In the context of the Bible, the concept of tourists as we understand it today—people traveling for leisure or exploration—does not explicitly appear. However, the Scriptures do provide insights into travel, hospitality, and the movement of people, which can be related to the experiences of tourists.

Travel in Biblical Times

Travel in biblical times was often undertaken for specific purposes such as trade, pilgrimage, or migration. The patriarch Abraham is a notable example of a traveler, as God called him to leave his homeland and journey to a land that He would show him (Genesis 12:1). This journey was not for leisure but was a significant act of faith and obedience.

The Israelites' exodus from Egypt and their subsequent wanderings in the wilderness for forty years (Exodus 12-40; Numbers) can also be seen as a form of travel, albeit one that was divinely ordained and fraught with challenges. This journey was pivotal in shaping the identity and faith of the Israelite nation.

Hospitality

The Bible places a strong emphasis on hospitality, which is a key aspect of the experience of tourists. In the ancient Near East, hospitality was a sacred duty. Abraham's welcoming of three visitors in Genesis 18:1-8 is a prime example of this virtue. The New Testament continues this theme, with the Apostle Paul urging believers to "share with the saints who are in need. Practice hospitality" (Romans 12:13).

The account of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37) further illustrates the importance of caring for travelers, as the Samaritan aids a man who had been attacked while journeying. This parable underscores the call to love and serve others, regardless of their background or circumstances.

Pilgrimage

While not tourists in the modern sense, pilgrims in the Bible traveled to sacred sites for religious purposes. The Jewish people were commanded to appear before the Lord three times a year at the place He would choose (Deuteronomy 16:16). Jerusalem, as the location of the Temple, became a central destination for these pilgrimages, especially during festivals such as Passover, Pentecost, and the Feast of Tabernacles.

In the New Testament, Jesus Himself traveled to Jerusalem for these feasts (John 2:13; 7:10). The early Christians also undertook journeys to spread the Gospel, as seen in the missionary travels of Paul and his companions (Acts 13-21).

Cultural Exchange and Evangelism

The movement of people, akin to modern tourism, facilitated cultural exchange and the spread of ideas. The Apostle Paul's travels throughout the Roman Empire were instrumental in the spread of Christianity. His journeys, recorded in the Acts of the Apostles, took him to diverse regions where he engaged with different cultures and shared the message of Christ.

The Great Commission, as recorded in Matthew 28:19-20, calls believers to "go and make disciples of all nations" . This mandate underscores the importance of travel and interaction with different peoples as a means of fulfilling God's purposes.

Conclusion

While the Bible does not address tourism directly, the themes of travel, hospitality, pilgrimage, and cultural exchange provide a framework for understanding the biblical perspective on the movement of people. These elements highlight the importance of faith, obedience, and love in all journeys, whether undertaken for spiritual, relational, or exploratory purposes.

Brother Hugh
... wise and merry talk, wherein he excelled, solitary confinement in a wooden cell
(the brethren now foist off a stone one upon credulous tourists) with willing ...
/.../marson/hugh bishop of lincoln/chapter ii brother hugh.htm

Concerted Prayer
... XI. CONCERTED PRAYER. "A tourist, in climbing an Alpine summit, finds himself tied
by a strong rope to his trusty guide, and to three of his fellow-tourists. ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/bounds/the essentials of prayer/xi concerted prayer.htm

Travel. A Personal Experience.
... One who has traveled much says that "the average company of American tourists goes
through the Art Galleries of Europe like a drove of cattle through the lanes ...
/.../ix travel a personal experience.htm

The Importunate Widow.
... At certain points in frequented routes through romantic scenery it is customary
to fire a gun in order to afford the tourists an opportunity of hearing the ...
/.../arnot/the parables of our lord/xxviii the importunate widow.htm

Under King John
... Here it must be confessed that modern sympathy is apt to falter, for though we can
understand the zeal of American tourists for chips of palaces and the ...
/.../marson/hugh bishop of lincoln/chapter ix under king john.htm

The Transformation of Rome from a Pagan into a Christian City.
... In reading these graffiti, now very much injured by dampness, exposure, and the
unscrupulous hands of tourists, we are really witnessing household quarrels ...
/.../lanciani/pagan and christian rome/chapter i the transformation of.htm

The Reconnoitering of Greece.
... respected in all the Grecian territory, and the people were little inclined to molest
a peaceful party of Persians traveling like ordinary tourists, and under ...
/.../abbott/darius the great/chapter vi the reconnoitering of.htm

The Nile and Egypt
... of Gebel et-Ter, nor beyond that of Manfalut in Thirty years later, Mariette asserted
that it was steadily retreating before the guns of tourists, and the ...
/.../chapter i the nile and egypt.htm

Christian Churches.
... decadence. It was reserved for the use of men, as the fourth or Romana was for
women, and the fifth, Guidonea, for tourists and pilgrims. ...
/.../lanciani/pagan and christian rome/chapter iii christian churches.htm

The Eighteenth Theban Dynasty --(Continued)
History Of Egypt, Chaldaea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, V 5. <. ...
/.../chapter ithe eighteenth theban dynastycontinued.htm

Tourists (2 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Tourists (2 Occurrences). 1 Kings 10:15 apart from
'that of' the tourists, and of the traffic of the merchants ...
/t/tourists.htm - 7k

Tow (3 Occurrences)

/t/tow.htm - 8k

Inundation (6 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (n.) An overspreading; overflowing or superfluous
abundance; a flood; a great influx; as, an inundation of tourists. ...
/i/inundation.htm - 8k

Tour (1 Occurrence)

/t/tour.htm - 7k

Arabs (7 Occurrences)
... 1 Kings 10:15 apart from 'that of' the tourists, and of the traffic of the merchants,
and of all the kings of Arabia, and of the governors of the land. ...
/a/arabs.htm - 8k

Sela (5 Occurrences)
... was fraught with danger. In recent years, however, it has been seen by
many tourists and exploring parties. Of the descriptions ...
/s/sela.htm - 15k

Bottle (28 Occurrences)
...Tourists still find that they are admirably suited to travelers in waterless
districts, or districts where the water is brackish and bad. ...
/b/bottle.htm - 23k

Papyrus (4 Occurrences)
... seen that most of these discoveries were the work of natives, digging about
indiscriminately in the hope of finding antiquities to sell to tourists or dealers. ...
/p/papyrus.htm - 34k

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