1. Ephraim and Manasseh
Do you have a favorite area in Israel? The ancient Israelite tribes did and it was not around the Sea of Galilee. We know what was the choicest territory based on which land was given to the dominant tribes, ahead of the "lottery system" used for the rest of the tribes. Because the two faithful spies, Joshua and Caleb, were from the tribes of Ephraim and Judah, these two tribes were given first pick. They chose the central hill country. The remaining seven tribes were apportioned the land that was left over according to the "casting of lots" in Joshua 18. (Two and a half tribes had already received portions on the east side of the Jordan.)
This month's featured photos are from the central hill country that was allotted to the two sons of Joseph, Ephraim and Manasseh. This is not only a beautiful area, but it is rich with biblical history as you'll see from the explanations below.
These images are a representative sample of the 1,200 images in the Samaria volume of the Pictorial Library of Bible Lands.
This presentation, including its maps and photographs, are copyrighted by Todd Bolen. Permission to use is granted for personal and educational purposes. Commercial use or re-distribution requires written permission.
Images from the Pictorial Library of Bible Lands, Revised and Expanded edition, Volume 2

2. Wadi Farah aerial from southeast
The beautiful Wadi Farah may well have been the entrance into the hill country for the patriarch Abraham. This was a natural route to Shechem where the Lord first promised him the land. Later his grandson Jacob certainly passed this way on his return from Paddan Aram via the Wadi Jabbok. After he wrestled with the angel and met Esau (Gen 32–33), he traveled through the Wadi Farah on his way to Shechem (Gen 34). tb
Wadi Farah aerial from southeast

3. Abraham and Jacob would have passed by Tirzah, but there is no indication in the Bible that it was inhabited at the time or that they were aware of it. But in the time of David and Solomon, Tirzah was famous for its beauty: "You are as beautiful as Tirzah, my darling, as lovely as Jerusalem Turn your eyes from me; they overwhelm me" (Song 6:4-5). tb
Tirzah from south

4. Tirzah aerial from south
After the northern kingdom split from Judah, Tirzah became Israel's capital city. Jeroboam and Baasha ruled from here, but after Zimri burnt the palace down on himself, Omri moved the capital to Samaria. The photo above is one of the aerial images taken by Barry Beitzel and included in the revised edition of the Pictorial Library of Bible Lands. bb
Tirzah aerial from south

5. Michmethath Valley view north from Mount Gerizim
The view from Mount Gerizim is quite impressive in any direction. Looking to the northeast, one has a view of the Michmethath Valley. On the left side stands Mount Ebal and at its base are the old towns of Shechem and Sychar. The Samaritan woman journeyed from Sychar towards Shechem in order to draw water at Jacob's Well (John 4). The amount of biblical history that one can recount at this site is extensive—I usually tell my students when we arrive that they can expect a tour of the Bible from just this spot! tb
Michmethath Valley view north from Mount Gerizim

6. Shechem, Tell Balata, from Mount Gerizim
Shechem: The Patriarchal References
Abram came from east of the Jordan River and stopped at the great tree of Moreh at Shechem, where he built an altar. Shechem is the first place in Canaan where God promised Abram the land (Gen 12:6-8). The early patriarchal connections have great importance later on in the history of Israel.
The trip from Haran to Shechem was about 400 miles (640 km) and would have required at least 20 days of travel.
No town was here in Abraham’s time. It was simply a place where Abram built an altar and the name Shechem was added later (Merrill 1987: 32). Shechem became a city about 1900 BC. “Shechem was established as an urban center by about 1900, almost two hundred years after Abram’s arrival in Canaan (ca. 2100). The narrative does not even hint that there was a town in Abram’s time. To the contrary, he appears to have built his altar an unoccupied site which later became Shechem” (Merrill 1987: 32, n. 29).
The land was apparently open to Abram and ready for the taking. “With the Canaanites effectively contained in the plains and valleys and the Amorites (among whom Abram lived) pursuing at least a form of nomadism, the patriarch moved about and settled down as he chose, unimpeded by claims of priority or threat from indigenous populations” (Merrill 1987: 34). This fits very well within the Intermediate Bronze period.
In Genesis 33, Jacob stopped at Shechem on the way back from Laban’s. He traveled via the Wadi Farah (because he had crossed the Jabbok River in Transjordan). The patriarchs owned no land except for the tomb in Hebron, and they seemed to have been pastoralists. Jacob bought a plot of land at Shechem for a 100 shekels of silver, and he pitched his tent. He set up an altar here. Genesis 35:4 records that Jacob buried foreign gods underneath the tree at Shechem.
In Genesis 34 (cf. Acts 7:16), Dinah, the daughter of Jacob, was raped by the prince of Shechem. It appeared then that he took a genuine interest in her and asked Jacob to marry her. He offered a dowry, and, to Jacob, the possibility of buying land and intermarrying with the people so they could settle there. After a family counsel, it was decided that the citizens of Shechem must be circumcised first. Shechem went along with the plan, but two of the brothers killed the men and took the women and children.
Later on, Jacob’s sons were found grazing in this area (Gen 37:12-17). Joseph traveled from Hebron to Shechem and then to Dothan in search of them.
When the Israelites returned from Egypt, Joseph’s bones were buried here (Josh 24:32).
Source Cited:
Merrill, Eugene H.
1987 Kingdom of Priests: A History of Old Testament Israel. Grand Rapids: Baker. tb
Shechem, Tell Balata, from Mount Gerizim

