Beit She'an was another one of my SURPRISES while visiting Israel. I am so embarrassed how I just read through the Bible and ignore the names. Really, I have such a hard time pronouncing most of them so when I read or "study" the Bible I just skim over them. (don't judge me!) This is one of those sites I had read about but really never gave it much thought. In my Bible this town is called Bashan. In some versions I have seen it called Beth Shean or Beth-Shan. It can definitely get confusing.
This archaeological site is a massive, well-preserved Roman city of the Byzantine period. It was the capital of the Decapolis and the only one of those cities on the west side of the Jordan. The population at its peak was 80,000. The picture above is one of the main streets. As you can see it is guarded by some impressive roman columns. There is a wonderfully preserved theater, bathhouses, and marketplace. I visited Greece this past year and I would say this town would rival any of those we visited. It was so much fun to just explore the ruins.
This "town" has a history of nearly 6,000 years and it is mentioned (with one spelling or another) from Numbers to Zechariah. The most familiar story is found in 1 Samuel 31:1-13.
before them. Many were slaughtered on the slopes of Mount
Gilboa. The Philistines closed in on Saul and his sons, and
they killed three of his sons—Jonathan, Abinadab, and
Malkishua. The fighting grew very fierce around Saul, and the
Philistine archers caught up with him and wounded him
severely. Saul groaned to his armor bearer, “Take your sword
and kill me before these pagan Philistines come to run me
through and taunt and torture me.” But his armor bearer was
afraid and would not do it. So Saul took his own sword and fell
on it. When his armor bearer realized that Saul was dead, he
fell on his own sword and died beside the king. So Saul, his
three sons, his armor bearer, and his troops all died together
that same day. When the Israelites on the other side of the
Jezreel Valley and beyond the Jordan saw that the Israelite
army had fled and that Saul and his sons were dead, they
abandoned their towns and fled. So the Philistines moved in
and occupied their towns. The next day, when the Philistines
went out to strip the dead, they found the bodies of Saul and his
three sons on Mount Gilboa. So they cut off Saul’s head and
stripped off his armor. Then they proclaimed the good news of
Saul’s death in their pagan temple and to the people throughout
the land of Philistia. They placed his armor in the temple of the
Ashtoreths, and they fastened his body to the wall of the city of
Beth-shan. But when the people of Jabesh-gilead heard what
the Philistines had done to Saul, all their mighty warriors traveled
through the night to Beth-shan and took the bodies of Saul and
his sons down from the wall. They brought them to Jabesh,
where they burned the bodies. Then they took their bones and
buried them beneath the tamarisk tree at Jabesh, and they
fasted for seven days.' 1 Samuel 31:1-13. https://my.bible.com/bible/116/1SA.31.1-13
On top of the mound, seen at the end of this Roman road, is the probable location where the body of Saul and his sons hung after their defeat on Mount Gilboa.
Later in that same chapter, there is a verse we should never
forget, 'But Samuel replied, “What is more pleasing to the Lord :
your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice?
Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is
better than offering the fat of rams. '1 Samuel 15:22 (emphasis added)
My life is committed to doing your will, Lord, serving you, and loving you through obedience.
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