Show biblical fortress of eichem geographically was one of 0 the most important points in palestine situated in the narrow moun tain pass between mounts garizio and ebal the high road of travel between the east and west it blocked the route from the jordan valley to the coast plain and pro the coastal region from the invasions of the nomadic hordes coming coining from the east its strategic function tg Is thus obvious sachem of a bold spectacle with the horizontal lines of the walls one superimposed upon the other with the gigantic dimensions of its stones atones all concentrated in the elliptic city plan the fortress loomed in the landscape standing at its side bide the two natural bulwark mounts garizio and ebal reinforced the impression of impregnability even today one who stands at the foot of these gigantic walls ban bag the sense of being as tho the biblical people walled in ID our own sight ai 88 grasshoppers one Is impressed by its sheer physical strength and understands the fearful panic of the israelites as they listened in kadesh barnea to the reports which their spies brought back from the land of canaan the builders of tills fortification system were the Hitt hittites ites who were known to have dwelt in michem as a early iia as the time of jacob 1500 N B G r gen gell 34 |