Map of ancient Israel
Map of ancient Israel east of the Jordan River: East Manasseh, Gad, Reuben tribes of Israel.
Israel east of the Jordan River
Boundary of Promised Land
Boundary of Promised Land
Boundary of Promised Land
After King David died, his son Solomon didn't waste time. He took charge of the kingdom like a boss. But he didn't stop there—he wanted to make the nation even stronger and richer? Solomon wasn't about to let his enemies walk all over him. He gathered his troops and went on the offense against hostile neighbors: Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, and even the Philistines. His enemies learned quickly learned not to mess with him. Solomon also had a knack for business. He knew the importance of expanding his kingdom's wealth. So, he started making big trade deals with countries like Egypt and Phoenicia. He brought in all sorts of extravagant products—gold, silver, horses—you name it. His kingdom turned into this buzzing hub where people from all over would swing by to trade and network.
Solomon's harem
And there were the women. King Solomon, renowned for his wisdom, unfortunately succumbed to the allure of foreign women. Despite divine warnings against marrying multiple wives, he married an astounding 700, along with 300 concubines. These unions were politically motivated, aimed at forging alliances and establishing bonds with neighboring nations. However, these marriages ultimately led Solomon to idolatry, as his wives introduced foreign gods and rituals into his kingdom. This deviation from worshiping God alone, as Jewish law required, displeased the Lord, who eventually punished Solomon for his sins.Solomon beautifies Jerusalem
Jerusalem became the pride and joy of Solomon's reign. He had big plans for the capital city. He went all out and built this beautiful temple for the Almighty himself. Picture this: gold decorations, exquisite furnishings, and amazing artwork everywhere you looked. People were absolutely dazzled by it and came from far and wide just to see it. Jerusalem became the talk of the region.WHERE TO FIND MORE BIBLE MAPS
The Casual English Bible® has more than 900 Bible maps, many in 3D style. You can search for maps by place name, such as "Sea of Galilee."Dedicated Bible map search engine
But you can also search for maps by Bible book, such as searching for all the maps in the book of Joshua. In addition, you can search by country, region, or era on a timeline, such as when Israel had kings or when Jesus was on earth. Here's a link to the dedicated Map Search Engine.For more Bible features
Israel east of the Jordan River
12 Tribes of Israel
12 Tribes of Israel
12 Tribes of Israel
Map of the 12 Tribes of Israel
The 12 tribes of Israel came from the families of Jacob's 12 sons (Genesis 49:28). Jacob later in life became known as Israel. Each tribe took the name of their ancestor, one of Jacob's sons. And they each claimed a specific chunk of land to call their own.
The tribes were spread out across the land of Canaan, which is modern-day Israel and Palestine. On the east side of the Jordan River, you had the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and half of Manasseh. These guys got some wonderful pastoral land, which was great for grazing their animals, such as like the sheep and goats and camels.
West of the Jordan River
As for the other nine tribes, they were situated on the west side of the Jordan. From the north to the south, you had the tribes of Asher, Naphtali, Zebulun, Issachar, Manasseh (the other half, to be exact), Ephraim, Benjamin, Dan, and Simeon. These tribes were given land that stretched from the Mediterranean Sea all the way to the Jordan River.
Oh, and let's not forget about the tribe of Levi. They were the ones who were in charge of the Temple and didn't really get a specific piece of land to call their own. Instead, they were spread throughout the communities of the other 12 tribes.
The geography of the 12 tribes of Israel was quite diverse and spread out across a large swath of land of hills and fields and coastland and river land and desert. But, somehow, they managed to come together as a people and make a name for themselves as a powerful nation.
Then they split in two. But that comes later.
To compare The Casual English Bible with other versions, see the Bible Gateway.
Camped at Mt. Sinai
Camped at Mt. Sinai
Camped at Mt. Sinai. Illustration of the Hebrew camp at the foot of Mount Sinai. With the Israelites camped at the base of Mt. Sinai during their exodus, Moses would ascend the mountain and receive many messages from God.
