Map of Jesus walking on water
Jesus walks on water
Map of Judah and Israel
Map of Judah and Israel
Israel and Judah
3D Bible map for Jonah
3D Bible map for Jonah
Prophet Jonah's homeland of Israel
Map of Elijah at Jesus’ Transfiguration
Map of Elijah at Jesus' Transfiguration
Map of Elijah at Jesus' Transfiguration. "Suddenly, Elijah and Moses appeared. They started talking with Jesus. ..Jesus changed into another form...His face started shining."
Bible writers say it happened on a mountain. But they don't say which one. There are several contenders.
Malachi predicted Elijah would come back to prepare the way for the LORD.
Elijah at Jesus' Transfiguration
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
Judah picks fight with Israel
Judah picks fight with Israel
Judah picks one fight too many
Judah crushes Edom then Israel crushes Judah
Judah's king Amaziah is just 25 years old when he takes the throne in Jerusalem. Eager for glory, he crushes Edom's army. Then full of himself, the king of Judah picks a fight with Israel.Edom, first battle
The king sent his soldiers to fight the neighboring nation of Edom. Judah’s army killed 10,000 people of Edom and overran the Edom city of Sela.Israel, bad choice
Amaziah sent Israel’s King Jehoash an invitation to a fight. The message said, “Let’s settle our differences king to king on the battlefield.” Jehoash sent his reply: “You defeated Edom and you’re feeling pretty good about yourself. Enjoy the glory of victory. Why risk the agony of defeat? If you go down, so does Judah.” Amaziah pressed, so Jehoash complied. The two Israelite armies fought on Judah’s tribal land at the town of Beth-shemesh.Agony of defeat
Judah lost the battle, and their soldiers raced home. Israel’s King Jehoash captured Judah’s King Amaziah, the son of King Jehoash and grandson of King Ahaziah. Israel’s King Jehoash marched into Jerusalem and tore down 200 yards of the city walls, from the Ephraim Gate to the Corner Gate. He raided treasuries of the Temple and the king’s palace. He took all the silver and gold, including the sacred utensils and furnishings in the Temple. And he kidnapped some citizens and took them back to his capital city of Samaria.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
Judah picks a fight with Israel
Solomon’s Galilee
Solomon's Galilee
SOLOMON GIVES AWAY 20 CITIES IN GALILEE
From 1 Kings 9:10- 14. Solomon spent 20 years building two houses. One house for God, the Temple. One house for himself, the palace. 11King Hiram of Tyre supplied Solomon with all the wood he needed for these building projects. Hiram sent gold along with cedar and cypress from the Lebanon forests. In return, Solomon gave him a bonus gift of 20 towns in Galilee, along Israel’s northern border with Lebanon.Hiriam's reaction: "Worthless"
12But when Hiram saw the 20 villages he got as a gift for his 20 years of trouble, he felt cheated. 13He told Solomon, “My friend, you call these cities?” Hiram decided to call them “Worthless.” And that’s what he named the region. 14But Hiram felt obligated to give Solomon a gift in return. He sent a little less than four tons of gold.Tallying the gold
Four tons of god would be about 720 gold bars today, weighing a total of 9,000 pounds or 4,000 kilograms. In ancient Hebrew measurement, it was 120 talents, at an estimated 75 pounds or 34 kilograms per talent. The weight of a talent varied by era and location. To haul that much gold today, it would take about five of the half-ton pickup trucks or seven well-built minivans or 60 Radio Flyer classic red wagons. When the writer used the word "worthless" he wrote it in Hebrew, the language of the Israelites. And in Hebrew the word is Cabul. It seems that the name stuck. There’s an Israeli city called Kabul, near the northwest border with Lebanon. The population is mostly Arab. Some scholars suggest this was one of the 20 cities Solomon gave to Hiram. Israel captured the city in 1948 in Operation Dekel, an offensive that also led to the capture of Nazareth and about 30 other Arab towns in western Galilee.Good Galilee
The fertile part of Galilee is south, at the Jezreel Valley. Solomon kept that for himself.Gihon Spring
Gihon Spring
Safe in the walled town of Jebus
