Bible map Shechem north Canaan
Bible map of Shechem and north Canaan
Bible Map of Shechem region
Bible Map of Shechem region
Bible Map of cities where Levite 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
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