Glimpses of Israel - Dimona

by Joseph Hunting

Dimona as a settlement was founded in 1955 and was called by the Biblical name of a southern town of the tribe of Judah. "This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Judah according to their families. And the uttermost cities of the tribe of the children of Judah toward the coast of Edom southward were Kabzeel, and Eder, and Jagur, and Kinah, and Dimonah, and Adadah ..." (Joshua 15:20-22).

Dimona dominates an important junction of highways leading east to Sedom (or Sodom or S'dom) on the Dead Sea and south to Eilat (or Elath) on the Red Sea. From Dimona to Sedom is 47 kms (29 odd miles) and to Eilat about 220 kms (132 miles).

At the entrance to the town of Dimona there is a sand-washing plant for the glass industry in Israel. Dimona is one of many modern towns and cities in Israel that are now throbbing with life where for two thousand years and even longer they had disappeared.

The prophet Ezekiel foretold the rebirth of the State of Israel and the astonishing rebirth of ancient places: "And I will multiply men upon you, all the house of Israel, even all of it: and the cities shall be inhabited, and the wastes shall be builded ... and I will settle you after your old estates, and will do better unto you than at your beginnings: and you shall know that I am the LORD" (36:10,11), this last aspect being still in the future.