Where is Jericho located in the Bible?

Jericho is an ancient city located in the region of Judea, near the Jordan River. It is situated in modern-day Israel at the archaeological site known as Tell es-Sultan.

What is the story of Jericho in the Bible?

The most famous event is the Battle of Jericho, where the Israelites, led by Joshua, marched around the city for seven days until its walls miraculously fell (Joshua 6:1-27). Jesus also healed blind Bartimaeus near Jericho (Mark 10:46-52).

Why is Jericho significant in the Bible?

Jericho is significant as the first city conquered by the Israelites in the Promised Land, demonstrating God's power. Its mention from Joshua to the Gospels also makes it a key geographical and spiritual landmark in biblical history.

Jericho

cityBoth TestamentsJudea63 verses

Today Tell es SultanCountry IsraelCoordinates 31.872, 35.445

Jericho is an ancient city mentioned in both the Old and New Testaments, located in the region of Judea in modern-day Israel. Known today as Tell es Sultan. It appears across 63 verses in Scripture.

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Biblical History

Jericho, appearing in sixty-three verses of Scripture, is one of the Bible's most storied cities. Called the 'City of Palms' (Deuteronomy 34:3; Judges 1:16), it first appears when Moses viewed it from Mount Nebo before his death (Deuteronomy 32:49). Its most famous episode is the miraculous conquest under Joshua, when Israel marched around its walls for seven days and the walls collapsed at the sound of trumpets and the people's shout (Joshua 6). Joshua pronounced a curse on anyone who would rebuild it (Joshua 6:26), fulfilled centuries later when Hiel of Bethel rebuilt the city at the cost of his sons' lives (1 Kings 16:34). The city served as a boundary marker between Benjamin and Ephraim (Joshua 16:1, 7). Elijah and Elisha passed through Jericho before Elijah's translation to heaven, and Elisha healed the city's water supply (2 Kings 2:4-22). In the New Testament, Jesus healed blind Bartimaeus and called Zacchaeus in Jericho (Mark 10:46; Luke 19:1-10). The city thus spans the entire biblical narrative, from conquest to the ministry of Christ.

Archaeological & Historical Notes

Old Testament Jericho is identified with Tell es-Sultan, a large mound near the Ein es-Sultan spring in the Jordan Valley. Excavations by Charles Warren, Ernst Sellin, John Garstang, and Kathleen Kenyon have revealed one of the world's oldest continuously inhabited settlements, with a Neolithic tower dating to approximately 8000 BCE. The site preserves massive Early Bronze Age fortifications and evidence of repeated destruction and rebuilding. Kenyon's stratigraphic work in the 1950s found that Late Bronze Age remains were largely eroded, complicating direct correlation with Joshua's conquest, though Bryant Wood and others have challenged her dating. The spring that Elisha purified still flows today. The tell is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most iconic archaeological sites in the Levant, attracting visitors from around the world.