Fish in the Sea of Galilee
Fish in the Sea of Galilee Fishing in the Sea of Galilee played an important role at the time of Jesus. There was a fishery in Magdala, where the fisherman living alongside the seashore pickled the fish. Eighteen types of fish are home in the Sea of Galilee; ten of them are important for commercialization. At the top: The catfish (clarias lazera) is the biggest fish in Palestine. It can reach a length of 1.25 m, and a weight of 10 kg. Since it does not have scales, Jews are not allowed to eat that fish (Lev 11:9; Deut 14:9). Therefore its value was limited for commercial use. Perhaps the term “bad fish” in Matt 13:48 refers to the catfish. Bottom left: The Hafafi (varicorhinus damascinus) also belongs to the barbs. Since it originated in the region of the springs of the Jordan River, it swims up-stream for spawning there in the winter. Bottom right: The barb. Lev 11:9 ; Deut 14:9 ; Matt 4:18 ; 7:10 ; 13:47–48 ; 14:17 , 14:19 ; 15:34 , 15:36 ; Mark 1:16 ; 6:38 , 6:4...