Jericho
"The oldest city in the world."
Inhabitants or natives
Anastasica (Rose of Jericho), Bartimaeus the blind healed and his companion Uriel, Diomedes, the Greek merchant to whom Judas sells Aglae's jewelry, Levi the old repentant tax collector repentant, Nike the woman charitable, Solomon the ferryman, Valens, the old Roman pimp, Zacchaeus the tax collector
Description
"It is a beautiful village, and even a city not much inferior to Jerusalem in its buildings, if not in its extent. I see a large square that seems to be a market, shaded by palm trees and other lower leafy trees. The palms have grown here and there, disorderly, and sway their bunches of leaves that crackle in a warm and high wind. The wind lifts a reddish dust."[1]Jericho, located in this deep valley of the Jordan called the Ghor, enjoys a hot and sunny climate. Palms abound there. Herod had a palace built on the Qilt wadi. Nike had her property in the surrounding countryside on the road leading from Jericho to Jerusalem[2].
Notable events
Jesus meets the rich Zacchaeus there[3]. He preaches the Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector there and heals the blind Bartimaeus and Uriel, his companion[4].
Its name
יריחו
"City of the moon" (uncertain origin) sometimes called the city of palms. Today Tell es-Sultan or Aïn Es-Soultân. At 250m below sea level, 16 km northwest of the current mouth of the Jordan and 27 km northeast of Jerusalem.
Where is it mentioned in the work?
EMV 82
EMV 417
EMV 522 EMV 523 EMV 551 EMV 553 EMV 566 EMV 576 EMV 578 EMV 579 EMV 580 EMV 581
EMV 632
Learn more about this place
Since archaeological excavations began, the origin of Jericho has been dated to 8,000 BC. This is why archaeologists have named it "the oldest city in the world."
Successive settlements owed their existence to the perennial spring and the "oasis" it irrigated. At the time of Joshua, there may have been a small settlement on the eastern part of the tell but all traces have been erased by erosion. The account of Joshua 3:8, reporting the fall of Jericho, faithfully reflects the conditions and topography of the region. For centuries, no one tried to rebuild the city, once so important, for fear of Joshua's curse[5] but perhaps there was a small hamlet around the spring. During the reign of Ahab (circa 874/3-853 BC), Hiel of Bethel rebuilt Jericho and the curse was fulfilled, for he lost two sons[6]. Elijah and Elisha stayed there sometimes[7]. The Babylonians destroyed it but a small town revived after the exile[8].
At the time of Jesus, the city was located south of the old hill. Herod the Great and his successors built a winter palace close by, with pleasure gardens. It was therefore a new and quite luxurious city.
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Notes and references
- ↑ EMV 417.
- ↑ EMV 578.
- ↑ EMV 417.
- ↑ EMV 580.
- ↑ Joshua 6:26.
- ↑ 1 Kings 16:34.
- ↑ 2 Kings 2:4ff.
- ↑ Nehemiah 3:2.