Citizens felt safe in their walled city of Jebus, former name of Jerusalem. They had no idea enemy soldiers knew about the shaft inside the city that dropped 45 feet (13 meters) in the unguarded cave of Gihon Spring below. And they never expected any soldiers to try climbing it.David marches to Jerusalem
From 2 Samuel 5
6King David and his men marched north to Jerusalem. They intended to take the city from Jebusite people who lived there. Jebusites were so confident of their defenses that they yelled down to David, “Hey, you can’t get in here. A blind cripple could stop you.” 7David took the walled city anyhow. People sometimes call the city Zion. But David called it the City of David. The name stuck. 8David said, “Let’s show those blind cripples how much I hate them. To get to them, you’re going to have to climb up the shaft that drops into their spring of water.” That’s where the old saying comes from, that “The lame and blind aren’t allowed in the Temple.”Jebus becomes City of David
9David moved into the walled town and named it City of David. He fortified the position even more, from Millo tower on the perimeter and then toward the center of the city. 10David became a stronger and more respected leader because the LORD of everyone was on his side. 11King Hiram decided to give David a palace as a gift. So, he sent ambassadors along with carpenters and masons, supplied with cedar trees. 12David took that as a sign that the LORD had, in fact, given him the job of king over Israel and had lifted his status for Israel’s sake. 13After David moved to Jerusalem, he took more women into his harem—concubines and wives. They gave him more sons and daughters. 14The names of David’s 11 children born in Jerusalem include: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, 15Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia, 16Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet.Headhunting in northern Israel
Headhunting in northern Israel
David's army takes home a rebel's head
David's army was looking for the right man to behead. They had to travel about a week's march north of Jerusalem—about 100 miles/160 km—to the borderland of northern Israel, to the town of Abel.David's enemy was a rebel trying to pull the northern tribes of Israel away from the united kingdom. He was recruiting walled cities to join the cause. Walled cities are harder to attack without an overwhelming force.
The rebel was Sheba, from the tiny tribe of Benjamin, Judah's neighbor on the north.
David sent his new general and part of the army on the headhunt. The former general went along, Joab, whom David had demoted. Mistake on David's part. Joab had already killed one competing general, Abner, and David's own son, Absalom. He murdered this general, too, and took back his old job. He led the chase to Sheba.
David's army lays siege in northern Israel
From 2 Samuel 20
14Sheba went recruiting throughout the northern tribes of Israel. His extended family clan, the Bichri’s, followed him one day into the walled city of Abel Beth Maacah.15Joab’s army surrounded the city. Some men started building a siege ramp to the top of the wall. Others used a battering ram to try breaking through the walls. 16A wise woman inside the town called out to the attacking soldiers. “Hey listen! Listen! Tell Joab I want to talk with him.”
Negotiating a peace
17Joab came over and the woman said, “Are you Joab?” He said, “Yes, I am.” She said, “Please listen to me.” He said, “Go ahead, I’m listening.” 18She said, “There’s an old saying in Israel, ‘Ask it in Abel.’ After that, people would work out their differences. 19I’m one of the peace-loving people in Israel. And I’m watching you destroy one of the mother cities of Israel. You’re tearing into the heritage of the LORD himself. Why would you do this?”20Joab said, “That’s the last thing on my mind. No way would I want to destroy this place. 21That’s not my plan. But there’s a man inside who has launched a rebellion against King David. The man comes from the hills of Ephraim. His name is Sheba, a son of Bichri. Give him to me and we will leave your town.” The woman said, “We’ll toss his head over the wall.”
Sheba loses his head
22The savvy woman pitched her survival plan to others in town. They cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri and threw it over to Joab. He ordered his trumpeter to blow the ram’s horn signal to stand down and withdraw. The soldiers went home. Joab went to see the king in Jerusalem.For other Bible versions see Bible Gateway.
