City of David: Hezekiah's Tunnel (Part 1)

Back in the City of David, it's time to see Hezekiah's Tunnel!

I don't have many pictures from this part of the tour, because as I said in the last post, I was so in shock over all I'd seen already that I forgot to take my polarizing filter off my lens—and everything was blurry. (The picture above is actually from the end of the tunnel, outside). I was aware of the blurry photos, so I snapped a few with my phone. This is the entrance from inside.

Also, this part was completely in the dark. You can travel this tunnel on foot. The water stays the same temp year round, and can get up to thigh-height on an adult. It's completely dark inside, so you can walk it just as the Israelites did. I knew about this tunnel, but didn't want to walk it in Feb with long pants and regular shoes. Hence, the desire to return!

But this, is a picture of the entrance, where an adult would need to duck down just to go inside. WOW!!!!

The story of how this tunnel was dug is amazing! It's approx. 533 meters, and the engineers were in a hurry because an enemy army was traveling around conquering nations. They knew it would come to Jerusalem, and Hezekiah wanted the pool of Siloam covered, with a tunnel bringing water into the city, so that any army who tried to lay siege couldn't keep the city from water. So the group digging the tunnels split in to two and dug from opposite ends.

They were in complete darkness, on a hill, blindly digging... and somehow met up with only a small difference in elevation when they finally met.

The tunnel ends at the pool of Siloam.

Alongside the wet tunnel is the dry Canaanite tunnel, which I took:

WOW! Incredible! I actually knew a lot about Hezekiah's Tunnel before seeing it, thanks to Lynn Austin's incredible research in the Chronicles of the Kings series, which I highly recommend!

Finally, on the way back from the Jerusalem the day I first toured the City of David, I saw this article from All Israel News:

Turkey currently has a stone from 700 BC with an inscription that confirms how this tunnel was dug. It is one of the oldest known artifacts written in Hebrew, and it says:

“… this is the story of the tunnel, while [the hewers lifted] their axes toward their counterparts, and while three cubits more were to (be hewn?), was heard the voice of a man calling to his counterpart, (for) there was [a crack?] in the rock, on the right and on the left. And on the day of [the final barrier’s] piercing, the stonecutters struck each man towards his counterpart, ax against ax and water flowed from the source to the pool for 1,200 cubits and 100 cubits was the height of the rock, over the head of the stonecutters …”

Wow! This stone was discovered while the Ottomans still ruled Jerusalem, and they took it back to Turkey. At the time of the writing of this article, Turkey hadn't confirmed this officially. But how cool- that this story came out the first time I ever saw Hezekiah's tunnel!

See you next week for the final stop (for now) in my visit to the City of David: the Pool of Siloam!

Isaiah's Daughter by Mesu Andrews

Isaiah's Daughter is the first book of Mesu Andrews that I've read. I really enjoyed it! Andrews was able to take the reader through so many historic moments through different eyes—this time through King Hezekiah's Queen.

While my favorite retelling of this story is Lynn Austin's series The Restoration Chronicles and Chronicles of the Kings, I thought that Andrews did an amazing job. Her attention, not only to literary detail (and an enthralling story!) but also to historical/cultural accuracy (even more important in a Biblical retelling) is impressive. 

I think what I loved most of this story is that it is about a time in Israel's history that isn't as commonly known, but there's so much incredible truth about God and his power there. It makes me want to go back and re-read those accounts in the Bible—which is the best compliment I can give any book. Any story that points me back to the truth of God's Word needs to be shared!

I loved this story, and cannot wait to read another of Andrews books. To purchase it, click here!

Where We Belong by Lynn Austin

So, the last few posts got me thinking of another book I read a few years ago, and I had to go hunt it down on my bookshelves: Where We Belong by Lynn Austin

I've said before that I don't love historical fiction. I will read them only if they are set in ancient Rome/Greece and/or Bible times. This one is very obviously set in the 1800s; 1860-1890 to be exact.

But, I love this book.

