Tel Dan

One of my favorite places that we visited was Tel Dan, the ruins of the ancient city of Dan! It was located on a really cool nature reserve that we had to walk through to get to the city. It’s located in the northern part of Israel, near the border of Lebanon and Syria.

The city was captured and rebuilt by the tribe of Dan, and renamed after them, during the reign of King Jeroboam of Israel. Jeroboam made the city, along with Bethel, a center for worship to idols. In this way he continued to lead the hearts of the people astray to worship other gods.

During the excavation of this site a stone was found with ancient writing on it. The writing mentioned the name of the House of David. Just more extra-biblical evidence to the truth of the Bible!

The Spring of Dan is fed from rain water and melting snow from Mt. Hermon. It is one of the 4 sources that feeds into the Jordan River.
Because of the river here, the area is very lush with vegetation.
This was our first view of the walls of the city. The inscription on the sign reads, “…therefore the children of Dan went up to fight against Leshem, and took it, and dwelt therein, and called Leshem, Dan, after the name of Dan their father.” – Joshua 19:47
This was right outside the gate to the city. It’s an altar, and on top are stones dedicated to other gods. King Josiah had most of these altars destroyed when he became King. 
“And he brought all the priests out of the cities of Judah, and defiled the high places where the priests had burned incense, from Geba to Beer-Sheeba, and brake down the high places of the gates…” – 2 Kings 23:8
This was just inside the gate to the city. This is where the elders of the city would meet to have council and make important decisions or settle disputes. 

This is a modern reconstruction of Jeroboam’s temple. This would have been the alter where they burned incense to other gods. 
I’m sitting on the steps of the high place where the golden calf would have sat, looking out over the temple. It was a strange feeling being told that right where I was sitting was where the idol that they worshiped was placed. 

This is the Gate of Dan. It’s over 3,800 years old! It was the entrance to a Caananite city and it’s probable that this is where Abraham would have come when he went to rescue his nephew Lot in Genesis 14:14. 
This model shows you what it might have looked like in its day. 
This is the stone bearing the name of David that was found during the excavation of the city. It’s currently in the Israeli Museum. 

Getting to walk through a city thousands of years old, and to sit in the high place and be read the story of God splitting the Kingdom into two because of their worship of idols was what made this place so memorable. I know seeing the pictures doesn’t do it justice, but I hope that by seeing them that these stories can be made more alive to you. Thanks for reading!

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