Physical Features of Israel/Canaan

There are two main differences between what we can see today from a satellite hovering over the east end of the Mediterranean Sea and what would have been seen thirty-five hundred years ago.  First, Lake Huleh north of the sea of Galilee is nearly gone.  Also called the waters of Merom, Lake Huleh has been steadily silting up for millennia.  By modern times, it was mostly a swamp, and from 1950 to 1958 over 12,000 acres of it were drained to become farmland.  The second thing we would notice is that the Dead Sea has shrunk.  It is literally drying up and is probably half the size it was in Old Testament times.

The Tribes of Israel

Here are the approximate allotments of the tribes of Israel made by Joshua at the time of the conquest. (Joshua 13-21)  Notice that the tribe of Manasseh received a double portion, and the tribe of Levi received no territory only cities.  Do you know why?

You may note that the tribe of Dan is in two locations.  They took over the northern location when they lost the southern location (their original allotment) in battle.  (Joshua 19:40-48, Judges 18)

Israel from the Conquest Through Solomon

Note these other peoples
     Phoenicia,
     The Philistines,
     Ammon,
     Moab, and
     Edom

Note Samaria the chief city of the northern tribes.

Note Shechem an important city for Abraham and Jacob.

Note Shiloh where the Tabernacle stood for many years.

Note Jerusalem which David will make his capital.

Note Bethlehem where David will be born.

Note Hebron where Abraham and Sarah are buried.

The Two Kingdoms

After the death of King Solomon the tribes in the north separated from the tribes in the South.  The southern kingdom took the name of it's largest tribe Judah.  Calling the Children of Israel "Jews" today reflects back to the name of the kingdom of Judah.

Israel would be conquered in 722 B.C. by the Assyrians and Judah would continue as a kingdom until 586 B.C. when it would in turn be conquered by Babylon.

After seventy years in exile The Babylonians were conquered by the Persians and the Persian king allowed many of the refugees from the southern kingdom to return and rebuild Jerusalem.  Israel was later invaded by the Greeks under Alexander the Great and finally Israel fell under the authority of the Romans who would destroy Jerusalem and relocate the Jewish people throughout the world by the end of the First Century of the Common Era.