DAY 5 — DEAD SEA (Tues. Mar. 17) Part 2 Rest of Day 4 Map: Had to split day four into two Maps because we covered so much N/S territory! Below shows Qumran, Masada and the Bedouin Camp. Our hotel at Zohar was further south. (Camel grazing alongside the road; Dead Sea barely visible in the background)
Travel to Qumran: West Bank background: Jericho is part of "West Bank" territory and the driver notes that the road is closed today for security reasons. Tensions between Israel and the West Bank are strained as the Israeli government has erected walls and fences to protect themselves from suicide bombings and forbidden Israeli citizens to enter the West Bank territories. We had to change drivers and guides to be allowed into Bethlehem (another West Bank controlled city) because Shimon and Bernice were Israeli citizens. The driver of the other bus is Bedouin and therefore he was allowed to enter. Qumran Qumran was home to the Essenes, an extreme sect of the Pharisees. Disapproving of religious practices at Jerusalem, they withdrew to Qumran in the wilderness. They lived a communal life and shared their possessions. They practiced frequent ritual bathing and believed the end of the world was imminent. Numerous mikvot (ritual purity baths) were in use at the site for this community that practiced immersion twice daily. Essenes never married because they wanted to be ritually pure when the Lord returned.
Discovered in 1952, Cave 4 produced the largest find. About 15,000 fragments from more than 500 manuscripts were found.
Page 1
This mikvah (ritual bath) evidences damage of the earthquake, The crack shifted the left side of the bath by nearly 12 inches.
manuscripts were found.
• The community was abandoned in 30 B.C. because of an earthquake. • It was resettled again in 4 B.C. and continued in existence until about A.D. 68, when the Romans destroyed it and made it a military garrison. There was an Essene quarter in Jerusalem and that is believed to be the location of the "Upper Room" due to Jesus' prophecy that they would know the place when they saw a "man carrying water." The Essene practice of ritual bathing required excessive amounts of water and their vows of celibacy meant there were no woman to carry the water for them. • The suggestion that John the Baptist may have spent some time with the Qumran community is possible, since the Gospels tell us that he spent considerable time in the wilderness near the area where the Qumran community is located (Mt. 3:1-3; Mk. 1:4; Lk. 1:80; 3:2-3). John's message, however, differed markedly from that of the Qumran brotherhood. The only real common point was that they both taught that the "kingdom of God" was coming. • The suggestion that Jesus' "silent years" were spent in an Essene community are less likely. The comments of astonishment in Mark 6:2-3 and John 7:15 indicate that the Jews of the time were familiar with Jesus' background and surprise by such wisdom from a "carpenter's son". Jesus also sharply disagreed with their theology. Their ritual washings and even their celibacy was not something HE required of his disciples and he spoke out against those who "washed the outside without properly cleansing the inside". Although the Qumran community existed during the time of the ministry of Jesus, none of the Scrolls refer to Him, nor do they mention any of His follower's described in the New Testament. If they ever interacted it is very unlikely that they realized that He was the Messiah they had so long waited for.
• In 1947, a Bedouin boy looking for his lost goats, found what would come to be known as the "Dead Sea" scrolls in caves behind the community. The scrolls had been hidden in clay jars for nearly two thousand years, preserved by the arid climate of the area. • Significance of the discovery of the "Dead Sea Scrolls" Fragments were found of all the Old Testament books except the book of Esther (which never specifically mentions the name of God) Until the discoveries at Qumran, the oldest manuscripts of the Hebrew Scriptures were copies from the 9th and 10th centuries AD by a group of Jewish scribes called the Massoretes. Now we have manuscripts around a thousand years older than those. The amazing truth is that these manuscripts are almost identical! Here is a strong example of the tender care which the Jewish scribes down through the centuries took in an effort to accurately copy the sacred Scriptures. We can have confidence that our Old Testament Scriptures faithfully represent the words given to Moses, David and the prophets. □ For instance, the book of Isaiah was copied as one book, not two, as viewed by many modern critics. • The scrolls are most commonly made of animal skins, but also papyrus and one of copper. They are written with a carbon-based ink, from right to left, using no punctuation except for an occasional paragraph indentation. In fact, in some cases, there are not even spaces between the words. • Copper Scroll: Discovered in Cave 3, this scroll records a list of 64 underground hiding places throughout the land of Israel. The deposits are to contain certain amounts of gold, silver, aromatics, and manuscripts. These are believed to be treasures from the Temple at Jerusalem, Page 2
aromatics, and manuscripts. These are believed to be treasures from the Temple at Jerusalem, that were hidden away for safekeeping. Other Ancient Jewish writings say the ark and other first temple treasures were hidden by priests before the invasion of the Babylonians and that their locations were inscribed on a tablet of copper. Key Scroll: The scroll's last line hints at an even greater treasure, "In a dry well at Kohlit… a copy of this document with its explanation…and an inventory of each and every thing."The Key Scroll has never been found, nobody has any idea where it is." • Some passages use a style of Hebrew that's 800 years older than the scroll itself. Adding to the puzzle is a series of random Greek letters. • First column of the Copper Scroll: "In the fortress which is in the Vale of Achor, forty cubits under the steps entering to the east: a money chest and it [sic] contents, of a weight of seventeen talents."
