Biblical Geography

Barry J. Beitzel, ed. Lexham Geographical Commentary on the Pentateuch

Beitzel, Barry J., ed. Lexham Geographical Commentary on the Pentateuch. Bellingham, Wash.: Lexham Press, 2022. xxvi+915 pp.; Hb.  $49.99  Link to Lexham Press

Barry Beitzel has a well-deserved reputation in scholarship for his contributions to biblical geography. He edited The New Moody Atlas of the Bible (Moody, 2009; reviewed here). He edited the first volume of this projected six-volume series, Lexham Geographical Commentary on the Gospels (Lexham, 2017; reviewed here) and Acts and Revelation (2019; reviewed here).  Like the two New Testament volumes, this new collection of essays on the geography of the Pentateuch is a joy to read and will be an excellent addition to the library of any Bible student.

Lexham Geographical Commentary

In his introduction to the Lexham Geographical Commentary series, Beitzel observes that geography is a legitimate, if overlooked, hermeneutical category. The “where” question is essential for understanding the text. Unlike other great religious texts, biblical history occurs in specific places with many locations mentioned by name. A book like this geographical commentary is even more important since most Bible readers are woefully ignorant of geography. In fact, he suggests that the Pentateuch is a geographical document. Geographical details are found throughout the Pentateuch. Consider Numbers 33, a comprehensive list of locations Israel passed through after leaving Egypt. Why the list is included is an ongoing discussion, but the information was intentionally included for literary and theological reasons.

This new Lexham Geographical Commentary on the Pentateuch contains forty-seven essays written by twenty-four Old Testament scholars (see the table of contents below).  Each chapter begins with a list of Scripture covered in the section with a box containing an abstract of key points covered in the essay. Essays are typically ten to fifteen pages long, including a bibliography. The essays also include rich footnotes pointing to additional academic literature. When Hebrew appears, it is transliterated.

Chapters are illustrated with photographs, diagrams, and charts. Some photographs are licensed through WikiCommons, but many are from Todd Bolen at BiblePlaces.com. Sometimes, the author of the article provided a photograph. In Vernon Alexander’s article “The Journey of Israel’s Twelve Spies (Num 13:1–33),” two maps and eight photographs illustrate the various geographical zones in Palestine. The book is printed on uncoated paper, which does not glare and is easier to make notes on than books with a glossy finish. Each essay is also illustrated with maps, often from FaithLife, photographs, and occasional infographic-style illustrations familiar to users of the FaithLife Study Bible. There are a few vocabulary charts generated by Logos Bible Software.

The book does not shy away from controversial issues. For example, James Hoffmeier discusses Yam Suf (יַם־ס֑וּף) in the Old Testament and Egyptian literature. In this detailed article, he explains how the Masoretic Text “Sea of Reeds” was translated as the Red Sea (ἡ ἐρυθρὰ θάλασσα) in the Septuagint and Latin Vulgate (mare Rubrum). Neither is a translation of the Hebrew word suf. This mistranslation has led generations of biblical scholars to assume the location of the crossing of the sea is either the Red Sea in a modern sense or part of the Gulf of Aqaba. After a detailed survey of the vocabulary in both Hebrew and Egyptian sources, Hoffmeier examines several possible locations for the crossing. Based on recent archaeological and geological geographical surveys, he concludes that Ballah Lakes is the biblical Sea of Reeds.

Several of the essays deal with geography in a way that might be considered biblical theology. For example, in the article “Israel’s Forty Years: A Geographical and Socio-Spatial Analysis,” Barry Beitzel offers a detailed study of the Hebrew word midbar, trying to explain the Hebrew term in contrast to the English word “wilderness.” In the Pentateuch, midbar refers to a harsh, arid, torrid, and stony scrubland. The midbar is a foreboding Badlands with few sources of water and no rainfall. It is a place where human culture is absent. In short, the midbar is someplace you never want to be! This wilderness contrasts with the abundance of Egypt, which has plenty of water and food. Daniel Block’s chapter on the Theology of Land in Deuteronomy draws on the whole Pentateuch to create a mini-biblical theology of land. God grants land to all people, but Canaan is associated explicitly with God’s covenant with Abraham. He suggests that the covenant is a triangular relationship between God and the descendants of the land (786). The promise of land is eternal and irrevocable, but well-being in the land is contingent upon faithful obedience, covenant faithfulness, and righteous living.

