According toJohn 1:44, Bethsaida was the hometown of the apostlesPeter,Andrew, andPhilip. Jörg Frey finds this attribution credible.[5] In theGospel of Mark (Mark 8:22–26), Jesus reportedly restored a blind man's sight at a place just outside the ancient village of Bethsaida. InLuke 9:10–11, Jesus miraculouslyfeeds five thousand near Bethsaida.
Pliny the Elder, in hisNatural History, places Bethsaida on the eastern side of theSea of Galilee.[6] The historianJosephus says that the town of Bethsaida (at that time called Julia), was situated 120stadia from the lakeSemechonitis, not far from theJordan River as it passes into the middle of the Sea of Galilee.[7]De Situ Terrae Sanctae, a 6th-century account written by Theodosius thearchdeacon describes Bethsaida's location in relation toCapernaum, saying that it was 6 mi (9.7 km) distant from Capernaum.[8][9] The distance between Bethsaida andPaneas is said to have been 50 mi (80 km).[10]
Although Bethsaida is believed to be located on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee, within theBethsaida Valley, there is disagreement among scholars as to precisely where. Since the nineteenth century, three places have been considered as the possible location of Biblical Betsaida: the Bedouin village ofMessadiye; the small, deserted settlement ofEl-Araj (Beit HaBek, "House of the Bey"); and the archaeological site (tel) ofEt-Tell.[11] Over time, the latter two locations have come to appear more likely. While Messadiye and El-Araj are closer to the Sea of Galilee, Et-Tell shows significant archaeological remains, including fragments of fishing equipment.
Archaeologists tend to agree that the capital of the kingdom ofGeshur was situated at et-Tell, a place also inhabited on a lesser scale during the first centuries BCE and CE and sometimes identified with the town of Bethsaida ofNew Testament fame.[13]
The first excavations of the site were conducted in 1987–1989 by the Golan Research Institute. In 2008–2010, and in 2014, archaeological excavations of the site were conducted by Rami Arav on behalf of theUniversity of Nebraska ofOmaha, Nebraska.[14] According to Arav, the ruin ofet-Tell is said to be Bethsaida, a ruined site on the east side of the Jordan on rising ground, 2 km (1.2 mi) from the sea. However, this distance poses a problem insofar as if it were afishing village, it is situated far from the shore of the Sea of Galilee. In an attempt to rectify the problem, the followinghypotheses have been devised:
Tectonicrifting has uplifted et-Tell (the site is located on the Great African-Syrian Rift fault).
The water level has dropped from increased population usage, and landirrigation. In fact, the excavation ofMagdala's harbor has proven that the ancient water-level was much higher than it is today.[15]
Inside the Iron-Age city gate, et-TellShrine withstanding stones at Iron-Age city gate, et-Tell
Excavations indicate that the settlement was founded in the 11th century BCE, in the biblical period.[17] Et-Tell was inhabited during both theBronze Age and theIron Age. The fortified town there is associated by researchers with the biblical kingdom ofGeshur.[17]
A stele from Bethsaida (et-Tell) depicting a Canaanite deity, possiblyKašku. On display at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem.[18]
Most imposing archaeological finds, mainly from the Stratum V city gate, date to the 8th century BCE,[13] but as of 2024, archaeologists have found the northwestern chamber wall of the Geshurite city gate of Stratum VI, dating to the 11th-10th centuries BCE.[17] The et-Tell site would have been easily the largest and strongest city to the east of theJordan Valley during the Iron Age II era.[19]
The archaeologists tentatively identify the city with biblical Zer, a name used during theFirst Temple period.[20]
Et-Tell was reinhabited again in the third century BCE and continued on a lesser scale during the first century CE.[21] Archaeological excavations at site have revealedfishing gear, including lead weights used forfishing nets, as well assewing needles for repairing fishing nets. The findings indicate that most of the city'seconomy was based on fishing on the Sea of Galilee. Twosilver coins dating to 143 BCE, as well as Seleucid bronze coins, bronze coins from the time ofAlexander Jannaeus, King of theHasmonean dynasty (reigned c. 103–76 BCE), and one coin from the time ofPhilip the Tetrarch (a son ofHerod the Great), ruler of theBashan (reigned 4 BCE – 34 CE), were discovered at the site.[22] Philip the Tetrarch applied the name "Julias" (Greek:Ἰουλιάδα) to the site, which he named after Caesar's daughter.[23]