Map 12 tribes of Israel in Canaan
Map 12 tribes of Israel in Canaan
Map of the 12 tribes of Israel in Canaan
Canaan, 12 tribes of Israel
Tribes camped around worship center
12 Tribes of Israel
12 Tribes of Israel
Map of the 12 Tribes of Israel
The 12 tribes of Israel came from the families of Jacob's 12 sons (Genesis 49:28). Jacob later in life became known as Israel. Each tribe took the name of their ancestor, one of Jacob's sons. And they each claimed a specific chunk of land to call their own.
The tribes were spread out across the land of Canaan, which is modern-day Israel and Palestine. On the east side of the Jordan River, you had the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and half of Manasseh. These guys got some wonderful pastoral land, which was great for grazing their animals, such as like the sheep and goats and camels.
West of the Jordan River
As for the other nine tribes, they were situated on the west side of the Jordan. From the north to the south, you had the tribes of Asher, Naphtali, Zebulun, Issachar, Manasseh (the other half, to be exact), Ephraim, Benjamin, Dan, and Simeon. These tribes were given land that stretched from the Mediterranean Sea all the way to the Jordan River.
Oh, and let's not forget about the tribe of Levi. They were the ones who were in charge of the Temple and didn't really get a specific piece of land to call their own. Instead, they were spread throughout the communities of the other 12 tribes.
The geography of the 12 tribes of Israel was quite diverse and spread out across a large swath of land of hills and fields and coastland and river land and desert. But, somehow, they managed to come together as a people and make a name for themselves as a powerful nation.
Then they split in two. But that comes later.
To compare The Casual English Bible with other versions, see the Bible Gateway.
Promised Land
Promised Land
Promised Land
Land covered in milk and honey
"The Promised Land" is a term Bible writers used to talk about the land that God promised to the Israelites, ancient ancestors of today's Jewish people. People also knew it as Canaan, and described it as "a fertile land where milk and honey flow like rivers" (Exodus 3:17, Casual English Bible).
Boundary descriptions vary
Bible writers describe boundaries of the Promised Land in different ways. In Genesis 15:18-21, God made a covenant with Abraham and gave him the following description of the boundaries: "Everything from the river along the border with Egypt to the great Euphrates River. "
This description covers a vast area, including parts of modern-day Egypt, Israel, Palestine, Jordan, and Syria. The Casual English Bible explains that this description was probably more of a general outline, rather than precise borders.
Boundary in Numbers
Later in the book of Numbers, Moses gave a more detailed description of the Promised Land's boundaries.
South
"The Zin Desert will become your southern border. It will extend over to Edom’s border and up the southern tip of the Dead Sea...
West
You have a natural boundary on the west coast: the Mediterranean Sea.
North
For your northern border, draw a line from the Mediterranean Sea to Mount Hor of the northland. Stretch that line from Mount Hor to Lebo-hamath to Zedad. Keep the line going to Ziphron and all the way to Hazarenan. That’s your northern border.East
Now for your eastern border. Start your line at Hazar-enan. Run it south to Shepham. 11Take the line down to Riblah along Ain’s east side. Run it down into the hills east of the Sea of Galilee. Then take that line straight down the Jordan River, all the way to the Dead Sea. There you have it, the borders of your land on all four sides" (Numbers 32:3-12).
The Casual English Bible suggests that this description may have been a more precise boundary, but it is still not very specific regarding the southern and eastern borders.
Ezekiel's boundaries
The book of Ezekiel provides yet another description of the boundaries of the Promised Land. Ezekiel's description is more specific, saying that the land would be divided among the tribes of Israel and would include the land of Judea and Samaria. Some scholars say this description was meant to be symbolic, rather than actual borders.
Despite the differences in the descriptions of the Promised Land's boundaries, one point seemed clear to Bible writers: God promised this land to the Israelites as their inheritance, and he delivered on that promise. The Promised Land is a central theme in the Bible, representing a place of God's provision, where his people can live in peace and prosperity.
Promised Land