Glimpses of Israel - Hazor
Located 16 km (10 miles) northwest of Lake Kinneret (Sea of Galilee), in the land allotted to the tribe of Naphtali, is Tel Hazor, site of the ancient city, Hazor. Wedged between the hills of Upper Galilee on the west and the swampy valley on the east, Hazor was strategically situated and controlled the entrance into northern Israel. Situated in one of the most fertile and productive agricultural regions, Hazor was suitably located on the international trade route, known as the Way of the Sea or Via Maris.
In the days of Joshua, the king of Hazor led a confederation of kingdoms against Israel (Joshua 11:1). The children of Israel were victorious, despite the Hazor confederation having greater numbers and more specialized military equipment. " . . . Hazor was formerly the head of all those kingdoms . . ." subsequently, the city was burned and destroyed. During the reign of King Solomon, Hazor was rebuilt and fortified (1 Kings 9:15). The improvements included an impressive water system which assured the city of adequate supply during a siege. Hazor was finally destroyed in 732BCE, when the Assyrians invaded Israel.
Today, Hazor is one of Israel's largest archaeological sites. A model of ancient Hazor and other buildings are on display at Kibbutz Ayelet Hashahar, situated across the road from the archaeological site. The Kibbutz is one of the larger fruit producers in Israel and also has dairy cattle, poultry and beehives. Fish ponds at the Kibbutz get their water supply from canals draining from the former Huleh Swamps nearby.