Northern Israel
Joab murders Abner
Joab murders Abner
Joab murders Abner, Israel's general
2 Samuel 3:17-27 PREPING TO DECLARE DAVID KING OF ISRAEL
17Abner sent a message to leaders throughout the northern tribes of Israel. He said, “You’ve been wanting David as your king for a long time. 18Now is the time to make it happen. God gave David this promise: ‘I’m going to save my people of Israel from the Philistines and all their enemies. I’m going to use you to do it.’”19Abner delivered this message in person to leaders of his tribe, Benjamin. Then he went to David, in Hebron, and told him that Israel was ready to transfer power to him.
20David threw a feast to welcome Abner and the 20 men who came with him. 21Abner said, “Let me go back and call the people together so everyone in Israel can pledge their allegiance to you. Then you can begin to rule wherever you like.” David sent Abner on his way to do that.
JOAB MURDERS ABNER
22Abner left peacefully about the time Joab and his men returned from raiding enemies. They came loaded with property they stole from places they raided.23Someone told Joab, “Just so you know, Abner the son of Ner was here to see the king. Afterward, the king sent him on his way in peace.” 24Joab went to the king and said, “What are you doing? Abner came here and you let him go? Why did you do that? 25Don’t you realize he came here on a scouting mission, to learn as much as possible about you and what you’re up to?”
26Joab stormed out of that meeting with David and secretly sent messengers to Abner. They caught up with him at the cistern well of Sirah. 27Abner went back to Hebron. Joab met him at the city gate and asked him to step to the side so they could have a private talk. Instead, Joab stabbed him in the stomach. It was payback for killing Joab’s brother, Asahel.
Ramah to Bethlehem to anoint David king
Ramah to Bethlehem to anoint David king
Map of Ramah to Bethlehem to anoint David king of Israel
Samuel had a trip to make, from his hometown of Ramah, north of Jerusalem, to Bethlehem, a half-day's walk south. Here's part of the story, from 1 Samuel 16.Story behind the map
The LORD asked Samuel, “Why are you still mourning Saul? I fired him. He’s not the king anymore. What’s it going to take to get you past this? Put some olive oil in a container, an animal horn. Take it with you to Bethlehem. I want you to meet Jesse and his sons who live there. I have picked one of Jesse’s sons as king.” Samuel said, “If Saul hears about this, he’ll kill me.” But the LORD said, “Take a calf with you. Tell people you’ve come to offer a sacrifice to the LORD. Invite Jesse and his sons to the sacrificial meal. I’ll show you what to do. You’re going to use that olive oil to anoint the one I have chosen as king.” Samuel did what the LORD said. He went to Bethlehem. City leaders were afraid to ask why he came there. Shaking with fear they said, “Did you come in peace?” Samuel said, “Yes. I came to sacrifice this calf to the LORD. Ritually cleanse yourselves for worship and you can join me.” Samuel invited Jesse and his sons to the meal and led them through their cleansing rituals.Sizing up Jesse's boys
When Jesse and his boys arrived, Samuel was impressed by Jesse’s son Eliab. Samuel thought, “He has to be the one the LORD picked.” The LORD told Samuel, “Don’t judge this man by how good he looks or how tall he is. I didn’t pick him. I don’t judge people like humans do. They judge by what they can see on the outside. The LORD judges by what’s on the inside—the heart with its character, integrity, and courage."Battle of Michmash
Battle of Michmash
Battle of Michmash
Before the Battle of Michmash began, Philistines and Israelites camped on opposite sides of a steep and normally dry riverbed that locals call a wadi (gulch). It was the Michmash Pass through that part of the hill country.
King Saul's son, Jonathan, and one other soldier went down in the gorge and let Philistine sentries on Rocky Ridge above see them. Then the two of them climbed the hill and started killing the Philistines. They killed about 20 Philistines within the first 30 meters (yards) at the top of the ridge.
Jonathan’s sudden and bold attack accompanied by an earthquake panicked the Philistines. Saul’s guards six miles (10 km) south at Gibeah saw the commotion from their post half a mile above sea level, 839 meters. That’s 200 meters higher than Michmash.
