Open Consultant Course now open for registration!

Course Dates:

Lord willing the Open Consultant Course 2021 will be held from 1 to 14 September 2021.

This exceptional 14-day course includes 12 days of study-tours relating Scripture text to its historical, archaeological, cultural, linguistic and geographical context. 

The following topics will be covered:

• History, geography and archeology of the Land of the Bible
• Agricultural practices from the time of the Bible
• Flora and fauna mentioned in the Bible
• Cultural backgrounds of inhabitants of the Land of the Bible
• Bible translation issues with reference to the Context of the Bible

This course is uniquely designed for consultants, consultants-in-training and Bible translation project administrators. If taking the course for credit, pre-and post-study tour assignments will be required.

We accept up to 20 participants for this course. Accommodations will be at the JCBT Log Home and Forest Home Dormitories in Yad HaShmona. The fee for the entire course in the land (including room, board, field trips, and entry fees, lectures, etc.) is $1,950 per person based on double occupancy of room. (See details below.)

Thoughts from previous participants:

“Coming to the Land helps one to see the Bible in COLOUR.”

“No matter your spiritual or biblical understanding prior to coming, I feel the lessons of this trip have been helpful. I hope in the future I have an opportunity to come again and further my study of the Land of the Bible.”

“The course is an incredible experience for all 5 of your senses.”

“What this study tour did for me was to give me an index of my ignorance regarding the geography and some of the context of the Holy Land.”

Sample Itinerary
please note, each course has its unique itinerary, therefore lectures/sites may be added and/or omitted.

Day 1 – ARRIVALS
All Arrivals to JCBT Log Home, ideally prior to 16:00.
Settling in at Yad Hashmona at JCBT Log Home and Forest Home

Day 2 – MOUNTAINS ROUND JERUSALEM (Psalm 125:2)
Orientation and Lecture 1: The Historical and Archaeological Periods of the Bible.
Field Trip: Mt. Scopus, Mount of Olives, Garden of Gethsemane, Abraham’s View of Jerusalem. Ariel First Temple Period Museum, the Broad Wall and the Temple Institute

Day 3 – SHEPHELAH / JUDEAN MIDLANDS / PHILISTINE PLAIN
Lecture 2: Historical Geography of the Bible: Topographical Regions
Field Trip: Tel Bet Shemesh. Visit the Biblical Museum of Natural History; travel through the Philistine Plain to Ashdod/Azotus to Museum of Philistine Culture.

Day 4 – ANCIENT JERUSALEM
Field Trip: City of David and the Pool of Siloam. Visit the Western Wall and the Virtual Reality Temple. Jerusalem Archaeological Park 
Lecture 3: “Insights from Translating from Hebrew: Examples from the Text”

Day 5 – BETHLEHEM & BIBLE TRANSLATION
Field trip: Herodion, view Moab, Tekoa and Hebron. Visit Bethlehem – Church of Nativity and Grotto of Jerome, the Bible translator.

Day 6 – BIBLICAL NEGEV
Field trip: Lachish,Tel Beersheba, Tel Arad and a Camel ride.

Day 7 – DEAD SEA
Field Trip: Masada, overview Ein Gedi Oasis, Qumran, the Dead Sea, Tel es-Sultan and Kasr al-Yahud /Baptismal Site

Day 8 – JORDAN VALLEY & JESUS’ MINISTRY AROUND SEA OF GALILEE
Field Trip: Travel through Jordan Valley to the Galilee, passing Bet Shean and first centuryMagdala. Mt. of Beatitudes, Tel Hazor, Tel Dan. Visit Capernaum, Ancient Boat Museum and a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee.

Day 9 – THE UPPER GALILEE, COASTAL PLAIN and THE JEZREEL VALLEY
Field Trip: Nazareth Village, Megiddo, Mount Carmel, Caesarea Travel through the Sharon Plain.

Day 10 – BIBLICAL PLANTS and AGRICULTURE 
Field Trip: Biblical Plants and Agriculture with Biblical Meal and Torah Scribe

Day 11 – BIBLICAL CULTURE & EZEKIEL’S VISION
Lecture 4: Sacrifices, Purity and Holiness in the Tanakh

Field Trip: Yad VaShem, Temple Mount Sifting Project, Bible Society.

Day 12 – NT JERUSALEM
Field Trip: Temple Mount, Via Dolorosa, Bethesda, Holy Sepulchre, Garden Tomb

Day 13 – ISRAEL MUSEUM and DISCUSSION
Lecture 5: Biblical Calendar, Holidays and Culture
Field Trip: Israel Museum: Archaeological Wing, the Shrine of the Book housing the Dead Sea Scrolls, and the Model of Jerusalem from 70AD
Context Criticism – Discussion and Closing Meal at JCBT Log Home (with JCBT Staff)

Day 14 – DEPARTURES

Tuition Fees for Open Consultant Course for 2021

Institutional fee:        $1950
For private funds:       $1850

This fee includes the following:

• Accommodation based on double occupancy of rooms
• Administration fee
• Certificate of completion
• Entrance fees to museums/national parks
• Lectures
• Meals
• Teaching and field-guiding
• Textbook
• Transportation (except to and from Ben Gurion Airport)

For more information regarding JCBT’s short-term courses,
please contact us at short-term@bibletranslators.org.