What is "bethphage"

Bethphage ( Aramaic בית פגי, lit. "House of un-ripe figs") or Bethsphage is a Christian religious site in Israel.

Bethphage is mentioned in the New Testament as the place in ancient Israel from which Jesus sent his disciples to find a donkey and a colt, upon which he would ride into Jerusalem. The synoptic gospels mention it as being close to Bethany. Bethphage is about 2 km from the modern village of al-Eizariya.

Unknown villagers living there (the owners of the colt according to Luke's Gospel ) permitted Jesus' disciples to take the colt away for Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem. There is an annual Palm Sunday walk into Jerusalem which begins here.

Eusebius of Caesarea (Onom 58:13) located it on the Mount of Olives. It was likely on the road from Jerusalem to Jericho and the limit of a Sabbath-day's journey from Jerusalem, that is, 2,000 cubits. There is the Franciscan Church of Bethphage at a likely location.