Beth-Shean (Beit Shean, Bet She'an) & Mt. Gilboa: King Saul's Downfall, Roman Decapolis City, Israel

Beth-Shean and Mt. Gilboa are biblical sites where many amazing things took place in the Bible.
Location
1. Beth-Shean, also known as Beit Shean or Bet She’an, was a major biblical and secular city for thousands of years.
2. It’s located in the center of several main crossroads between the Jordan Valley and the Jezreel (Yizreel) Valley.
3. It’s about 15 miles (25 km.) south of the southern tip of the Sea of Galilee and about 35 miles (55 km.) east of the Mediterranean Sea.
4. It’s located on the Harod Stream which provides it with much water. This Harod Stream is the same stream that originates at Harod Spring, just west of here about 15 miles and is where Gideon chose 300 men under God’s command to defeat the Midianites and other armies.
5. The main entrance faced the east, as did most other major cities and structures in ancient times. In fact, the word orientation comes from the word “orient,” which means east. Because creation, the beginning civilizations, and the sun rose from the east, to be oriented was to position yourself focused on the east. Today, maps use the north for orientation, but in ancient days, maps used the east for orientation purposes.
Historical Background
1. Beth-Shean was a key city long before the arrival of the Israelites because of its location. In the late Canaanite period (1600–1400 BC) the Egyptians ruled the area and the entire land of Israel.
2. Later, around 1000 BC, the Philistines also ruled the city for a time because they hung the body of King Saul on its walls after defeating the armies of Israel in the Battle of Gilboa.
3. When King David reigned (1008–970 BC), he conquered Beth-Shean, and it became part of Israel’s territories.
4. Later, in 732 BC, the Assyrian king, Tiglath-Pileser III, destroyed Beth-Shean after defeating the northern Kingdom of Israel.
5. In the 4th century BC, Hellenistic (Greek) new settlers established a city-state (polis) in Beth-Shean. During the Hellenistic period, the city was named Nisa Scythopolis.
6. In 63 BC, the city was conquered by the Romans and became one of the cities of the Decapolis – a group of cities with a Hellenistic-Roman cultural character, most of them in Transjordan. Beth-Shean was one of the key cities of the Roman Empire in this area south of Galilee.
7. Beth-Shean was not far from Nazareth, and it’s very likely Jesus worked here with His father as a builder.
8. Undoubtedly Christ ministered here and walked by it on a regular basis.
9. Beth-Shean was destroyed in 749 AD due to an enormous earthquake.
10. The biblical tel of Beth-Shean has around 20 layers of civilizations that have been discovered.
Places of Interest (Please See Maps Above)
1. Entrance
2. Old Testament Beth-Shean
3. Egyptian Governor’s House
4. Tree marking the place where Saul’s body was hanged.
5. Bathhouse – Often a place of prostitution. Therefore, Christians avoided places like these.
6. Theater – Often immoral and indecent acts took place there. Therefore, early Christians avoided them and were persecuted as a result.
7. Cardo (Palladius Street) – Comes from the word, “Cardiac” which means the center street of the city.
8. Sigma - A mosaic depicting Tyche, Goddess of the city.
9. Pillars
10. Shopping stores
11. Nymphaeum – Public Fountain
12. Marketplace (Agora) – Paul would be dragged into places like this (Acts 16:19).
13. Temple – Paul faced the gods of these temples in each Gentile city he ministered in (Acts 14:13).
14. Northern Street
15. Valley Street
16. Silvanus Street
17. Eastern Bathhouse
18. Public Bathrooms
19. Sacred Area
20. City Gate during Greek and Roman times.

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