God saying that he is God 2Thess 2:4. A military position of the same spirit is seen in the language of Isa 14 where Babylon says in her heart: “I am like the most high” Isa 14:13,14. Notably written in the year that Ahaz died. Ahaz heb. “I have grasped”.

But the spirit of true believer is that of Christ, who although made in the form of Elohim, in all his remarkable wisdom and spiritual beauty, thought equality with El not a thing to be grasped at Phil 2:6,7 RSV. The parable of the Lord concerning two men praying paints the remaining picture. One would not lift his eyes to heaven, the other praying with HIMSELF said “GOD I thank thee that I am not like this man a sinner!”  Tyre gives us the urgent message to continue in our relationship with God, and that this should not be voided by our own aspirations in life. This is easier said than done, but carries with it a beautiful and satisfying reward kept in store by the Elohim for those who will reach forth their hands to eat of the tree of life.

The photographs above demonstrate the beauty and sophistication of the developments of Tyre in the region. The hand mirror to see personal beauty, the gorgeous glassware but also the gods of Tyre to who they made gods like unto themselves.

The impact of Tyre was to be considerable. The goods and services of Tyre (Heb Tzur rock, Arabic Sour) led to the name Tzurian or Tyrian to be given to the regions surrounding Lebanon. So the modern name Syria was born, [Biblical Syria is known as Aram] The same level of apostacy has been seen within the Roman church. Once the religion of Judah, with their inherent relationship to God it has now been taken into the remotest corners of the world and worship the beauty of hideous buildings on the tops of every mountain rather than the beauty of the relationship  between deity and His people.

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Zaraphath today is a dot on the map. We found Zarapheth by the pure good hospitality of a local workman. We had been finding our way through the chaos of normal Lebanese roads south to Sidon looking for the side-road to the coast. On the foot-path, standing in the typical group, chain smoking an chatting about politics, the young man was eager to jump in our car and travel with us to show us the site. The ruins are a small collection of rocks within the backyard of a suburban house. A small spring is located here, alongside what appears to be some Byzantine ruins. Zarapheth is identified by the small harbour around 6km to the south of the suburbs of Sidon, and as seen in the attached photographs within clear sight of Sidon. The dichotomy of Lebanon was demonstrated in this location. Alongside the wonderful kindness of the local workman, the house-owner was keen to invite us in for coffee and food. Pressed for time we politely declined, and after a few photographs were taken of the harbour, we were approached by the local security and intelligence officer. The regular 20 questions followed. When, what, why, who and so forth. Then we were advised to visit one Major Dick (sorry, I had to chuckle) the head of intelligence for the Sidon area. He was an austere gentleman, but warmed when finding that we were Australians. He advised us that he had served in a UN capacity in the Darwin area during the East Timor days. He still shook his head at our endeavours and assured us of the military’s support in visiting some more remote locations. His subaltern clicking smartly finished the interchange and we were back on our way.

Zarapheth is singled out in the scriptures for two remarkable women. Both demonstrated the extraordinary faith in a time when Israel was apostate. It was here that faith was demonstrated to Elijah and later to the Lord. The request to find pots to contain what was an unending supply of oil was met by the widow’s borrowing of vessels from her neighbours. A pot from the very site is illustrated in the above photographs.

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The most famous of sundials is the events surrounding the end of Hezekiah’s life. God turning the sundial of Ahaz back 10 degrees or 15 “steps” of a staircase Heb Maalot, 2 Kings 20:8-11 (Translated as stairs by LXX, Josephus Antiq. x.2.1).  The movement of the sun was to demonstrate that God would not only heal Hezekiah, but save Judah from the hand of the Assyrians,  Isa 38:7,8. The number 10 is a number representing completeness, or an aggregate of the article. It was ten men who represent the whole community, and as such would form the corum required for prayer at the synagogue. It would ten women out of all nations taking the skirt of the jew to represent all nations. The turning back of time then represented the turning back of the process of ageing and it’s cause in sin. The sundial then is a measurement of the salvation of Yahweh (Isaiah!)

