Page 77 - Bible Geography and Near East Studies - Textbook w videos short

Shechem/Nablus
Ancient Shechem lay in very close proximity to modern-day Nablus, between two prominent hills called
Mt. Ebal and Mt. Gerizim (see picture previous page). Much biblical history took place here.
Abraham pitched his tent in this area (Genesis 12:6-8). After he had settled there (Genesis 33:18-19),
two of Jacob’s sons killed all the men of Shechem in revenge of their sister’s rape (Genesis 34). When
Joshua led his people past Jericho and Ai into the heart of the Promised Land, they renewed the covenant
at Shechem. Using the valley as an natural amphitheater, Joshua had half the people stand on the slopes
of Mt. Ebal and the other half stand opposite them on the slopes of Mt. Gerizim (Joshua 8:30-33). Joshua
also had the bones of Joseph buried at Shechem (Joshua 24:32).
When Rehoboam rebelled against Judah, he made Shechem the first capital of the northern kingdom (1
Kings 12:1).
In the New Testament, this is the site where Jesus met a woman at a well (John 4) while traveling
through Samaria. The well was likely the same one known as “Jacob’s Well.” Have you noticed her
description of the area, as she stood in the valley between Gerizim and Ebal? “Our ancestors worshiped
on this mountain,” she told Jesus, “but you Jews claim the place you must worship is in Jerusalem.” (John
4:20) Once again, the land of the Bible agrees perfectly with even the slightest geographic description
given in Scripture.

Mt. Gilboa
The Gilboa Mountain Range stretches nearly from Megiddo in the middle of the Jezreel Valley to the
Jordan River Valley. Just as the Carmel Range does on the western side of the Jezreel, the Gilboa Range
provides a natural barrier and boundary marker on the
eastern side of the valley.

Mt. Gilboa proper (1,696 feet above sea level) is where
Saul and his three sons lost their lives in a losing fight
against the Philistines. Saul’s sons were killed in battle.
Saul fell on his own sword when he saw that all was lost
(1 Samuel 31:4). The bodies of all four men were pinned
to the walls of ancient Bet She’an, the large city that
guards the junction of the Jezreel and Jordan River
valleys.

At the foot of Gilboa is the Spring of Harod, where
Gideon pared his fighting forces from 22,000 men to
only 300 (Judges 7) before taking the fertile valley back from the invading Midianites.

Mt. Carmel

Mt. Carmel is more than a single mountain. The Carmel Mountain Range is a series of connected hills
that begin in dramatic fashion at modern-day Haifa, seeming to come right out of the Mediterranean
Sea. The hills rise steeply out of the Jezreel Valley, at times nearly 1,800 feet. The range is some five
miles thick and about 12 miles long. This formed a formidable natural barrier for ancient armies,
travelers and traders. An effective ruler like King Solomon could funnel all traffic inland to a narrow pass
at Megiddo.

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