Where We Belong follows wealthy sisters Rebecca and Flora Hawes on their adventures throughout the Middle East, Europe, and Chicago. They live through the American Civil War and the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, and also go on incredible adventures. Raised by their widower father who believed in the value of education of women and the importance of discovering one's purpose for use in God's kingdom, both of these women, though different, live out their faith and callings in a way that wasn't typical for women in that time—as historians, authors, scholars, archeologists, hands-on, philanthropists, and so much more.

And their adventures, from being stranded in the Sinai desert by a bedouin sheik who wants to marry their head-strong handmaid to discovering an ancient codex of the Bible dating to AD 500, are quite a ride! They see so many incredible sites, from touring Jerusalem and Galilee to the pyramids of Cairo. In fact, the sisters even spend time at the traditional site of Mount Sinai—Mount St. Catherine's monastery in Jordan.

The author's note at the back says that the inspiration of this book was Agnes and Margaret Smith of Scotland, twin sisters who did in fact discover an ancient copy of the Gospels from AD 500 at the same monastery in Jordan, as well as a collection of 300,000 ancient manuscript fragments in Egypt. Now I want to know more about these 2 ladies who actually lived an amazing adventure, because their story sounds fascinating!

You can get it on Amazon here!

The Restoration Chronicles

Lynn Austin has another Biblical fiction series that I love. This one is only 3 books, and it's called the Restoration Chronicles.

This series is set in the time of Ezra and Nehemiah, when King Cyrus of Babylon allows a return to Jerusalem, and for the city and walls to be rebuilt. 

What was so fascinating to me about this series was how it made the 2nd Exodus so real to me. It's easy to read as a reader in the 21st century and miss the time that passes, not only between books, but between chapters and verses. The Israelites were in captivity in Babylon for 70 years.

That is a long time. In fact, God through Jeremiah pretty much said that in Jeremiah 29:5, when he told the Israelites to plant gardens, build homes, and settle down. Even with the promise of being brought back to Jerusalem a few verses later (Jeremiah 29:11-14), they knew it would be a while. 

70 years means that the children who were taken into captivity are now elderly. Many might have died. It means that only few of the Israelites alive remember Jerusalem and what life was like there.

And that's what I love so much about this series. Lynn Austin made it so real. In this story, there's a multi-generational family. The patriarch, Iddo, cannot wait to return to Jerusalem. He has so many beautiful memories of it from his youth, and he longs for his true home. But his family doesn't really feel the same way. His wife would willingly go with him, except that his children (who are grown and have families of their own) do not. For Iddo and his wife to leave would mean possibly leaving their family forever. His wife cannot bear the thought of not being near her children and grandchildren. 

Babylon is what they know. They understand the culture and the way of life. They even know the practical things, like where to buy the best food, how to navigate the city, and how to live successfully as captives in Babylon. This was their home, even though it wasn't supposed to be... and they can't remember their true home. They've grown comfortable in captivity, comfortable with the wealth and depravity of Babylon. Jerusalem represents a decimated city where life will be difficult, far from home... and in the case of this family, far from their loved ones.

If you love historical fiction, don't miss this series! It will give a new perspective on what it meant for the Israelites to return to Jerusalem.

Chronicles of the Kings Series

A few years ago, a new trend hit the bookshelves of Christian bookstores: Biblical fiction. Meaning, a fictional re-telling of a well-known story from the Bible.

While not to be taken solely as truth alone, these stories can help set the stage and scene for stories in the Bible. 

Two of my favorite series' from this time period are by the same author, Lynn Austin.

The first one, is the Chronicles of the Kings series. This 5-volume series follows the storyline of King Hezekiah, a king that I honestly didn't know much about (outside from the miracle of the shadows going backwards as proof of his recovery). 

You are exploring the world of ancient Jerusalem, and the challenges, conflicts, and triumphs of that time period. You meet Isaiah, Hezekiah, and many other prominent characters from the Old Testament. 

The amount of detail that Lynn Austin using in writing this story, creating the setting, and really placing the reader in this time period is incredible. I highly recommend this series for any reader who loves historical fiction. (Honestly, that's really not me, as I only enjoy specific time periods), but this series was so incredible that I can't wait to read it again!