King Saul hadn't ordered an attack. So he had to quickly count his soldiers to see who was missing. By the time he figures out it was his son who started the battle by engaging Philistine sentries, he attacks.
Terrified Philistines run home to their cities by the sea.
The story appears in 1 Samuel 14.
To compare with other Bible translations, see Bible Gateway.
3D Bible map of the Battle of Jabesh Gilead
3D Bible map of the Battle of Jabesh Gilead
3D Bible map of the Battle of Jabesh in Gilead
Battle for Israel's right eyeballs and depth perception
Ammonite King Nahash takes his army and surrounds the Israelite town of Jabesh in Gilead. Centuries earlier, Moses and the invading Hebrews won the land from Ammon in a war the Ammonites started. Now King Nahash was coming to take it back...and to humiliate Israel in the process. When city leaders ask for peace terms, the king says, “Sure, I’ll give you peace. But you give me your right eyes. I’ll use this to disgrace Israel” (1 Samuel 11:2). King Saul of Israel gets the news at the end of a day of herding and farming. "God’s Spirit filled Saul and anger set him on fire. He slaughtered a team of two oxen, cut them to pieces, and dropped them in the mail—special delivery. He gave them to couriers to spread them throughout Israel. The meat came with a message: 'What happened to this ox will happen to you if you don’t come now and follow Saul and Samuel.' That terrified people. They came in a big way." He rallies an army of 300,000 Israelites.. "Saul told the messengers to say this to the people of Jabesh in Gilead, 'We’ll rescue you by the time the sun gets hot tomorrow.' People in Jabesh were elated to hear that. Jabesh Jews weren’t entirely honest with the Ammonites. They said, “We’ll surrender tomorrow, and you can do whatever you want to us.” When tomorrow came, so did King Saul. He divided his massive army into three battalions. And he surprised the enemy with a wake-up call during the early morning watch, sometime between 2-6 a.m. He slaughtered Ammonites all morning and into the heat of the day. Enemy survivors ran for their lives, scattered so wildly that each man ran on his own. Not even two ran together.". Saul preserves Israel's honor and depth perception. You can read the story in 1 Samuel 11. And you can check it out in other Bible translations at Bible Gateway.Battle of Jabesh
Map Ramah to Shiloh
Map Ramah to Shiloh
Bible map Ramah to Shiloh.
Ramah was a short version of the city’s full name, Ramathaim—a bit like LA is short for Los Angeles and KC is short for Kansas City. Ramah is usually linked to ruins called Al-Ram. It’s about 5 miles (8 km) north of Jerusalem and about 15 miles (24 km) south of Shiloh. That’s almost a day’s walk to Shiloh. Some scholars link Rama to another ruin about five miles southwest, Nabi Samwil. At the time, Jerusalem was still a generation away from when King David would capture it and turn it into his capital, the City of David.
Road from Ramah to Shiloh
Map city gates Jerusalem
Map city gates Jerusalem
Map city gates of Jerusalem in about 520 BC, when the walls and gates were still broken from an earlier invasion. Babylonians destroyed the walls and the Jewish Temple a generation earlier, in 586 BC. But the prophet Zechariah said God promised to fill a rebuilt city from one gate to another until the city is crowded. But in Zechariah's time, Jerusalem was still rubble from the war.
Gates of Jerusalem 520 BC
Bible map Gilead
Bible map Gilead
Bible map Gilead. God promises to bring exiled Jews home. He says they'll fill up the region of Gilead and overflow into Lebanon.
Map of Bethel
Map of Bethel
Map of Bethel and Greater Jerusalem in Old Testament Bible times.
Map of Bethel and Greater Jerusalem
Map Ephraim tribe
Map Ephraim tribe
Bible map of Ephraim tribe with others viewed from above the Greater Jerusalem area, looking to the Northern Jewish Kingdom of Israel.
Bible map of Ephraim
Bible map Jerusalem
Bible map Jerusalem
Bible map of the Greater Jerusalem area with nearby cities to the north in the northern Jewish Kingdom of Israel
Bible map Greater Jerusalem area
