From The Alpha and the Omega - Chapter Four
by Jim A. Cornwell, Copyright © 1995, all rights reserved
"The Mystery of Melchizedek the priest of the Most High God
Gen. 14:18-24, was Melchizedek a Samaritan high priest?"
    The following is an excerpt from Volume I, Chapter Four Section "C", page 478, in regard to the subject of Megiddo and Canaanite Temples, as to Gen. 14:18-24, mystery of Melchizedek.
    Megiddo (me-ghid’-do) Heb. Megiddown (Zech. 12:11) meg-id-done’, or meghiddon, or Megiddow, meg-id-do’, or meghiddo, from Heb. gadad, gaw-dad’, a root to crowd, gash, cut, assemble, thus meaning rendezvous.   It is northwest of Samaria, and is first mentioned in the Bible in the list of kings defeated by Joshua west of the Jordan (Josh. 12:21).   The OT has only one reference to Megiddo in prophetical writings: Zechariah mentions a heathen mourning that took place in the Plain of Esdraelon: "On that day the weeping in Jerusalem will be great, like weeping of Hadad Rimmon in the plain of Megiddo" (Zech. 12:11).   The modern name for the excavated site or mound of Megiddo is Tell el-Mutesellim by archaeologist G. Schumacher in 1903-5 A.D.
    The remains of the Canaanite temple at Megiddo, which had a large oval altar and a small square one is dated (c. 2500-1850 B.C.).  Large temple compounds served those who worshipped many gods.
Canaanite Temple at Megiddo
From the Israel Department of Antiquities and Museums 		    Beth Shan, Beth Shean (Heb. beth shan, beth shean, house of quiet) it lays 14 miles south of the Sea of Galilee, overlooking the Plain of Esdraelon in the Valley of Jezreel.   Today the site of the city is a mound, called Tell el-Husn ("Mound of the Fortress"), located near the Arab village of Beisan (similar to Beth Shan).   Excavations by the University of Pennsylvania, in 1921-33 date it to 3500 B.C. with 18 levels of debris and ruined houses.   Four Canaanite temples (Ashtoreths, Dagon) were unearthed here mentioned in Gen. 13:10.
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