The Land of Israel's Natural Features

Deuteronomy 27:3 - "And you shall write on them all the words of this law, when you cross over to enter the land that the Lord your God is giving you, a land flowing with milk and honey, as the Lord, the God of your fathers, has promised you."

Map of the Natural Features of the Land of Israel

The Lord gave the descendents of Abraham the land of Israel.

Israel is a small strip of land is roughly 150 miles long and 50 miles wide. It has a very strategic location bordering three continents, and was located in the center of the ancient world and its empires. Babylon, Persia, and Assyria to the East, Greece and Rome to the northwest, and Egypt to the south. The land of Israel has a very unique topography with five natural divisions that are parallel to one another running across the entire land from north to south like verticle strips. Starting from the Mediterranean Sea there was first the very fertile Maritime Plain, which extended inland for about 10 miles. Second was the Shephelah, which were the fertile foothills. Third was the Hill Country, which were large hills that turned into mountains in the far north, Jerusalem and Bethlehem were located in the hill country. Fourth was the Jordan Valley, the deepest land trench in the world which was 1300 feet below sea level and very hot and tropical. Fifth was the Eastern Mountain Range which was located on the east side of the Jordan River. Another interesting feature is the Plain of Esdralon which actually went horizontally across the land from Mount Carmel to the Sea of Galilee. This is also referred to as the Valley of Armageddon where the Bible says the final battle will take place before the Lord returns.

Deuteronomy 27:3 - "And you shall write on them all the words of this law, when you cross over to enter the land that the Lord your God is giving you, a land flowing with milk and honey, as the Lord, the God of your fathers, has promised you."

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The Story of the Bible - Part One - The Old Testament