Rise of the Babylonians
Deported to Babylon
Map of Abraham’s route
Map of Lebanon mountains
Civilization starts here
Civilization starts here
Civilization began here
Hebrews 4:1-11, Casual English Bible
Civilization began with communities and cities forming along the banks of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers, in Iraq and Iran. That's what scholars theorize today. The expanding region grew to become known as the Fertile Crescent. It extends from the eastern Mediterranean coast to the Persian Gulf in the Middle East. This region encompasses modern-day countries like Iraq, Iran, Syria, and Turkey. The Fertile Crescent is called so because of its rich soil, which enabled early humans to settle and cultivate crops. Some of the earliest known civilizations in this area include Sumer, Babylon, and Assyria. These civilizations emerged around 4000-3000 BCE and are known for their advancements in agriculture, writing, art, and architecture.
RESTING IN GOD'S PEACE
1God promised to welcome his people, our ancestors, into a place of rest. God stands by that promise yet today. So, don’t miss out on it. 2We heard the good news from God. So did they, but it didn’t do them any good. They didn’t put any faith in what they heard. 3Those of us who believe get to go into God’s place of rest. Unbelievers won’t. As he once said, “I became angry. So, I made a promise. ‘They’ll not rest in peace at my house.’” God finished his work long ago, when he created the world. 4Somewhere God once said this about the seventh day of creation: “By dawn of Day Seven, God finished his work. He rested. No work that day.” 5But he also said, “They’ll not rest in peace at my house.”People need to trust God
64:6. There are people who need the rest God offers. Some who heard God’s messages in the past decided not to do what he wanted. They didn’t make it into God’s resting place. 7So God selected another time. That time is now. Through the ancient words of David, he says to us what he said to our ancestors long ago. “If today you hear his voice, don’t stubbornly ignore it.” 8Joshua couldn’t manage to lead our ancestors into a peaceful place of rest. God picked another time to make the offer. 9That means there’s a resting place yet to come—with a complete, Sabbath day kind of rest. 10Anyone who makes it there can stop working, just as God did when he finished creation. 11People, let’s do everything we can to make it into that rest.To compare other Bible versions: Bible Gateway
Map Euphrates River
Civilization begins
Map Abraham’s journey
Map Abraham's journey
Map Abraham's journey
Mesopotamia
From the ancient NYC
Mapping Abraham's journey begins in Mesopotamia. In Bible times, this part of the world was like the ancient version of the buzzing New York City, only much bigger. It was the vibrant hub of a civilization that emerged from land sandwiched between two rivers, the Tigris and the Euphrates. That's mainly in Iraq and western Iran.
This area was prime real estate for early human settlers because those rivers brought life to the arid land. The word "Mesopotamia" itself means "between the rivers" in Greek. It's a fair name because these rivers provided water for farming and transportation.
Mesopotamia such a big deal in Bible times because it became the stage where many biblical stories played out. This was where we would have found:
- the famous city of Babylon
- the Tower of Babel (that's the one where people tried to build a tower to reach the heavens, and it didn't go too well).
- home to Abraham (city of Ur) the father of three major religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. He came hailed from the city of Ur, which was right there in Mesopotamia.
Daniel in Mesopotamian lion's den
Also, Israelites spent decades in Mesopotamia during their exile to Babylon's land. That's where we come across the story of the prophet Daniel and the lions' den. The Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar, who had a starring role in the Bible by destroying Jerusalem, ruled this land too.
Mesopotamia was like the biblical backdrop for many important events in the Bible. Those rivers, the Tigris and Euphrates, made it into a thriving civilization.
Matthew traces the family tree of Jesus, back to southern Iraq, home of Abraham, father of the Jewish people. Matthew 1
Map of Wise men follow a star
Road to Jerusalem
Map Paul’s trip to Arabia
Map Abraham moves to Canaan
Map of Eden
Abraham’s trail
Abraham's trail
Abraham's trail
Mesopotamia
From the ancient NYC
Mapping Abraham's journey begins in Mesopotamia. In Bible times, this part of the world was like the ancient version of the buzzing New York City, only much bigger. It was the vibrant hub of a civilization that emerged from land sandwiched between two rivers, the Tigris and the Euphrates. That's mainly in Iraq and western Iran.
