Places

Places


Learn more about some familiar and perhaps unfamiliar places from the Bible. Main articles explore two leading questions and are connected to related articles and multimedia content that invite you to explore different angles on the subject. Click the Related Articles tab to the right to see all articles related in the Places category.

  • Detail of a page from Codex Sinaiticus (circa 350 C.E.), one of the most important manuscripts of the Septuagint. The British Library, London.
    Detail of a page from Codex Sinaiticus (circa 350 C.E.), one of the most important manuscripts of the Septuagint. The British Library, London.

    Alexandria

    Alexandria was a city in which Greek and Jewish cultures intermingled, and this had a profound impact on the development and interpretation of biblical texts.

    How did the Hellenistic culture of Alexandria influence the Bible?
    How did thinkers from Alexandria shape biblical interpretation?
    Read More
  • Ancient Roman road connecting the towns of Antioch and Chalcis, near the modern site of Tall Aqibrin in Syria.
    Ancient Roman road connecting the towns of Antioch and Chalcis, near the modern site of Tall Aqibrin in Syria.

    Antioch

    Led by apostles of Jesus like Peter, Paul, and Barnabas, the Jews of Syrian Antioch birthed the earliest Christian community in blood, sweat, and tears, even as some were fleeing their own homes in Jerusalem.

    Which Antioch and where?
    Did Peter and Paul duke it out in Antioch?
    Read More
  • Bethlehem Rooftops
    Bethlehem Rooftops

    Bethlehem

    The city of Bethlehem, located several kilometers south of Jerusalem, was an Israelite town where David was anointed king of Israel and, according to Christian tradition, was also the birthplace of Jesus.

    What was the significance of Bethlehem in ancient Israel?
    Was Jesus really born in Bethlehem?
    Read More
  • capernaum-byzantine-church
    capernaum-byzantine-church

    Capernaum

    Capernaum was a small Jewish fishing and agricultural community on the northwest shore of the Sea of Galilee that figures prominently in the Gospels' depictions of Jesus.

    Have archaeologists discovered the synagogue where Jesus taught?
    Were Roman soldiers stationed at Capernaum in the time of Jesus?
    Read More
  • hagia-sophia-deesis
    hagia-sophia-deesis

    "Kingdom of God, Kingdom of Heaven" (Vietnamese)

    Vương Quốc của Đức Chúa Trời và Vương Quốc Thiên Đàng là những thuật ngữ đề cập đến quyền tể trị của Đức Chúa Trời trên mọi sáng tạo.

    Ý tưởng về vương quốc của Đức Chúa Trời có liên quan gì đến cuộc sống và xã hội trong thế giới hiện đại?
    Tại sao đôi khi Giê-su nói rằng vương quốc của Đức Chúa Trời đã có ở đây; và trong những lần khác lại nói rằng nó sẽ không đến cho đến khi Ngài trở lại lúc tận thế?
    Read More
  • Reconstruction of the Ishtar Gate, built in Babylon around 575 B.C.E. by King Nebuchadnezzar II. Pergamon Museum, Berlin.
    Reconstruction of the Ishtar Gate, built in Babylon around 575 B.C.E. by King Nebuchadnezzar II. Pergamon Museum, Berlin.

    Babylonian Exile

    In 597 and 587 BCE, some residents of Judah were forced into exile in Babylon.

    What evidence is there from outside the Bible for conditions in Babylon during the exile?
    How did the Babylonian exile end?
    Read More
  • Reconstruction of the Ishtar Gate, built in Babylon around 575 B.C.E. by King Nebuchadnezzar II. Pergamon Museum, Berlin.
    Reconstruction of the Ishtar Gate, built in Babylon around 575 B.C.E. by King Nebuchadnezzar II. Pergamon Museum, Berlin.

    Babylonian Exile (Vietnamese)

    Vào năm 597 và 587 TCN, một số cư dân của Giu-đa đã bị buộc phải lưu đày sang Ba-by-lôn.

    Ngoài Kinh Thánh, chúng ta có những bằng chứng nào khác về các hoàn cảnh xả hội ở Ba-by-lôn trong thời lưu đày?
    Lưu đày tại Ba-by-lôn đã kết thúc như thế nào?
    Read More
  • Interior view, Church of the Nat ivity, constructed 327–339 C.E.
    Interior view, Church of the Nat ivity, constructed 327–339 C.E.

