JERICHO

Jericho ("place of fragrance"?) is an ancient city located in an oasis 9 miles northwest of the Dead Sea in the Jordan Valley. It is considered the oldest city in the world to be discovered so far. It was the first objective to be taken by the children of Israel when they came into the Promised Land. The water supply is still known as "Elisha’s Fountain" purified from brackish waters by none other than the prophet Elisha himself as told in II Kings 2:19-22. The crossing of the Jordan River and the invasion of Jericho is told in Joshua 4-7. Jericho is known for its abundance of sweet fruit such as bananas, dates, and oranges. The city is warm to hot in its location of almost 900 feet below sea level. Some scholars date Jericho to 8,000 B.C. Jesus healed a blind man (Bartimaeus) in Jericho as told by Luke 18:35-42. He also saved and changed the life of Zachaeus in the city of Jericho as we have written in Luke 19:1-10. Herod the Great had a palace in Jericho, and much of the history of the time of Herod can be reconstructed with the Bible, excavations, and history books of the day. Jericho was called the "city of palms" and is the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world.