In Roman times, the time of Jesus on earth, an old Roman road led from Jerusalem to Jericho, past the Inn of the Good Samaritan. Jesus walked on this road many times. Along the Jericho Road there is a deep gorge known as Wadi el Qelt, with the Greek Monastery of St. George along one side. A cross along the Jericho marks the place where the Monastery is located far below. The valley is also traditionally the Valley of Achor, where Joshua had Achan stoned to death (Joshua 7:10). Some have identified the brook in this gorge with the Brook Cherith, or Kerith, where Elijah was fed by ravens (1 Kings 17:3). The most famous story about Jericho is the battle of Jericho which Joshua led, when the walls fell outward, rather than inward (Joshua 6). This happened about 1, 400 B. C. But the history of Jericho goes back hundreds of years before Joshua. Jericho is actually three cities--the Old Testament city and the New Testament city, separated by about a mile, and modern Jericho near Old Testament Jericho. In modern Jericho we find Elisha's Springs, or Elisha's Fountain, known today as the Ain es-Sultan Spring. When the people of Jericho complained to Elisha that the water was bad, Elisha threw a bowl of salt into the spring and miraculously purified the water (2 Kings 2:19-22).

jericho; judea; israel; wall; roman road; wado el quelt; gorge; monastery of st. george; valley of achor; achan; brook cherith; brook kerith; elijah; ravens; battle; war; joshua; elisha; elisha's spring; Joshua 3--8; Joshua 7:10; 1 Kings 17:3; 2 Kings 2:19-22; elisha's fountain; ain es-sultan spring; miracle; inn of the good samaritan; cross; walls; gorges; battles; wars; miracles; crosses