Page 77 - Biblical Backgrounds

contemporary of Abraham. It was
known as the political seat of
southern Mesopotamia; the region
of Babylonia was referred to as
“the land of the Chaldeans” (Jer.
24:5; Ezek. 12:13). It is an
extensive province in Central Asia
[modern-day Baghdad] along the
valley of the Tigris from the
Persian Gulf northward for some
300 miles. It was famed for its
fertility and riches. Its capital was
the city of Babylon, a great
commercial center. (Ezek. 17:4;
98
Isa. 43:14)

Babylon was “one of the most important cities of Mesopotamia, whose ancient name probably meant
‘the gate of the gods’. The ancient Hebrews understood the name differently: ‘Therefore is the name of
it called Babel; because the Lord did there confound the language of all the earth’ (Gen. 11:9). Babylon is
99
the Greek form of the name.” In the Assyrian tablets, it means “The city of the dispersion of the
tribes.” It stood on the Euphrates, about 200 miles above its junction with the Tigris, which flowed
through its midst and divided it into two almost equal parts. Under Nebuchadnezzar, it became one of
the most splendid cities of the ancient world. 100

The geography of Babylonia was significantly different from that of the land of Judea: Unlike Judea,
Babylonia was mainly a flat land with desert-like conditions, while minimal rainfall allowed the land of
Judea to support dryland farming. In Babylon, life was mainly dependent on the water supply from the
Tigris and Euphrates rivers. Farming was mainly through irrigation with these two rivers as water
sources. Due to its flatness, the land suffered from poor water drainage. High temperatures cause the
fast-evaporating water to leave behind an accumulation of salts in the soil. This made farming conditions
harsher. “The exiles settled in the alluvial plain to the north, where they found an irrigation culture and
a civilization based on sun, soil, and water. People there formed clay into bricks for houses, into clay
pots for utensils, and into tablets for writing material. The rich soil yielded abundant food crops and
produced cotton and flax (linen) for clothing, with sheep providing the wool. The abundance of
production provided a surplus for export to exchange for metal, stone, and wood.” 101

Government and Politics

98 Easton, M. G. (1893). In Easton’s Bible dictionary. New York: Harper & Brothers.
99 Negev, A. (1990). In The Archaeological encyclopedia of the Holy Land (3rd ed.). New York: Prentice Hall Press.

100 Easton, M. G. (1893). In Easton’s Bible dictionary. New York: Harper & Brothers.

101 Vos, H. F. (1999). Nelson’s new illustrated Bible manners & customs: how the people of the Bible really lived (pp.
303–304). Nashville, TN: T. Nelson Publishers.

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