David’s Tower (Bethlehem)
Tower or house of David in Bethlehem in Judah, in ruins at the time of Jesus. It is in a cave at this place that, according to According to Maria Valtorta, Jesus was born.
Description
When Jesus returns after so many years to the place of His birth, He exclaims:"There, over there are the ruins of David’s Tower. Oh! it is dearer to Me than a royal palace! Blessed ruins! Blessed stream!"[1]On another pilgrimage to the place of His birth, Maria Valtorta, who now "knows" these places, describes what she "sees":
"But when He is on a high spot from which He can see all the town of Bethlehem, He stops, looks and sighs… He then goes down quickly. He does not enter the town. He goes around the last houses. He goes straight to the ruins of the house or tower of David [...]"[2]This evocation, by Maria Valtorta, of a tower (or house) of David in Bethlehem is surprising.
Its name
The Tower or house of David in Bethlehem is otherwise called Birath-Ârba, Birath meaning "fortress or citadel". David was born in Bethlehem but only reigned in Hebron called Kiriath-Arba (Kiriath = city).[3]
Where is it mentioned in the work?
GRM 207 GRM 538
Learn more about this place
No trace of this monument seems to have survived, but the memory of its existence has been preserved to this day."David, when he reached the throne, had built himself a palace in Bethlehem. (…) The nearby inhabitants later called it Birath-Ârba, or the old palace of the king. It fell into ruins after the children of Judah went into captivity".[4]The famous doctor Sepp does not hesitate to locate the Nativity cave in the immediate vicinity of the ruins of the tower of David.
"This fortress was still known under the name Birath-Arba by the neighboring populations, several centuries later. Fallen into ruin after the emigration of the Jews, it seems to have served as a shelter for travelers for a long time (...) Thus the tower of David, which this great king had the image engraved on his coins, had become the shelter of the troops..."[5]The surprise is complete when one learns that Jewish tradition precisely mentions Birath Arba in Bethlehem.[6] It appears highly unlikely that Maria Valtorta could have had knowledge of these various documents.
Explore
- 31° 42’ 17’’ N / 35° 12’ 26’’ E/
- +750m.
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Notes and references
Article partially based on the Geographical Dictionary of the Gospel by Jean-François Lavère.
- ↑ GRM 207.5.
- ↑ GRM 538.4.
- ↑ Josue 14:15 : "The name of Hebron formerly was Qiryath-Arba, and Arba was the greatest man among the Anakite giants. And the land rested from war." The Anakites were a race of giants that the Israelites found upon their arrival in the land of Canaan. (Numbers 13:33 | Deuteronomy 2:10-11, 9:2 | Joshua 11:21-22) … There were other races descended, it is said, from Seth. Goliath was one of them.
- ↑ F. E. Chassay History of Redemption 1850, p. 129-130.
- ↑ Doctor Sepp, Life of Our Lord Jesus Christ, volume 1 pages 231-232). See also Antonii Bynaei, De natali Jesu Christi, libro duo, 1689, p.461-462.
- ↑ Midrash Rabbah on Lamentations, 1:51 : "At Birat-Arva, that is to say in Bethlehem of Judah."