Seminar paper: The Geography of Palestine: A General Study Against the Backdrop of

Neighbouring Nations.
Submitted by: Christopher Thomas Submitted To: Dr. Alexi George Sir
Date: 5 July 2021

Introduction
The geography of the land of Palestine is always relevant to the story of the Bible. Most of the
Biblical events had taken place in this small area. It is always difficult to the people who are
living in different environment to get understanding about the events occurred in a particular
place. But it is always important to have an idea about real location of the events of the Bible.
Because the real setting will give us an idea that the Bible is not a fiction or myth. Another
significance of studying the geography of promise land is to know why God chose that
particular land for his people, because that land was small and unimportant. So, the
geography of the land of Palestine is always relevant to the story of the Bible.1
The structure of the Promised land
Palestine is a small area at the eastern end of the Mediterranean Sea, in the narrow coastland
that lie between the sea and Arabian deserts. This land consists of large number regions and
subregions. The sea and the desert are separated by the fertile crescent.
Fertile Crescent is fertile arc of land that skirts the Arabian desert, reaching from
the Persian Gulf up through the alluvial plain of the Tigris and Euphrates, curving
around through Syria and Palestine, and continuing toward the Nile in Egypt.2
The fertile crescent was an attractive feature of Middle East. Due to the special feature the
people were appealed to desert from south and mountain people from north. During history
because of the special feature, this place had invaded, or overrun, or changed hands many
times.
The land is divided into western and eastern parts, Cisjordan and Transjordan. Cis Jordan is
the promise land and transjordan is the opposite side of the promise land. The deep rift of the
Jordan valley, the Dead Sea and the Arava Valley are the factors that divides the place. The
Cisjordan is divided into three parts; they are the Coastal Plain, the Hill Regions, and the Rift
of Jordan valley.
The Coastal plain
The coastal plain is also divided into four sections. They are Gaza, Philistine, Sharon plain and
Carmel coast. The coastal plain starts from Gaza, where it is broadest, the plain then gradually
narrow through the south which covers the philistian plain, to the plain of Sharon. Carmel
Coast strip is a separate region. During the time of settlement Israel occupied the central
highlands. They seldom attempted to capture or spread their control down to the
Mediterranean coast. Those who were at the coastal plains were philistines. During the time
of David Israel was able to gain control for a while, but there were exerting pressure from the

1
“The Environment of the Bible,” Encyclopaedia of the Bible, edited by Pat Alexander, (England: Lion
Publishing,1978): 1-7.
2
Bernhard W. Anderson, Understanding Old Testament (New Jersey: Prentice Hall, Inc, 1975), 24.
philistines from their five cities on the coastlands. The Philistine land was not fruitfull. The
coastal plains consisted of sand dunes backed by forest, lagoons and swamp. Large natural
harbours were not there at the south of Carmel. The first major artificial harbour was built by
King Herod the Great at Caesarea. But when it comes to the north part natural harbours were
much better provided. Phoenicians traded from here.3
The Hill Regions
The surrounding nations considered the people of Israel in their land like hill tribes. The
officials of King Benhadad says that the God of Israel as mountain gods. The main area of the
Jewish kingdoms lay in the hill country, with the land sloping down to the coast on one side
and to Jordan Valley on the other side. The promised land can be considered as a hill country.
The size of the promised land is very small. It is only 150 miles long from Dan to Beersheba.
The land looks like the roof of the house. It rises gently from Mediterranean and reaches to a
hight of 1000 metres then it descends steeply down to the great gash of the Jordan rift valley.
That surface has a trench which can be traced up to the East Africa. Mountain rises to greater
heights at east of Jordan and north of Galilee, to nearly 2000 metres in Edom on the Eastern
Desert fringe and over 3000 metres in Lebanon and Mount Hermon to the North.4 The climate
and desert topography of hill region of the Negev differs from that of Northern region. the
climate of northern part of Negev is semiarid and the rest of the area are desert proper. And
also, the orientation of the axes of the ridges and valleys of hill region of the Negev is in
southwest and northeast direction and not in south north direction as in the case central
section. There are three other subregions in the Negev Hills. They are the Eilat Hills, the Paran
Plateau and the Central Negev Hills. Judea and Samaria are the main regions of the central
section of the Hill region. Samaria is more complicated when it is compared to Judea. Judea is
simple and compact but Samaria is complicated because of the internal basins and isolating
mountain blocks. The valleys Zebulon, Jezreel, Harod separates Galilee from Samaria and this
separation served as road between coast and the interior during the time period of history.5
The Great Rift
The earth surface is not stable in this area. The long straight gash of the Jordan valley is one
of the signs for the instability. Volcanic activity and changes in the structure are still taking
place. The Jordan rift has slipped down between two parallel faults. So, it produces the
deepest natural depression in the world. Another interesting feature of Jordan valley is the
dead sea. The presence of Hot springs and mineral stained rocks along the side of the rift
clearly shows that this area is still geologically active. With the exception of few oases the
lower section of Jordan valley is still desert like. The presence of Sea of Galilee determines the
character of the central Jordan valley. Hula valley is the northern part. It is almost like a closed
basin. This place has many geographical peculiarities.

