Israelis restore traditional Jewish site of tombs of Jesse and Ruth, claim it is 'fulfilling biblical prophecy'

Read this article in:

A site in Israel which is believed in Jewish tradition to be the burial place of two of King David’s ancestors – his father Jesse and great-grandmother Ruth – is being restored by a group of Israelis, the Daily Wire reported.

The site is “fulfilling biblical prophecy,” claimed Yishai Fleischer, the “international spokesperson for the Jewish community of Hebron.”

“People from all over the world come to this spot to fulfill a verse: Isaiah 11:10,” Fleischer said.

In this passage, the prophet Isaiah says the following: “In that day the root of Jesse, who shall stand as a signal for the peoples – of him shall the nations inquire, and his resting place shall be glorious” (Isaiah 11:10 ESV).

“I read them that verse,” Fleischer said, “and they’re like, ‘This is fulfilling biblical prophecy.’ Not only that the place shall be glorified, but also the nations of the world will come to the root of Jesse – to King David. And isn’t that what folks of biblical heritage really want?”

While Fleischer claims that visitors to these tombs are fulfilling Isaiah’s prophecy, the New Testament teaches that this passage in Isaiah, in fact, refers to Jesus the Messiah.

In Romans 15, the Apostle Paul quotes this exact verse, saying it was fulfilled by Jesus, arguing that He is the Savior not only of Israel but of all the nations.

In the Book of Revelation, the Messiah also alludes to this passage, when he says, “I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star” (Revelation 22:16 ESV).

Rashi and Maimonides, two of the most revered figures in rabbinical Judaism, agreed that this passage referred to the Messiah, who would be a descendant of David, Jesse’s son.

A group of Israelis are restoring the traditional tomb of King David’s ancestors, Jesse and Ruth, in Hebron.

They say their work fulfills the Prophet Isaiah’s message that Jesse’s resting place would be “glorified.”

My full report for @realDailyWire:pic.twitter.com/HlAc6gE4hS
— Kassy Akiva (@KassyAkiva) September 12, 2024

Though Fleischman said visitors were fulfilling biblical prophecy by visiting the site – and that he does believe it is Jesse’s burial place – he believes there is doubt as to whether it is indeed Ruth’s burial place.

“Even if it’s not the tomb of Ruth, it’s the place where we commemorate and celebrate Ruth,” Fleischer stated.

“One of the earliest documented mentions of the site as Jesse’s tomb comes from a student of the prolific Torah scholar Nachmanides around 1290,” the Daily Wire reported. “The earliest mention of the site as Ruth’s tomb is in the 1835 Love of Jerusalem by Haim Horowitz.”

Although the site was not well-maintained in the past, Fleischman said Israelis have been working to restore it over the past couple of years.

“We’ve made a little spot that was holy – we made it feel holy, we made it look holy.”