When the people of Jabesh Gilead heard of what the Philistines had done to Saul, all their valiant men journeyed through the night to Beth Shan. They took down the bodies of Saul and his sons from the wall of Beth Shan and went to Jabesh, where they burned them. Then they took their bones and buried them under a tamarisk tree at Jabesh, and they fasted seven days.
1 Samuel 31:11-13
We drove north in the Jordan Valley and finally reached Beth Shean. Situated not far south of the Sea of Galilee, it’s located at the intersection of the Jordan Valley (running north-south) and the Harod Valley which extends to the west to the flat, expansive Jezreel Valley, with easy access from there to coast. To the east was a common place to ford the Jordan River. In fact, a modern crossing into the country of Jordan exists there today. Beth Shean was truly at a crossroads.
Most of the remains of the ancient city were from Roman/Byzantine times. These are some of the best Roman remains in Israel today. The city was called Scythopolis during this time and was one of the cities of the Decapolis, a league of ten Greek city states in the region.
On top of the tell are earlier remains. Beth Shean was Egypt’s head city of Canaan when they controlled the country from about the 15th to the 12th centuries BC. The site contains the most ancient Egyptian remains outside of Egypt. After the Egyptians left, the Israelites were not able to drive the Canaanites out until the time of David.
For such an important, exciting site, it is referenced little in the Bible. It features most prominently in the death of King Saul. When he was killed in battle, the Philistines took his body and hung it on the wall of Beth Shean. While we can be amazed at the extensiveness of the remains of this site, we’re reminded of the tragedy that happened there, too.