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OLD TESTAMENT ISRAELGod called the Patriach of the Israelites, Abraham, to move with his family from near the Euphrates River in Babylonia to the land of Canaan. This happened about 2000 years before Christ was born in Israel. From approximately 1700 to 1250 BC the Israelites were in Egypt and ended up in slavery. Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt and they began to invade Canaan from about 1210 BC.
King David reigned in Israel about 1000 BC. The Northern Kingdom (Samaria) fell in 722 BC and the Israelites went into exile by the Assyrians. Jerusalem (The Kingdom of Judah) fell in 586 BC and they were also taken into exile by the Babylonians. The Persians took over in Babylonia and in 538 King Cyrus allowed the Israelites to return.
Only some of them returned to Jerusalem and Judaea. The Temple, and eventually the walls of Jerusalem, were restored under the leadership of Ezra and Nehemiah. For many years archaeologists in Israel were digging and searching for remnants of the past. And they succeeded in uncovering and interpreting valuable finds over the years. Christian pilgrims who travel to the Holy Land therefore do not only follow in the footsteps of Jesus in this Biblical land but also experience and come to understand God’s dealings with patriarchs, kings and prophets as revealed in the Old Testament. Today pilgrims to the Holy Land can see the “footprints” of Abraham in Hebron and Beersheva. They see Elijah in action on and around Mount Carmel. In Jericho they see remains of the “city” conquered by the Israelites and drink from the fountain of Elisha. Pilgrims visit the City of David in Jerusalem and also the tomb of this famous king of Israel. At the City of David a part of the wall built by Nehemiah can be seen. Another ancient wall (known as the Broad Wall) was excavated in the Jewish Quarter of the Old City. Several other archeological excavations all over present day Israel uncovered other parts of Old Testament history.
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