Days 8 and 9

I did not have internet yesterday which accounts for the lack of a post. I will try to post some photos from the last two days but that will come when I wake up tomorrow I think. So here is the rundown.

On Tuesday we started at Tel Beth-Shemesh. This tel looks over the Sorek Valley. For those who remember the Sorek valley is important in the life of Sampson. He is born and buried in the valley and several other important events in his life occur here. Also Beth-Shemesh is a levitical city and this is where the Philistines returned the Ark of the Lord to Israel. This is also the location in which 70 men died because they opened the Ark.
After the Sorek Valley we went to the Elah Valley on top of Tel Azekah. This valley is famous for a story that eeryone know. David and Goliath. The Philistines were camped between Azekah and Socoh and the Israelites on the other side of the valley. David went down to the brook and got 5 smooth stones. I stopped by and got a few small sones of my own. The valley is also known for David hiding in the caves of Jormath.
After the Elah Valley we went to the Lacich Valley to Tel Lacich. This was one of the more impressive tels because it had Cananite temples, a Judean palace, and the only Assyrian siefe ramp that has been found in tact. Lacish is known Biblically for being a fortified city which was one of the last to fall against Babylon in 586 BC.
We ended the day by swimming in the Mediterranean Sea. It was fairly cold but refreshing on a hot day.

On Wednesday we started by going to Tel Ashdod. This tel had bronze age walls and houses. Along with an iron age fort and temple which were Judean. The temple had a holy of holies and an altar, which was against the law, along with two altars and incense burning stones. It is clear that this fort is breaking the law first of all by worshiping outside of the Temple and worshiping more than one God.
Following Ashdod we traveled to Tel Beer-Sheba. This Tel had an altar that had been dismantled showing that at one point the city worshiped outside of Jerusalem but reforms took place that changed it, which matches the Biblical record of King Hezekiah, the same guy who built the tunnel we went through.
The next stop was Nahal Zin, which simply means the valley of Zin. This was just a hiking stop for us through the canyon and then up the cliff. It was not too bad of a hike there were a lot stairs, handles, and ladders. It was beautiful and a fun stop.
After the hike we went to Mactesh Ramon which is a natural crater. It occurred because the ground bowed and then cracked allowing water to come in and erode the area. The crater was massive. All of this of course is occurring in the "Wilderness." The next stop was a random place in the wilderness just off the road where we had time to reflect and read the Bible, thinking about what it would be like to spend 40 years wandering.
Our last stop of the day was a viewpoint right next to the border with Egypt, I wa about 10 feet away. Also from here was a great view of the Red Sea and the border between Israel and Jordan. Tonight we are staying right next to the Red Sea and will be snorkeling first thing in the morining.