The book includes a detailed list of the contributors, a subject index, a Scripture index, and a list of image credits.

Conclusion. The Lexham Geographical Commentary on the Pentateuch is a rich collection of essays on geographical issues in the Pentateuch. These essays go beyond simple identifications of major locations, often dealing with the fine details of the text and larger biblical-theological questions. This volume will be a welcome addition to the library of any Old Testament student, whether professional or layperson.

The Old Testament volumes are taking a little longer to finish than anticipated. This volume was due in 2020 but did not appear until 2022. Originally a five-volume series, the historical book volume was divided into two parts, so the Lexham Geographic Commentary is now a six-volume series.

Reviews of other Volumes in this series:

 

NB: I appreciate Lexham Press’s generous offer of a review copy of this book. I purchased the volume myself in Logos Bible Software.  But this did not influence my thoughts about the work.

 

Contents of Lexham Geographical Commentary on the Pentateuch:

  • Chapter 1: A Geographic Analysis of the Four Rivers of Eden (Gen 2:10–13), Mark W. Chavalas
  • Chapter 2: The Table of Nations: An Ethno-Geographic Analysis (Gen 10:1–32), David W. Baker
  • Chapter 3: The Tower of Babel Incident and The Confusion of Language: A Socio-Spatial Analysis (Gen 11:1–9), Richard E. Averbeck
  • Chapter 4: The Patriarchal Homeland: A Socio-Spatial Analysis (Gen 11:27–32; 24:1–10), Mark W. Chavalas
  • Chapter 5: The Old Babylonian Kingdom: A Geographic and Socio-Spatial Analysis (Gen 11:28, 31), Mark W. Chavalas
  • Chapter 6: Recent Discoveries in Greater Mesopotamia and Their Impact On The World of The Biblical Patriarchs (Gen 11:31), Mark W. Chavalas
  • Chapter 7: The Migrations and Wanderings of The Patriarchs (Gen 12:1–20; 11:31; 26:1–25; 28:1–29:13; 31:1–21; 32:1–31; 33:17–20; 35:1–29; 37:12–36; 38:1, 12–14; 45:9–11; 46:1–47:11; 49:29–50:15), David W. Baker
  • Chapter 8: The Patriarchal Travels in Canaan: A Geographic Assessment (Genesis 12:6–8; 13:1–18; 14:13–24; 20:1–13; 22:1–19; 23:2–20; 26:7–33; 28:11–22; 33:18–20; 35:1–7; 46:1–5), Todd Bolen
  • Chapter 9: Altars, tombs, Pillars, and Wells in Genesis: Their Socio-Spatial and Theological Roles (Gen 12:7; 21:22–34; 23:1–20; 26:12–33; 28:13–22), John A. Beck
  • Chapter 10: Mountains in The Patriarchal Period (Gen 12:8; 10:30; 14:6, 10; 19:17, 19, 30; 22:2, 14; 31:21, 23, 25, 54; 36:8–9, 20–21), Lawrence T. Geraty
  • Chapter 11: Biblical Famine and Its Impact On Southern Canaan (Gen 12:10–20; 26:1–13; 41:1–47:31), John A. Beck
  • Chapter 12: The Location of Sodom and Gomorrah: A Northern View (Gen 13:1–12; 14:1–24; 19:1–38), Elaine A. Phillips
  • Chapter 13: The Location of Sodom and Gomorrah: A Southern View (Gen 10:19; 13:1–18; 14:1–24; 19:1–38; Deut 34:1–4), Lawrence T. Geraty and Burton Macdonald
  • Chapter 14: The Travels of the “Kings of The East”: A Geographic Analysis (Gen 14), Mark W. Chavalas
  • Chapter 15: A Literary Exploration of The Promised Land Boundaries (Gen 15:18–21; 12:1–3; 17:8; Num 34:1–12), Aubrey Taylor McClain
  • Chapter 16: The “Land” Given to Abraham and His Descendants: A Geographic and Socio-Spatial Analysis (Gen 15:18–21; Exod 23:31; Num 32:1–33; 34:1–12), Todd Bolen
  • Chapter 17: Ishmael and His Descendants: A Historical Geographical Assessment (Gen 16:1–17:27; 21:8–21; 25:12–17), Chris McKinny
  • Chapter 18: The Relationship Between Pastoralists and Urban Centers in The Patriarchal Narratives (Gen 20:1–18; 21:22–43; 26:1–33; 12:1–10), Paul H. Wright
  • Chapter 19: Philistia and The Philistines: A Socio-Spatial Analysis (Gen 21:32–33; 26:1–18; 10:14; Exod 13:17; 15:14), Victor H. Matthews
  • Chapter 20: The Burial Practices of The Patriarchs (Gen 23:1–20; 25:8–10; 49:29–32; 50:5–14), Vernon H. Alexander
