Archaeologists excavating el-Araj—widely believed to be ancient Bethsaida, the hometown of Peter, Andrew, and Philip—have uncovered 1,700-year-old fox footprints impressed in the plaster of a Byzantine-era church wall. The prints, likely made by a red fox that wandered into the still-drying plaster at night, were found in the Church of the Apostles, a 4th–5th century basilica long associated with early Christian pilgrimage. Dr. Mordechai Aviam of Kinneret Academic College called the discovery “a moment frozen in time,” linking it to the daily life and faith of those who lived in this Galilean fishing village. The find further supports el-Araj’s identification as biblical Bethsaida, with layers revealing Roman-era homes and mosaics referencing Peter as “chief of the apostles.”

The fox tracks also carry deep prophetic significance. In Lamentations 5:18, Jeremiah mourned, “For the mountain of Zion, which is desolate, the foxes walk upon it.” Yet in Jewish tradition, the appearance of foxes was later seen as a symbol of hope and restoration—a fulfillment of prophecy that points to Jerusalem’s future redemption. The Talmud recounts how Rabbi Akiva, seeing a fox emerge from the ruins of the Temple, rejoiced that God’s Word had come true—believing that if the prophecy of destruction had been fulfilled, so too would the promise of rebuilding. For both Jews and Christians, the fox footprints at Bethsaida serve as a powerful reminder: even amid ruins, life endures, and God’s covenant faithfulness remains unbroken.

SOURCE: Israel 365 News