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Israel Study Tour with Calvary Church Los Gatos
November 18-29, 2018
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On a hilltop in Azekah
After a short night at the hotel, we set off for the first stop: Kiriath-Jearim. Here we had a chance to prepare ourselves for the day ahead and open our hearts to be receptive of how God would speak to us as we visited the various locations (Kiriath-Jearim; Azekah; Maresha; Beth Shemesh) that many of us have read before in the Old Testament. It was amazing getting insights from our guide Dan throughout the day on how the Israelites lived during this time from the olive oil production to the cisterns of Maresh. The highlight of the day for me was when we were standing on a hilltop in Azekah. As Steve read 1 Samuel 17, the story began to come to life and the realization of the significance of that battle between David and Goliath. David showed an unwavering faith as he went into battle with Goliath despite the enormous odds stacked against him. To this day, Israel views themselves as David being surrounded by hostile countries but that one day God will rescue them. It is a reminder in our own life that faith does not change even though our circumstances do.
— Chad Cochrane
Azekah
Azekah (Heb: עזקה, ʿazeqah) was a town in the Shephelah guarding the upper reaches of the Valley of Elah, about 26 km (16 mi) northwest of Hebron. The current tell (ruin) by that name has been identified with the biblical Azekah, dating back to the Canaanite period. According to Eusebius' Onomasticon, the name meant "white" in the Canaanite tongue. The tell is pear shaped with the tip pointing northward. Due to its location in the Elah Valley it functioned as one of the main Judahite border cities, sitting on the boundary between the lower and higher Shephelah.[1] Although listed in Joshua 15:35 as being a city in the plain, it is actually partly in the hill country, partly in the plain.
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