  • Chapter 21: “Rachel Weeping for Her Children”: Determining The Location of Rachel’s tomb and Migdal-Eder (Gen 35:16–21; 48:7; 1 Sam 10:2–3; Jer 31:15; Mic 4:8), Chris McKinny
  • Chapter 22: The Land of Goshen: A Socio-Spatial Analysis (Gen 45:10; 46:28–47:6; 47:27; 50:8; Exod 8:22; 9:26), Mark D. Janzen
  • Chapter 23: Egypt’s New Kingdom: A Geographic and Socio-Spatial Analysis (Exodus 1:8; 5:1–23), Mark D. Janzen
  • Chapter 24: (Pi-)Rameses: The Delta Capital of Ramesside Egypt (Exod 1:11), Mark D. Janzen
  • Chapter 25: The Ten Plagues of Egypt: A Socio-Spatial Analysis (Exod 7:3–12:36), Mark D. Janzen
  • Chapter 26: Yam Suf: Its Meaning in The Old Testament and Ancient Egyptian Literature (Exod 13:17–15:22; 10:19; 23:31; Num 14:25; 21:4; 33:10–11; Deut 1:40; 2:1; 11:4), James K. Hoffmeier
  • Chapter 27: The “Red Sea” in The Hebrew Bible, The Septuagint, and Classical Literature (Exod 13:17–15:27; 2:1–10; 12:37–42; Num 20:14–21:26; 33:1–49; Deut 1:1–2:15), Barry J. Beitzel
  • Chapter 28: Manna: A Geographical and Exegetical Analysis (Exod 16; Num 11:4–9; Deut 8:3, 16; Josh 5:12), Elaine A. Phillips
  • Chapter 29: Quail in The Wilderness: A Geographic Analysis (Exod 16:8–13; Num 11:4–34; Ps 78:18, 26–31; 105:40), Elaine A. Phillips
  • Chapter 30: The Geographic Setting of Moses’ Wars (Exod 17:8–16; Num 14:26–45; 21:1–3, 21–32, 33–35), Vernon H. Alexander
  • Chapter 31: The Location of Mount Sinai: A Southern Sinai View (Exod 19:1–25; 3:1–3; Num 33:1–49; Deut 1:2; 1 Kgs 19:1–9; Gal 4:25), Gerald L. Mattingly
  • Chapter 32: Mount Karkom The Mountain of God?—Challenging The Southern Mount Sinai Hypothesis and The Identification and Dating of The Remains of The Israelite Sojourn (Exod 19:11–23; 3:1; 17:6; Deut 1:2–19; 33:2; 1 Kgs 19:8), Tali Erickson-Gini
  • Chapter 33: The Spatial Syntax of Israel’s Tabernacle (Exod 25:1–31:11; 35:1–40:38; Num 2:1–34; 10:11–28), Andrew E. Hill
  • Chapter 34: The “Golden Calf” incident and Its Impact: A Socio-Spatial Analysis (Exod 32:1–35; Deut 9:1–21; 1 Kgs 12:25–13:34; 2 Chr 11:14–17; 13:4–19; 2 Kgs 10:29–33; 17:7–18; 23:15–20), Eric A. Mitchell
  • Chapter 35: “A Land Flowing with Milk and Honey”: The Expression’s Meaning and Socio-Spatial Significance (Exod 3:8, 17; 13:5; 33:3; Lev 20:24; Num 13:27; 14:8; 16:13–14; Deut 6:3; 11:9; 26:9, 15; 27:3; 31:20), John A. Beck
  • Chapter 36: Geography, Agriculture, and The Israelite Calendar (Lev 23:1–44; Deut 8:7–10), Vernon H. Alexander
  • Chapter 37: Israel’s Camping Pattern and Marching Arrangement (Num 1–2, 10, 26), Benjamin A. Foreman
  • Chapter 38: The Journey of Israel’s Twelve Spies (Num 13:1–33), Vernon H. Alexander
  • Chapter 39: Israel’s Forty Years in The Wilderness: A Geographic and Socio-Spatial Analysis (Exod 13:17–14:31; 15:22–19:2; Num 33:1–49), Barry J. Beitzel
  • Chapter 40: Edom and Israel’s Wanderings from Kadesh to The Plains of Moab (Num 20:14–21:13; 33:36–44; Deut 1:46–2:8; 2:26–29; 10:6–7; Judg 11:15–18), Elaine A. Phillips
  • Chapter 41: Water From the Rock: Moses’ Sin—The Miracle That Never Happened (Num 20:2–13; Exod 17:1–7), Steven M. Ortiz
  • Chapter 42: The Historical Geography of The Settlements of The Transjordanian Tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh (Num 32:2–4, 33–42; Josh 13), Chris McKinny
  • Chapter 43: An Overview of The Historical Geography of The Exodus and Wilderness Itinerary (Exod 12:1–19:25; Num 33:1–49), Mark D. Janzen and Chris McKinny
  • Chapter 44: How Does Deuteronomy Repurpose the Mountain and The Place? (Deut 1:1–4:43; 10:12–11:30; 12:2–28; 31:30–34:12), Don C. Benjamin
  • Chapter 45: The Theology of Land in Deuteronomy (Deut 1:6–8; 2:4–3:22; 8:7–14; 11:8–17; 27:1–26; 28:1–68; 30:1–10), Daniel I. Block
  • Chapter 46: The “Seven Nations” of Canaan (Deut 7:1), Benjamin A. Foreman
  • Chapter 47: Water and Life in Southern Canaan (Deut 8:7–10; 11:10–17; 28:7–14; 33:13–15), Aubrey Taylor McClain

