Day 2

After sleeping in quite late today, we made our way outside of Jerusalem and headed north toward the West Bank, the area of land controlled by the Palestinians. On our way we ran into the "pass of Michmash," where Jonathan, son of Saul, and his armor bearer killed 20 Philistines after sneaking up the rock escarpment. Great story...check it out in I Samuel 14.


"there was a sharp crag on the one side and a sharp crag on the other side...the one crag rose on the north opposite Michmash" (I Sam. 14:4-5)

We passed by several other Biblical sites on our way to Samaria (main stop for the day), the city of Ephraim being one of them. Jesus went here with his disciples after the healing of Lazarus (John 11:54)


This house in Ephraim is from the 1st century, probably similar to what Jesus and the disciples stayed in while passing through.


The lower level of the same house doubled as the sleeping quarters for the animals. This may actually be a more accurate setting for the birth of Christ.