J - Part I

Jabbock, River On eastern side of Jordan river in present day Jordan. Site where Jacob,
wives and children camped, and Jacob wrestled with “the man”(Gen. 24:22ff).

Jebel Dahy. Biblical area of Hill of Moreh.

Jabesh Gilead, Jerash., tel-Abu Kharaz. East of Jordan River across from Beth Shan.
When Jabesh Gilead refused to join in the punishment of the tribe of Benjamin, their men were killed and four hundred virgins were taken to be wives for the remaining men of Benjamin so the tribe would continue. (Judg. 20-21).
People of the city took the bodies of Saul and his sons from Beth Shean and burned them in Jabesh Gilead. The bones were buried there. As a sign of respect the people would have fasted and mourned (1 Sam. 31).Today there remains the ruins of Roman city are similar to Beth Shan (large city with many women and children). (Also see Gibeah).

Jabel Arkyela Capital of Ammonites of the Old Testament, and Philadelphia in the New
Testament. May be one of the cities of the Decapolis. Place where Uriah, Bathsheba’s husband, was killed in battle.

Jattir Ten acre mound in southern Judah. Located between Hebron and Beer-Sheva,
west of the Dead Sea. Listed among the cities of Joshua and the Levites(Josh. 15:48; 21:14 1 Sam. 30:27; 1 Chro. 6:57). Many civilizations lived here. See Khirbet or Kirbet Yatti.

Jericho Rahab the harlot helped Joshua’s men escape. The walls of Jericho came down
and the people of the city were killed. Many women were made widows. Rahab and her family were spared their lives. She became the wife of Solmon and the mother of Boaz. She is later mentioned in the genealogy of Jesus. (Josh. 2:15-21; Matt. 1).

Blind man healed by Jesus as the crowds watched (Mt. 20:29-34; Luke 18:35-43) in Jericho. The “people praised God.”
Jesus went to have dinner with Zacchaeus. His wife and other women must have been present (Luke 19ff).
King Herod’s Winter Palace overlooking Jericho was where he and his family came to get away from the cold of Jerusalem. Archaeological ruins: tel es-Sultan. Major building projects of Herod included the Temple, his Winter Palace in Jericho, Masada, Machareus, Heroidan and the fortress at Megiddo.