Overview - The Geography of Palestine

For this first post, we create an overview of the regional landscape that consisted of the land of the Bible.

Mountain Region (Hill Country)

Let’s begin with the heartland of Israel, the “mountain” region, which is usually called in our Bibles the “hill country.” Jerusalem, Shechem, Shiloh and other very important sites in Israelite history were situated there.  Today this represents mostly the territories of the Palestinian Authority.  You will see that the Israelite Hill country (the “mountain region”) looks more like denuded hills.  In the ancient world already, heavy logging created ecological problems and in the course of centuries and millennia the landscape of the hill country was transformed from wooded lands to what it is today.  Cultivating the land was hard (imagine the first farmers in New Hampshire, dealing with densely wooded area to create arable fields).  As a result, to generate food sources and engage in commerce, the early Israelites used terracing for the cultivation of fruit trees, vineyard and olive trees. Life in the highlands was tough, simple and relatively isolated.

• Scripture Reference: Joshua 12:7-8
• Text References: CBA maps 6-8, AOT pp. 75-81

Jordan Valley and Land of Gilead

The other major part of the land is the Jordan valley to the north and south of the Dead Sea, what the Bible sometimes calls the “Arabah”.  This geological fault line (the “San Andreas fault” of the region) actually begins further north in Northern Syria and continues into Africa (the Rift Valley in Kenya).  Then and now, this fault line was not only geological but also cultural.  People living in the valley and those living in the hill country East of the Jordan River (the land of Gilead) were different from those living in the heartland of Israel and they didn’t necessarily get along.

• Text Reference: CBA, Map 7

The Lowlands

The lowlands or “Shephelah” can be equated to the Piedmont area of the southeastern United States.  This area represents the region that was always contested between the people dwelling on the coast (for most of the history of Israel, these would be the Philistines) and the highlanders (Israelites).  The Shephelah had formidable fortification systems (Lachish fortifications). The stories related to Saul and David in 1 Samuel oftentimes connected to this strategic area.  If the Shephelah gave in, then the hill country was vulnerable.  This was clearly in the minds of people already in periods long preceding Saul and David (e.g., fourth millennium BC) and also later on during the time of the Israelite monarchy.

The Coastal Plain

The coastal plain of Israel was another prized region, in the same way that harbor cities today become the main commercial hubs for trade with inland regions, other coastal centers and long distance trade (Shanghai, Singapore, Los Angeles, etc.).  The kurkar (hardened/fossilized sand dunes) coastline was inhospitable and difficult to access.  Harbors of significance were few: Ashkelon (a Philistine coastal city which served as a commercial hub), Caesarea and further to the north in the land of the coastal Canaanites (the Phoenicians), lie the cities of Tyre, Sidon and especially Byblos.  Byblos was significant because of its direct access to the Cedar groves of Lebanon.  Cedar and other timber were prized by the ancient world powers to build their navies (think New Forest in England, with which the Royal Navy built its fleet and ruled the seas), resin was used for mummification by the Egyptians, and the Mesopotamian kings of ancient Iraq loved cedar to build their palaces as did Solomon.  So coastal living was highly valued which then explains why the Philistines were hard to dislodge from the area.  In fact, it’s fair to say the Israelites never did fully conquer the coastal cities of the Philistines.

• Text References: AOT pp. 281-292, ANT pp. 139-145, CBA map 7

The Wilderness

The last main region is the wilderness situated in the southern regions of the land of Israel (the Negev or Negeb, “south” in Hebrew).  The southern regions were sparsely populated because life was hard on the frontier.  Water was difficult to find and the region constantly was subjected to threat from Edom, Egypt or other tribal groups so people tended to have adaptive ways of living.  This lifestyle is reflected in the times as David was on the run from Saul in the Judean wilderness, when he settled for a while at Ziklag (a territory affiliated with the tribe of Simeon, as was Beersheba).  Arad is another famous site tied to the region of the Negeb.   Of course the large region of the Sinai Peninsula also fits within this ecological zone – not a fun area to wander for 40 years!

Area of the Tribe of Dan

The Sea of Chinneret/Galilee (“harp” in Hebrew as the lake evokes the shape of a harp) lies to the north of the Jordan Valley.  The region was known as the gateway to trade with mineral-rich ancient Turkey, textile-rich north Syrian steppes, and culture-rich Mesopotamia (ancient Iraq and also ancient Iran).  Unfortunately, it also provided the main passageway for armies on the march.  As a result, strongholds connected to the region of the Galilee faced tremendous pressure throughout their histories: Hazor and Dan are among the most famous sites connected to northern Israel, as is the towering shadow of Mount Hermon, the northernmost geological boundary of the land.

Conclusion

So, the land of the Bible is a land of great contrast, beautiful and lush in some parts, dry and inhospitable in others, and pretty much dangerous everywhere: the threat of enemy incursion and imposition was constant.  Within this layout of hill country, Jordan valley, lowland, coastal plain, and wilderness, lie other minor geological features, which at times were nonetheless important.  The tableland or “mishor” of the hill country of Transjordan and the Jezreel valley (including Mount Tabor and Mount Gilboa) in the upper Jordan Valley were highly valued because they provided flat areas within zones that had enough rain to sustain agricultural activities.  As elsewhere, battles took place for the Jezreel valley and many great kings died there or in the surrounding areas (Saul and Josiah).  Similar to the coastal plain, Israel had a very hard time dislodging the Canaanites from these regions.

No wonder the Lord said to Joshua, “be strong and very courageous” (Joshua 1:7) when He commanded him to lead the Israelite tribes to conquer the land, as promised to Abraham.  No wonder also, that there were no guarantees the Israelites could stay there permanently.  The Israelites needed to rely on the Lord’s providential protection, itself dependent upon their obedience to His commands.  Sadly, Israelite history tells us that the people’s persistent failure to obey the Lord also led to a long of history of conquest and battles against fierce enemies, culminating with the defeat and destruction of Jerusalem in 586 BC.   This compelling story and drama, of course, prepares the way for the One who conquered all our enemies at the cross, “triumphing over them in him.” (Colossians 2:15)