Life & Times of Biblical Israel Session 1 Geography & The Formation of a Nation Current Day Israel (Google Maps) Location and boundaries • The Mediterranean Sea borders western coastline (170 miles) • Lebanon borders on the north • Syria to the Northeast • Jordan and the West Bank on the East • Egypt to the Southwest • Small southern coastline on the Red Sea • Modern Day Israel stretches 263 miles from North to South • East to West: 9 miles at narrowest point and 71 miles at widest.
• Wikipedia: Geography of Israel Geography (Wikipedia: Geography of Israel)
Israel’s Southern Land Mass
• Negev Desert covers more than half of country’s land area • Judean Desert stretches just north of Negev, along Jordan border. • Dead Sea • Lowest point on earth at approx. 1,400 ft below sea level. • 31 miles long and 9 miles wide (at widest point) • 34% salinity…9.6 times the salinity of ocean. • One of world’s first health resorts (Herod the Great) • Supplier of asphalt for Egyptian mummification and potash for fertilizers. Dead Sea Geography (Wikipedia: Geography of Israel)
Northern Half of Israel
• Central inland area consists of Judean Hills (West Bank) • Central to Northern Coastline contains flat and fertile plain • Inland Northern area includes Mt Carmel mountains, fertile Jezreel Valley, and the hilly Galilee region. • Sea of Galilee borders Golan Heights and Mt Hermon area (7,297 ft). • Lowest freshwater lake on earth (705 ft below sea level) • Appox 13 miles long, 8 miles wide. Max depth approx. 141 ft. • Jordan River supplies Sea of Galilee and exits to Dead Sea, forming Eastern border. Northern Israel and View from Mt of Olives. Geography (Wikipedia: Geography of Israel) Climate
• Significant variance based on altitude and area of country • Average temps in northern half: • Coolest (42 – 59 F) • Hottest (71 – 91 F) • Temps in Negev area can get as warm as 114 degrees F. • Most rainfall between November and March • Average annual rainfall in north is 35 inches • Average annual rainfall in south is 1.18 inches Arizona and Israel similarly located on Globe Geographic Facts
• Mountains and plains, fertile land, and desert are often minutes apart. The width of the country, from the Mediterranean Sea in the west to the Dead Sea in the east, can be crossed by car in about 90 minutes; and the trip from Metulla, in the far North, to Eilat at the country's southern tip takes about nine hours. • In the North, expanses of sandy beach are occasionally punctuated by jagged chalk and sandstone cliffs. The coastal plain is home to more than half of Israel's 7 million people and includes major urban centers, deep-water harbors, most of the country's industry, and a large part of its agriculture and tourist facilities. • The Jezreel Valley, separating the hills of Galilee from those of Samaria, is Israel's richest agricultural area, cultivated by many cooperative communities (kibbutzim and moshavim). The rolling hills of Samaria and Judea (the West Bank) present a mosaic of rocky hilltops and fertile valleys, dotted with groves of age-old, silver-green olive trees. • The Negev, comprising about half of Israel's land area, is sparsely inhabited, its population supported by an agricultural and industrial economy. • The Jordan River, flowing from north to south through the Rift, descends over 2,300 feet (700 m.) in the course of its 186 mile (300 km.) route. Fed by streams from Mount Hermon, it runs through the fertile Hula Valley into Lake Kinneret and continues winding through the Jordan Valley before emptying into the Dead Sea. While it swells during the winter rainy season, the river is usually quite narrow and shallow. • The Jewish historian Josephus (A.D. 37–93) explained that the first-century road from Jerusalem to Jericho was approximately eighteen miles long. Travelers descended from Jerusalem’s height, approximately 2,500 ft above sea level, to Jericho’s depth, some 1,825 feet below sea level. The road was steep, winding, and dangerous, known for bandits who could escape into the desert with little chance of getting caught. Historical Formation of Israel Beginning with Patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob) Abraham • Pg xxxii (OT Chronology) shows his birth around 2,166 BCE • Genesis 11:27-32 (p. 32) • Born in Ur of the Chaldeans • Terah (father) and family moved to Harran (700 miles!) • Was he actually born in Ur of the Chaldeans or another town named Ur? • At age 75, God called Abram to go to a place I will show you (Canaan) • Sarai, Lot, all their possessions, and all the people they had accumulated go Abraham’s Journey Integrated Chronology of the Patriarchs Jacob renamed Israel (Gen 32:28) Joseph gets sold into Egyptian slavery • Jacob’s son Joseph sold into Egyptian slavery by brothers • Works his way into trusted leadership • During severe drought throughout the region, Joseph invites family to Egypt • The family settles and grows the community of ‘Israelites’. • Joseph dies approximately 70 years later • Here begins 400 years of ‘Israelite slavery in Egypt’
Moses born nearly 300 years after Joseph died (approx. 1526 BCE). Exod 2 • Moses leads the Exodus to the Promised Land (approx. 1446 BCE) (P.116-135) • Joshua appointed leader into Canaan upon Moses’ death • Twelve Tribes of Israel Twelve Tribes of Israel (approx. 1380 BCE) Israel under Kings David and Solomon (10th century BCE) A Divided Kingdom Neighboring Nations Destruction and Captivity
• In 722 BCE, the Northern Kingdom (Israel) falls to the Assyrians • In 587 BCE, Judah falls to Babylon • At this time, what was known as the kingdom of Israel/Judah disappeared. • Around 539 BCE, Persian King Cyrus freed Judean exiles to go back to their homeland. • In the 2nd century BCE, the Judeans had an identity/kingdom for a relatively short period of time until losing its independence to Roman Rule from 63 BCE – 313 CE. While under Roman Rule, the Judeans or Israelites did live in the area now known as Israel. Map of Israel during the times of Jesus Location, Location, Location
• While the land mass known today as Israel is small and has been tossed around between outside empires, it is a significant location. • Assyrian, Babylonian, Egyptian, Persian, and Roman Empires have desired the crossing points, trade routes, and commercial cities within this small piece of land. • It truly is a land that fits the ancient description as flowing with milk and honey.