Touching the Promised Land 14 | Day 6 – JERICHO
Updated: Aug 16
WALLS BROUGHT DOWN BY FAITH
Jericho is a portal connecting the dawn of agricultural civilisation with the Promised Land of GOD's chosen people. Here, witnessed by the caves and monasteries clinging to the wilderness cliffs, the roar of fallen walls echoes in the ten thousand years of human history.
Highlights
Historical Significance
According to archaeological evidence, Ancient Jericho / Tell es-Sultan is the oldest fortified city in the world. The mound contains 23 layers of relics, with the earliest dating back to 8,000–9,000 BCE. During the preparation for my visit in 2018, the site was on the UNESCO Tentative List (it was later officially inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2023), making it a mandatory stop on my itinerary.
Jericho, once an ancient Canaanite city, sits at the southwestern tip of the Fertile Crescent, the region where systematic farming first began. It is generally believed that large-scale human settlement emerged alongside agriculture; the fact that Tell es-Sultan’s earliest layers are carbon-dated to over ten thousand years ago perfectly aligns with the dawn of agriculture.
Biblical Importance
In the Chinese Union Version (CUV) of the Bible, Jericho is translated as "耶利哥" (Yèlìgē). Due to its abundant springs and warm climate, it is known as the City of Palms. The Bible contains numerous records regarding the city:
The Conquest: Under Joshua’s leadership, the second generation of Israelites entered the Promised Land west of the Jordan River. Jericho was their first conquest—won not by weaponry, but through sheer faith, solemn silence, and a final, triumphant oar (Joshua 6:1–20).
The Curse: Joshua dedicated the city as an offering and placed a curse upon it (Joshua 6:26). Five centuries later, during the reign of King Ahab, the city was rebuilt, and the curse was fulfilled (1 Kings 16:34).
The Temptation: Before His ministry, Jesus was led into the wilderness. At the Mountain of Temptation outside Jericho, He fasted for forty days and triumphed over the devil’s lures (Matthew 4:1–11).
Miracles and Ministry: The prophet Elisha healed the Spring of Elisha (2 Kings 2:19–22). Later, Jesus healed a blind man here and visited the home of Zacchaeus, the chief tax collector, famously teaching: "For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost." (Luke 19:10).
Geopolitical Context
Jericho is part of the Palestinian Territories in the West Bank. Following the 1949 Armistice Agreements, it was occupied by Jordan until the 1967 Six-Day War, after which it came under Israeli control. In 1994, per the Oslo Accords, Israel handed the city over to the Palestinian Authority (PA). It is currently an Area A territory—fully under Palestinian civil and security control—though the connecting roads remain under Israeli jurisdiction. Large, red warning signs stand at the entrances to Area A to alert travelers of the boundary.
Sightseeing Notes
1) Elisha’s Spring:
Originally called Ein es-Sultan, this was the lifeblood of the ancient city. While the "fountain" is now a tourist photo spot, the spring itself still flows.
2) Good Shepherd Church:
Many local Christians are of Arab descent and belong to the Orthodox Church. This church, like many in Jericho, was built by the Russian Orthodox Church and serves as a hub for the local community.
3) Tree of Zacchaeus:
Though might be merely a living link to the Gospel narrative, this ancient sycamore-fig helps one visualize the short tax collector climbing upward just to catch a glimpse of Jesus. I heard that some pilgrims still try to climb it today to emulate his devotion.
4) Lookout at entrance to Tell es-Sultan
Near the entrance to Tell es-Sultan, fruit stands offer fresh pomegranate juice—sometimes mixed with orange. After days of traveling in and out of Israel, Palestine, and Jordan, this became a daily necessity for us, and Jericho was no exception!
From a platform nearby, I watched red cable cars climb toward the Monastery of Temptation, which hangs precariously on the cliffside above the entrance to Wadi Qelt. This deep valley is believed by many to be the "Valley of the Shadow of Death" from Psalm 23. My guide spoke of its popular hiking trails, sheer climbing faces, and the stunning St. George’s Monastery hidden within its depths.
The Monastery of Temptation began as a small cave chapel in the 4th century, centred around a stone believed to be where Jesus sat during His temptation. A monastery was then built in the 6th century, destroyed during Arab rule, rebuilt during the Crusades, and destroyed again after their defeat. The Orthodox Church purchased the land in the late 19th century and built the structure seen today.
Below the protruding Monastery of Temptation, towards the lower left of the picture, is the way to Wadi Qelt. The steep cliff on the other side of the Wadi hosts St. George’s Monastery, which shares a similar cliffside architecture as the Monastery of Temptation, while honoring the Prophet Elijah and the Virgin Mary.
Both monasteries have similar histories of destruction and reconstruction and both are Orthodox. Only, my guide said, that the latter has quite strict dress codes for visitors.
5) Tell es-Sultan
This was the site where I spent a "luxurious" chunk of my day.
Inside the archaeological site, the most striking features are the Neolithic city wall and a stone tower. Dating back over 10,000 years, these are the oldest known city fortifications. Standing on elevated walkways, one can look down into what seems like a deep, dry well—but they are actually looking at the very evidences of human urban life, buried under twenty layers of subsequent history.
If Time Permits...
Due to time constraints, I spent some good time at Tell es-Sultan (Ancient Jericho) while making only brief stops by the Elisha Spring Fountain, the Tree of Zacchaeus, and the Good Shepherd Church, plus a quick lookout to the Mount of Temptation; and didn't even get close to St. George Monastery or Wadi Qelt.
If I had enough time at Jericho, I would definitely pay a visit to the Monastery of Temptation and St. George’s Monastery, and even test a hike in Wadi Qelt. All are highly recommended by my guide.
Although Jericho is an Area A city, my Israeli guide still accompanied me inside. While visiting Tell es-Sultan, he told me it was his first time visiting the site; and later, he also made it to the Dome of the Rock for the first time in his life. He was obviously very excited with these first-time experiences, and at the same time, also carried a sense of unsettledness. However, when I visited Bethlehem (also Area A) and Battir the following day, I was told that due to legal restrictions, I had to switch to a local Palestinian Arab guide. I asked about the specific reasons why the difference between Area A sites, but didn't get a clear answer. Since it felt like a sensitive topic, I didn't push further to fulfill my curiosity.
Touching the Promised Land 15 | Day 6 - THE JORDAN RIVER @ QASR EL-YAHUD
WATERS DESCENDING TO RISE
Leaving the ancient stones of Jericho behind, we made a stop at Qasr El-Yahud—a site our guide strongly recommended—before continuing toward Qumran. We went there to truly FEEL the Jordan. This is a river that earns its name, Yarden—the "Descender"—as it drops from the snowy heights of Mount Hermon to the lowest point on earth, all while carrying the quiet prayers of those baptized into new lives.
