The Lands of Scripture

The Jordan Valley town where Elisha was plowing when Elijah called him to be a prophet.

“Meadow of dancing”

The Median capital where the scroll of Cyrus’s decree to rebuild the temple was found.

One of the five cities of the plain, overthrown with Sodom and Gomorrah.

“Red earth, ground”

The cave stronghold where David gathered his band of outlaws and mighty men.

The town near Bethel where Abraham pitched his tent — and where Israel later met defeat, then victory, under Joshua.

“The ruin, the heap”

The priestly town of Benjamin — the home of the prophet Jeremiah.

The Asia Minor city where Paul preached his great synagogue sermon and turned to the Gentiles.

“Named for Antiochus”

The city in Syria where believers were first called "Christians" (Acts 11:26). It became the launching point for Paul's three missionary journeys and was a major center of the early Gentile church.

“Named for Antiochus, a Seleucid royal name”

Where the Philistines mustered and captured the ark of God from Israel.

“Fortress; riverbed”

The Canaanite city of the Negev whose king attacked Israel — and whose destruction gave a place its name.

The Philistine city where the captured ark toppled the idol Dagon.

“Fortress, stronghold”

The Philistine seaport on the Mediterranean — where Samson struck down thirty men.

The great Greek city of philosophers where Paul preached the unknown God at the Areopagus.

“Named for the goddess Athena”

The Moabite height where Balaam blessed Israel — and where Israel fell into idolatry and immorality.

“Peor = "opening, cleft"; Baal-peor = "lord of Peor"”

The landmark — likely a shrine of a sea-god — opposite Israel’s last camp before the crossing.

“Lord of the north (a Canaanite deity)”

The capital of the Babylonian Empire that destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple in 586 BC and took Judah into captivity. A symbol of worldly power and rebellion against God throughout Scripture.

“Confusion (Hebrew Babel); Akkadian "gate of god"”

The fertile northern Transjordan kingdom of the giant Og — proverbial for its strong cattle and great oaks.

“Fertile plain (traditional)”

The desert well where Hagar met the God who sees — and where Isaac later made his home.

“The well of the Living One who sees me”

The southern frontier town of wells and oaths, marking the edge of the Promised Land — "from Dan to Beersheba."

“Well of the oath / well of seven”

The Macedonian town whose "noble" people searched the Scriptures daily to test Paul’s message.

The mountain pass where God cast down great hailstones on the fleeing Amorite kings.

“House of Horon (a deity) / house of the hollow”

The valley fortress on whose wall the Philistines displayed the bodies of Saul and his sons.

“House of (the god) Shan”

The Israelite town to which the ark returned, drawn by cows on a new cart from Philistia.

“House of the sun”

The village near Jerusalem, home of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus, where Jesus raised the dead.

“House of dates / house of affliction”

Where Jacob dreamed of a ladder to heaven — later a chief sanctuary, and then a centre of idolatry.

“House of God”

The city of David and the birthplace of Jesus Christ, fulfilling the prophecy of Micah 5:2. A small town about 6 miles south of Jerusalem.

“House of Bread”

The fishing town by the Sea of Galilee — home of Peter, Andrew, and Philip.

“House of fishing”

The chief city of Edom, named in the prophets’ oracles of judgment and of the LORD’s coming vengeance.

“Sheepfold, fortress”

The Roman provincial capital on the coast — where the gospel first reached the Gentiles and Paul was imprisoned.

“Named in honour of Caesar”

The town at the foot of Mount Hermon where Peter confessed Jesus as the Christ.

“Caesarea of Philip”

The Galilean village where Jesus turned water into wine — the first of his miraculous signs.

“Place of reeds”

The fishing town on the Sea of Galilee that Jesus made the base of his Galilean ministry — "his own city."

“Village of Nahum”

The Euphrates stronghold where Nebuchadnezzar crushed Egypt — the battle that gave Babylon the world.

The cave Abraham bought at Hebron as a burial place — the tomb of the patriarchs and their wives.

“Double (cave)”

The eastern harbour of Corinth, with its own church and the deaconess Phoebe.

A Galilean town near Capernaum on which Jesus pronounced a woe for unbelief.

The Lycus-valley town to which Paul wrote Colossians, exalting the supremacy of Christ.

The wealthy, cosmopolitan Greek port where Paul founded a church and to which he wrote 1 & 2 Corinthians.

The Mediterranean island Paul’s ship sheltered along — where he later left Titus to order the churches.

The Mediterranean island home of Barnabas — first stop of Paul’s first missionary journey.

“Copper (the island named the metal)”

The ancient Syrian capital on the road to which Saul of Tarsus met the risen Christ and became Paul.

“Well-watered (traditional)”

The northernmost city of Israel — conquered by the migrating Danites and later a centre of idolatry.

“Judge”

The hill-country city, once "city of the book," won by Othniel — who gained Achsah as his bride.

“Sanctuary / oracle; old name = "city of the book"”

The Lycaonian city where Paul made many disciples — the turning point of his first journey.

A chief city of Moab — and the find-spot of the famous Moabite Stone (Mesha Stele).

The pasture town where Joseph was sold by his brothers — and where Elisha later saw the hills full of fire.

“Two wells / cisterns”

The city of Bashan where Israel defeated the giant king Og.

A major empire of the ancient world. Israel was enslaved there for 430 years before the Exodus. Egypt also served as a place of refuge for Abraham, Jacob's family, and the infant Jesus.

“Hebrew Mitzrayim”

The northernmost Philistine city — last stop of the ark, and shrine of Baal-zebub.

“Uprooting / barren place”

The ancient kingdom east of Babylon — homeland of Susa, and a nation under the prophets’ oracles.

The desert oasis of twelve springs and seventy palm trees where Israel rested.

“Great trees / palms”

The village on the road to which the risen Jesus was made known in the breaking of bread.

“Warm springs”

The Dead Sea oasis where David spared Saul’s life in the cave.

“Spring of the kid (young goat)”

The village where the desperate King Saul sought out a medium on the eve of his death.

“Spring of Dor”

The great city of Asia, home of the temple of Artemis, where Paul ministered for three years.

One of the first cities of Nimrod’s kingdom in the land of Shinar — the ancient Uruk.

The camp "in the edge of the wilderness" where the pillar of cloud and fire led Israel.

The greatest river of the Bible — a river of Eden and the promised northern boundary of the land.

A wilderness station on the Red Sea — later the seaport from which Solomon’s fleet sailed for Ophir.

The country east of the Sea of Galilee where Jesus cast a legion of demons into a herd of swine.