Jericho is a biblical city in Palestine

What is known about this city? In the Russian language the phrase "Jericho pipes" was included. It means a loud cry that foreshadows a catastrophe. We also know that Jericho is the oldest city in Palestine, and, probably, on the whole planet. Archaeologists have discovered that at this place people continuously lived for ten thousand years! Jericho is also interesting in terms of geographical location: it is 250 m below sea level. This is the deepest city on Earth. And, of course, we should open the Bible, as we soon come across the mention of Jericho.

In the Old Testament it is mentioned in the books: Deuteronomy, Judges, 2 Chronicles, Joshua. But in the Gospel the biblical city in Palestine is also not overlooked. Approaching him, our Lord has healed the blind from birth. Entering the city walls on the way to Jerusalem, Jesus Christ met Zacchaeus, who was small in stature, and so climbed onto the fig tree to see the Messiah because of the surrounding people. By the way, this tree is still alive, and it is shown willing.

"All this is a legend," - says a man who does not believe the Bible. What do they say about the "City of Palms" (according to one version, hence the name of the city of Jericho) the facts, that is, the material evidence? Indeed, at the end of the 19th century, when the first archeological expedition of the British arrived in the biblical city, it represented a quiet provincial village. English scientists in 1868 have accumulated quite a bit. After 40 years another expedition arrived in the village, this time consisting of Germans. This mission, led by archaeologist E. Sellin, immediately began to dig deeply. As a result, in 1908, scientists discovered the ancient city wall.

For today, thanks to the efforts of archaeologists, the biblical city in Palestine has revealed 23 layers of the departed civilizations. The first settlement to the west of the market square of modern Jericho belongs to the 8th millennium BC. E. But this is not important: the settlement was not a stable of wild nomads, but a city. This is evidenced by a powerful eight-meter tower, dating from the era of the pre-ceramic Neolithic. The settlement of the Bronze Age (7300 BC) impressed scientists with the magnitude of the city's fortifications. It is almost impossible to believe that such powerful walls could be built by people who do not know iron.

There are many artifacts in Jericho of later epochs: the necropolis of the period of the Chalcolithic, the ruins of the winter residence of King Herod, the palace of the Arab culture of the 7th century. But what allows us to say that Jericho is the biblical city in Palestine? First, it is a source at the hill Tel-as-Sultan, called the key of Elisha. In the Fourth Book of Kings (2: 19-22) we read that everything was good for the city, but the water in it was not good. The prophet Elisha threw salt there, which made the source suitable for drinking. And not far from the city rises the mountain on which Jesus Christ fasted for 40 days and was tempted by the Devil.

But what do the "trumpets of Jericho" mean? The book of Joshua tells us that the ancient Jews decided to take this very good place in the oasis, because they were promised to support Yahweh. The army surrounded the biblical city in Palestine and began to blow loudly and issue war cries. As a result, powerful fortification strengthened and the Israelis killed all the inhabitants except for the home of the co-laborer and harlot Rahab. Does this mystical history have any material confirmation? Indeed, the fortress wall of a huge city (17 hectares, which is unheard of for antiquity) collapsed at once in several places. But the reason for this was not a trumpet, but an earthquake.