February 8, Site#4

THE KING’S HIGHWAY
An ancient trading route going from Egypt to Damascus by way of modern Jordan. It is referred to in Numbers 20:17; 21:22.

CITIES OF JORDAN WITH BIBLICAL SIGNIFICANCE (AMMAN, EDOM, MOAB MIDIAN,
SEIR)
Philadelphia / Rabbath-Amman / Amman
This is the capital of the desert kingdom of Amman in Old Testament times. The Israelites had ongoing problems with the Ammanites (Judges 11:13) and they had poor regard for their cultural ancestors (Genesis 19:30-38). Though they were a nomadic people, the Ammanites did have a few cities, their capital Rabbath-Amman, being the most famous. The Ammanites were fierce and brutal by nature (Jeremiah 40:14; 41:5-7; Amos 1:14). They often joined with Israel’s enemies to oppose them (Deuteronomy 23:3-4; Nehemiah 2:10, 19). Their chief deity was Molech, to whom they offered child sacrifices (I Kings 11:7).

Genesis 19:30-38 (the origin of the Moabites and Ammonites)
Now Lot went up out of Zoar and settled in the hills with his two daughters, for he was afraid to stay in Zoar; so he lived in a cave with his two daughters. And the firstborn said to the younger, “Our father is old, and there is not a man on earth to come in to us after the manner of all the world. Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, so that we may preserve offspring through our father.” So they made their father drink wine that night; and the firstborn went in, and lay with her father; he did not know when she lay down or when she rose. On the next day, the firstborn said to the younger, “Look, I lay last night with my father; let us make him drink wine tonight also; then you go in and lie with him, so that we may preserve offspring through our father.” So they made their father drink wine that night also; and the younger rose, and lay with him; and he did not know when she lay down or when she rose. Thus both the daughters of Lot became pregnant by their father. The firstborn bore a son, and named him Moab; he is the ancestor of the Moabites to this day. The younger also bore a son and named him Ben-ammi; he is the ancestor of the Ammonites to this day.

ABEL-KERAROIM / NA’UR
Abel-Keraroim means “district of vineyards.” It is referred to in Judges 11:33.

ELEALEH / EL-AI
It is referred to in Numbers 32: 3, 37 and Isaiah 15:4; 16:9

HESHBON / HISBAN
Heshbon was the capital of King Sihon. Israel defeated Heshbon when they were on their way to the promised land (Numbers 21:21-30). It is also referred to in Isaiah 16:8 and Song of Solomon 7:1-5. Herod the Great fortified the city and renamed it Esbus.

Numbers 21:21-30 (Israel’s victory over the Hesbonites)
Then Israel sent messengers to King Sihon of the Amorites, saying, “Let me pass through your land; we will not turn aside into field or vineyard; we will not drink the water of any well; we will go by the King’s Highway until we have passed through your territory.” But Sihon would not allow Israel to pass through his territory. Sihon gathered all his people together, and went out against Israel to the wilderness; he came to Jahaz, and fought against Israel. Israel put him to the sword, and took possession of his land from the Arnon to the Jabbok, as far as to the Ammonites; for the boundary of the Ammonites was strong. Israel took all these towns, and Israel settled in all the towns of the Amorites, in Heshbon, and in all its villages. For Heshbon was the city of King Sihon of the Amorites, who had fought against the former king of Moab and captured all his land as far as the Arnon. Therefore the ballad singers say, “Come to Heshbon, let it be built; let the city of Sihon be established. For fire came out from Heshbon, flame from the city of Sihon. It devoured Ar of Moab, and swallowed up the heights of the Arnon. Woe to you, O Moab! You are undone, O people of Chemosh! He has made his sons fugitives, and his daughters captives, to an Amorite king, Sihon. So their posterity perished from Heshbon to Dibon, and we laid waste until fire spread to Medeba.”