Mentioned in the Gospels more often than any other town except Jerusalem and Capernaum, archaeologists believe they have identified New Testament Bethsaida. Birthplace of the apostles Peter, Andrew and Philip it was also the site of Jesus’ miracle restoring a blind man’s sight (Mk 8:22–26) and feeding the multitude (Lk 19:10–17). Along with Capernaum and Corazin, Bethsaida made up the triangle of villages where Jesus apparently performed the majority of His miracles. It was these same three cities which Jesus condemned for their unbelief (Mt 11:21).
Excavations at the site began in 1987, known by the locals as Et-Tell. One of the largest ancient tells in Israel (over 20 acres), it has a commanding view of the entire Sea of Galilee. Over a half mile from the sea today, evidence suggests in antiquity the sea extended further north.
Archaeologists have found remains of a fishing community from the time of New Testament Bethsaida (probably from Aramaic meaning “House of Fisherman”). While located in a region of Gentile towns, excavation results suggest Bethsaida was predominantly Jewish in culture. A residential quarter including a few simple courtyard-type houses has been uncovered. Constructed of the region’s well-known and familiar basalt stone, some structures have been preserved in a new archaeological park.
The fisherman’s house.
One house, called the “Fisherman’s House” contained anchors, fishing hooks and a needle for mending nets. Another house, called the “Wine Maker’s House” yielded a wine cellar with four jars, pruning hooks, an oven and two basalt grinding stones.
Bethsaida’s location on the east side of the Jordan River, places it in region predominantly Gentile in makeup. Throughout antiquity, the Jordan River served as a natural border between different political entities. During the New
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Testament period Bethsaida and the region east of the Jordan was a different jurisdiction and potentially taxed differently than towns to the west. Could Peter and Andrew have moved from Bethsaida (Jn 1:44) to Capernaum, the first city on the west side (Mk 1:29), to avoid the additional taxation on their fishing profits?
An important city during the later half of the first century AD, Bethsaida was one of the initial objectives of the Roman army during the First Jewish Revolt (AD 66–70). The Jewish historian Flavius Josephus also commanded the Jewish forces in the battle near Bethsaida. He records he would have won the battle if he had not fallen from his horse and sprained his wrist. Bethsaida was captured and destroyed by the Romans. The city was never rebuilt.
During the Old Testament period, Bethsaida was also inhabited. In fact the city on the site at the time of King David was a large tell of 22 acres, twice the size of David’s capital city of Jerusalem. While the name of the site during Old Testament times was not Bethsaida, the excavators suggest it was possibly called Zer (Jos 19:35). Its location on the east side of the Jordan, possibly meant it was part of the region of Geshur (Jos 13:2) and was inhabited by non-Jews. King David took the daughter of the king of Geshur as his wife (2 Sm 3:3). Absalom fled to Geshur after killing his brother Amnon (2 Sm 13:20–38).
From this Iron Age II city, the massive gate complex has been uncovered on the tell’s east side. Just inside this gate was a cultic high place where a broken basalt stela of a bull-headed figure was found. The bull apparently depicts the city’s chief deity. Inside the four-chambered gate flanked by two strong towers was a palace complex with a spacious paved plaza. From this palace, scholars hope to get an architectural parallel to King David’s royal palace in Jerusalem. This city was also destroyed, suggested by the excavators to have been conquered by Assyrian King Tiglath-pileser III in 732 BC.
Apparently the site was only occupied for three periods in history. The site was first inhabited in the first part of the third millennium BC (Early Bronze I). After an occupation gap, the site was reinhabited in the Iron Age as part of the kingdom of Geshur. Following another occupational break, the site was once again reoccupied in the second century BC and this is the community into which Peter, Andrew and Philip were born.
The winemaker’s house.
In the spring of 1998, the site of Bethsaida was opened as a National Parks Authority Site. While excavations continue on the Iron Age city gate, the New Testament residential quarter has been opened to the public. Bethsaida is expected to be a major Christian pilgrimage destination in the year 2000 millennium celebration. GB
(AP release by Danny Ben-Tal, The Washington Post, April 1, 1998; Bethsaida, Israel National Parks brochure, 1998.)