Bible map Shechem north Canaan
Bible map of Shechem. 3D Map of Shechem, Mount Ebal, and Mount Gerizim in what was Central Canaan, in the heart of the Promised Land.
Shechem
Bible map of Shechem and north Canaan
Bible map of Shechem and north Canaan
Shechem and north Canaan
Bible Map of Shechem region
Bible Map of Shechem region
Bible Map of Shechem region. 3D Map of Shechem, Mount Ebal, and Mount Gerizim in what was Central Canaan, in the heart of the Promised Land.
Shechem and north Canaan
Bible Map of cities where Levite priests lived
Bible Map of cities where Levite priests lived
Cities where priests lived
Israel, Judah capture land
Israel, Judah capture land
Land grab
Israel and Judah take land from Syria and Edom
Israel, Judah, and Moab are the big winners in a land grab. Each nation fought for control over their individual corners of the region.Assyria weakens Syria
Assyria attacks Syria, leaving it too weak to defend itself against an opportunist like Israel's King Jeroboam. Jeroboam II recovered territory Israel lost to Syria. He restores Israel’s border from Lebo-hamath in the north (about 50 miles/80 km northwest of Damascus), to the Dead Sea in the south. A prophet named Jonah, son of Amittai, said it would happen. Jonah came from the town of Gath-hepher.God helped make it happen
The LORD helped Jeroboam do these things because he saw how desperate the people had become. There was no one else willing to help them, free or slave. One more reason the LORD helped is because he promised not to let anyone erase them from the world. Those are the reasons he helped Jeroboam II, son of Jehoash.Edom and Judah gain land, too
Edom can't stop the young king of Judah, Amaziah, still in his early 20s and ambitious. After taking Edom, he challenges Israel to a battle. He loses, gets captured, and for punishment, Israel's soldiers knock down part of Jerusalem's city walls. Many citizens are taken as slaves.Moab's last stand
As for Moab, the combined armies of Judah and Israel can't break through the defenses of Moab's capital city, Kir-hareseth. Moab’s king saw he was losing the city. So, he took 700 swordsmen and tried to punch through Edom’s line and scatter the enemy. He failed and had to retreat.King sacrifices his son on city wall
Then he killed his oldest son, who would have succeeded him as king. He burned the body on top of the city wall as a sacrifice for everyone to see. Israel saw it, too. Angry and disgusted, they went home.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 and Judah grab land
Josiah’s Battle of Megiddo
Josiah's Battle of Megiddo
Josiah's Last Stand
Battle of Megiddo
There have been scores of battles in and around Megiddo in Israel's Jezreel Valley. Judah's King Josiah—one of the few good and godly Israelite kings, according to Bible writers—died there in the Battle of Megiddo. Unnecessarily, many scholars say.Fortress guarding mountain pass
This battle took place in about 609 BC at the Megiddo fortress. That’s where a mountain pass opens into the sprawling Jezreel Valley. Neco’s army came up from the south along the Mediterranean seacoast, apparently hoping to peacefully travel through the region and then reinforce Assyrians who had been run out of their own country (2 Chronicles 35:25).Babylon runs Assyria out of the empire
Coalition forces of Babylonians and Medes, from what are now southern Iraq and Iran, overran the Assyrian capital of Nineveh, today’s Mosul, in northern Iraq. Babylonians intended to finish off the Assyrians, which happened later, in the Battle of Carchemish (605 BC).Mystery of why Josiah fought Egypt
Why Josiah decided to turn his army into a speed bump is unknown. Perhaps he felt the Babylonian team needed his support. They didn’t. Neco ran over the speed bump and continued north, where they then attempted to help Assyrians capture the city of Haran. He went home disappointed. On his way home, through Judah, he stopped to settle the score by demanding wealth and the right to pick Judah’s next king.Jaw-dropping vistas
The battle took place on the southern rim of the Jezreel Valley, also known as the Valley of Megiddo. The valley has lush landscape covered in fields of crops, orchards, and quaint villages. Famous for its historical and biblical significance, the Jezreel Valley has witnessed countless pivotal events.Layers of history under Megiddo
It is often referred to as the site of the ancient city of Megiddo, an archaeological treasure trove showcasing layers of human civilization dating back thousands of years. The valley's strategic location made it a sought-after prize for conquerors and a stage for numerous ancient battles.For more Bible features
Jezreel Valley up close
Jezreel Valley up close
Israel's best farmland and frequent war zone
Josiah died here
A 3D-style map of Jezreel Valley up close gives us a better understanding of:- Why the valley is and always has been Israel's breadbasket
- Why Napoleon called it the perfect battlefield for his kind of warfare: stand, shoot, and die.
- Why King Josiah took his stand against the Egyptian army coming from the north. Think: Spartans at Thermopile.
