Touring Israel with a tour guide

The Griffon Vulture (Gyps fulvus) #ImagineIsraelTours #SimonOsterTourGuideIsrael When the Bible speaks of the Nesher (נשר) most English translations say "eagle." But modern scholars & Israeli ornithologists believe the biblical Nesher was actually the Griffon Vulture! Why the Griffon Vulture? The Griffon Vulture matches every biblical description of the Nesher: *A wingspan of almost 3 metres, it soars over vast distances - just as Scripture describes *The Bible repeatedly mentions the Nesher feeding on dead flesh - exactly what vultures do *Griffons gather by the hundreds around carcasses, unlike solitary eagles *They nest high on rocky cliffs, fitting biblical imagery perfectly *"Bald" Head: The Griffon has a featherless head, matching descriptions of the Nesher What About "Real" Eagles? Most eagles spotted in Israel are only migrating through; the Golden Eagle is extremely rare in Israel with historically, no more than 4 breeding pairs. Griffon Vultu...

#ImagineIsraelTours #SimonOsterTourGuideIsrael The fig “They sewed fig leaves together & made themselves loincloths", Bereshit/Genesis 3:7. When Adam & Eve eat from the Tree of Knowledge & realise they are naked! From the very beginning, the fig has had a special place in the biblical story of the Land of Israel. The fig is one of the Seven Species that blessed the Land of Israel Devarim/Deuteronomy 8:8. The prophet Hosea compared the young nation of Israel to "the first fruit on the fig tree, in its first season" Hosea 9:10; a symbol of G-d's delight, promise & high expectation It is also a symbol of peace "Every man under his own vine & fig tree" 1 Kings 4:25, it became the ultimate symbol of dwelling safely in the Land. A symbol of judgement The prophets used the fig tree to represent destruction & desolation Sustenance & Healing: a fig compress was used to heal King Hezekiah, 2 Kings 20:7. The honey of figs was so prized that...

#ImagineIsraelTours #simonostertourguideisrael The Sardine While the Bible doesn't mention "sardines" specifically, the Hebrew word דג (dag) appears throughout Scripture as a general term for fish. The Torah distinguishes between clean fish (with fins & scales, like sardines) & unclean fish (Leviticus 11:9-12; Deuteronomy 14:9-10) Sardines, with their scales & fins, are perfectly kosher. Some scholars believe that the "two small fishes" used by Jesus to feed the 5,000 (Matthew 14, Mark 6, Luke 9, John 6) were likely salted or pickled sardines, a common staple food of the poor in Galilee at that time. They are still found in great quantities in the Sea of Galilee/Lake Kinneret, home to a unique freshwater sardine species known scientifically as Mirogrex terraesanctae (sometimes called the Galilee sardine) Pickling industries thrived in ancient Magdala, home of Mary Magdalene. Writers like Pliny the Elder & Strabo noted the high quality of fish cu...

#ImagineIsraelTours #SimonOsterTourGuideIsrael The Cheetah of the Bible? Did you know that cheetahs once roamed the land of Israel? And they may even be hiding in the pages of the Bible. In Habakkuk 1:8, the prophet describes horses that are: “Swifter than leopards…” The Hebrew word used is נָמֵר - namer, traditionally translated as leopard. But some scholars believe that, in a passage emphasising extraordinary speed, the word may also have referred to the cheetah, the fastest land animal on Earth. 🐆 Cheetahs once lived in the Negev, the Arava & the Jordan Valley, but disappeared from the region during the 20th century. Today, they are gone from Israel, but perhaps not entirely from our ancient stories. Would you like to uncover more hidden stories of Israel's biblical wildlife? 🌿🐾 Join an 'Imagine Israel Tour' & walk the ancient paths where leopards once prowled & cheetahs once sprinted; from the sand to the scroll, we bring the Bible's creatures to life...