Photo Credit: shutterstock
The old flour mill can still be seen while walking along the gorgeous nature trails of Tel Dan.

And Ben Haddad listened to king Asa, and he sent the captains of his armies against the cities of Israel, and he struck Ijon and Dan and Abel-Beth Maachah and all Kinereth with all the land of Naftali (1 Kings 15:20)”

The well-preserved city walls and outer gate of Tel Dan, probably built during the reign of the biblical, Israelite King Ahab. Tel Dan is one of Israel’s most beautiful sites, combining the best of nature and history for an incredible visitor experience!
Photo Credit: Shutterstock

We saw last time how King Jeroboam of Northern Israel set up a temple and alter dedicated to a Golden Calf at Dan, ultimately causing the destruction of Northern Israel as the people slid into idol worship. His son was overthrown by Basha, who decimated the house of Jeroboam. Subsequently, he went to war with Asa, the King of Judah. Basha took over Ramah, a city in Judah and was building a fortified tower that would have strangled trade in Jerusalem. Asa sent a bribe to Ben-Haddad, King of Aram, to attack Basha’s cities (which he did) destroying Dan (see 1 Kings: 15) and causing Basha to withdraw from Judah’s territory.

Advertisement




Under the infamous King Ahab the city was rebuilt, reaching its zenith with elaborate construction projects that tourists still walk through today. Indeed, most of the well-preserved ruins we saw are from this exact time period.

Most of the ruins we see at this wonderful site were likely built during the days of King Ahab, who initiated many building projects throughout his Kingdom.
Photo Credit Shutterstock

Just outside the city gate where much of the trade was conducted, an altar was set up for travelers (in ancient times, the less outsiders you had to allow in your city, the better). Next to it, one of the greatest archeological finds in world history was discovered; the oldest ancient inscription (about 2800 years old) that mentions the “House of David.” This Stele was commissioned by the biblical King Hazael, King of Aram, whom Elisha had correctly prophesized would become King (see 2 Kings 8: 7-15). It describes his victory in a huge chariot battle over the alliance of King Jehoram of Israel (whose father Ahab built Dan) and King Ahaziah of Judah (these exact events are explicitly referenced in 2 Kings 9: 24-27). When the inscription was found referring to the “House of David”, several biblical minimalist professors (who incorrectly claimed that King David was as fictitious as King Arthur) were at a loss of words (today even in secular academia, the broad consensus is that this Stele is referring to the house of King David).

The Tel Dan Stele today can be viewed by tourists on display at the Israel Museum. The words “House of David” are bolded in white.
Photo Credit: Oren Rozen – CC BY-SA 4.0

In the 6th century BCE, Tiglath-Pileser iii, King of Assyria, invaded the Kingdom of Israel and destroyed Dan (see 2 Kings: 15:29). In Greek times, the cultic site continued to be used. Indeed, a joint Greek-Aramaic inscription found by the main altar says “to the god who is in Dan (which helped archeologists positively identify the site)”.

The joint Greek-Aramaic inscription translates as “to the god that is in Dan”. It was found by the location of the original cultic site of Jeroboam. In the ancient pagan world, once a site had been established as being holy, it usually continued to be viewed by its inhabitants that way centuries later, even under new rulers.

In Roman times, the site was abandoned. In the 19th century, a flour mill was built that used the strong water currents of the Dan River to turn two millstones that ground flour. It was abandoned in 1948 when the Dan became an IDF military outpost (the Syrian/Lebanese border was on the other side, and thus too dangerous for civilians to walk there).

The old flour mill can still be seen while walking along the gorgeous nature trails of Tel Dan.
Photo Credit: Shutterstock

In 1967, the Golan Heights and Mount Hermon were liberated by the IDF, and as a result the Tel Dan nature reserve was opened to the public. Whether you wish to see amazing nature, one of a kind biblical history, Geo-politics or relaxing in refreshing water, this is one site you definitely would not want to miss!

Rights to all images used in this article were obtained by the author for commercial use)

Please visit the author’s Israel tour guiding site: https://guidedtoursofisrael.com


Share this article on WhatsApp:
Advertisement

SHARE
Previous articleUNESCO Names Massacre Area of 3,000 Jews in Erfurt a World Heritage Site
Next articleWhere Am I: Near Jericho, Israel
Nosson Shulman, veteran tour guide makes Israel come alive for you. www.guidedtoursofisrael.com; [email protected];