3
Efraim Orni and Elisha Efrat, Geography of Israel (Jerusalem: Israel Universities Press, 1973), 3.

4
Alexander, op.cit., 1-7.
5
Efraim, op.cit., 3.
Sea of Galilee
Sea of Galilee is also called as lake Tiberias. In Hebrew it is known as Yam Kinneret. It is a lake
in Israel from which the Jordan river flows. In the time of Old Testament, the name for this
lake was sea of Chinnereth and later it was called as Lake of Gennesaret. The lake is in the
central Jordan valley.
It covers an area of 64 sq. mi. (165 sq. km.). The level of the water surface,
which varies considerably with the shift from rainy to drought years, averages
696 ft. (213 m.) below Mediterranean Sea level. The water is deepest, 144 ft.
(44 m.) on the average, northeast of the lake's center.6
Because of the presence of hot mineral springs on its bottom and on its circumference the
region of the sea of Galilee has a seismic nature. Water entering into the lake are fresh but
due to the brackish springs at the lake bottom and near it shores makes the water more saline.
since the prehistoric times the abundant water supply, warm climate, fertility of the nearby
land, and numerous fishes has attracted human. From the shore the archaeological workers
got human remains (found human skull from Manot Cave, western Galillee) and artifacts. 7
Transjordan
Transjordan can be divided into three sections; they are Edom in the south with its ancient
rocks, Moab Ammon and Gilead in the centre, and the Bashan and Golan in the north. Thick
cover of basaltic rock and soil and moister climate are the special feature of the last region.8
Highlands are present in the Transjordan, like those to the west. But it is higher than the west.
This land is well watered and also has good pasture. Because of the height of the mountains
those place gets enough rain. Due to the availability of water those places are fertile. It is a
fertile belt lies between the dry valley on one side and the Arabian Desert on the other.9
The Resources of the Land
Water
The door of Israel opens towards desert and rain comes only during the time of winter. To
save and store the water always was an important part of this land. Jordan is the only river in
this land and it is emptied into Dead Sea uselessly. During early period people who lived in
towns and villages of Israel relied on wells and springs for their water supply. The inhabitants
were left to die of thirst, if the well in that area blocked up.
Minerals
God promised a fertile land for Israel. On the other hand, rocks of the land contain iron and
copper in hills. Deuteronomy 8:9 says about this. There are lot of minerals in the surrounding
of Dead Sea. Potash, bromine and magnesium are present in Dead Sea.

6
“Lake Kinneret,” Jewish Virtual Library, accessed June 30, 2021.
https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/kinneret-lake.
7
Ibid.
8
Efraim, op.cit., 5.
9
Alexander, op.cit., 1-7.
Fisheries
Fishing was a natural food resource of Israel. The sea of galilee was main source for fishing.
The whole communities in the shoreline villages were supported by fishing industry. But the
fact is that these were the only fisheries the Jewish had.

fig: Map of Palestine

Climate
Almost all region of land of Israel has a climate which is midway between summer and tropical.
Winter rains and summer drought are the characteristics of the climate of this land. Because
of the location of Israel, it has comparatively short rainy season and also the is no rain for
almost three to four months. Dew plays a major role in the place where there is less rain. The
weather of this land is stable and also predictable.

Conclusion
God chose Palestine in order to place his people. The land compared to other part of Middle
east, is barren, erode. People to live in such a place, where most of the surface are limestones
or chalks, no sufficient water, is always a challenge. Here arises a question, why did God
choose such a land for his people. It was in order to make Him known to other nations. God
placed them as a light to the other nations. As it was the trade route between Egypt and
Mesopotamia, people coming for trade may get acquainted with new ideas and new
revelations about the God of Israel. Another factor was that to make the economy of Israel
stable. If Both Egypt and Mesopotamia want to continue a good trade between them then
they should have a good diplomatic relationship between Israel. And also, Israel got access to
have trade with powerful nations during that period. Through trade relation economy will
grow and will reach to a stable position. And also due to the scarcity of water people depended
on God for the proper rains for the cultivations.
Bibliography
Anderson, Bernhard W. Understanding Old Testament. New Jersey: Prentice Hall, INC, 1975.
Jewish Virtual Library. “Lake Kinneret.” Accessed June 30, 2021.
https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/kinneret-lake
Orni, Efraim and Elisha Efrat. Geography of Israel. Jerusalem: Israel Universities Press, 1973.
Riggs, J. S. “Studies in Palestinian Geography.” The Biblical World 4/1 (July 1894), 7-13.
“The Environment of the Bible.” Encyclopedia of the Bible. Edited by Pat Alexander (England:
Lion Publishing,1978): 1-7.