Beer Sheva Is an Inviting Desert Region

Located in the desert area of South Israel is Beer Sheva. It is the largest city in the Negev Desert area. It has one of the largest populations of cities in Israel, which is very interesting as we tend to think of desert regions as being more desolate. More than 205,000 people live here!

Battle of Beer Sheva

The history of this part of Israel is founded on the Battle of Beer Sheva. The Ottoman Turks created a centralized police station here during World War I. After Israel declared independence, the Egyptian army advanced to Beer Sheva. They were defeated in October of 1948. The majority of the residents here are Jewish. Their ancestors migrated to the area in 1948 and 1949.

Biblical References

There are references to Beer Sheva in the Bible. It is believed to be the location where Abraham settled his differences with Abimelech over water from a well. The well was taken, and Abraham brought animals to trade with the men who took it.

This area is also rich in terms of archeological findings. Many of the ruins discovered here are believed to be part of early Biblical cities. They date to around 10 B.C. It is believed this area once had an abundance of water due to the various wells that have been identified. The name of this city is mentioned several times in the Bible in the Book of Genesis.

Urban Development

If you enjoy the game of chess, Beer Sheva is the place to enjoy a challenging game. This is the home of the champions. It is considered to be the national chess center. There are plenty of places to enjoy a game or to watch a tournament take place.

There has been plenty of urban development here since about 2005. Millions of dollars have been invested in creating shopping areas, recreational locations, and accommodation for visitors to the area. The addition of bridges and waterfalls around the area make it quite beautiful.