Mitzpah Shmuel
The exact location of Mitzpah Shmuel like many other locations of places mentioned in Tanach is often the subject of disagreement. The popular opinion is that Mitzpah is a place the Arabs refer to as "Nebi-Samwil" which is also said to contain the burial place of Shmuel (although in the Navi it says he was buried in his birthplace of Ramah).
Below is a view of Nebi-Samwil...is this Mitzpah?
A picture taken from around 1920....
Compare the picture below with the one above, how many changes has this building undergone in the past one hundred years or so?
How many different eras of building can you see in the picture below?
How many different eras of building can you see in the picture below?
Looking out from Nebi Samwil towards Jerusalem.
Is this why it is called "Mitzpah"?
Is this why it is called "Mitzpah"?
Another suggested location for Mitzpah is Tell-Nasbeh.
Why not do some research to see if you can determine which of these two locations is more likely to be the real "Mitzpah" mentioned in our Perek?
Below is a video in Hebrew which describes the view can be seen from Nebi Samwil.
Why not do some research to see if you can determine which of these two locations is more likely to be the real "Mitzpah" mentioned in our Perek?
Below is a video in Hebrew which describes the view can be seen from Nebi Samwil.
Last modified: Sunday, December 11, 2011, 10:18 PM