DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4592#0309
BETHEL.
309
The small village of Ilamah stood some distance to
our left, on a high hill. This was the birth place of
Samuel, the prophet; and his tomb is still visited there
within a mosque. The building shows conspicuously
on the summit of a hill. Aware that we could gain
no, entrance, we did not visit it. At about two hours
ride from Jerusalem, we passed the village of Beer,
situated on the side of a hill, a little to our left. A
little to the south are the ruins of an Arab can; and
on the summit of the hill north, are the remains of a
convent. Beer is a small village; but is memorable
in Scripture, as the place to which Jotham fled "for
fear of his brother Abimelech." At a small fountain
just out of the village, a number of females were en-
gaged washing clothes.
About an hour beyond this are the ruins of ancient
Bethel. They are situated on a little elevation, and
cover a plot of three or four acres. Very many
foundations, part standing walls of houses and other
buildings, may be distinguished. In the highest part,
are the remains of a square tower, and in the south-
ern side are the remains of a church. In the valley
near by are the remains of a very large stone reser-
voir. But the whole constitute only a plot of entire
ruins, without a solitary inhabitant. The accuracy
of the site leaves little or no doubt. These ruins now
mark the place where Jacob on his way to Haran, lay
down with a stone for his pillow and slept, and saw
in a dream the ladder and the angels of God ascending
and descending. Here afterwards he returned and
built an altar, and called the place Beth-el—" House
of God." Here the bears came out and tore in pieces
309
The small village of Ilamah stood some distance to
our left, on a high hill. This was the birth place of
Samuel, the prophet; and his tomb is still visited there
within a mosque. The building shows conspicuously
on the summit of a hill. Aware that we could gain
no, entrance, we did not visit it. At about two hours
ride from Jerusalem, we passed the village of Beer,
situated on the side of a hill, a little to our left. A
little to the south are the ruins of an Arab can; and
on the summit of the hill north, are the remains of a
convent. Beer is a small village; but is memorable
in Scripture, as the place to which Jotham fled "for
fear of his brother Abimelech." At a small fountain
just out of the village, a number of females were en-
gaged washing clothes.
About an hour beyond this are the ruins of ancient
Bethel. They are situated on a little elevation, and
cover a plot of three or four acres. Very many
foundations, part standing walls of houses and other
buildings, may be distinguished. In the highest part,
are the remains of a square tower, and in the south-
ern side are the remains of a church. In the valley
near by are the remains of a very large stone reser-
voir. But the whole constitute only a plot of entire
ruins, without a solitary inhabitant. The accuracy
of the site leaves little or no doubt. These ruins now
mark the place where Jacob on his way to Haran, lay
down with a stone for his pillow and slept, and saw
in a dream the ladder and the angels of God ascending
and descending. Here afterwards he returned and
built an altar, and called the place Beth-el—" House
of God." Here the bears came out and tore in pieces