This Old Testament port city is on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. Jonah sailed from here.
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Two cities (Upper and Lower Beth Horon) guarding the Beth Horon pass. The main west-east road from the coastal plain to the mountains to Jericho went through this pass. Here God made the sun stand still for Joshua.
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Old Testament name for the Promised Land. It means "land of purple," referring to the color of the dye produced from shellfish along Canaan's coast. Canaan is at the eastern end of the Mediterranean Sea where Asia, Europe, and Africa com...
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Place where the Israelites sacrificed their children. Based on a Hebrew word meaning "furnace" or "fireplace," the word was altered by Hebrew scribes to mean "shameful thing." It came to apply as well to the cemetery ...
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A place of safety for people who had accidentally killed someone (Deut. 19:1-21).
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The place where Adam and Eve lived before the Fall (Gen. 2:8-24).
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Land and civilization south and west of Israel that flourished along the banks of the Nile River. During the time of Moses, home to enslaved Jews. Part of the Roman Empire during the first century. Throughout the Bible, Egypt was economically depe...
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One of the five Philistine city-states, it is the one closest to the Judea Mountains.
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The first crops that God's people would collect from their fields and give to God. This was a sign that everything the land produced belonged to God. In the New Testament, firstfruits is the first part of a blessing that is received as a promise o...
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Hill at the intersection of the Valley of Jezreel and the Valley of Harod. Gideon and 300 men defeated the Midianites, the desert people (bedouins), here. Also known as Mount Moreh.
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A name meaning "he struggles with God." God gave this name to Jacob, after he fought with an angel of God. The 12 tribes of the nation of Israel are from the family of Jacob (Israel). A member of the nation of Israel is called an Israeli...
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Major trade route east of the Jordan Valley. It was a more difficult road to travel than the Via Maris.
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This cultured seafaring group from the Aegean moved into Israel at about the same time as the Israelites. They lived on the fertile coastal plain, had advanced iron technology, and worshiped many gods through extremely immoral religious practices,...
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Located near where the Tyropoeon Valley joins the Kidron; supplied drinking water for a large portion of Jerusalem. Water for the pool came from Spring of Gihon through Hezekiah's tunnel. Jesus sent a blind man he had healed here to wash the mud o...
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Upright stone with writing or decoration. Our practice of placing tombstones over the graves of loved ones probably derives from this special standing stone.
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Small city above the Elah Valley where David fought Goliath.
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Hebrew Yarden, meaning, "the descender." Headwaters are fed by snow melt on Mount Hermon and underground springs; flows into the Dead Sea; where John baptized Jesus. Largest river in Israel.
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See Standing Stone.
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Mountain ridge in Israel that divides the Valley of Jezreel from the coastal plain. Elijah confronted the prophets of Baal here.
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Mountain on the northern border of Israel. More than 9,000 feet above sea level, it is often covered with snow. Water from this mountain forms the Jordan River.
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Hardened lava from volcanic eruption.
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Philistine city-state on the Mediterranean Sea.
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City Gates in the Bible Since gates were the center of city life, it is not surprising that scripture writers often described important officials as "sitting in the gate." Understanding the important role of city gates brings new light t...
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Jericho, which literally means "fragrant place," boasts a pleasant climate with plenty of sunshine and a lush oasis watered by Elisha's Spring. The city is located north of the Dead Sea, 17 miles from Jerusalem.There are actually three c...
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In Galilee, the ancient village of Qatzrin has been excavated and reconstructed. Although it was populated centuries after Jesus' time, scholars believe that the buildings and artifacts discovered there represent the practices of the first century...
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Before 1200 BC, bronze was the metal in the Near East. Scholars believe that the technology of the ancient world was not advanced enough to heat metal to the temperature needed to melt iron and work it. The melting point of iron is 1,550 degrees C...
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After finding carvings of Philistine soldiers in the temple of Ramses lll in Egypt, archaeologists discovered that the soldiers:- wore feathered helmets secured under their chins by leather straps. Headbands, probably of metal, held the feathers i...
