To visit Israel enables experiencing where kings and prophets walked. Today just out of Jerusalem along highway <375> are the remains of towns in Judea mentioned in the Bible/Prophets: Lachish, Azeka, Shaarayim, Adullam, Socho.
Today was a beautiful day as we drove to Tel Socho, a hill containing the buried remains of the city, covered by a spring carpet of purple lupines, yellow daisies, mustard flowers and more.
In the time of King Saul, the Philistines encamped in the Elah valley in the territory of Judah between Sokho and Azekah after their defeat at Mikhmas, putting forth Goliath as their champion (1 Samuel 17:1). Almost everyone knows the story, how young David slew the giant Goliath with a slingshot and a smooth river stone and the Philistine army was routed. Today there was a family visiting the tel and the daughter, studying the Prophets for her bat mitzvah, was retelling the story. And I was taking photographs of the flowers.
Rabbi Antigonus of Sokho, mentioned in the Mishna, Ethics of the Fathers (Pirkei Avot 1:3), likely came from another town of the same name south of Hebron.
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Beautiful shots. I’m forwarding today’s blog and photos to 5 friends from Maine who are VERY familiar w/ New England Lupine.
Thanks Bob. I thought it was interesting that the lupines are growing in such a Biblically historical place. Do you think they were growing there 3000 years ago? I wanted to capture/create images that weren’t just a photograph of a field of lupines, was looking for something more artistic.
Nice. Enjoyed seeing you this a.m.
On Tue, Mar 1, 2016 at 5:12 PM, Israel Tour Guide | Israel Tours wrote:
> Shmuel Browns posted: “To visit Israel enables experiencing where kings > and prophets walked. Today just out of Jerusalem along highway are > the remains of towns in Judea mentioned in the Bible/Prophets: Lachish, > Azeka, Shaarayim, Adullam, Socho. Today was a beauti” >