Page 28 - Bible Geography and Near East Studies

River is the lifeblood of
the land. It is actually
two rivers, the White
Nile, which rises in the
Victoria, and the Blue
Nile, which rises in the
Abyssinian Mountains.
These two rivers unite
in the town of
Khartoum and from
there flow 1,800 miles
north to the
Mediterranean Sea through their two branches. Its length, measured by its course, is around 3,700
th
miles, the longest in the world. The river rises 24 feet at Cairo between the 20 and 30 of September
th
and falls as much by the middle of May, like clockwork.
Archeologists have had a field day discovering artifacts in the tombs of the kings and temples. The
archaeological discoveries have also impressed scientists with respect for Biblical historical accuracy.
Discoveries like the Rosetta Stone and others confirm the historicity of the Bible.

The yellow area on the map above is a map of ancient Egypt at the time of Moses. Notice that the
Egyptian Empire covered the entire northeastern corner of Africa and all the Middle East up to Turkey.

The Egyptians controlled this area of land from 3050 BC through the Ptolemaic period in 30 BC, when it
was finally conquered by the Romans. The history of ancient Egypt occurred as a series of stable
kingdoms called dynasties separated by periods of relative instability known as the Intermediate Periods
(three of them). Throughout this period of time, Egypt was invaded a number of times by the Hyksos,
the Libyans, Assyrians, Persians, and finally the Macedonians under the command of Alexander the
Great.

Let’s Practice…

1. Why was Isaac’s birth so miraculous?

2. What was Isaac’s primary home base?

3. What is significant about the childhood journey of Isaac to Mt. Moriah?

4. Why is Beersheba such an important landmark in Israel?

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