- Why Judah's wounded King Ahaziah fled in his chariot to the Megiddo fortress to escape Jehu's coup
AI's view of the Jezreel Valley
"THE PERFECT BATTLEFIELD"
French General Napoleon saw this valley and declared it the perfect battlefield. Perhaps so, if you want two armies charging into each other with sharp objects. There's plenty of room to work up a speedy charge. it's the largest valley in Israel. It stretches out into a triangle about 20 miles by 20 by 12 (32km by 32 by 19).Bible-time battles
It rests at the foot of the Carmel mounts in the east and the Gilboa mountains in the southwest, where Saul and three of his sons died fighting an overwhelming force of Philistines. Gideon fought off seasonal invaders who made Jezreel they're staging center for raids on farms at harvesttime. Deborah, a prophetess with more courage than the nation's general, led the Israelite army to victory over an invading chariot corps. The general wouldn't go into battle unless she came, too. She took the Israelites up the steep slopes of Mount Tabor, where chariots couldn't go. She waited for a rainstorm, which seems to have trapped the chariots stuck in the mud by a flooding Kishon River. The invading army ran away, on foot.Jaw-dropping vistas
The Jezreel Valley, also known as the Valley of Megiddo, is a breathtaking expanse nestled in northern Israel. Its lush landscape is adorned with fields of vibrant crops, orchards, and quaint villages. Famous for its historical and biblical significance, the Jezreel Valley has witnessed countless pivotal events. It is often referred to as the site of the ancient city of Megiddo, an archaeological treasure trove showcasing layers of human civilization dating back thousands of years. The valley's strategic location made it a sought-after prize for conquerors and a stage for numerous ancient battles. Written part by AI Edited by MillerFor more Bible features
Solomon’s 12 administrative districts
Solomon's 12 administrative districts
Solomon replaces tribal leaders
He sets up 12 districts and appoints directors
Excerpt from 1 Kings 4: 7Solomon created 12 administrative districts in Israel. [3] Each district provided a month’s worth of food for the king and the royal family. 8These are the names of Solomon's 12 supervisors of his administrative districts. They became taxing machines to fund the kingdom.Solomon's administrative districts 1-6
Ben-hur Hills of Ephraim 9Ben-deker Cities of Makaz, Shaalbim, Beth-shemesh, and Elon-beth-hanan; 10Ben-hesed Arubboth, Socoh, and all the land of Hepher 11Ben-abinadab, he married Taphath, Solomon’s daughter Naphath-dor 12Baana son of Ahilud Cities of Taanach, Megiddo, Beth-shan, by the town of Zarethan below the town of Jezreel, and from Beth-shan to Abel-meholah and the other side of Jokmeam 13Ben-geber Ramoth-gilead, villages of Jair son of Manasseh, in Gilead, and the territory Argob in Bashan, with 60 large cities protected by walls and gates locked with bronze barsSolomon's administrative districts 7-12
14Ahinadab son of Iddo Mahanaim 15Ahimaaz, he married Basemath, Solomon’s daughter Tribal territory of Naphtali 16Baana son of Hushai Asher’s tribal land and Bealoth 17Jehoshaphat son of Paruah Issachar’s tribal land 18Shimei son of Ela Benjamin’s tribal land 19Geber son of Uri, governor of the district Gilead, with Amorite territory of King Sihon, and King Og’s land of Bashan.RICH KING SOLOMON
20Judah and Israel filled the land with happy people, who could eat and drink all they wanted. 21Solomon controlled a long swath of land from the Euphrates River southward to the borders of Egypt and Philistine territory. All the people in that stretch of land paid taxes to Solomon for all his life.Solomon's groceries
22Solomon’s household needed this much food every day:- Four tons (3,600 kilograms) [4] of the highest quality flour,
- Eight tons (7,200 kilograms) of coarsely ground grains known as meal,
- 2310 grain-fattened cattle,
- 100 sheep, or goats, deer, gazelle, and poultry such as geese.
For feature articles about the Bible
Stephen M. Miller's blogMap of Samaria, city and territory
Map of Samaria, city and territory
Samaria, capital of Israel
And territory in northern Promised Land
Map of Samaria: Samaria was one of the capital cities of the northern Jewish nation that took the name of Israel when it parted company with the tribe of Judah in the south. Samaria also became the name of the territory in and around the city. In time, it became a nickname for the northern tribes. King Omri built the city of Samaria and made it his capital. He was the father of the infamous King Ahab who married the Baal-worshiping Jezebel. Omri bought a hill from a man named Shemer and paid about 150 pounds of silver for it. Omri built a new capital city on that hill. He named the town Samaria, after the former owner.Attacking Samaria
Syrian King Ben-hadad mobilized all the armies in his region. He combined the infantry, cavalry, and chariot corps of 32 kings of kingdom territories and towns. Then he took them to Israel’s capital city of Samaria and attacked. Israel’s elite corps of guards stepped forward, creating a first line of attack. Ben-hadad’s scouts saw them coming and reported back, “Men from Samaria are advancing onto our position.”Standoff then counterattack
For seven days the two armies eyed each other from their camps. Then, on day seven, they fought. Israel killed 100,000 Syrian infantrymen on that first day. The rest fled into the walled city of Aphek for protection. But the walls collapsed, killing another 27,000 of them. Ben-Hadad hid in the back room of a house. His officials said, “Listen, we’ve heard Israel’s kings show mercy. Let’s go to their king dressed in humble cloths, in sackcloth with rope belts.” He may let us live. So, wearing sackcloth with rope belts, the leaders presented themselves to the king of Israel.Invader surrenders
They said, “Ben-Hadad sends this message: “I am Ben-Hadad, your servant. Please let me live.” Ahab said, “Ah, he’s still alive? And he’s my brother now?” The captives took that as a hopeful sign. So, they said, “Yes. Yes he is. He’s your brother, Ben-Hadad.” Ahab said, “Then bring him here.” When Ben-Hadad stepped up, Ahab told him to step into his chariot with him. Ben-Hadad said, “I’m giving you back the cities my father took from your father. And I’m offering you a marketplace in Damascus, just as my father once had a market in Samaria.” Ahab said, “Agreed. Because of this peace treaty, I’ll set you free.”For more Bible features
Map of Samaria territory