Archaeology

In the Nile Delta of Egypt lies a site that has captivated archaeologists and biblical scholars alike: Tell el-Dab’a, the ancient city of Avaris. This sprawling metropolis was once the capital of the Hyksos rulers.¹ Understanding Avaris aids our knowledge of the historical context of the Israelites’ sojourn in Egypt as described in Genesis and Exodus.

Then the LORD appeared to Abraham by the Oaks of Mamre in the heat of the day, while he was sitting at the entrance of his tent. (Gen. 18:1 BEREAN)

Ramat Haram el-Khalil, located north of the ancient city of Hebron, is a place deeply connected to Abraham. According to Genesis 18, Abraham received three divine visitors at the Oaks of Mamre. This was a significant event in the biblical narrative where God renewed His promise of a son to Abraham and Sarah. 

After Jacob’s tense encounter with his father-in-law Laban at Galeed (Gen 31) he resumed his journey home. As he was approaching the land God had promised to him, he had an angelic encounter at a place which he called the “camp of God.”

1 Jacob also went on his way, and the angels of God met him. 2 When Jacob saw them, he said, “This is the camp of God.” So he named that place Mahanaim. (Gen. 32:1-2 BEREAN)

Jacob had an encounter with God as he was leaving the land of promise at Bethel (Gen 28:10-17) and had another on his way back. Now, as he returns to face his past and his brother, God again reassures him of divine presence and protection. David assigned two names to the place where he camped. He named it Mahanaim (meaning “two camps”) and, after wrestling with an angel there, also called it Peniel (Genesis 32:30), which means “face of God.”

Sarah, died at the age of 127 years and her husband, Abraham, buried her in the Cave of Machpelah near Hebron. Sarah is the only woman in the Bible whose age at the time of death is recorded. This is a reminder of her importance in God’s plan. Herod the Great memorialized the location of her tomb with one of his massive construction projects in the 1st century BC. 

Since Abraham did not own any land in Canaan, he had to purchase a burial place. He approached the sons of Heth to inquire about purchasing a cave to use as a family tomb. Abraham negotiated with Ephron to purchase a piece of land just east of Hebron for four hundred shekels of silver (Gen 23:17-18).

Many experts do not accept that Tall el-Hammam is Sodom. As I noted in the first article in this series, the prevailing theory for the past century has placed Sodom at the southern end of the Dead Sea. Perhaps even beneath the surface of the Dead Sea. 

It’s hard to go against a century of tradition, and the common belief in a southern location has resulted in several objections to a northern location. To wrap up this series on Tall el-Hammam, let’s look at the common objections raised against a northern location for Sodom.