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Ruins of Capernaum
This aerial view shows the remains of Capernaum, a small village on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee ("Capernaum" comes from the Hebrew Kfar Nahum, which means "Nahum's Village"). Jesus chose this place as the hub of hi...
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Seder and Marriage
The Marriage CupDuring Biblical times, a young man who wanted to marry would go with his father to the chosen woman's house to meet her and her father. They'd negotiate a steep "bride price", the money or physical items that the woman's ...
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Storehouses of Masada
This photograph shows the remains of the 15 storehouses on the eastern side of Masada. The one on the left is as it was found by archaeologists; the others have been reconstructed. In the background above the storehouses, you can see the Dead Sea,...
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Synagogue of Gamla
The remains of this synagogue, one of the oldest found in Israel, are outlined in this photograph. It apparently functioned as a community center because no specifically religious artifacts were found in it. However, the mikveh (ritual bath) uncov...
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Synagogues of Jesus' Time
Synagogues continued to be a focal point for Jewish life during the first century. By the time Jesus' ministry began, a synagogue was found in most towns of Galilee. The Gospels specifically mention those of Nazareth (Matt. 13:54) and Capernaum (M...
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The Holy of Holies of the Temple at Arad
The Holy of Holies was reached by climbing two steps. This provided the symbolism of going up to God that is so central to the biblical idea of worship.In this small room were two standing stones. Scholars debate whether these stones represented t...
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The Holy Place of the Temple at Arad
This room was the priests' court, which contained several key elements of the worship of Yahweh.Unseen just inside the opening is a stone bench, and across from the bench are the two incense altars at the entrance to the Holy of Holies. The bench ...
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The Main Assembly Hall at Qumran
With the Dead Sea to the east of Qumran in the background, we can see the size of the assembly hall. On the right is the kitchen where the food was prepared. The size of the room and its prominence highlight the importance of this sacred meal to t...
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The Temple at En Gedi
En Gedi is one of the oases around the Dead Sea. Sodom and Gomorrah would have looked like this oasis. High on the cliff above En Gedi, archaeologists discovered a pagan temple already old at the time of Abraham and Lot. Sodom and Gomorrah probabl...
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The Upper City
This view of Jerusalem is from the southwest, looking northeast over the Upper City. In the foreground is the Upper City on the Western Hill. Here the wealthy, Hellenistic citizens of Jerusalem lived, including the Sadducees. The section of the ci...
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Scriptorium Definition
Name given to a room in the Qumran community in which many scholars believe the Essenes wrote some of the Dead Sea Scrolls. Excavation has revealed tables and benches similar to those used by scribes, as well as ink pots and basins in which the Es...
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