    Bethlehem (Vietnamese)

    Thành phố Bết-le-hem nằm cách vài kilomet về phía nam của Giê-ru-sa-lem, là một thành phố của người Do Thái nơi Đa-vít được xức dầu làm vua Y-sơ-ra-ên. Theo truyền thống Cơ-đốc giáo Bết-le-hem cũng là nơi sinh của Giê-su.

    Bết-lê-hem quan trọng thế nào trong Do Thái cổ đại?
    Giê-su có thực sự được sinh ra tại Bết-lê-hem không?
    Read More
  • caesarea-maritima-arial
    caesarea-maritima-arial

    Caesarea Maritima

    Caesarea Maritima was a city built by Herod the Great in honor of Emperor Augustus.

    How did Herod build an artificial harbor at such a difficult location?
    What kind of city did Herod build to serve his mighty harbor?
    Read More
  • Banias
    Banias

    Caesarea Philippi

    Caesarea Philippi was a Roman city in northern Galilee.

    What has been discovered through the archaeological excavations at Banias?
    What deities were worshiped at Banias?
    Read More
  • Colossae
    Colossae

    Colossae

    Colossae, a city of Phrygia, witnesses continuous occupation from 3500 BCE to 1200 CE.

    What do we know about Colossae’s history?
    What makes Colossae of such interest?
    Read More
  • “Temple E” at Ancient Corinth.
    “Temple E” at Ancient Corinth.

    Corinth

    The city of Corinth, west of Athens in southern Greece, was part of the Roman province of Achaia and an important focus for the apostle Paul’s missionary activity.

    Was Corinth a Greek or a Roman city?
    Was Corinth a den of iniquity and idolatry?
    Read More
  • Mary and Martha-Qi
    Mary and Martha-Qi

    Early Christ Groups

    Ancient associations provide good analogies for the organization, governance, and finances of early Christ groups.

    How do we form a historically reliable picture of early Christian gatherings when Paul and other early writers tell us little directly?
    How were Christ groups organized, and how did they finance themselves?
    Read More
  • petra
    petra

    Edom

    Edom was a neighboring enemy kingdom of Judah.

    Why is the Hebrew Bible so negative about Edom?
    Did Edom deserve all this negative press?
    Read More
  • Ephesus-Artemis
    Ephesus-Artemis

    Ephesus

    Ephesus was a major Greek city in Asia Minor and is mentioned throughout the New Testament.

    Who was part of the earliest Christian communities in Ephesus?
    What role did worship of Artemis play in the development of Christianity in Ephesus?
    Read More
  • First Temple 2
    First Temple 2

    First Temple

    According to biblical tradition King Solomon built Israel’s first temple in Jerusalem, and it stood until its destruction in 586 BCE.

    Who built the First Temple and what did it look like?
    What happened to the First Temple and where are its contents now?
    Read More
  • galatiaMap
    galatiaMap

    Galatia

    Galatia, located in Modern Turkey, was a province of the Roman Empire where Paul traveled.

    Who, though, are the Galatians to whom Paul’s famous letter is written?
    The Galatians Debate in New Testament Scholarship
    Read More
  • A view of Tell es-Sultan, the site of ancient Jericho.
    A view of Tell es-Sultan, the site of ancient Jericho.

    Jericho (Vietnamese)

    Mặc dù tàn tích của Giê-ri-cô đã có trước thời đại mà các học giả Kinh Thánh cho là sự tàn phá của nó đã xảy ra, Giê-ri-cô là một trong những khu định cư lâu đời nhất trên thế giới.

    Có phải các bức tường thành của Giê-ri-cô đã thực sự sụp đổ?
    Có phải Jericho là “thành phố lâu đời nhất trên thế giới”?
    Read More
  • Yehawmilk-Stele
    Yehawmilk-Stele

    Phoenicia

    Phoenicia was an ancient Mediterranean civilization with ties to the Israelites.

    Were the Phoenicians Canaanites?
    Were the Phoenicians enemies or allies of the Israelites?
    Read More
  • Roman pedestal or pillar base, showing two chained captives, most likely about to be sold as slaves, circa 50-100 C.E.
    Roman pedestal or pillar base, showing two chained captives, most likely about to be sold as slaves, circa 50-100 C.E.

    The Roman Empire

    Rome was the major imperial power controlling the Mediterranean from roughly the first century BCE to the fifth century CE.

