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Take a complete tour of Beth-Shean, also known as Beit Shean or Bet She’an. It was a major biblical and secular city for thousands of years. It's the place where King Saul's body was hung because of disobedience to God. It’s located in the center of several main crossroads between the Jordan Valley and the Jezreel (Yizreel) Valley. Also, Experience a Bible talk about King Saul's life and death.
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Introduction
Welcome to Beth-Shean. It has a long history, with significant events from the Bible occurring here.
It was a tel with many layers of history.
It was a Canaanite fortress.
Later, it would be captured by the Israelites.
Saul and his son's bodies were hung on the wall of ancient Beth-Shean.
The Greeks made it into a Decapolis City
Then, the Romans took it over and developed it into a glamorous city.
Beth-Shean was near Nazareth, and it’s very likely Jesus, as a young man, worked here with His father as a builder.
It is undoubtedly one of the most preserved Roman cities in Israel.
It has breathtaking pillars, buildings, columns, a theater, and more.
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 (15 miles or 20 km.) 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.
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 had political control over the land of Canaan.
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 (1010–970 BC), he conquered Beth-Shean, becoming 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 Romans conquered the City. It became one 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, as a young man, worked here with His father as a builder.
8. Undoubtedly, Christ ministered here and walked by it regularly.
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
1. Entrance
2. Old Testament Beth-Shean
Tree marking the place where Saul’s body was hanged.
Canaanite Ruins
Israelite Ruins
Roman Temple
Egyptian Governor’s House
3. Theater – Often, immoral and indecent acts took place there. Therefore, early Christians avoided them and were persecuted as a result.3. Bathhouse – Often, it was a place of prostitution. Therefore, Christians avoided places like these.
4. Cardo
Sigma - A mosaic depicting Tyche, Goddess of the city.
Pillars
Shopping stores
5. Marketplace (Agora) – Just below the Cardo, to the south, was an area of the city known as the Agora. It was a large plaza with many shops and places to visit. It was the center of the city's activities. It was places like Paul would be dragged into during his visits to cities in the Roman Empire (Acts 16:19).
6. False God Temple
7. Northern Street Entrance
8. Nymphaeum – Public Fountain
9. City Gate during Greek and Roman times.
10. Valley Street - Main entrance street from the Jordan Valley.
11. Silvanus Street
12. Eastern Bathhouse
13. Public Bathrooms
19. Cultic Temple Area
