Geographist

Cushites Key Scripture: 2 Kings 19:9-10 Figures: Moses' wife, Zerah, Tirhakah This week we will look at another kingdom that is believed to come from the area along the Red Sea, south of modern day Israel - Cush.  Although it is mentioned dozens of times throughout Scripture, there remains some debate about its precise identity.  The consensus view, however, is that the Cushites were a people group that was established along the Nile, upstream from Egypt.  Many Biblical translations use the word "Ethiopia" to describe the nation, but it almost certainly does not correspond to the modern nation that bears that name.  Let's look through the Biblical and historical details of a people group that played an important role in the history of the Hebrew people. Cush is the name of one grandson of Noah, born to Ham, but the first Biblical mention of an area carrying that name actually appears in a geographic discussion of the Garden of Eden in Genesis 2.  The Gihon, one of fou

Sheba Key Scripture: 1 Kings 10:1 Figures: Queen of Sheba This week we're going to take a break away from the nations that conquered or oppressed the Hebrew people to spend some time looking at people groups who had to travel longer distances to be included in the Biblical narrative.  This week we'll look at a location that was known to be exceptionally wealthy but has caused scholars a bit of difficulty, due in part to literature that has uncertain levels of credibility.  Without making a definite conclusion one way or the other, let's take a look at the land of Sheba and try to understand its location, history, and importance. In the midst of the so-called Table of Nations found in Genesis 10, readers are introduced to a great-grandson of Ham named Sheba.  He was the son of Raamah, who was in turn the son of Cush.  As we've discovered previously, the majority of Ham's offspring settled to the south and west of the known world, including the Promised Land and porti

Midianites Key Scripture: Genesis 25:1-6 Figures: Jethro, Cozbi, Oreb, Zeeb, Zebah, Zalmunna Several weeks ago we studied a group known as the Kenites, who lived in the land of Midian and adopted Moses as one of their own after he left Egypt the first time.  This week we will expand on that story to understand more about the larger nation of the Midianites, as well as something more about their region.  As the land itself was rough and unforgiving, which as best we can tell was situated in what is now the northwest portion of modern Saudi Arabia, the inhabitants were nomadic in order to keep their herds constantly moving in search of water and good grazing.  This understanding, combined with the fact that the Bible and other historical texts provide little detail on the region, means the exact extents of Midian are nearly impossible to define.  But for our purposes we'll work with what we know and consider the assumptions of experts who have studied the Midianites more fully. Settl

First, a note of thanks to all my readers - we hit 150,000 views on July 4, which seems quite appropriate given this blog's regular focus on history.  I appreciate every single click! Syrians Key Scripture:  Figures: Cushan-rishathaim, Ben-hadad, Naaman, Hazael, Rezin, Luke Sometimes readers of the Bible get the nations of Syria and Assyria mixed up, and for some good reasons.  Both occupy areas northwest of the land of the Hebrews, both had periods of control or influence throughout the region, and obviously their names sound similar in English.  But the nation we're studying this week, Syria, is much more closely related to the Jews and has endured to modern times.  They are also known as Aram in many translations, which may sound familiar when you remember that Abraham was described as a "wandering Aramean" in Deuteronomy 26:5.  Throughout the Old Testament the land of the Syrians is mentioned, acting at times as friend, foe, or example to the children of Israel, a