Bethsaida was the fishing harbor of Capernaum. [1]
Here took place on January 17, 28, Saturday, an extraordinary event for an entire universe: first the impressive sermon of Jesus in the synagogue of Capernaum on "The will of the Father who is in heaven"; and then Jesus' healing of 683 people at sunset in Bethsaida. [2] Bethsaida is also where Jesus healed the paralytic who was lowered from the roof. [3] Here Jesus made his thirteenth morontia appearance, to ten of the apostles, near the landing. [4] John Zebedee, and presumably the entire Zebedee family, were from Bethsaida. [5] Mary the mother of Jesus died in Bethsaida, less than a year after Jesus' death, in the year 31. [6] Philip the fifth apostle lived at Bethsaida. [7] Zebedee’s home was at fishing headquarters of Bethsaida. [8]
From May 3 to October 3, A.D. 28, Jesus and the apostolic party were in residence at the Zebedee home at Bethsaida. Throughout this five months’ period of the dry season an enormous camp was maintained by the seaside near the Zebedee residence, occupied by a number of 500 to 1500 people. It was a model of order and sanitation. [9] About a thousand people got better or cured in the camp hospital without any known miracle. [10] The hospital was supervised by Elman, a physician. [11] The sick was grouped under supervision of David Zebedee. [12] Camp equipage was later used at Pella. [13] Karuska of Sidon was one of the patients at the Bethsaida hospital. [14]
There is some confusion regarding the location of Bethsaida, with several alternatives being proposed by archaeologists.
See also: UB 129:1.2; UB 148:8; UB 152:5; UB 186:3.2-3; UB 192:3.3; UB 148.