This is not a town, but rather
the highest point in Samaria at 1,016 meters, just North of the settlement of
Ofra, with magnificent views.
There are also several
biblical events traditionally asociated with this place, Baal
Hatzor is said to be the site of the Biblical "Covenant Between the
Pieces," where God promised the Holy Land to Abraham and his descendants.
It is also mentioned in Samuel II in the story of the rivalry between King
David's sons Absalom and Amnon, and was later the site of the battle in which
Judah the Maccabee met his death.
A new Jewish presence at the
Biblical site of Baal Hatzor was established overlooking the community of Ofra. The
Book of Joshua tells us, were settled by Jews. Ofra was the first Jewish
settlement in the mountain area that was part of the tribe of Benjamin's
inheritance.
*The way to
Baal Hatzor from Jerusalem: We will start our trip by visiting the City of
Samuel, the prophet. Then we proceed to Beit El, the dream site of Jacob where
he saw the ladder ascending into Heaven. Then we will continue to Baal Hatzor
Mountain, the place where Absalom took revenge on his brother, Amnon. The truck came to a halt
in Ofra, about a mile and a half west of Mount Baal Hatzor, Shilo
is next, where the ancient Tabernacle stood for almost 370 years.
Mount Hazor (in Hebrew: Ramat
Hazor) is an irregularally shaped plateau, marking the geographical boundary
between Samaria to its north and Judea to its south. Its peak, called Baal-hazor in Hebrew and Tell Asur in Arabic, reaches approximately 1,020 metres
(3,350 ft) .
Its name
is derived from the word for "courtyard", referring to the walled
enclosures that this large land mass enabled ancients to construct. The peak
housed a pagan chapel for worship of the Baal, who was considered "lord of the
mountain" hence its name: "Baal-hazor".
The Genesis Apocryphon of the
Qumran, Dead Sea scrolls identifies
Ramat Hazor as the site between Bethel and Ai where Abraham built an altar and called upon
(i.e. invoked) the name of God (Gen. 12:1-9). At this site the accounts of Genesis 13,14-17
took place.
The
mountain of Baal Hatzor and its peak is 1016 meters above sea level. Today carved into the peak of the mountain is a big Israeli Military Base
and is a strategic point because of its height. On this mountain is believed to be the place where God appeared to
Abraham as we can read in the book of:Genesis
13-17: “The Lord
said to Abram after Lot had parted from him, “Look around from where you are,
to the north and south, to the east and west. All the land that you see I will
give to you and your offspring[a] forever.I
will make your offspring like the dust of the earth, so that if anyone could
count the dust, then your offspring could be counted. Go, walk through the
length and breadth of the land, for I am giving it to you.”
· Is the place where Absalom took revenge on his brother, Amnon. 2 Samuel 13:23 "And it came to pass after two full
years, that Absalom had sheepshearers in Baalhazor, which is beside Ephraim: and Absalom invited all the king's
sons.."
Lugar cercano a “Efraín” (quizás la ciudad de Efrén [Efraín] mencionada en 2Cr
13:19; donde Absalón celebró la fiesta del esquileo en la que dio
muerte a su hermano Amnón. (2Sa
13:23, 28.) Se identifica a este lugar con el monte Jebel ʽAsur (Baʽal
Hazor), de 1.032 m. de altura, que se encuentra a unos 8 Km. al NE. de Betel.
Absalón huyó de Baal-Hazor al pequeño reino de Guesur, al E. del mar de Galilea
The last
battle of Judah the Maccabee against the Greek Army 160 BC. took place on this
mountain as well, fighting over the strategic point of who would stay in
control of the area.
Today
although the Military base is closed for visitors, with the Heart of Israel you
can arrange a tour to the top of the mountain.