7. Shepherd with flock of sheep in eastern Samaria
When touring the ancient lands of Ephraim and Manasseh, it is not just the stops at sites that are impressive, but the drive is as well. All window shades must be raised and naps are forbidden while the bus makes its way through Israel's heartland and past modern farmers and shepherds who are carrying on the traditions of their forefathers. In this photo, one can imagine the tension that has long existed between the farmer and the shepherd both of whom desired the same fertile fields. tb
Shepherd with flock of sheep in eastern Samaria

8. Samaria acropolis aerial from north
As we continue on our way, we finally come to Israel's final and greatest capital city. Established by Ahab's father, Samaria was well known to Elijah, Elisha, Jehu, and Jeroboam II. The photo above is one of the aerial images taken by Barry Beitzel included in the revised edition of the Pictorial Library of Bible Lands. bb
Samaria acropolis aerial from north

9. Samaria Israelite wall
The monumental construction of Omri and Ahab is still visible though it has not been maintained well in the 80 years since it was excavated. The wall shown above is possibly the best preserved section of architecture from the time of Israel's kings. Not too far away lie the ruins of an impressive temple built by King Herod in honor of Emperor Augustus (see next slide). tb
Samaria Israelite wall

10. Samaria Herodian temple
Over the location where the Israelite palaces had been, King Herod constructed a monumental temple dedicated to Sebaste (the Greek for name for Emperor Augustus). tb
Samaria Herodian temple

11. Dothan valley view west from tell
Joseph came to this valley searching for his brothers who had moved on with their flocks from Shechem (Gen 37:17). tb
Dothan valley view west from tell

12. Joseph was thrown into an empty well near Dothan before his brothers sold him to Ishmaelite traders (Gen 37:20-28).
Elisha was staying in Dothan when the Aramean army came to capture him (2 Kgs 6:8-23). tb
Dothan tell with well

13. Shiloh aerial from northwest
Introduction to Shiloh
Shiloh was one of the important Israelite centers in the period of the Settlement and Judges.
Shiloh is not mentioned in the patriarchal narratives, nor is it mentioned in any Egyptian documents during the Late Bronze Period. It figures prominently during the period of the Judges, but only during this period.
The location of Shiloh is easy to identify because of the explicit historical-geographical passage in Judges 21:19.
Today the mound covers 7.5 acres. In the days of Samuel, it is believed that only 2.5 acres was occupied.
Shiloh is located in the hills of Ephraim, south of Shechem, and north of Bethel. The city was protected on the west by the deep-cutting Shiloh System, an area the Bible calls the interior or remote places of Ephraim. Shiloh was protected on the east by the steep descent into the Jordan Rift (3,600 ft descent in 6 mi [1125 m in 9.6 km]). “Unlike the open and vulnerable Central Benjamin Plateau with roads in all directions, the isolated, beautiful Shiloh Valley offered all the security needed for the Ark and its attendants” (Monson 1983: 120).
Source cited:
Monson, James M.
1983 The Land Between: A Regional Study Guide to the Land of the Bible. Rockford, IL: Biblical Backgrounds.
The photo above is one of the aerial images taken by Barry Beitzel included in the revised edition of the Pictorial Library of Bible Lands. bb
Shiloh aerial from northwest

14. Shiloh Iron Age I houses, time of Samuel
A series of Iron Age I houses were discovered built into the Middle Bronze glacis. The pottery found in these buildings is the richest discovered in any early Israelite site. The Danish expedition found 10 whole vessels; the Israeli expedition found 30 additional vessels and large pieces of many more. The most significant part of this collection are the collared rim store jars which are typical of Israelite settlements in the Hill Country. These houses were likely in use during the time that Samuel served in the tabernacle (1 Sam 3). tb
Shiloh Iron Age I houses, time of Samuel

15. Timnath-serah, Khirbet Tibnah, from east
My guess is that most of my readers have not seen any of the places shown in the photos above, because these sites are rarely on any itineraries, save for the student groups. Even if you have been fortunate enough to see Shechem and Samaria, you likely did not get out to this site. Timnath-serah was chosen by Joshua as his own personal inheritance within the tribal territory of Ephraim (Josh 19:50). We don't have any record of how Moses' successor spent his final days after the Conquest, but Scripture twice records that Joshua was buried here (Josh 24:30; Judg 2:9). This rather remote site has not been excavated. tb
Timnath-serah, Khirbet Tibnah, from east

16. This sampler is taken from the Pictorial Library of Bible Lands, Revised and Expanded edition, Volume 2: Samaria and the Center.
Samaria and the Center includes more than 1,200 photos like these – all in high-resolution.
Each photo is clearly labeled. Most slides have descriptive explanations (see notes section below).
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17. This sampler is taken from the Pictorial Library of Bible Lands, Revised and Expanded edition, Volume 2: Samaria and the Center. Presentations on this volume include:
Benjamin
Beth Shean
Beth Shearim
Bethel-Ai
Caesarea
Dor
Gibeon
Jericho
Jericho-Later Periods
Jezreel Valley
Jordan Rift
Kiriath Jearim
Megiddo
Michmash and Geba
Mount Carmel
Ramat HaNadiv
Samaria
Samaria-Sebaste
Sharon Plain
Shechem and Mount Gerizim
Shiloh
For more information about this volume, go to:

18. Samaria and the Center is volume 2 of the Pictorial Library of Bible Lands, a collection of 17,600 high-resolution images of biblical sites and scenes. Other volumes in the collection include:
Galilee and the North
Jerusalem
Judah and the Dead Sea
Negev and the Wilderness
Jordan
Egypt
Lebanon
Eastern and Central Turkey
Western Turkey
Greece
The Greek Islands
Cyprus and Crete
Italy and Malta
Rome
Trees, Plants, and Flowers of the Holy Land
Cultural Images of the Holy Land
Signs of the Holy Land
For more information about the Pictorial Library of Bible Lands, go to: