The Footsteps of God

The Footsteps of God is an excellent, accessible book with fresh information that will probably surprise you. When Professor Adam Zertal began surveying the Jordan Valley and the hills of Samaria, he decided to come without preconceptions—to simply document what was there. The "empty slate" method proved best because he did not go out “seeking biblical places.” Zertal and his team discovered puzzling ancient sites with absolutely no parallels in the region.

What were these mysterious structures?

After gathering all of the survey information, and as part of his analysis, Zertal did choose to leverage the Bible to aid in his interpretation of these peculiar monuments. Remarkably his team had found (both in the Jordan Valley and up in the hills of Samaria) what he reasoned were early iron age “gilgal” sites; semi-circular structures with a "footstep-like" outline.

This book records how Zertal's scientific approach proved to be critical in identifying and understanding these locations, as well as the ancient Israelite customs and worship associated with them. The Footsteps of God also includes terminology connecting modern Jewish traditions with these sites!