Map Ephraim territory
Map Ephraim
Ephraim territory in the heartland
Map of Assyrian invasion into Judah
Map of Assyrian invasion into Judah
Map Isaiah 10 Assyrian Invasion into Judah
Assyrians at the Gate of Jerusalem
Gibeon
Gibeon
Gibeon, civil war begins
2 Samuel 2
BATTLE OF GIBEON
12Abner marched the soldiers of King Ishbosheth out of Mahanaim, across the Jordan River, and to the banks of a pool at Gibeon. 13David’s commander, Joab son of Zeruiah, marched his men to the other side of the pool. So, the two groups took up positions on opposite sides of the pool. 14Abner called out to Joab, “Hey, let’s have some of our men step forward and show us what they’re made of.” Joab agreed, “Okay, let them come.” 15Men stepped up and counted off. Generals limited the fight to a dozen men from each side—mortal combat, tribe against tribe. Twelve stood from Ishbosheth’s tribe of Benjamin and 12 from David’s tribe of Judah. 16Each man grabbed an enemy by the head and stabbed him in the side. They all fell together. That spot in Gibeon became known as Flint Field, for the blades that fell on the ground. 17The battle that followed was intense. David’s men won, defeating Abner’s army.RUNNING RETREAT
18David’s sister, Zeruiah, had three sons: Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. Asahel ran like a wild gazelle. 19He targeted Abner, who was retreating from the lost battle. Asahel refused to fight anyone else. He kept eyes on his bullseye, the enemy commander running away. 20Abner looked back and yelled, “Is that you, Asahel?” He said, “You bet it’s me.” 21Abner said, “Go after one of these other men and take what you want” Asahel kept gaining on him. 22Abner said, “Pick someone else. I don’t want to kill you. If I do, how could I ever face your brother Joab?” 23Asahel kept running. He ran right into the butt end of Abner’s spear. It bore through his stomach and broke through his back. Asahel, David’s nephew, dropped dead. When fellow warriors came to his body, they stood for a time in silence.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.
King Saul’s retreat from Philistines
King Saul's retreat from Philistines
King Saul's retreat from Philistines
It starts when his son destroys a Philistine camp
King Saul's hasty retreat from the Philistine army began when Prince Jonathan, with a battalion of 1,000 men, attacks and destroys a Philistine camp in a small town near what is now Jerusalem. His father , King Saul, backs him up by leading 2,000 men into the area to patrol the towns and communities. Philistines retaliate with overwhelming force: 3,000 chariots pulled by 6,000 horses. And there are more infantry than anyone can count. "When Israel saw they were in trouble, most of the army retreated to anything they could crawl into or behind: caves, rocks, tombs, dry wells called cisterns, and dirt holes in the ground. They got invisible fast. Some jumped the Jordan. They crossed the Jordan River into territory of Gad’s tribe and the land of Gilead. But Saul stayed at Gilgal, with a lot of terrified Israelite citizens" (1 Samuel 13:6-7). Saul waited to attack for seven days, to give time for Samuel to get there. Samuel told him to do that. But Saul’s fighters were quickly slipping out of camp and running away. Meanwhile, Philistines set up camp in the hills around Michmash, in the area where the Israelite had been before they ran away. One more thing: "On the day of the battle, Saul and his son Jonathan each had a sword and spear. No one else did. There weren’t any weapons in town. A company of Philistines advanced to set up camp at the valley pass of Michmash." Israel didn’t have any ironsmiths who could make iron weapons or tools. Philistines outlawed it. They said, “Hebrews aren’t allowed to make swords or spears for themselves.” So, Israelites couldn’t sharpen or repair their iron plow tips, picks, axes, and sickles. They had to go to Philistine ironsmiths for that. A bronze sword doesn't hold up well against an iron one.Map Persian province of Judah
Map Persian province of Judah
Map of the Persian province of Judah
After the Jewish nation of Judah fell to Babylonian invaders in 586, many survivors lived in exile. Some returned 50 years later, when Persians freed them.
It was only a partial freedom. The Jews lived for the next 200 years as a tiny province of Persia: Yehud, which is translated "Judah" or "Judea."
It was roughly a 40-mile-wide square plug of ground (60 km), in territory that became known as Palestine. The Jewish province included Jerusalem and beyond, into what are now central parts of Israel and Occupied Palestinian Territories.
Jerusalem is where Jews sacrificed animals to God. So when the Jews returned, they built a new temple and later restored some of the walls around the city, but not to the larger size it was before the defeat.
Map of Judah as a Persian province
Arabah Valley
Arabah Valley
Arabah Valley south of the Dead Sea stretches 100 miles (155 km) to the northern tip of the Red Sea's Gulf of Aqaba. The valley serves as a natural border between Israel in the west and Jordan in the east.
Arabah Valley
Arabah Valley
Map Arabah Valley, a 100-mile-long (155 km) desolate valley between the Dead Sea and the Red Sea's northeastern tip, the Gulf of Aqaba. It marks the boundary between Israel and Jordan.