According toJosephus, around the year 30/31 CE (or 32/33 CE)Philip raised the village of Bethsaida in LowerGaulanitis to the rank of apolis and renamed it "Julias", in honor ofLivia, also called Julia Augusta,[24] the wife ofAugustus. It lay near the place where the Jordan river enters theSea of Galilee.[25]
Julias/Bethsaida was a city east of theJordan River, in a "desert place" (that is, uncultivated ground used forgrazing), if this is the location to which Jesus retired by boat with his disciples to rest a while (seeMark 6:31 andLuke 9:10). The multitude following on foot along the northern shore of the lake would cross the Jordan by theford at its mouth, which is used by foot travelers to this day. The "desert" of the narrative is just thebarrīyeh of the Arabs, where the animals are driven out for pasture. The "green grass" ofMark 6:39, and the "much grass" ofJohn 6:10, point to some place in the plain ofel-Baṭeiḥah, on the rich soil of which the grass is green and plentiful, compared to the scanty herbage on the higher slopes.[citation needed]
In 2017, archaeologists announced the discovery of aRoman bathhouse at el-Araj, which is taken as proof that the site was apolis in theRoman Empire period.[11] The bathhouse was located in a layer below the Byzantine layer, with an intervening layer ofmud andclay that indicated a break in occupation between 250 and 350 CE.[11] They also found what might be the remains of a Byzantinechurch building, matching the description of a traveller in 750 CE.[11] On account of these discoveries, the archaeologists believe that el-Araj is now the most likely candidate for the location of Bethsaida.[11]
In 2019, what some describe as the Church ofApostles was unearthed by the El-Araj excavations team during the fourth season at the site ofBethsaida-Julias / Beithabbak (El-Araj), on the north shore ofSea of Galilee near where the Jordan river enters the lake. The excavation was carried out by Prof. Mordechai Aviam ofKinneret College and Prof. R. Steven Notley ofNyack College. ThisByzantine period church is believed by some to have been built over the house of the apostle brothers, Peter and Andrew. Only the southern rooms of the church were excavated. A well-protected ornamental mosaic floor, gilded glass tesserae, and a marblechancel decorated with a wreath have been found in some of the excavated rooms.[26][27][28] According to Professor Notley:
We have a Roman village, in the village we have pottery, coins, alsostone vessels, which are typical of first-century Jewish life, so now we strengthen our suggestion and identification that El-Araj is a much better candidate for Bethsaida than e-Tell.[29]
In 2022, the archaeological team uncovered a large mosaic that is over 1500 years old containing an inscription. This invokes St. Peter as "the chief and commander of the heavenly apostles". and mentions a donor named "Constantine, a servant of Christ". These terminologies are consistent with Byzantine usage.[30][31][32] Because of this, Notley said that this "strengthen[s] our argument that [it] should be considered the leading candidate for first century Bethsaida."[33]
In August 2025, in the wake of a wildfire along the northern shore of the Kinneret, small mounds across the al-Araj archaeology site are being excavated as "mini-tells."[34]
El-Mesydiah, also spelled el-Mes‛adīyeh is a third, but generally considered least likely possibility. It is located on the present shoreline, but preliminary excavations, including the use of ground penetrating radar, initially revealed only a small number of ruins dating from before theByzantine period. Some were inclined to favor el-Mes‛adīyeh which stands on an artificial mound about 1.5 mi (2.4 km) from the mouth of the River Jordan. However, the name is in origin radically different from Bethsaida. The substitution ofsīn forṣād is easy, but the insertion of the guttural‛ain is impossible.[citation needed]
Many scholars[who?] maintain that all theNew Testament references to Bethsaida apply to one place, namely, Bethsaida Julias. The arguments for and against this view may be summarized as follows.
Galilee ran right round the lake, including most of the level coastland on the east. ThusGamala, on the eastern shore, was within the jurisdiction ofJosephus, who commanded in Galilee.[35] Judas of Gamala[36] is also calledJudas of Galilee.[37] If Gamala, far up the slope towering over the eastern shore of the sea, were in Galilee,a fortiori Bethsaida, a town which lay on the very edge of the Jordan, may be described as in Galilee.