• Others believe that most of these treasures have already been found perhaps divulged at the end of a Roman sword and have been long since spirited always either on the black market or even perhaps be Jewish groups trying to protect it.
• Interesting comparison of Essene and New Testament theology: The Qumran community and the early Christians agreed that in the days of the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies there would arise a great prophet, a great priest and a great king. But these three figures remained distinct in Qumran expectation, whereas the New Testament saw them unified in the person of Jesus of Nazareth. • Evidence from their writings show that they actually believed in three messiahs—one a prophet, another a priest and the third a king or prince. There were three individuals in the Old Testament writings that were referred to as "my anointed ones" (the prophet, the priest and the king (refer to Ex. 29:29; 1 Sam. 16:13, 24:6; 1 Kg. 19:16; Ps. 105:15). Each of these was consecrated to his work by an anointing with oil. The Hebrew word for "anointed" is meshiach, from which we get the word Messiah. • New Testament doctrine of the Messiah proclaims each of these three offices found fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus of Nazareth! □ Prophet: The people were amazed at His feeding of the multitude and said, "This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world" (Jn. 6:14; also Jn. 7:40; Acts 3:22, 7:37). Page 3
3:22, 7:37). □ Priest: Jesus also was a priest, not from the order of Levi but from the order of Melchizedek (Ps. 110:4; Heb. 7), who offered Himself as a sacrifice and appears for us in the presence of His Father (Heb. 9:24-26; 10:11-12). □ King: Jesus was announced as the One who will receive "the throne of his father, David. And he shall reign over the house of Jacob forever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end" (Lk. 1:32-33). He will be acclaimed "KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS" (Rev. 19:16). Thoughts from Harry at Qumran: When you depend on ritual to save you…you will never feel confident… Relationship makes the difference… • Why didn't God save a perfect copy of all important sacred texts? We would build a shrine around them and charge admission… on to the "Shrine of the Book" (Just kidding… sort of) •
Masada (Hebrew for "fortress") • The summit of Masada sits 190 feet (59 m) above sea level and about 1500 feet (470 m) above the level of the Dead Sea. • The mountain itself is 1950 feet (610 m) long, 650 feet (200 m) wide, 4250 feet (1330 m) in circumference, and encompasses 23 acres.
The "Snake Path" climbs 900 feet (280 m) in elevation.
We ascended the summit by cable car instead!
According to Josephus, Herod the Great built the fortress of Masada between 37 and 31 BCE. Herod, an Idumean, had been made King of Judea by his Roman overlords, and was hated by his Jewish subjects. For all of his excesses and evil ways, Herod was a master builder, and he "furnished this fortress as a refuge for himself." It included a casemate wall around the plateau, storehouses, large cisterns ingeniously filled with rainwater, barracks, palaces and an armory.
Page 4
Storerooms: Herod was paranoid, perhaps for good reason and built multiple desert fortresses, of which Masada is only one, but the most famous. • Fifteen long storerooms kept essential provisions for time of siege. Herod filled with them with food and weapons. • Each storeroom held a different commodity. This was attested by different storage jars and inscriptions on jars in rooms. Wine bottles sent to Herod from Italy were found.
Black line in middle picture indicates original wall below and reconstruction above 1st Century Synagogue:This synagogue was found in the first season of Yadin’s xcavations. No Second Temple period synagogues were known at the time. This is believed to have been the first built for ritual use and worship (as opposed to just a place of teaching) after the destruction of the temple in 70ad. Many coins from the Jewish Revolt were found here. An ostracon was found on the floor with inscription, “priestly tithe.”The back room served as a genizah (storeroom for sacred writings) Herod's Bathhouse: Herod had several private bathhouses built at Masada. The caldarium depicted here had a heavy floor suspended on 200 pillars. Outside the room a furnace would sent hot air under the floor. When water was placed on the floor, steam was created. Pipes were built into the walls to help to heat the room.