    How was the Roman empire structured, and how did Rome extend its power across the region?
    Read More
  • Jean David, Jerusalem.
    Jean David, Jerusalem.

    Zion

    Zion is used in the Bible to refer to Jerusalem most frequently in the Psalms and other poetic texts.

    Is Zion a military fortress, God’s dwelling, or God’s people?
    Is Zion a Woman?
    Read More
  • hagia-sophia-deesis
    hagia-sophia-deesis

    “Kingdom of God, Kingdom of Heaven”

    The Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Heaven are terms that refer to God’s rulership over creation.

    What does the idea of the kingdom of God have to do with life and society in the modern world?
    Why did Jesus sometimes say the kingdom of God is already here and at other times say that it won’t come until he returns at the end of the world?
    Read More
  • Aerial view of the Qumran excavations (from the west).
    Aerial view of the Qumran excavations (from the west).

    Dead Sea - Qumran

    Qumran is a site that was inhabited by members of a Jewish sect—apparently Essenes—who deposited the Dead Sea Scrolls in the nearby caves.

    Who lived at Qumran?
    Was Jesus an Essene?
    Read More
  • Michelangelo, The Fall and Expulsion from the Garden of Eden. Fresco, 1509–1510. Sistine Chapel, Vatican City.
    Michelangelo, The Fall and Expulsion from the Garden of Eden. Fresco, 1509–1510. Sistine Chapel, Vatican City.

    Eden

    Eden is the location of a primordial garden, from which humans were expelled for gaining the knowledge of good and evil.

    What does the Eden narrative signify?
    Who is the talking serpent?
    Read More
  • Temple of Hatshepsut at Luxor
    Temple of Hatshepsut at Luxor

    Egypt

    Egypt was an important neighboring nation of Israel and it is frequently mentioned in the Bible, where it is presented in both positive and negative terms.

    Was Egypt enemy territory for people in the Bible?
    Is Israel mentioned in Egyptian sources?
    Read More
  • Aerial view of Tel Hazor. The Bronze Age monumental buildings are covered by a roofed structure (upper-left part of the photo).
    Aerial view of Tel Hazor. The Bronze Age monumental buildings are covered by a roofed structure (upper-left part of the photo).

    Hazor

    Ancient Hazor, the largest archaeological mound in the southern Levant, is an extensively excavated major Bronze Age (Canaanite) and Iron Age (Israelite) settlement.

    Why was Hazor known as the “head of all these kingdoms?”
    Did Solomon rebuild Hazor as described in 1 Kings 9:15?
    Read More
  • dante-virgil-hell-dore
    dante-virgil-hell-dore

    Hell

    The authors of biblical texts did not conceptualize “hell” in the same way that modern individuals do.

    Is there a hell in the Bible?
    Do the book of Revelation or the letters of Paul say that non-Christians are going to hell?
    Read More
  • A view of Tell es-Sultan, the site of ancient Jericho.
    A view of Tell es-Sultan, the site of ancient Jericho.

    Jericho

    Though the ruins of Jericho predate the biblical date for its destruction, the site is one of the oldest continuously occupied settlements in the world.

    Did the walls of Jericho really tumble down?
    Was Jericho the “oldest city in the world”?
    Read More
  • Model of Jerusalem in the late Second Temple period (circa 66 CE), showing Herod’s renovations to the temple mount (top right). The Israel Museum, Jerusalem.
    Model of Jerusalem in the late Second Temple period (circa 66 CE), showing Herod’s renovations to the temple mount (top right). The Israel Museum, Jerusalem.

    Jerusalem

    Jerusalem, the most prominent city in the Bible, is the source of historical debates and the object of religious devotion.

    Does the biblical description of Jerusalem during the United Kingdom fit with history?
    How is Jerusalem important in Jewish thought?
    Read More
  • jezreel view west
    jezreel view west

    Jezreel

    Located in the fertile Jezreel Valley, Jezreel was the setting for the dramatic stories of Naboth’s vineyard and Jezebel’s death in 1 and 2 Kings.

    What was the nature of the Israelite settlement at Jezreel?
    What made Jezreel such an attractive location?
    Read More
  • Kayakers on the Jordan River near Kibbutz Amir, Israel, 2012.
    Kayakers on the Jordan River near Kibbutz Amir, Israel, 2012.