 

Day Ten: En-Gedi, Qumran, and Qasr al Yahud, Jaffa

The last day of the 2023 Israel tour began at En-Gedi, where David hid from King Saul in a cave (1 Samuel 24). This is one of the more beautiful hikes on the trip since the Israeli Parks service has developed Wadi David as a nature preserve. The mile and a half walk is relatively easy since there are cut stairs and handrails, but there are a few steep flights and one passage through dark tunnel made of river reed. The walk also has several waterfalls and pools, the highlight being the final one at the end of the canyon. We saw a few hyrax and a few ibex on the way into of the park, and more ibex on the way out. Since we arrived at En-Gedi early (right at 8AM), we missed the huge crowds of tourists and school groups. I recommend visiting En-Gedi early!

En-Gedi

From En-Gedi we drove north to Qumran, the place where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found. The last time I was at Qumran, the new visitor’s center was under construction. It is now complete and has a very nice reception area, but the video and small museum is the same. The film was not working, which is good (in my opinion) because it is a bit strange.

The archaeology of the site is relatively simple, although the water system collects far more water that the site might need to survive. The reason for this is large number of ritual baths used by the community for purification. Almost everything at Qumran is controversial and the Dead Sea Scrolls have encouraged a wide variety of fringe ideas about the nature of both early Judaism and Christianity. The video at the beginning of the tour suggests a relationship between John the Baptist and the Qumran community. This provided an opportunity to talk about these theories with the students. At the viewpoint overlooking Cave 4 we had a good discussion about the contents of the Scrolls and their value for biblical studies.

Qumran, Cave 4

Since it is on the way to Tel Aviv, we stopped  at Qasr al Yahud, the more likely of the traditional sites for Jesus’s baptism. This site has been open since 2011 and is now on the Israel National Parks card, so it is an easy add-on for for groups using the park pass (see this Times of Israel story on the re-opeing of the site for tourist groups).

Qasr means castle, and Greek Orthodox Monastery of St John the Baptist does indeed look at bit like a castle. Unlike the site at Yardenit in Galilee, this is a far more authentic location since it is in the general area John the Baptist was active (although it is still not certain this is the place). Another clear difference is the lack of commercialism compared to Yardenit. The majority of the crowds queuing to be baptized in the muddy stream of the Jordan were Orthodox, although there appeared to be a handful of Protestants. The site on the other side of the Jordan is only a matter of feet from this location in Israel. The Jordanian site is called Al-Maghtas, “immersion” in Arabic. UNESCO listed the Jordanian side as a world heritage site, but not the western side.  They are renovating and expanding the visitor’s center (and the parking lot is in need of re-paving).

