Ancient Israel in Historical Context

The Promised Land is a central focus of the Bible and is so for Judaism. The land promised to Abraham was known as the land of Canaan. The territory of the ancient Israelites extended from Dan to Beersheba to the Jordan River. The term Israel was used in Genesis, Kings, Chronicles, and Ezekiel to refer to the northern kingdom while the name Judah was used to describe the southern kingdom.

Geographically speaking, there are several sections that make up the land of Israel: the Coastal Plain (the eastern coast of the Mediterranean), the Shephelah (the lower part), the Hill Country of Judah, the Hill Country of Ephraim, the Rift Valley (a natural boundary between Israel and the regions to the east). Jerusalem itself is in the Hill Country of Judah. Finally, the main waterways in the land of Israel are the Sea (or lake) of Galilee, the Jordan River, the Dead Sea (the lowest point on the land mass of the earth.)

Israel experiences two main seasons, a rainy one (from late Fall to early Spring) and a dry one (from late Spring to early Fall). For some biblical writers (as illustrated in Deuteronomy 11.10) the topography of Israel was an ideal climate, providentially given by God. The terrain of Israel was fairly rugged but was quite suitable for growing grain, olives, and grapes - - and for raising sheep and goats. It was a “land flowing with milk and honey” (e.g. milk from the sheep and goats, and the honey that resulted from boiling grapes or dates).

The road systems of Israel included two major arteries, “the way of the sea” and the “King’s Highway.” The “way of the sea,” ran from Egypt north to the land of the Philistines to the south, and through the great Valley of Jezerel, up to the Rift Valley to Hazor and Damascus. Beyond the road systems, different biblical sources give different boundaries for the land of Israel as called out in Genesis 15.18, Deuteronomy 11.24 and six times in Judges 20.1). The changing boundaries are a result of different Deuteronomic writer’s historical points of view and also as a result of the various battles won or lost by Israel with its neighbors.

Overall, the bible is an anthology written over more than a thousand years, thus analysis of it requires knowledge of the historical context in which it was written. The history presented in the first ten books of the Bible is difficult to verify because there are few records from other, non-biblical sources, during the same historical period to verify them. When available archeology and non-biblical texts provide addition historical context to the events recorded in the Bible. Archeology helps set the stage for better understanding the culture, practices, and people living in the times the Deuteronomic authors are writing.