Jericho and Gilgal on the Medeba Map Outlined in red is “Gilgal, also the Twelve Stones” Below and to the right is the city of “Jericho,” surrounded by palm trees The Jordan River is at the top, with the fish on the right swimming away from the Dead Sea
a dead link, but i’d saved the text, for your delight. ;’) I’ll FReepmail the rest.
http://www.vendyljones.org.il/mixmaps.htm
Until this year, no one knew where the real Gilgal was located. Tradition held that it was northeast of Jericho and on today’s mixed-up maps, that’s where you will find it. Gilgal is not the only error. On those same confused maps, the twin cities of Sodom and Gomorrah are located at the south end of the Dead Sea.
All of these locations are traditions that have been sanctified by time. Who put Sodom and Gomorrah at the south end of the sea, and who put Gilgal northeast of Jericho? These errors must be corrected. Therein lies the problem, because to correct such errors one must first understand that they are errors and that they stem not from facts, but from tradition...
From the texts, the geography of the area, and the existing archaeological evidence of the area in the form of tels or mounds, there is sufficient evidence to suggest that what is traditionally referred to and shown on today’s maps as Tel Gilgal is actually the city of Tzo’ar on the north perimeter of the circle over which Lot fled...
Another point of reference can be derived from Joshua 4:19, which states that “...the people [of Israel] came up out of Jordan on the tenth day of the first month and encamped at Gilgal on the east border of Jericho.” The topography of that area indicates that the crossing was at, or near, or just south of what is today called Wadi Kelt (Ma’ale Adummim). How do we know?
In that same chapter Joshua is directed to take 12 stones from the riverbed (one for each tribe) and to replace them with 12 other stones. The text of Joshua 4:3 and following says: “... And they took the 12 stones which they took out of the Jordan and Joshua set them up at Gilgal.” ...
There is even a physiological point of reference! The next day (after setting the stones) Joshua circumcised all the men who were born in the wilderness who had not yet been circumcised. That means that on the 11th, 12th and 13th day of the month most of the men of Israel would have been “just slightly” incapacitated. On the 14th day of the month they celebrated Passover at Gilgal. If they were unable to travel, then how did they get there in time for Passover? It would have been impossible for them to travel the 18 miles from what is today the Adam Bridge down to Gilgal in their incapacitated condition, unless of course, their wives offered to give them piggy back rides...Oops! That wouldn’t work either! If they were already south of the Wadi Kelt then Gilgal would have been no farther than one hour by foot.