1998 Israel Tour: David Williams

Cafe in Tiberias

David Williams and Doug Seaton relax at a sidewalk cafe after our first full day of sightseeing.

On Jordan's (Stormy) Bank

David Williams standing on the east bank of the Jordan River just north of the Sea of Galilee.

Bethsaida

It's me, Dave, once again, standing on the top of et-Tell, now believed to be the ruins of Bethsaida of New Testament times. In the Old Testament, this place was Geshur, where Absalom hid from his father David after killing Amnon, his half-brother. Absalom's mom, Maacah, was the daughter of the king of Geshur. Anyway, I'm standing here at the gate of the OT city.

Banias (Caesarea Philippi)

David Williams stands next to a pillar at Banias, at the base of Mount Hermon.

The Spring of Harod

A split screen image taken at the spring of Harod in the Jezreel valley. It was here that Gideon, at the Lord's direction, thinned out his army from 32,000 to a mere 300 men, in order to defeat the Midianite hordes who had invaded Israel. (You can read how the 300 pulled that off in Judges 7.) The final selection process required the men to drink from this spring. Those who knelt down to the water to drink, as Thaxter demonstrates on the left, were sent home from the battle. The three hundred men who "lapped" the water by bringing it up to their mouths with their hands, as David demonstrates on the right, were chosen by God to deliver Israel.

Jezreel

David Williams at the site of Jezreel, where King Ahab and his lovely wife Jezebel once had a summer palace. Jezebel met her demise here when she got shoved out a window, trampled by horses and eaten by dogs. (II Kings 9:30-37)

Ahab's Ivory Palace

Here I am again, standing on the ruins of King Ahab's "ivory house" palace on the hill of Samaria, capital of the Northern Kindgom of Israel during his reign.

The City of David

Here David Williams stands just outside the walls of the Old City, underneath a street sign pointing south to the City of David -- King David, that is -- the oldest part of Jerusalem.

Mount Moriah in the Tunnel

David Williams touches a spot on Mount Moriah, at the point in the tunnel where the stone wall meets up with the mountain upon which the temple was built. Herod carved the natural rock to look like an extension of his man-made stone wall.

Lunch in the Old City

Beyond the silhouette of David Williams eating his lunch in the Jewish Quarter is a view of the Dome of the Rock.

The Western Wall

A picture of me facing the Western (Wailing) Wall, wearing my paper head covering.

The Western Wall

David Williams poses in front of the Western Wall of the Temple.