Page 5
Palaces: King Herod built two elaborate palaces on Masada. The "hanging palace," on the northern end of the summit, extended down the promontory of the mountain on three levels. The lowest level is 115 feet from the top. Winding staircases provided access to each level. The other larger palace was located on the western side of the mountain. Mom made it to the top…and back down the siege ramp… I was very proud of her! This is us looking off the edge of the "hanging palace"
Casemate wall around Plateau & Water System The casemate wall (two parallel walls with partitions dividing the space between them into rooms), is 1,400 meters long and 4 meters wide. It was built along the edge of the plateau, above the steep cliffs, and it had many towers. Three narrow, winding paths led from below to fortified gates. The water supply was guaranteed by a network of large, rock-hewn cisterns on the northwestern side of the hill. They filled during the winter with rainwater flowing through aqueducts from the mountain on this side. Cisterns on the summit supplied the immediate needs of the residents of Masada and could be relied upon in time of siege.
Casemate perimeter
Inside one of cisterns Access caves to cisterns
Last stand at Masada • In 66 A.D. as the Jews undertook the Great Revolt against Rome, a group of Sicarii commanded by Menahem Ben-Yehuda of Galilee captured Masada from the Roman garrison stationed there. The Sicarii were a group of Zealot extremists determined to fight against the Romans to the death -- they were named after the "Sica," a dagger that they carried. • During the years of the Revolt, Masada became a refuge for more Zealots who fled with their families, as well as for other desperate elements such as the Essenes. Following the murder of Ben-Yehuda by his opponents in Jerusalem, his surviving followers fled to Masada -- among Page 6
Ben-Yehuda by his opponents in Jerusalem, his surviving followers fled to Masada -- among them was Menahem's nephew Elazar Ben-Yair, who later became the commander of the fortress. • After the destruction of the Temple in 70 A.D., the last rebellious members reached Masada. Designed as a stronghold for a king, the fortress now became a refuge for the masses, who used various parts of the palaces as well as thin walled rooms in the casemate wall as their dwellings. Buildings such as a synagogue, public hall, and ritual-baths were erected. The nature of the place and the situation made cooperative living arrangements essential.
• In 72 A.D., three years after Titus captured Jerusalem and destroyed the Temple, the Roman army attempted to regain King Herod's military post and palace at Masada on the cliff top banks of the Dead Sea. • The Roman army numbered some ten to fifteen thousand men, while the entire besieged population on Masada number 967 people, including men, women and children. Siege Ramp: Investigation of tamarisk branches in the Roman siege ramp result in the conclusion that fifty percent more rain flowed through the wadis into the Dead Sea when Flavius Silva built the siege ramp. A recent article suggests that this ramp was mostly natural and only the top 26 feet was added by the Romans. The middle picture shows were the Romans broke through the upper wall and penetrated the fortress.
Siege Camp: A solid wall was built surrounding Masada and connected the 8 Roman camps. It was 6 feet thick and 7 miles long and built to prevent escaping. An estimated 9000 soldiers plus support personnel and slaves conducted the siege. Szoltan discovered the first Roman siege camps in 1932.
• The siege lasted several months, during which time the Romans build a massive embankment on the western slope of the mountain. The Romans climbed this man-made ramp to attack the Zealots, who were living in the fortress with plenty of food that they had stored away before the siege -- and a massive supply of water that was collected naturally in Herod's man-made rain collection system. When the Romans finally reached the top of the mountain, they set fire to the wood-and-soil wall that was the last defense of the Zealots at Masada. The Jewish warriors realized that there was no hope left, and decided to take their own lives rather than to be captured by the Romans. • With these words the Jewish Zealots, led by Elazar Ben-Yair, who had been encamped in the mountaintop fortress of Masada, decided to take their own lives, and the lives of their wives and children, rather than be captured by the Romans.
