Return to Lupin Hill

That title sounds rather like a Famous Five book, doesn't it? I've blogged about Lupin Hill (Givat Haturmusim in Hebrew) before you see, but it's such a gorgeous spot that we try to go back there each spring, when the beautiful purple lupin are blooming. Even my youngest son - the one who declares everything booooring at the moment - jumped at the chance of another visit. So, back to Lupin Hill we went.

Lupin Hill, or Tel Socho, as it is also known, is in The Valley of Elah (Elah being the Hebrew word for Terebinth – a tree found throughout the valley). In early spring, Israelis from all over the country flock to the hill to see the flowers it is named after. The entire hill is covered with wild blue lupin (Lupinus pilosus), as well as a supporting cast of cyclamen, anemone and asphodelus. Caves and grottoes dot the landscape, and cisterns are carved deep into the rock. Oak trees, fig trees and Terebinths grow on the hillside and piles of large ashlar boulders, covered with lichen, are evidence of the presence of a defensive wall around the city of Socho in ancient times.

The city of Socho was strategically located overlooking the Elah Valley. It is mentioned in the Book of Joshua as one of the Canaanite cities conquered by the Israelites under the leadership of Joshua (Joshua 15, 35). This entire area was allocated to the tribe of Judah.

The carpet of colourful wildflowers that cover the hill these days gives no hint to the battle that once occurred on Lupin Hill. The Valley of Elah is where the battle between David and Goliath took place. Tel Socho was the camping ground for Goliath and the Philistines. Goliath stood in the Valley of Elah for forty consecutive days, challenging someone to fight him. Eventually young David declared that he had fought lions and bears to protect his father's sheep. G-d had kept him safe then and he would help keep him safe now. He went to a stream nearby and found five smooth stones, put them in a pouch around his waist, and with his sling he went to Goliath. Reaching into his pouch he pulled out a stone, put it into his slingshot and shot it at Goliath. The stone hit Goliath right between his eyes, he lost balance and fell to the ground. David had done it, he had beaten the giant Philistine! When the rest of the Philistines saw this they ran away and David became a hero to all the people of Israel.

Later on, Nebuchadnezer, the king of Babylonia, passed through Socho on his way to conquer Jerusalem, and the Romans paved a road along what is today Route 375, the road which passes right by Lupin Hill. It is possible that the Second Temple era scholar Antigonus Ish Socho also came from here.

Excavations at the foot of the northern slope of Lupin Hill exposed a Byzantine building from the 5th-6th centuries. Remains from the Iron Age II were uncovered in another dig at the foot of the same slope, and walls dating to the Middle Bronze Age were discovered in probe trenches. Potsherds dating to the Late Bronze Age and later periods were gathered, along with a terracotta figurine of reddish brown clay depicting a naked woman.

While there is undoubtedly plenty of history surrounding Lupin Hill, it is now the flowers that draw people to the area. Our short hike there gave us plenty of opportunity to enjoy the purple turmusim (lupin) and red calaniyot (anemone), while hiking the same land that our ancestors had lived on. It was a great afternoon out.

* This post has been shared on All Seasons, Floral Friday Fotos, Floral Bliss, Amaze Me Monday, Monday Morning Blog Club, The Good. The Random. The Fun., Wordless Wednesday (on Tuesday), Our World Tuesday and Tuesday's Treasures.