Aphek
Waypoint city east of the Sea of Galilee.
Inhabitants or Natives
Sarah of Aphek and her servants: Samuel, the grumpy old steward, Elijah, his aide healed by Jesus, Joseph, the clumsy servant, Mary and Joanna, the handmaids.
Description
"Aphek is much farther inland than Gamala. It is among the mountains and so it is no longer possible to see the lake of Galilee. In actual fact it is not possible to see anything because the road climbs between two ridges which are like screens."[1]
"Aphek is not a town which can compete with Gamala or Hippo. It is more rural than anything else, but perhaps because it is an important road junction, it is not a poor town. As a transit town for caravans travelling from the hinterland to the lake, or from the north southwards, it is bound to be equipped to supply pilgrims with lodgings, clothes, sandals and foodstuffs, and consequently there are many stores and hotels."[2]
Notable Events
Healing of Elijah suffering from gangrene.[3]
Its Name
אֲפִיק (Afik),[4] Apheq, Afeca of the Decapolis,
Afiq (meaning Strength, fortress)
Apheq denotes a "torrent bed" or "canal." It is the Roman Aphaca.
Where is it mentioned in the work?
GRM 456 GRM 457
Learn More About This Place
Ahab, king of Israel, dealt a crushing defeat to Ben-Hadad II, Aramean king of Syria.[5] This victory serves as a reference for Elisha to exhort Joash.[6]
Excerpt from the Geographical Dictionary of the Gospel According to Maria Valtorta, by Jean-François Lavère:This village is near Hippo, in the Decapolis. It must not be confused with the homonymous city on the edge of the Sharon plain. It is mentioned several times in the work, along with its neighbors Gadara, Hippo, Gherghesa, and Gamala.[7]Sarah, the widow of a wealthy merchant, welcomes Jesus: "Remember me. I am Sarah of Aphek, the widow of the mat vendor. Remember. My house is near the square of the red fountain. But I own also some vineyards and a wood."[8] The Lord only stays a few hours in this modest village. "Aphek is not a town which can compete with Gamala or Hippo. It is more rural than anything else",[2] says Maria Valtorta, who also gives this relevant detail: "Aphek is much farther inland than Gamala. It is among the mountains and so it is no longer possible to see the lake of Galilee."[1]
The city is cited in the Bible,[5][6] Eusebius of Caesarea (Onomasticon) lists several towns named Aphec, including this one, on the border of the "Amorites" beyond the Jordan, which was given to the tribe of Reuben. "There is a village called Aphec near HHippos, a city of Palestine." Maria Valtorta's detailed description corresponds well to the archaeological site identified in 1972, eleven years after her death!
Explore
32°46’48”N/35°42’15”E/ +335m.