Geographist

We cruised past 130,000 hits last week - thank you all, and let's keep pushing towards 150k!! Hivites Key Scripture: Exodus 23:22-24 Figures: Shechem, Hamor, Oholibamah This week's subject is somewhat different from the rest of the people groups who lived in the Promised Land, as all of the named Hivite individuals come from Genesis rather than the time of Joshua.  They did play an important role during the war of conquest, however, but while their cities were identified we are not given the names of any specific people.  Over time, the Hivites were connected to various locations within the region where the twelve tribes would settle, and in particular their cities would eventually be settled by Benjamin, Ephraim, and Manasseh (interestingly, these are the three tribes descended from Jacob's younger wife, Rachel).  But they were also said to have possessed regions to the north, including portions of modern Jordan and Syria, and according to one theory may also be linked t...

Girgashites Key Scripture: Joshua 24:11 Figures: none You may have noticed there are a variety of "Key Scriptures" that all deal with the inhabitants of the Promised Land, rather than a simple repetition the same passage each week.  It's been my hope that by looking up each one of these you'll get to see a wider range of God's communication with his people, first promising to provide a place for them, then commanding them how to act, and finally following through on His side of the covenant.  This week we delve into the mystery of the Girgashites, a group of people who are listed among the nations who Israel is to destroy and dispossess.  Biblically and historically, however, not much is known for certain about the group.  As such, we'll look into where they came from and explore some of the ideas that have been developed about their movements and ultimate destiny. Like other groups inhabiting the land where Joshua and the Hebrew people invaded, the Girgashite...

Hittites Key Scripture: Exodus 3:7-8 Figures: Heth, Ephron, Ahimelech, Uriah This week we will delve into another one of the people groups who lived in the Promised Land prior to the people of Israel invading under the leadership of Joshua.  But this study is more complicated and uncertain that others, because historians, linguists, and archaeologists have long disputed and wrestled with the identity of one or more civilizations that have held the name of "Hittite".  Scripture may ultimately reference two separate groups with the same name in the translations we now use, so in this lesson we'll break down the information available and allow the reader to draw conclusions on identity.   The first reference to the Hittites could be written as "Heth-ites", as they are listed in Genesis as the offspring of Heth, the son of Canaan.  This family tree is obviously closely related to the other inhabitants of the land that God promised Abraham, and the patriarch himself ...

Jebusites Key Scripture: Joshua 3:10 Figures: Melchizedek, Adoni-zedek, Araunah As we continue digging through the people groups of the Bible, this week we learn about the second nation within Canaan that the Israelites encountered.  The Jebusites were the final group mentioned specifically by God to Abraham when describing the Promised Land, and were one of seven nations that He commanded the twelve tribes to destroy during their conquest.  Because they are listed last, it may be that they were numerically the smallest of the inhabitants.  Geographically, the Jebusites are only associated with the area immediately surrounding Jerusalem, and were known to live in the hill country for centuries.  Culturally, they have a complicated history, with religious beliefs that may have changed over time from a worship of God to pagan practices that included idolatry, immorality, and possibly even child sacrifice. First mentioned in the Table of Nations in Genesis 10, we k...