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The Old Testament frequently mentions the Philistines, a pagan people who clashed with God's children in the Promised Land. The Bible itself provides many interesting facts about Philistine culture, and archaeological discoveries have added to our...
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GezerTravel to Gezer, and learn what it means to stand at the Crossroads.Gezer is one of the greatest tels in Israel. To stand on this magnificent tel is to stand on a part of history that existed as many as 3,000 years before our Messiah walked t...
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AzekahAzekah overlooks the Valley of Elah, a strategic passageway from Israel's coastal plain, through the foothills, and into the Judean Mountains beyond.Tel Azekah is a five-acre site overlooking the Valley of Elah%u2014the place where David kil...
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The City of JerichoAs one of the few gateways into the Judean Mountains, Jericho was a natural place for the Israelites to begin conquering the Promised Land.Jericho has a fascinating location and history. It is the lowest city in the world (more ...
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Biblical CovenantsSimilar to a business agreement or contract made today, in the ancient Near East, there was a special covenant form in which a greater party (usually a king), established a relationship with a lesser party (a vassal). The greater...
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In biblical times, a good name meant more than a good reputation. People understood that a name expressed the essence or identity of a person.In the Near East, a person's name identified something about their character or circumstances, such as bi...
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Gezer in the BibleThe strategic city of Gezer was mentioned several times in the Old Testament:- As the Israelites took possession of the Promised Land, Joshua defeated the king of Gezer:- Meanwhile, Horam king of Gezer had come up to help Lachish...
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- The Jordan River starts in northern Israel at the foot of Mount Hermon, more than 1,500 feet above sea level, and ends almost 1,400 feet below sea level at the Dead Sea.
- The Jordan River meanders 200 miles from Mount Hermon to the Dead Sea (a ...
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Greek god of the sky, supreme god. Son of Cronus.
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Before 1200 BC, bronze (a combination of copper and tin) was the predominant metal used in the Middle East. With a melting point of 1,100 degrees Celsius, bronze was softer than iron. And although it was a significant step beyond stone and wood, b...
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Just through the entrance of the gate, archaeologists reconstructed a canopy over the platform on which the ruler of the city sat. To the right, along the stone wall, is a bench possibly where the elders of the city sat. Note the decorative stones...
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Philistine ArmorArchaeologists discovered carvings of Philistine soldiers in the temple of Ramses III in Egypt. According to these carvings, the Philistines wore feathered helmets secured under their chins by leather straps. Headbands holding the ...
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People in the ancient world worshipped a multitude of different gods. Each had its own story, its own myth, of the origin, the character, the blessings and curses they offered, and the worship each demanded. These myths often recalled ancient even...
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How Could He?The story of the destruction of Jericho and the conquest of Canaan poses an ethical dilemma for many readers of the Bible. How could the God of love and mercy, the Father of Jesus, display such anger toward the inhabitants of the Prom...
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Oasis next to a spring in the Great Rift Valley north of the Dead Sea. First city captured by the Israelites after wandering in the desert for 40 years.
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The JordanThe Jordan River, mentioned nearly 200 times in the Text, is one of the fastest flowing rivers of its size.As a prominent feature in ancient Israel, the Jordan River was mentioned nearly 200 times in the bible. Its fast flowing waters cr...
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This spectacular tel is one of the most extensively excavated archaeological sites in the Middle East. When Saul and Jonathan died nearby Mount Gilboa, their bodies were displayed on the walls of this city.The large mound in the distance is the Ol...
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Belvoir is located on the western side of the Jordan Valley. It is in a group of hills knows as the Issachar Plateau just north of Beth Shean. This photograph is of the Jordan Valley looking northeast. Down in the valley, the channel where the Jor...
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This photograph displays the sharp contrast between the barrenness of the wilderness and the fertility of the oasis of Jericho. The lushness of Sodom and Gomorrah against the desolate plain would have appeared this way to Lot.
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The king of the Philistine city of Gath, who twice gave refuge to David. (1 Sam. 21:10-15).
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Canaan, the land promised by God to Abraham and his descendants (Gen. 12:7). Also is referred to as heaven.
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