The fashion of this sundial may have been in the form of a flat plate as displayed above or possibly in the manner of the Egyptians of a wall of a building with 10 steps placed to mark the passage of the sun. The later form suggested by prof Yigael Yadin, and a replica created at Neot Kedumim. http://neot-kedumim.org.il/

Herodotus says the Greeks learned from Babylon the pole, the sunclock, and the division of the day into twelve parts (1).  The first eclipse on record, a lunar one, was accurately observed at Babylon, March 19th, 721 B.C. Rawlinson noted in his survey of Bir Nimrud the lack of uniformity of the steps of the Ziggurat. He suggested that the seven steps “reaching to heaven” were constructed with the celestial centre on the tope then followed with an arrangement of the planets with the moon at the top, then Mercury, Venus, the sun, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn. A similar structure seen in the seven walls of Ecbatana.  This placed the priest at the summit as the pinnacle of the universe.  This ziggurat was reconstructed by Nebuchadnezzar to “astonish mankind” with the “wonder of Borsippa (Bir Nimrud) the temple of the seven spheres of the universe” (2). The association with Nimrod cannot be escaped, who thought he could control both the destiny of the calendar and of time.

As a result of the turning back of the sundial of Ahaz, the astrologers from Babylon came to investigate the reason, rumoured to be in concert to the king of Judah.  Hezekiah would show these men the treasures of “his” house.  Foolishly Hezekiah demonstrated his own prowess, particularly in light of his previous demonstration of trust in the strength of Yahweh in the face of the Assyrians. Isaiah coming to him demonstrated to him the emptiness of his and his father Ahaz (Matt 1:9) leading to an empty house of Eunuchs! Hezekiah quickly repents, a measure of his spirit, and God then in the following chapter answers all of his personal problems, the greatest being the removal of sin, and the provision within a spiritual house. Look at my house!: The glory of Yahweh revealed, all flesh shall see it together! The language and sentiments used of those of Gen 15, and in this regard God would say that the nations are “counted” as nothing, as empty space! whereas God who had created the vast spread of heavens, over the circle of the earth, meting it out with a span (measures time!) (and Hezekiah called to see the transit of these stellar beacons of Gods able hands cf Gen 15:5) was able to be involved with them to be “my God” 40:27  for those that wait on Yahweh as their spiritual father. He would be the father of the everlasting covenant Gen 17.

Faith is the ability to believe in things that we cannot do ourselves. God is about to change the world to be the home of all those that believe that He was the father of His son, a token seen in the resurrection from death, something an impossibility for us! He can create the same life in us, if we patiently wait for His peace.

ref: (1) Herodotus History book 2. 109   (2) F. Lenormant, A manual of the Ancient history of the east vol 1 pg 483

Sidon was considered by God as the centre of gods of “abomination”. In today’s language the smelly sticky things hard to get off your boot. Sidon has the idea of hunting, some consider the idea of fishing. Here was the same activity as Nimrod and modelled on his hero, Esau the antagonist of Jacob and the house of Israel.

Sidon has a rich place within the biblical record. The borders of Asher’s inheritance came past Sidon, yet there is no record of the tribe taking their lot. Asher was to dip his feet in oil, and the agricultural plenty that was formed in this area was attested to in the creation of an endless river of oil at the hand of the widow at Zarephath located only miles to the south of this location.

Sidon was most famous for the creation of Jezebel whose influence on the northern tribes was considered equivalent to the “filling up of the iniquity of the Amorites” in its religious impact on the nation. This influence was to last for millenia with the first century ecclesia warned that they tolerated that wicked woman Jezebel.

The nasty business of Baal, (the hebrew idea of possessed, so husband or lord) was that it was integrated into the worship of the nation. This was not an all out war, but a slow adoption of another standard of thinking and conduct. Humanism, egalitarianism, liberalism and every other “ism” finds its roots in the thinking of Baal who seeks to possess our affections. But our affections are in heaven from where we look for the return of the real Lord/Husband

The temple of Eshmoun, the god of healing later found its place over the previous temple. The widow of Zarapheth may have served here as she was called “the mistress of the house” or Baalat, a term used of the prostitute priestesses from this temple. She called on Elijah not to punish her for previous sins.  A wide complex sits on the previous site at the northern margins of the modern city. Large well fitting rocks and rich mosaics still point to the luxury and ornate splendour of the building once adorning its site. Within the national museum at Beirut the more valuable finds show bulls heads as capitals to pillars almost identical to those of Persepolis, numerous teraphim and larger gods such as venus. Washpots, an altar celebrating the panoply of the greek deities, and mosaics celebrating the same. But above all these was the honoured position of head casts of infants and young men once offered to fires, a practice taken from this very site throughout the Carthaginian world as seen in Carthage, Tunis.

The one thing about Baal in the history of Judah and Israel is that it found its origins within the lifetime of spiritual men, and was never really extinguished. The greatest lesson must be to not let Baal into our lives in the first place. But who does? The images of Baal in magazines and other media have left a memorable scar even in our lifetime.

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