There are a variety of excavations inside and outside Israel for those interested in “biblical archaeology.” There are a few lists of these, including one in Biblical Archaeology Review (in Israel) and Archaeology Odyssey (outside Israel).

There are two that I would particularly recommend, both for the sites’ biblical significance as well as the teams that are involved. Hazor and Gezer were two of the most important sites in ancient Israel, with mention in the ancient sources as early as the 2nd millennium B.C. Both are also noted as cities that Solomon fortified (1 Kings 9:15). This year however will be the first time that both sites are being excavated at the same time.

A new expedition is beginning at Gezer under the direction of Dr. Steven Ortiz, of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, together with Sam Wolff of the Israel Antiquities Authority. They will be excavating from June 4 – July 7, are accepting volunteers for a minimum of 2 weeks. Ortiz is a well-trained archaeologist who is also a committed evangelical believer. I expect that the excavation team will include many believers, making it a better option for Christians than other digs (some of which are known for a more party-like atmosphere on the weekends). For more information, see GezerProject.org.

Excavations are continuing at the northern site of Hazor under the direction of Dr. Amnon Ben-Tor of Hebrew University. The evangelical group, the Associates for Biblical Research, is planning to participate for a third season. The dates for the ABR program (which includes touring) are June 27 to July 16. Ben-Tor is highly respected in the field, and Hazor is a site where much of interest has been revealed. If you are interested in participating with ABR at Hazor, see their website.

Both are recommended without reservation!

The news: Arutz-7 is reporting initial approval of a promenade to be built along the entire perimeter of the Sea of Galilee. A Knesset committee has approved construction though the bill has to pass several additional votes before final approval is given. According to the article, youth volunteers have already been at work on 35 kilometers of the route. In 2000, a paved sidewalk was constructed on the north end of the lake in preparation for the Pope’s visit. One reason given for constructing the new path is to allow free access to the lake in spite of numerous illegal fences and barriers which have been erected.

My take: while one could argue that construction of a promenade will harm the natural environment, it also gives greater access to the area which is not currently available. If one wants to walk or bike ride around the lake today, one is largely restricted to the modern highway which is both dangerous and at times distant from the shore.

Sidenote: While I and many of my students have ridden around the lake on rented bikes, only two have run all the way around it in a single day. That’s nearly 40 miles as the road goes. I’m guessing that neither David Miller nor Will Custis ever do it again!