1. • Physical Geography of Bible Lands
• Patriarchal Palestine
• The Exodus—Settlement Period
• The Monarchy

2. Physical Geography of Bible Lands
Physical Geography of
Bible Lands

4. Three climactic zones of Palestine
Mediterranean
Steppe
Desert
 When the morning breezes in Jerusalem
from the west (off the Mediterranean sea),
it most likely a pleasant day. But if the wind
comes from the east (0ff the desert), then a
hot or a humid day is expected.

5.  In general, Palestine has a moderate climate
in which January is the coldest month, 46F,
and summer temperatures average to 90F.
 Palestine has two seasons: rainy and dry.
 When the Bible speaks of “early rains,” it
refers to rains that begin before October
while the “latter rains” refers to the rains that
continue to May.
 In addition, dewfall is also important to
Palestine as it provides moisture to
vegetation during dry season. It can also be
heavy (cf. Judges 6:36-40).

6. Four Topographic Zones of Palestine
Jordan Valley
Eastern Plateau
Hill Country
Coastal Plain

7. • Effects of Geography
• Waterways of Palestine was not used in
bringing together people into a
common bond like that of Egypt and
Mesopotamia.
• Valley systems in the hill country
separate group of people from one
another. Amelekites and Perrizites are
partly a result of the isolation by
topography.

8. • Being a crossroad from Egypt to
Mesopotamia, it caused little
opportunity for Palestine to have its
own identity.
• It helps us understand some phrases in
the Bible such as “go up to Jerusalem” or
“go down to Jericho.”
• It affects the lifestyle of the people.

9. Patriarchal Palestine

11. Babylonia Genesis 1-11 Preservation of
the Godly Line
Adam and Eve
Noah
Noah's sons
Palestine Genesis 12-36 Provision of
God's Promise
Abraham
Isaac and Ishmael
Jacob and Esau
Egypt Genesis 37-50 Provision of
God's Promise
Joseph and
Brothers

12. Abraham –Esau
God established a covenant with Abraham
that he will be a father of all nations.
But Sarah was barren, so he thought the
promise will be fulfilled through Eliezer.
In ANE culture, big family was a normal
and economically-wise because of
agricultural nature of their lives.

13. A son is necessary to the name of the
family.
Nuzi text mentions that if the couple has
no son, ey should adopt one; and the son
is obligated to serve his parents and bury
them when they died.
Nuzi text also mentioned that it is
acceptable to give a maidservant to have
a child like what Sarah did (Gen 16:2).

14.  Pre-nuptial agreement may be taken: if Gillimninu
(the bride) will not bear children, Gillimninu shall
take a woman for Sheninnu (the bridegroom).
 The sending away of Hagal and Ishmael may be
against the culture of that time, as it says in one
agrrement: Gillimninu shal not send (handmaid’s)
offspring away.” However, with God’s intervention,
Abraham obeyed.
 Burial of Sarah at Machpelah; Abraham was rich in
gold, silver, and livestock, but he had no land. So
he bought a piece of land to bury his dead from
Ephron in Hebron.

16. The Exodus-Settlement Period

17.  The route of Exodus
 The Red Sea that Israelites traverse
Mt. Sinai
 The Law of God and other Law Codes in ANE
 OT law code is religiously oriented, while others are
civil.
 The Mesopotamian believed that Shamash (their
god) gave Hammurabi his law code for the purpose
getting along with each other. On the other hand,
OT law was given primarily for people and God
relationship (vertical), then to man (horizontal.)

18. Patriarchal Palestine

21. (1) Abraham, Sarah, & Terah leave Ur for
Canaan (Genesis)
(2) Abraham’s 2 sons: Isaac and Ishmael
Isaac had Jacob & Esau
Jacob had 12 sons & 1 daughter
(3) Joseph sold into Egypt (concludes
Genesis)
(4) After 400 years, Moses leads Israelites
out (Exodus)
(5) Moses received the Law at Mt.
Sinai.(Exodus/Leviticus)
(6) Twelve spies sent to Canaan but because
of unbelief the begins 40 years of wilderness
wanderings (Numbers).
(7) Second Covenant (Deuteronomy) before
crossing Jordan River.
(8) Joshua invades/conquers/divides up
Canaan=> Israel. (Joshua/Judges)

24. The 14 judges (excluding Eli and Samuel) were
spread throughout the land of Israel. Just before
the time of the Judges, the land was distributedto
the different tribes of Israel. Each area was
differently affected by surrounding enemies such
as the Mesopotamians, Canaanites, Ammonites
and Philistines.

25. The Monarchy

26.  After Israel demanded for a king at the time of
Samuel, the last judge, Israel entered into
monarchical government.
 Saul-David-Solomon, time of the United
Kingdom of Israel
 After the time of Solomon, the united kingdom
of Israel was divided into northern kingdom of
Israel and southern kingdom of Judah.
 Israel was destroyed by the Assyrians in 722 B.C.
while Judah by the Babylonians in 605 B.C.