    Jordan River

    In biblical tradition, the Jordan River serves as an important geophysical and symbolic boundary as well as a place for demonstrations of the Lord's power and for ritual immersion, or baptism.

    Was the Jordan River an important geopolitical border in biblical times?
    Is the modern Christian fascination with baptism in the Jordan River justified?
    Read More
  • Jean-Honoré Fragonard, Jeroboam Offering Sacrifice for the Idol. Oil on canvas, 1752. École nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts, Paris.
    Jean-Honoré Fragonard, Jeroboam Offering Sacrifice for the Idol. Oil on canvas, 1752. École nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts, Paris.

    Kingdom of Israel

    “Kingdom of Israel” refers both to the united kingdom under Saul, David, and Solomon and to the northern kingdom of Israel, which separated from the united kingdom after the death of Solomon.

    What is the kingdom of Israel?
    Why (and when) did Israel become a separate kingdom?
    Read More
  • Israel and Judah
    Israel and Judah

    Kingdom of Judah

    The Hebrew Bible’s central focus is the fate of the kingdom of Judah, which was relatively small and subject to powerful ancient Near Eastern empires.

    What was the status of the kingdom of Judah in the ancient world?
    How did the status of the kingdom of Judah determine biblical theology?
    Read More
  • View of the reconstructed ruins of Babylon, 2005.
    View of the reconstructed ruins of Babylon, 2005.

    Mesopotamia - Babylon

    Babylon was one of the most important political, religious, and cultural centers of ancient Mesopotamia, the land between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers in present-day Iraq.

    What do the Babylonians have to do with the Hebrew Bible?
    Why did the Babylonians destroy Jerusalem and exile its people?
    Read More
  • Moab plains
    Moab plains

    Moab

    The study of Moab is so fascinating because its history reveals the complex identity politics in Israel’s outlying territories, which gave rise to a diverse array of biblical texts.

    How similar were Israel and Moab?
    Why does Moab matter?
    Read More
  • Prisoners, probably from Phoenicia or Palestine, playing lyres. Detail of a stone relief from Sennacherib’s South-West palace at Nineveh, circa 704–681 B.C.E. The British Museum, London.
    Prisoners, probably from Phoenicia or Palestine, playing lyres. Detail of a stone relief from Sennacherib’s South-West palace at Nineveh, circa 704–681 B.C.E. The British Museum, London.

    Nineveh

    Biblical references to the Neo-Assyrian city of Nineveh reflect not only the historical situation of the eighth century B.C.E. but also the city’s notoriety as a place of great wickedness.

    What do we know about the history of Nineveh?
    How is Nineveh portrayed in the Bible?
    Read More
  • philippi-cult-site
    philippi-cult-site

    Philippi

    Philippi was a Roman colony in northeastern Greece where Paul founded his first Christian congregation in Europe.

    Was being a Roman colony a privilege or a curse?
    Who are the women on the Philippian hillside?
    Read More
  • rome-forum
    rome-forum

    Rome

    Despite the city’s reputation as hostile to Christians, one of the oldest Christian communities thrived in Rome, a major ancient metropolis.

    Who were Rome’s Christians?
    How might Christians such as those hosting Paul have fared in first-century Rome?
    Read More
  • Samaria
    Samaria

    Samaria

    Samaria, the wealthy capital city of the northern kingdom of Israel, has a long and rich history attested in both the biblical text and the archaeological record.

    What does archaeology tell us about Samaria during the time of Ahab and Jezebel?
    Was Yahweh worshipped at Samaria?
    Read More
  • Reconstruction of Jerusalem and the Temple of Herod
    Reconstruction of Jerusalem and the Temple of Herod

    Second Temple

    The second temple in Jerusalem was the central place of worship for the Jewish people from ca. 515 B.C.E. until its destruction by the Romans in 70 C.E.

    How did the second temple function?
    What is the significance of the second temple in Judaism and Christianity?
    Read More
  • Sinai desert near Ein Hudra (Egypt)
    Sinai desert near Ein Hudra (Egypt)

    Sinai

    Sinai plays an important role in the Bible, less as a specific place and more as a symbol that evokes a set of related but varied ideas relating to law, covenant, and revelation.

    Revelation happened at Sinai—but what do biblical texts say was revealed?
    What did the word “Sinai” conjure up for an audience in biblical times?
    Read More

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