Comments on: BCC Travel Club: Hezekiah’s Tunnel, Jerusalem

By: Bored in Vernal

Bored in Vernal — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 18:20:56 +0000

John Hamer, please check out dictionary.com or my recent post on bloggernacle vocabulary. I would hate for this word to lose its effectiveness in the English language.

By: Yipes

Yipes — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 21:00:09 +0000

Peter: Of course it depends on how big your mid-section is to begin with. But the answer is: not much.

By: Ronan

Ronan — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 20:19:51 +0000

Yipes,
I’m jealous of your current adventures. Of course the Jerusalem Center is lovely, but not any old pleb can stay there.

By: Yipes

Yipes — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 20:01:21 +0000

FYI the old pool of Siloam has been shown to not be the place of the original pool of Siloam. The original pool, which is a very large pool like structure with a large area where priests would descend from Herod’s temple, has recently been uncovered (within the past year). I spoke with the chief archaeologist in charge of the excavation of the pool just three days ago when I walked through Hezikiah’s tunnel (I’m in Jerusalem right now). He provided several coins from Jesus’ time that had been uncovered in situ (I obtained several of them). In addition, there are still tiles in their original in situ setting that have not been disturbed that still meet and join perfectly. The pottery jar setting stones are still in place where the priests from Herod’s temple would bring them for the morning libations and where they would refill them for the Feast of Tabernacles. It’s very cool! It is one of the few places that can actually be identified where Jesus walked (the other being the western stairs of Herod’s temple recently uncovered).

I was at Lachish just a few days ago where it is still easy to recover pottery shards from various time periods. It is near Azekah as you likely know that had also fallen to Sennacherib in 701. I was particularly impressed with the “high place” still very visible at Lachish that dated from the time of Canaanite occupation and was likely used still by the Hebrews.

Best place to stay in Jersusalem: The BYU Center for Near Eastern Studies. It also has the best from from Mount Scopus overlooking the Temple Mount.

I was also talking just today with the curator of the Citadel Museum where the copper “scrolls” from the Dead Sea scrolls is located. This museum in Jordan is really a must see because of its remarkable collection from the city of ancient Ammon and environs. There are several altars from high places that date to the time of the First Temple and several reliefs of the goddess Astarte.

Finally, anyone who gets into this area just has to go to Petra. Just one word — incredible.

By: Peter LLC

Peter LLC — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 19:58:22 +0000

So how much extra baggage can you carry around your midsection and still make it through?

By: G.J.

G.J. — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 14:50:45 +0000

I went through when I was eight – the gate at the end of the tunnel was locked so we had to wait for about 45 minutes until somebody came by with a key. That and a being trapped in an elevator experience kept me from going through again in 2000 when we were on a family trip. Too cold, damp and cramped. It was one thing as a 4’8 8 year old. Another as a 6’3 adult.

By: Amira

Amira — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 14:37:39 +0000

I don’t remember rats either, but the first time I went through the water was close to waist-high. Some friends who’d been there before were in chest-high water. A year later they’d cleaned it and it was less than knee-high. There’s no way I’d have my kids miss Hezekiah’s Tunnel if we’re ever in Jerusalem with them. Ankle-deep water wouldn’t concern me.

My kids do get an earful when we get to Hezekiah when we’re reading the OT.

By: John Hamer

John Hamer — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 14:13:25 +0000

Don’t poo-poo the rats — they’re the angel of the LORD.

By: Ronan

Ronan — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 13:50:10 +0000

I don’t remember any rats.

By: Julie M. Smith

Julie M. Smith — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 13:44:00 +0000

One of my professors described touring the tunnel with her little kids once and hearing (maybe even feeling?) rats around them, water at their ankles, and realizing that it was really not appropriate for little kids. That image stuck with me. Ugh.