Josephus makes it plain that Gamala, while added to his jurisdiction, was not in Galilee, but inGaulanitis.[38] Even if Judas were born in Gamala, and so might properly be called a Gaulanite, he may, like others, have come to be known as belonging to the province in which his active life was spent. "Jesus ofNazareth" for instance was said to be born inBethlehem inJudaea. Josephus also explicitly says that Bethsaida was in Lower Gaulanitis .[39] Further, Luke places the country of theGerasenes on the other side of the sea from Galilee (Luke 8:26) –antipéra tês Galilaías ("over against Galilee").
To go to the other side –eis tò péran (Mark 6:45) – does not of necessity imply passing from the west to the east coast of the lake, since Josephus uses the verbdiaperaióō of a passage fromTiberias toTaricheae.[40] But
this involved a passage from a point on the west to a point on the south shore, "crossing over" two considerable bays; whereas if the boat started from any point in el-Baṭeiḥah, to which we seem to be limited by the "much grass", and by the definition of the district as belonging to Bethsaida, to sail to et-Tell or el-Araj, it was a matter of coasting not more than a couple of miles, with no bay to cross.[citation needed]
No case can be cited where the phraseeis tò péran certainly means anything else than "to the other side".[citation needed]
Mark says that the boat started to go unto the other side to Bethsaida, while John, gives the direction "over the sea unto Capernaum" (John 6:17). The two towns were therefore practically in the same line. Now there is no question that Capernaum was on "the other side", nor is there any suggestion that the boat was driven out of its course; and it is quite obvious that, sailing toward Capernaum, whether at Tell Ḥūm or atKhān Minyeh,[dubious –discuss] it would never reach Bethsaida Julias[dubious –discuss][citation needed]
The words of Mark (Mark 6:45), it is suggested,[41] have been too strictly interpreted: as the Gospel was written probably at Rome, its author not being a native of Galilee. Want of precision on topographical points, therefore, need not surprise us. But as we have seen above, the "want of precision" must also be attributed to the writer ofJohn 6:17. The agreement of these two favors the strict interpretation.
In support of the single-city theory it is further argued that
Jesus withdrew to Bethsaida as being in the jurisdiction of Philip, when he heard of the murder ofJohn the Baptist byHerod Antipas, and would not have sought again the territories of the latter so soon after leaving them.
Medieval works of travel notice only one Bethsaida.
The east coast of the sea was definitely attached to Galilee in AD 84, andPtolemy (c. 140) places Julias in Galilee. It is therefore significant that only the Fourth Gospel speaks of "Bethsaida of Galilee".
There could hardly have been two Bethsaidas so close together.
But:
It is not said that Jesus came hither that he might leave the territory of Antipas for that of Philip; and in view ofMark 6:30, andLuke 9:10, the inference fromMatthew 14:13 that he did so, is not warranted.
The Bethsaida of medieval writers was evidently on the west of the Jordan River. If it lay on the east, it is inconceivable that none of them should have mentioned the river in this connection.
If theGospel of John was not written until well into the 2nd century, thenJohn the Apostle was not the same person as the authorJohn the Evangelist. But this is a very precarious assumption. John, writing after AD 84, would hardly have used the phrase "Bethsaida of Galilee" of a place only recently attached to that province, writing, as he was, at a distance from the scene, and recalling the former familiar conditions.
In view of the frequent repetition of names inPalestine the nearness of the two Bethsaidas raises no difficulty. The abundance of fish at each place furnished a good reason for the recurrence of the name.
