Day 6 - Wednesday, April 10 - Tel Gezer and the Valley of Elah

This day began with a visit to Tel Gezer. One of the three cities in the line of Megiddo and Hazor and Gezer mentioned together in 1 Kings 9 vers 15 in connection with King Solomon's building work, and whose gates bear great resemblance to each other, as you have seen in the pictures. 

Now for once not pictures of gates, however interesting, but the water supply. Because in all these three cities a tunnel was dug within the city walls until they encountered groundwater, so that the water supply was secured. We are curious if you can bring home the sounds as you descend with us? 

Then to the Valley of Elah, where the famous battle between David and Goliath took place. ​The probable fortress or garrison site of the Israelites is quite preserved.

In 1 Samuel 17 verse 20 you read that David arrived at the "camp," but the Hebrew word can also mean "circle," the fortress being roughly circular (more oval-shaped). 
Another detail is that the name Shaaraim in verse 52, that a group of archeologists attach to this place, means "double gate," and you can see in the aerial photo two gates which was quite unique at that time. A normal-sized city, even less a camp, had only one gate.

It was not easy to get there because normally in April the dry season started but it had rained, and the dirt road to it was mud that our rental car without four-wheel drive and with tires with very closed tread could not get through. So we had to walk quite a bit after a bit of mud slippage with the car.

Video's:
(1) The water supply of Tel Gezer. (2) This video starts from where David went down to face the Philistine on the other side of the valley.

Photo's:
(1) From the water supply depth of 45 meters looking up. (2) Marco's picture with flash light and how the eyes of the bats reflect that flash. (3-4) Mud shoes and mud tyres. (5) View from the Israelite garrisson location to the left of the valley, where the Filistines had their reinforcement. (6) Looking straight down from the Israelite garrison into the valley where David would meet Goliath. (7) The main gate and walls facing the valley. (8) Up is the main gate, and to the right the second gate at the side. (9) Closer look at the gate at the side that secured the back entrance, and where we climbed up.