“Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” (Matthew 19:24)

Camels spent years, virtual centuries, wandering around the Middle East before they found their way to the Land of Israel, presumably somewhere around the 10th century BCE. For those of us who know our Bible and even for those of us who don’t, this date is long after they were described, talked about and for generations that followed, illustrated in the Bible.

In 2014, Israeli archaeologists, Erez Ben-Yosef and Lidar Sapir-Hen, used radiocarbon dating to pinpoint the earliest known domesticated camels in Israel to the last third of the 10th century B.C. Their findings led to questions from both the skilled and the wise, asking if these one-humped (or two) wonders lived in the time of the patriarchs and in the kingdom of David, according to the Bible.

Up close n’ personal

The camel in the bible

The camel is mentioned 47 times in the Bible and can be found in illustrious detail in stories of many of the Jewish patriarchs. Tales of Abraham, Joseph, and Jacob all pay homage to the camel. Camels were first mentioned in the Bible in Genesis, “He treated Abram well for her sake, and Abram acquired sheep and cattle, male and female donkeys, male and female servants, and camels” (Genesis 12:16).

Although history and Hollywood, the famous “Lawrence of Arabia” and the like, depict long trails of camels in the barren desert, the camel did not begin his journey in the Middle East or Africa. He originated in North America and from what we know today, this was (only) 45 million years ago. Somewhere between 3 and 5 million years ago, these camels crossed the Bering en route to Eurasia and lo and behold, they migrated south.

Known as “slow but sturdy travelers,” history tell us that the camels probably took their time and finally reached the Arabian peninsula around 2000 BCE. We think they made it to Israel via our neighbors, Egypt.

I often struggle to find the fine line between tales of the Bible that are adorned in history, religion and spiritual belief – and the findings of modern day science and facts. I for one, am fascinated by both the camel and its heritage. Although I am not a spiritual leader, I do believe that camels served our forefathers, all the way back to the time of David.

For generations, camels have been domesticated, praised, adored and feared. This “large, long-necked ungulate mammal of arid country, with long slender legs, broad cushioned feet, and either one or two humps on the back,” as it says in the dictionary, has served the people of the Land of Israel for centuries.

Ottoman cavalry, Israel, WW I

Where is the camel in Israel today?

He can be found in the Negev Desert. For centuries, camels have served a key role in the history of the desert. Their size, their strength and their ability to carry heavy loads for long periods without food or water, camels were used during Nabataean times to carry precious cargo from what today we know as Yemen to various port cities on the Mediterranean. Yes, the Land of Israel.

On “camel-back” in Israel

Camel rides and camel tours have long been a popular tourist attraction in Israel. For the curious and the adventurous, professionally organized desert tours offer a unique way to see one of the many splendors of Israel. Israel offers several camel farms throughout the Negev Desert, where camel rides are enjoyable (and safe) for all ages.

A popular and well-respected camel riding and touring center, the Negev Camel Ranch is in the south of Israel, between the Dead Sea and Beer Sheva, The center breeds and trains camels, and boasts the largest herd in the country.