Trivia question

This is a trivia question for those who have never been to Israel.

There isn’t any bodies of water between Gaza and Jerusalem. So where did Philip baptize the eunuch?



Act 8:26 But an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip saying, "Get up and go south to the road that descends from Jerusalem to Gaza." (This is a desert road.)

Act 8:36 As they went along the road they came to some water; and the eunuch *said, "Look! Water! What prevents me from being baptized?"
Act 8:37 [And Philip said, "If you believe with all your heart, you may." And he answered and said, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God."]
Act 8:38 And he ordered the chariot to stop; and they both went down into the water, Philip as well as the eunuch, and he baptized him.

[Barb]

Originally Posted by Believer

This is a trivia question for those who have never been to Israel.

There isn’t any bodies of water between Gaza and Jerusalem. So where did Philip baptize the eunuch?



Act 8:26 But an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip saying, "Get up and go south to the road that descends from Jerusalem to Gaza." (This is a desert road.)

Act 8:36 As they went along the road they came to some water; and the eunuch *said, "Look! Water! What prevents me from being baptized?"
Act 8:37 [And Philip said, "If you believe with all your heart, you may." And he answered and said, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God."]
Act 8:38 And he ordered the chariot to stop; and they both went down into the water, Philip as well as the eunuch, and he baptized him.

This is from Barnes' Notes...

Acts 8:36
The expression used here does not determine whether this was a river, a brook, or a standing pool. And there are no circumstances to determine that. It is well known, however, that there is no large river or very considerable stream in this vicinity. All that is intimated is that there was water enough to perform the rite of baptism. Grotius says they came "to a fountain which was in the neighborhood of Bethsora, in the tribe of Juda, at the twentieth milestone from Aelia (Jerusalem) to Hebron." This is, however, a tradition taken from Eusebius. The place is still shown (Pococke).
(from Barnes' Notes, Electronic Database. Copyright (c) 1997 by Biblesoft)

Originally Posted by Barb

This is from Barnes' Notes...

Acts 8:36
The expression used here does not determine whether this was a river, a brook, or a standing pool. And there are no circumstances to determine that. It is well known, however, that there is no large river or very considerable stream in this vicinity. All that is intimated is that there was water enough to perform the rite of baptism. Grotius says they came "to a fountain which was in the neighborhood of Bethsora, in the tribe of Juda, at the twentieth milestone from Aelia (Jerusalem) to Hebron." This is, however, a tradition taken from Eusebius. The place is still shown (Pococke).
(from Barnes' Notes, Electronic Database. Copyright (c) 1997 by Biblesoft)

Act 8:39 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away; and the eunuch no longer saw him, but went on his way rejoicing.

There isn't a river between Gaza and Jerusalem. Israel has very little water sources which is why they collects every drop of water that falls from the sky and snow melt off. I believe it was Israel that invented the drip system for watering plants and trees, because of the lack of water.

Please note, you will get a difference answer from someone who lives in Israel and knows the area than you would someone that doesn't.

[Barb]

Originally Posted by Believer

Act 8:39 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away; and the eunuch no longer saw him, but went on his way rejoicing.

There isn't a river between Gaza and Jerusalem. Israel has very little water sources which is why they collects every drop of water that falls from the sky and snow melt off. I believe it was Israel that invented the drip system for watering plants and trees, because of the lack of water.

What are you then proposing?! That God made a body of water for this purpose?! It is extremely possible that this is so...I do not know.

OR perhaps the body of water, be it a brook, stream, lake or river, dried up in 2,000 years...I do not know.

Originally Posted by Barb

What are you then proposing?! That God made a body of water for this purpose?! It is extremely possible that this is so...I do not know.

OR perhaps the body of water, be it a brook, stream, lake or river, dried up in 2,000 years...I do not know.

Barb, I'm only proposing a trivia question.

On our tour to Israel we walk an old Roman road (well, a small section of it) from the coast to Jerusalem. You can still see the stairs carved in solid rock that made a path next to an ancient. The path had little holes cut out to collect rain wafer for drinking. About 10 miles of so from Jerusalem beside this Roman path and road is a cistern that dates back over 2000 years. It has stairs carved to walk down into it. Its right next to the road, and according to our guide this is the only likely place where Philip could have baptized the eunuch.

Most people, as well as myself, I always assumed that there was a river or lake that this happened in.

[Barb]

Originally Posted by Believer

Barb, I'm only proposing a trivia question.

On our tour to Israel we walk an old Roman road (well, a small section of it) from the coast to Jerusalem. You can still see the stairs carved in solid rock that made a path next to an ancient. The path had little holes cut out to collect rain wafer for drinking. About 10 miles of so from Jerusalem beside this Roman path and road is a cistern that dates back over 2000 years. It has stairs carved to walk down into it. Its right next to the road, and according to our guide this is the only likely place where Philip could have baptized the eunuch.

Most people, as well as myself, I always assumed that there was a river or lake that this happened in.

LOL!! I know...I always thought it was a river or lake or some such thing.

A cistern sounds feasible...

[Arphaxad]

I get the impression that they were surprised that there was water in a desert place, so I think that God had some water bubble up from underground at that time, for that purpose. Just like I believe that He will do the same for anyone that is sincere about being baptized( provide water and a preacher).



ARPH