A YEAR or two after the death of Jesus, a government official was traveling south on the road from Jerusalem to Gaza.
وَكَانَ سَيَتَكَبَّدُ عَنَاءَ ٱلسَّفَرِ مَسَافَةً طَوِيلَةً تَبْلُغُ رُبَّمَا ٥٠٠‏,١ كِيلُومِتْرٍ .‏