This area was prime real estate for early human settlers because those rivers brought life to the arid land. The word "Mesopotamia" itself means "between the rivers" in Greek. It's a fair name because these rivers provided water for farming and transportation.
Mesopotamia such a big deal in Bible times because it became the stage where many biblical stories played out. This was where we would have found:
- the famous city of Babylon
- the Tower of Babel (that's the one where people tried to build a tower to reach the heavens, and it didn't go too well).
- home to Abraham (city of Ur) the father of three major religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. He came hailed from the city of Ur, which was right there in Mesopotamia.
Daniel in Mesopotamian lion's den
Also, Israelites spent decades in Mesopotamia during their exile to Babylon's land. That's where we come across the story of the prophet Daniel and the lions' den. The Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar, who had a starring role in the Bible by destroying Jerusalem, ruled this land too.
Mesopotamia was like the biblical backdrop for many important events in the Bible. Those rivers, the Tigris and Euphrates, made it into a thriving civilization.
Matthew traces the family tree of Jesus, back to southern Iraq, home of Abraham, father of the Jewish people. Matthew 1.
Compare Bible versions with Bible Gateway
Map Eden near the rivers
Cain banished East of Eden
Cain banished East of Eden
Cain banished East of Eden
CAIN KILLS HIS BROTHER ABEL
8Cain told Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.” While they were there, Cain killed him. 7Sometime later the LORD asked Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?” Cain answered, “I don’t know. Am I my brother’s watchman?”
10God said, “What have you done? Your brother is crying out to me—through his blood in the ground. 11You’re a farmer no more. I’m banishing you from the ground you’ve polluted with your brother’s blood. 12Anything you try to grow won’t grow; so don’t try. Hit the road. It’s your home now, drifter.”
13Cain pleaded with the LORD, “I can’t handle that! 14You’ve cursed the ground I farm. You’re kicking me off my property and out of your sight. You’re leaving me broke, homeless, and vulnerable. Anyone I come across will kill me.” 15The LORD said, “That’s not going to happen. Whoever kills you will get seven times the payback." "Then the LORD put a mark on Cain—something that would keep people from killing him.
CAIN MOVES EAST OF EDEN
16Cain left the LORD and settled in the Land of Nomads, east of Eden. 17He had sex with his wife, who got pregnant and gave birth to a son named Enoch. Cain built a city and named it Enoch. 18Enoch had a son named Irad, who had a son named Mehujael, who had a son named Methushael, who had a son name Lamech. 19Lamech married two women: Adah and Zillah. 20Adah gave birth to Jabal, the first-known migrating herder. He raised livestock and lived in tents. 21Jabal’s brother was Jubal, the first-known musician. He played harps and flutes. 22Lamech’s other wife, Zillah, gave birth to Tubal-cain. He became a blacksmith who made bronze and iron tools and other implements. Zillah also had a daughter, Naamah.
23Lamech said to his two wives, “Listen carefully to me. I killed a young man who attacked and hurt me. 24If anyone who kills Cain gets seven times the payback, anyone who kills me gets 77 times the payback.”
25Adam had sex with his wife and she gave birth to their third son. She named him Seth because she said, “God gave me another son because Cain killed Abel.” 26Seth had a son named Enosh. That’s when people started worshiping the LORD and praying to him.
Genesis 4, Casual English Bible
Compare Bible versions with Bible Gateway
Map of Mesopotamia – Born here: Civilization
Map of Mesopotamia - Born here: Civilization
Map of Mesopotamia - Born here: Civilization
Mesopotamia
Ancient NYC
Mesopotamia in Bible times was like the ancient version of the buzzing New York City, only much bigger. It was the vibrant hub of a civilization that emerged from land sandwiched between two rivers, the Tigris and the Euphrates. That's mainly in Iraq and western Iran.
This area was prime real estate for early human settlers because those rivers brought life to the arid land. The word "Mesopotamia" itself means "between the rivers" in Greek. It's a fair name because these rivers provided water for farming and transportation.
Mesopotamia such a big deal in Bible times because it became the stage where many biblical stories played out. This was where we would have found:
- the famous city of Babylon
- the Tower of Babel (that's the one where people tried to build a tower to reach the heavens, and it didn't go too well).
