No Way Like The Highway

Never having given much thought to how people traveled in ancient Judea and Galilee, I just assumed the roads were nothing more than mere foot paths. But there were major roadways that, in fact were long established.

One major highway going through the holy land was the International Highway. Beginning in the southwest near Heliopolis, Egypt it followed the Mediterranean Sea before moving inland to Hazor, crossing the Jordan in the direction of Damascus and making it's way over to the Persian Gulf via Babylon. Merchants traveled this road taking their wares from east to west and back again. The "Day Of Discovery" program mentioned this road was also known as Via Maris, or the Way of the Sea.

Another roadway was the King's Highway which began at the Gulf of Aqaba traveling north, east of the Jordan through Perea and Decapolis, also known as the Transjordan region. The highway crossed the IH then eventually curved back to the east to meet up with the IH again.

A lesser highway yet equal in age, the Ridge Route, traversed the region between The Sea and the Jordan River. According to A Visual Guide To Bible Events, which quoted Josephus' book Jewish Antiquities, it was probably the road the villagers from Galilee traveled to get to Jerusalem. This road took the travelers through Samaria; which leads me to an interesting thought. A 'good, upstanding' Jew would not have traveled through a region they considered unclean, yet Jews who were despised because of where they lived had no trouble traveling that way.

Because they did go the 'you'll be unclean if you go there' way they were blessed by the places they passed; some of those holding the remembrance of God's covenant, or acknowledgements made to God. By the time they reached Jerusalem the whole purpose of the trip would have been steadfast in their spirits, making them ready for the festivals and the full meaning each one held. I wonder if this could be compared to listening to worship music on the way to church.

No matter which way they went the people needed to travel together in caravans. There were so many thieves and gangs roaming the roads that they needed to have a group, a large group, to keep the thieves at bay. I think that's a cool thought...traveling together to worship, celebrate, and sacrifice at the Lord's Temple.