Glassmaking started thousands of years ago in Mesopotamia and eventually spread to the Land of Israel. At the time of the Bible, it was a very highly prized material. In Job 28:17 “wisdom” is praised as so valuable that “gold and glass cannot equal it, nor can it be exchanged for jewels of fine gold.” The fact that glass is equated with gold indicates its preciousness to the ancient Israelites.
For modern people glass is something we take for granted. But for ancient people glass was a source of wonder. It was as clear as water and yet as hard as rock. It resembled ice but could be heated. The Hebrew language has decided to reflect the unique properties of glass by giving it a special name: zekhukhit (זכוכית). This comes from the root ZCC (זכך) meaning clean or pure, which is also the root of the name of Zacchaeus the tax-collector (Luke 19).
The Land of Israel was always famous for its beautiful green glass. However, the discovery at the base of Mount Carmel in northern Israel is the earliest evidence that has been found for this valuable industry. The most fascinating of all is that this discovery was made while digging a train line. When you embark on a journey, you never know where it might lead you. Enroll today and embark on a journey that uncovers the original meaning hidden in the words of the Bible…