During theFifth Crusade, the wery large Christian army gathered by KingAndrew II of Hungary forced SultanAl-Adil I to abandonBeisan on 10 November 1217.[42][43][44] It then continued marching, crossed the River Jordan, pillaged, crossed it back again, and the crusaders took time to visit the holy Christian sites along the Sea of Galilee, including whatOliver of Paderborn called Bethsaida, which he described as a smallcasale (a village or hamlet), without offering any further details about its location.[42][43][44]
^Historical geographerSamuel Klein opines that this place is to be recognised in the nameṢaidan ofMishnahGittin 7:5, MishnahAvodah Zarah 3:7, MishnahGittin 4:7 (BTGittin 46a), andJerusalem Talmud (Sheḳalim 6:2). Klein wrote: "`Bethsaida = Julias at the confluence of the Jordan in the lake, [a place] not proven in Jewish tradition.` (Sch.) – However, I suspect that Bethsaida occurs in the Talmudic literature calledṢaidan. ...The fact that the nameṢaidan (ציידן) is not preceded by the word 'Beth' (בית) presents no difficulty in explaining the two names as being identical, since similar things are more common among Galilean names (e.g.Maon andMeron;Beth-Maon andBeth-Meron)" (Klein 1915:167–168).Herbert Danby, in his English translation of the Mishnah, erroneously transliterated the proper nameצידן in all places as "Sidon" in Phoenicia, even though Sidon is almost always spelt in Hebrew asצִידוֹן, with awaw (ו).Marcus Jastrow also follows the general view thatצידן is none other than Sidon of Phoenicia. Conversely, the YemeniteBabylonian Talmud, punctuated by Yosef Amir, has distinguished between the two sites, assigning the vowelspataḥ andqamaṣ forṢaidan =צַידָן, butḥiraq andḥolam for the Phoenician city Sidon =צִידוֹן. German theologianH.W. Kuhn, citing archaeologist Richard A. Freund (Freund 1995:267–311), further supports this view, and writes: "The Rabbinic literature in which Bethsaida appears, as already mentioned, is never called 'Julias', but rather speaks of '(Beth-)saida' (ציידן =Ṣaidan, etc.; [whereas]בית ציידן =Beth ṣaidan, or anything similar, also does not appear in rabbinic texts), so like the canonical gospels, it uses this name for the village. From these texts I refer merely to one [village] presumably" (Kuhn 2015:153). An anecdote has been passed down in theMidrash Rabba (Kohelet Rabba 2:11), whereHadrian asked Rabbi Yehoshua b. Hananiah about the preeminence of the Land of Israel over other lands, particularly where the Scripture (Deuteronomy 8:9) imputes of the country that it is "a land wherein you shall eat bread without scarceness, [and] you shall not lack any thing therein." When asked whether or not the country could produce for him three things:peppercorns,pheasants (phasianum) andsilk, the rabbi brought for him peppercorns from Nasḥana, pheasants from Ṣaidan and silk fromGush Halav, – meaning, the place was reckoned as in the Land of Israel proper.
^In theJerusalem Talmud (Sheḳalim 6:2), after mentioningLake Hulah and theSea of Galilee, Saidan is then mentioned as a place where there was an abundance of different kinds of fish, as alluded to in Ezekiel47:8–10, and where it was said of a certain river that "their fish shall be after their kinds."Klein has speculated that this Saidan refers to Bethsaida along the Jordan River (Klein 1915:167–168).[4]
^Franz, Gordon (10 November 2007)."Text and Tell: The Excavations at Bethsaida".PlymouthBrethren.org (2nd, revised and updated from the one published inArchaeology in the Biblical World, (1995) 3/1: 6-11 ed.). Retrieved24 January 2022.
^Ishtori Haparchi,Kaftor wa-Ferach vol. 2, (3rd edition, published by ed. Avraham Yosef Havatzelet), chapter 11, Jerusalem 2007, p. 54 (note 30) (Hebrew).
^Frey, Jörg (2022).The Jesus Handbook. William. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company. p. 245.ISBN9780802876928.
^Pliny the Elder (1947). H. Rackham (ed.).Natural History. Vol. 2. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. p. 275 (book v, chapter xv, section 71).
^Rami Arav & Richard Freund (eds.),Bethsaida: A City by the North Shore of the Sea of Galilee, vol. 3, Truman State University 2004, p.xii,ISBN1-931112-38-X
^Arav, Rami; Savage, Carl E. (2015)."Bethsaida". In Fiensy, David A.; Strange, James Riley (eds.).Galilee in the Late Second Temple and Mishnaic Periods, Volume 2: The Archaeological Record from Cities, Towns, and Villages. Fortress Press. pp. 258–279.ISBN978-1-5064-0195-9.
^Aryeh Kindler, "The Coins of the Tetrarch Philip and Bethsaida",Cathedra 53, September 1989, pp. 26–24 (Hebrew)
Freund, Richard A. (1995). "The Search for the Bethsaida in Rabbinic Literature".Bethsaida: A City by the North Shore of the Sea of Galilee.1. Kirksville, Mo.: Thomas Jefferson University Press.
Klein, S. (1915). "Hebräische Ortsnamen bei Josephus".Monatsschrift für die Geschichte und Wissenschaft des Judenthums (in German).59 (7/9). Breslau:167–168.JSTOR23080489.
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