The Road of the Patriarchs or Way of the Patriarchs (Hebrew: דֶּרֶךְ הֲאָבוֹתDerech haʾAvot Lit. Way (of) the Fathers) is an ancient north–south route traversing the land of Israel and the region of Palestine.[1] The modern Highway 60 (Israel-Palestine) follows roughly the route of the Way of the Patriarchs.[2][3] The name is used by biblical scholars because of mentions in biblical narratives that it was frequently travelled by Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.[4]
Way stations were discovered along the route between Beersheba and Jerusalem from the time of the ancient Temple[dubious–discuss] and later during the Hellenistic and Roman eras.[6] Ritual baths (mikvaot, Hebrew: מקוואות) served pilgrims during their journey.[7][8]
Milestones
Milestones have been discovered along the route signalling that, even in Roman times, the route was used as a major road.[9][bettersourceneeded] The stones represent the distance to Jerusalem.[10]
The biblical story of the Concubine of the Hill from the Book of Judges, leading up to the battle of Gibeah (Judges 19), tells of a small family caravan journeying on the ridge route from Bethlehem towards Jerusalem. Gibeah is generally identified with Tell el-Fūl.[citation needed]
The route connected to Via Maris and the King's Highway by way of several east-west roads:
An important connection was "The Sunset Road" (Hebrew: דֶּרֶךְ מְבוֹא הַשֶּמֶשDerech Mevo HaShemesh) (Deut 11:29–30) leading from The King's Highway, crossing the Jordan River at the location of today's Adam Bridge (Jisr Damiat) and ascending through the Tirtza Valley (Wadi Al Fara) to Mount Gerizim and Shechem. Today's eastern leg of Route 57 roughly follows the ancient track.[citation needed]
The "Red Ascent" (Hebrew: מַעֲלֵה אֲדֻמִּיםMa'ale Adumim) (Joshua 15:7 and Joshua 18:17) formed a boundary of the tribe of Judahascending from the Valley of Achor to Debir and turning north to Gilgal. It takes its name from the red rock lining the ascent. Highway 1 between Jerusalem and the Jordan Valley follows the ancient route.[citation needed]
To the west of Shechem, the ancient "Aphek Ascent" from the Via Maris and the coastal plain passed through Aphek, Soco and today's Kfar Saba and Qalqilyah. Highway 55 duplicates the eastern part of this route.[citation needed]
"The Bethoron Ascent" (Hebrew: מַעֲלֵה בֵּית חוֹרוֹןMa'ale Beit Horon) (Josh 10:10) from the coastal plain passes today's Ben Gurion Airport, then rose along an offshoot of the watershed ridge leading to today's Beit Hanina as it approached Jerusalem. Today's Route 443 follows the ancient road with minor deviations.[citation needed]
Further south, Highway 35 roughly follows the path of the ancient "Lachish Road" from Gaza, Ashkelon and Ashdod through the Lachish region to Hebron.[citation needed]
Israeli Milestone Committee. "Roman Roads and Milestones in Judaea/Palaestina". Department of Holy Land Studies, Kinneret College on the Sea of Galilee & Tel Aviv University. Retrieved 2023-04-05.