Qasr al Yahud

When we arrived at Jaffa, the traffic was even crazier than expected for a Friday afternoon. Getting in to the old city was difficult, and getting nearly impossible. Our guide walked us through several points of interest in Jaffa, although there is little that is authentic. There is a traditional site for the home of Cornelius and a Franciscan church commemorating Peter’s departure from Jaffa to Rome (although that is not in the Bible, but if he left for Rome by ship Jaffa is the likely port). There are several spectacular views if the Mediterranean Sea and Tel Aviv.

We stopped in a jewelry shop in Jaffa, Adina Plastelina. The owner gave us a nice overview of some the artifacts discovered when they renovated their apartment into a shop. They have a short video on their webpage describing their jewelry, it is a fascinating process (but I was really interested in the archaeilogy under the shop).

Jaffa

In Tel Aviv we stayed at the Metropolitan Hotel in Tel Aviv, just a block from the Mediterranean. Most of the group plans on watching the sun set on the Mediterranean (I am faithfully finishing up the blog posts in my room). I have stayed in this nice hotel before, but it is always too short: our wake up call was for 4:30 AM to get to the airport for our 8:30AM flight back to Chicago.

Day Nine: Masada, Arad, Mamshit, and the Dead Sea

Since we are staying at the En Gedi Hotel, we are not far from the entrance to Masada. I have visited Masada at the end of a day when it is very hot, but this morning it was pleasant and breezy. Masada is a highlight of any Israel tour, although I am surprised some Christian groups day-trip from Jerusalem or skip it altogether. This is unfortunate for both biblical and modern history.

Dead Sea from the Top of Masada

Like the Herodium, Masada was Herod the Great’s monumental fortress-palace on the top of a flat mountain some 1500 feet above the Dead Sea. To get to the top we ride a cable car (which claims to hold 80 people, and they put about 120 in the car I rode up). We spent most of our time on the north end of the mountain, where we had several really good conversations about what “really happened” here and how Josephus knew (or did not know) the speech of Eliezer. Several students walked down the 180 steps to the rooms on the front of the mountain. This is something you should do when you visit Masada.

Unlike most groups, we walked down the siege ramp. This is practical, since we drove to Arad next. While we were on top of Masada, our driver drove around to the back side of the mountain to meet us. The ramp is a relatively easy walk with steps (most of the way) and a sturdy hand rail. There is water and toilets in the small parking lot, although only a small kiosk for those who need an ice cream after the long walk down the mountain (you know who you are).

Masada Seige Ramp

After Masada, we drove to Arad. There are two parts to this hike, a lower city excavated to the Canaanite period and an Israelite upper citadel excavated and restored to the eighth or ninth century. I take my group through the Canaanite section first, but many groups skip it entirely in order to get to the “good stuff” more quickly. I want my group to see the differences and similarities between Canaanite culture and Israelite. One example is the Arad House, a reconstructed Canaanite house. At Tamar there is a partially reconstructed Israelite four-room house. The contrast between the two is one of the indicators of when Israelite culture enters The Negev.

For me, the real highlight of Arad is the Citadel. There is a large Solomonic gate and a number of smaller rooms, but the main thing to see here is a Israelite high place. It is similar to the Solomon’s temple, but much smaller. There is an altar for sacrifice, a holy place and a Holy of Holies. Inside the Holy of Holies is a Canaanite standing stone, which may indicate the site allowed for both the worship of the Lord and the local Baal. In 2 Kings 18:4 Hezekiah removed all the high places, perhaps shutting down this particular Temple. Josiah will do the same thing in 2 Kings 23.

Arad Temple

After finishing at Arad, we drove to Dimona for lunch at a mall food court (options and choice are popular).

Not far from Dimona is Mamshit, a Nabatean trading village which was active from the first century. Aside from the excavated city, there are two churches at the top of the site. For Christian groups, these are important to visit. These early Byzantine churches have a few Greek mosaics and a most interesting baptismal in a side room. The size and shape both strike me as odd, since it seems to have been used for immersion (there are steps), it it is so small it would have to be a self-immersion at best. Mamshit also has a large Nabatean mansion with several nicely reconstructed rooms. Since we saw the Nabatean tombs at Petra, it is good to see how the wealthy lived.

Finally, we visited the Dead Sea for the traditional swim in the salt water. We went to a public area in Ein Bokek, which was not at all crowded The swimming was good and the beach is well maintained. Our guide bought two bags of Dead Sea mud so people could have the full Dead Sea experience.

