Jericho- The Oldest Town in the World

INTRODUCTION

Jericho, or “The oldest town in the world” as it has been referred to, is best known for the biblical account of the fall of the walls of Jericho. Though there are other accounts of Jericho mentioned in the Bible, such as the curse that was placed on Jericho , and the parable of the Good Samaritan, the most popular and most debated biblical account of Jericho is the fall of the Jericho walls. Did the great fortress surrounding Jericho really fall?

The purpose of this paper is to explore the history, geography, and theology of ancient Israel in order to determine that the ancient walls of Jericho really fell. This paper will proceed in three steps. First, an overview of the geographical location of both ancient and present day Jericho will be given. This will be followed by an examination of archeological finds and excavated discoveries, after which an examination on the biblical prophecy concerning Jericho will be provided, as well as an observation of Jericho throughout its history. Finally, a summary of the evidence given, which supports the falling of the Jericho walls, will be provided. The afore mentioned steps will demonstrate how geography, theology, and history all support the falling of the Jericho walls.

Geography

Present day Jericho is about five miles to the west of Jordan, located near the Jordan River. At 900 feet below sea level, Jericho is the world’s lowest-lying city.

Although obscure in location, Jericho is thought to have been a great military capital at one point in time. In fact, much of what is known about the city of Jericho deals with its defensive walls. Excavations have resulted in archeological findings that have proven Jericho to have been inhabited during several prominent time p...

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