- home to Abraham (city of Ur) the father of three major religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. He came hailed from the city of Ur, which was right there in Mesopotamia.
Daniel in Mesopotamian lion's den
Also, Israelites spent decades in Mesopotamia during their exile to Babylon's land. That's where we come across the story of the prophet Daniel and the lions' den. The Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar, who had a starring role in the Bible by destroying Jerusalem, ruled this land too.
Mesopotamia was like the biblical backdrop for many important events in the Bible. Those rivers, the Tigris and Euphrates, made it into a thriving civilization.
For the Garden of Eden stories, Genesis 2-3, Casual English Bible. Compare to other Bible versions, Bible Gateway.
Rebooting Earth in Mesopotamia
Rebooting Earth in Mesopotamia
Rebooting Earth
God told Noah, “Leave the boat now. Take your family with you. Release every living thing you brought with you—birds, land animals, and every bug and other life form that creeps and crawls along the dirt. Release them so they will reproduce and fill the world again with critters of every kind.” Genesis 8:15-17, Casual English Bible
Mesopotamia
Ancient NYC
Mesopotamia in Bible times was like the ancient version of the buzzing New York City, only much bigger. It was the vibrant hub of a civilization that emerged from land sandwiched between two rivers, the Tigris and the Euphrates. That's mainly in Iraq and western Iran.
This area was prime real estate for early human settlers because those rivers brought life to the arid land. The word "Mesopotamia" itself means "between the rivers" in Greek. It's a fair name because these rivers provided water for farming and transportation.
Mesopotamia such a big deal in Bible times because it became the stage where many biblical stories played out. This was where we would have found:
- the famous city of Babylon
- the Tower of Babel (that's the one where people tried to build a tower to reach the heavens, and it didn't go too well).
- home to Abraham (city of Ur) the father of three major religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. He came hailed from the city of Ur, which was right there in Mesopotamia.
Daniel in Mesopotamian lion's den
Also, Israelites spent decades in Mesopotamia during their exile to Babylon's land. That's where we come across the story of the prophet Daniel and the lions' den. The Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar, who had a starring role in the Bible by destroying Jerusalem, ruled this land too.
Mesopotamia was like the biblical backdrop for many important events in the Bible. Those rivers, the Tigris and Euphrates, made it into a thriving civilization.
Euphrates River in Mesopotamia
Euphrates River in Mesopotamia
Mesopotamia
Ancient NYC
Mesopotamia in Bible times was like the ancient version of the buzzing New York City, only much bigger. It was the vibrant hub of a civilization that emerged from land sandwiched between two rivers, the Tigris and the Euphrates. That's mainly in Iraq and western Iran.
This area was prime real estate for early human settlers because those rivers brought life to the arid land. The word "Mesopotamia" itself means "between the rivers" in Greek. It's a fair name because these rivers provided water for farming and transportation.
Mesopotamia such a big deal in Bible times because it became the stage where many biblical stories played out. This was where we would have found:
- the famous city of Babylon
- the Tower of Babel (that's the one where people tried to build a tower to reach the heavens, and it didn't go too well).
- home to Abraham (city of Ur) the father of three major religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. He came hailed from the city of Ur, which was right there in Mesopotamia.
Daniel in Mesopotamian lion's den
Also, Israelites spent decades in Mesopotamia during their exile to Babylon's land. That's where we come across the story of the prophet Daniel and the lions' den. The Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar, who had a starring role in the Bible by destroying Jerusalem, ruled this land too.
Mesopotamia was like the biblical backdrop for many important events in the Bible. Those rivers, the Tigris and Euphrates, made it into a thriving civilization.
Bible map of exiled Jews returning to Israel
Jews return home from the Exile
Jews return home from the Exile
Jews return home from the Exile
Zerubbabel and Sheshbazzar, prince of Judah, lead 50,000 Jews home, beginning in 538 BC. With a Persian military escort, they took a longer and safer route, following water sources.
Almost a century after the first Jews returned to Israel, Ezra led a group. Ezra took the shorter route, with a long walk through a dangerous part of the Arabian Desert.
Nehemiah came last and furthest, from Persia’s capital of Susa. He repaired Jerusalem’s walls.