Page 7
"Brave and loyal followers! Long ago we resolved to serve neither the Romans nor anyone other than God Himself, who alone is the true and just Lord of mankind. The time has now come that bids us prove our determination by our deeds we have never submitted to slavery, even when it brought no danger with it. We must not choose slavery now, and with it penalties that will mean the end of everything if we fall alive into the hands of the Romans God has given us this privilege, that we can die nobly and as free men and leave this world as free men in company with our wives and children." -- Excerpts from BenYair's Oration
• The Hebrew historian of that time, Josephus Flavius recorded the tragic events that took place as the Romans breached the Masada defenses: "They [the Zealots] then chose ten men form amongst them by lot, who would slay all the rest; every one of whom laid himself down by his wife and children on the ground, and threw his arms about them, and they offered their necks to the stroke of those who by lot executed that melancholy office; and when these ten had without fear slain them all, they made the same rule for casting lots for themselves, and he whose lot it was should first kill the other nine, and after all, should kill himself and he who was last of all, examined the mass of those who lay on the ground, and when he had perceived that they were all slain, he set fire to all corners of the royal palace, and with the great force of his hand ran his sword into his body up to the hilt, and fell dead beside his kinsmen. Thus they all died believing that they had left no living soul behind to bear the Roman yoke. The Romans expected that they should be fought in the morning, accordingly put on their armor and laid bridges upon their ladders from their banks, to make an assault upon the fortress... saw nobody as an enemy, but a terrible solitude on every side, with a fire within the place, as well as perfect silence They were at a loss to guess at what had happened… In the area in front of the northern palace, eleven small ostraca were uncovered, each bearing a single name. One reads "ben Yai'r" and could be short for Eleazar ben Ya'ir, the commander of the fortress. It has been suggested that the other ten names are those of the men chosen by lot to kill the others and then themselves, as recounted by Josephus.
• Josephus claims that two women and five children survived by hiding from the mass suicide and he received his information first hand from the survivors. There is some question as to whether all agreed willingly to the slaughter… • Josephus also notes that everything was burnt except the stores - to let the Romans know that it was not hunger that led the defenders to suicide.
Bedouin camp (Arad) • Bedouins are currently transitioning into "semi-nomadic" lifestyle (still very similar to Patriarchs) Consider themselves sons of Abraham by Ishmael. Page 8
Patriarchs) Consider themselves sons of Abraham by Ishmael. •
In Bedouin culture, primary importance is placed on receiving guests and on warm, openhearted hospitality. The Bedouin culture notices the dangers and hardships of the desert. In all the solitude, simply encountering another person is a rather unusual event. A new face is cause for celebration, feast, and festivity. All these encounters are depicted and seen in Bedouin poetry, sayings, and songs. These encounters give the Bedouin a chance to socialize and possibly hold trades.
• Khan - a Bedouin encampment in the heart of the wilderness, surrounded by the silence of the desert, with an infinite view of the wilderness stretching away to the horizon. • A large tent faces east, and on the floor are straw mats and brightly colored pillows. A small fire burns in the corner and a finjan of coffee is boiling on the fire. The warm wind blows, and guests lounge on mats and rugs, luxuriating in the quiet, and drawn by the calm of the desert. • In the evening, just before the moon rises, an old Bedouin will tell stories about the Bedouin heritage, lifestyle, faith, culture, and traditions. His stories are accompanied by Bedouin songs and music played on a flute or wooden mortar and pestle.
•
Meals are served on large metal trays, and diners sit around a low table on mats or pillows, enjoying the exotic cuisine. An old shepherd invites you into another tent and offers you pita bread with tehina, fresh salad, and magluba - a mixture of chicken, rice, vegetables, and potatoes. The meal is followed by a desert of baklava cakes served with hot Turkish coffee and sweet herbal tea.
• The ritual of coffee serving is called gawha and is bound by rules of etiquette. □ In the presence of his guests, the host will roast, cool and grind the beans. □ Using a mortar and pestle, he will add cardamom pods in equal or more measure to the coffee beans during the grinding process. Page 9
the coffee beans during the grinding process. □ When the coffee is brewed, the host pours for his guests - traditionally only men. □ The Bedouins have a saying that translates to ... "he makes coffee from morn till night." It is a way of describing a generous man, and no greater praise can be given. • Other Traditions □ Bedouin tent is divided into two sections by a curtain which is woven known as a ma'nad . One section (2/3 of tent), for the men and for reception, is called the mag'ad, or 'sitting place.' The other (1/3 of tent), is called the maharama, or 'place of the women. □ Guest coughs politely a the door to introduce themselves. □ Attire: □ Men were primarily White garments □ Women wear Red=married, Green=mourning, Blue=ward against evil eye, multicolored=single □ Music used for entertainment, communication & promotion of values, weddings and lullabies. □ Populations of Bedouins □ 170,000 in Negev □ 50,000 in Galilee □ Millions in Jordan and Gulf States □ Modern life in Bedouin camp □ Use computers and some modern conveniences □ Act as trackers along the borders (voluntary basis) □ No Alcohol, pork or gambling • We were invited to sing after they sang for us and we sang, "This is the day that the LORD has made" Riding Camels @ Bedouin Camp
Overnight at the Dead Sea Resort in Zohar.
Page 10