This was our first multiple-days-long field study. The first day, we stopped at Sattaf, tiny terraced trails along the hills overlooking the Sorek Wadi. It was a nice hike and a beautiful view. 
It really illustrates what the Bible says about the days of Solomon that every man lived under his own vine and fig tree. Generally, this is taken to mean that there was peace in the land, and that was true, but it was also quite literal. At Sattaf, there were many vineyards, and all the hills were terraced. There were small springs that came out of the rock, running into small plots of land by irrigation, almost like the land of Egypt, where you could farm by running your heel through the dirt, allowing the water to flow to the rest of the plot. This image of the vine and grapes is a symbol of wealth, comfort and so it makes sense that Jesus would use this image to describe Himself (in John 15 Jesus says He is the "true vine") as life giving.
It really illustrates what the Bible says about the days of Solomon that every man lived under his own vine and fig tree. Generally, this is taken to mean that there was peace in the land, and that was true, but it was also quite literal. At Sattaf, there were many vineyards, and all the hills were terraced. There were small springs that came out of the rock, running into small plots of land by irrigation, almost like the land of Egypt, where you could farm by running your heel through the dirt, allowing the water to flow to the rest of the plot. This image of the vine and grapes is a symbol of wealth, comfort and so it makes sense that Jesus would use this image to describe Himself (in John 15 Jesus says He is the "true vine") as life giving. Next, we made some stops in the Shephelah, at 3 cities along the "diagonal road" that cuts it into NW and SE halves. The Shephelah is a land that is not completely flat nor all hills. It acts as steps up from the coast into the hills (or down from the hills to the coast) in that the ground literally gets higher the further east you go. There are six raods along valleys running east-west through the Shephelah each with a city on the intersection of that road and the diagonal road. These cities act as doorways bewteen the coast along the Mediterranean and the hill county of Judah, not having an importance all of their own, but always being a part of other people's stories. For this reason, Bet Shemesh, Azekah and Lachish are all important sites, especially in the time of the Old Testament. Bet Shemesh was involved in Samson's affairs as he traveled back and forth between Philistia on the coast and the hill country of Judah, bringing people into Dan's struggle (or just desire) for the coastal land they had been alloted by Joshua.
Azekah was particularly important because it was the gateway (on the diagonal road) from the 
coast and the Philistine city of Gath to Socoh, and from there to 2 routes leading to the Watershed Ridge route,(in the middle of Judah). The routes led to two important cities: Bethlehem and Hebron. If the Philistines could get these sites, they could control the Watershed Ridge. This puts David's battle with Goliath into perspective a bit more, and gives it more weight. David fought Goliath near Socoh, in the valley to the east. (just over the large dark hill, to the right)From there, the Israelites pushed the Philistines back west and north all the way to Ekron.
coast and the Philistine city of Gath to Socoh, and from there to 2 routes leading to the Watershed Ridge route,(in the middle of Judah). The routes led to two important cities: Bethlehem and Hebron. If the Philistines could get these sites, they could control the Watershed Ridge. This puts David's battle with Goliath into perspective a bit more, and gives it more weight. David fought Goliath near Socoh, in the valley to the east. (just over the large dark hill, to the right)From there, the Israelites pushed the Philistines back west and north all the way to Ekron. Lachish, another city on the diagonal road, one of the swinging doors, always seemed like it would be a good spot to fortify and hold for Judah, but it seems to have brought itself too much attention. The Assyrians saw it as being too haughty for its actual power and so could not just walk by. It fell to Sennacharib and then again to the babyloniansa century and a half later. 
Though the city was tall and had its own well for water supply the people couldn't hold it. Perhaps Judah had overstepped its bounds and was pushing too far west.
Though the city was tall and had its own well for water supply the people couldn't hold it. Perhaps Judah had overstepped its bounds and was pushing too far west.Our last stop of the first day was at Ashkelon, where I got my first stroll along the Mediterranean Sea. Some of us walked down to the tel(s) of Ashkelon, where one of my classmates helped in an archaeological dig this past summer. The tel is an impressive site. There are two tels (one north and one south) with a deep valley inbetween. Because there is no natural port there, people wonder if the low spot between the tels could have been used as a port. The gateway leading into the city ws found still standing pretty high--the mud brick melted together to lean into an arched top. On the sout tel, hundreds of babies' remains were found near a large drain. Close by there was a sign that read "come in and enjoy" implying that there might have been a brothel at the site. It would have been a convenient spot for men coming on ships, far away from their homes, to "enjoy themselves". Then for lack of birth control, the babies were disposed of.
The day was pretty hazy and so the sun was not very clear, but the Med. Sea was still amazing, as beaches are. There were tons of shells--I'm talking endless piles of them along the shoreline. While we were at Ashkelon, we could hear another kind of shell going off, but don't worry, we couldn't see anything. 
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