Dead Sea Gang

Tomorrow is En-Gedi, Qumran, a stop at Jesus’s baptism site near the Dead Sea, then a final few hours in Jaffa.

Day Eight: The Red Sea (and the place with the cows)

Every tour has a necessary travel day. In this case we left Petra about 7:50 and drove to the Arava Border crossing to return to Israel. The drive was uneventful and we did not even make a rest stop. I think everyone was looking forward to swimming in the Red Sea,

The passage through the Jordanian is quick and easy (you pay the money they let you through). But the Israeli side involved a lengthy bag inspection. Several members of our group had to open their bags and the search was thorough. It might be frustrating but I appreciate the extreme care for safety and security, as well as the generally friendly people digging through our filthy clothes to check out water bottles filled with Sea of Galilee water.

Red Sea

The only event on the agenda today was a swim in the Red Sea at Coral Beach. This is on the National Park Pass so entrance was already paid. Snorkeling gear cost about $10 to rent. Some of the group snorkeled, the rest waded into the water in the one or two open swim areas. Several sat in the shade and read a book (my favors option at the beach). Despite a steady breeze it was very hot.

I usually stay with the group’s bags while they enjoy the Red Sea swim (and eat ice cream). This allowed me to have several conversations about the location of the Red Sea in the book of Exodus. The place we were at is not the Red Sea, it is the Gulf of Aqaba, which connects to the Red Sea. But the Hebrew Bible does not say Israel crossed the Red Sea, but rather then Sea of Reeds, only three days after being allowed to leave Egypt. It is not possible for the Red Sea on modern maps to be the Reed Sea from Exodus (and there are several possible locations for the Reed Sea in Egypt).

After a stop at Yotvata (the one with the cows) for lunch and a few supplies (I bought a package of dried figs), we drove straight to En Gedi. The En Gedi Kibbutz Hotel is a beautiful kibbutz turned hotel. The location is right next to the En Gedi Nature Park and the grounds of the hotel are a wild garden of plants and trees. Many in our group enjoyed the pool, and dinner was exceptional, and our second night they had a live jazz concert.

Tomorrow we will will visit several Negev desert sites, including at Masada and Arad, along with the traditional swim in the Dead Sea

Day Seven: Petra

Today was the walk through Petra. For many students this is a major highlight on the trip. I have been coming to Petra since 2005 and during this time the park has undergone a number of significant changes as tourism has continued to increase. The visitors center now has a large plaza with the number of shops and a small museum. Jeff’s Books and the Indiana Jones store is still there, but the whole entrance is cleaner and well organized.

Petra Group

I highly recommend you visit the museum just outside the entrance, a thorough visit might take an hour. There are several short films on aspects of Nabatean Petra as well a a good mix of artifacts from each period of the site. I think there needs to be a room dedicated to the Bedouin who lived in the caves until only a few decades ago, but other than that it is a well-designed museum.

Our guide Ash led us down the long walk to the Treasury, stopping from time to time to explain various features of the tombs or the water system in the Siq (the famous gorge through which one enters Petra). The morning was quite warm, over 100 Fahrenheit by the afternoon. High heat means more flies than I have ever seen at Petra.

The area in front of the Treasury was extremely crowded when we arrived, which means tourism in Jordan is strong. The sellers were not as bad as recent years, or maybe the large crowd kept them occupied. There were far more long tables after the treasury than I recall, blocking access to some of the tombs. One of the tombs has been converted to a coffee shop…

Starbucks Petra

After our lunch of sandwiches (a kabob for me, with lemon mint juice, which was not as cold as hoped), we split up into several groups. One brave group went up to the Monastery. This is another tomb like the Treasury, but it is quite far from the main site at Petra at the top of about 850 uneven steps. If you can make this hike, you ought to do it, but maybe leave that one to the young.

Another group went with me to the temple of Zeus a Byzantine church (called the Petra Church) and then to the Royal Tombs. This is a fairly easy walk up a series of steps, and provides an excellent view of the entire valley. I had not visited the church before, there are some unusual mosaics in the church. There was a cache of papyri found in this church as well.

Monastery Petra

When we met for dinner people were exhausted and ready for a good night’s sleep. But they soldiered on and made good use of the dessert section of the excellent buffet at the Movenpick Nabatean Castle. I don’t know how accurate this is, but I did more that 22,000 steps today, which google tells me is over ten miles.