Tuesday, September 30, 2014

47) Tomb or Cave of Jehoshaphat, Kidron Valley, Mount of Olives

The 'Valley of Jehoshaphat' where according to the Bible (Joel 3), the Last Judgement will be held, is identified in the Kidron Valley that separates the Mount of Olives from the Temple Mount. The Upper Kidron Valley has one of the largest and oldest Jewish Cemeteries in the world. Even today, one cannot resist noticing the ancient graveyard, especially the four monumental rock-cut tombs from the Second Temple Period-viz. The grave monuments named after biblical figures,  Absalom and Zedekiah; a priestly family called Bene Hezir; and one incomplete tomb. However, there is a cave just behind the Tomb of Absalom, which is named after the Jewish King of Judea, Jehoshaphat. The 'Tomb of Jehoshaphat' as the monument is commonly called, can be easily missed unless you look carefully for the structure. It should be noted that all these Biblical figures lived many centuries before these burial complexes were built, but their names stuck  anyway.

Tomb of Absalom or Absalom's Pillar
Yellow arrowhead at the right end marks the position of other tombs 

 Tombs of Bene Hezir (or Grotto of St. James), Zedekiah, and an Unfinished Tomb

Tomb or Cave of Jehoshaphat behind the Pillar of Absalom