Jacob’s journeys encompassed almost as much territory as those of his grandfather Abraham. Unlike Isaac, who was content to live in the Negev, Jacob roamed from northwest Mesopotamia to Egypt.
BIBLE HISTORY: The Travels of Jacob
BIBLE HISTORY: The Migrations of Abraham
According to the traditional view, Abraham began his migration from Ur in the southern Mesopotamian plain. Some scholars, however, prefer an Ur located in northwestern Mesopotamia, noting that all other references to the patriarchal homeland point to that direction.
THE AMORITES: Canaanite Tribe, Semitic People First Mentioned in the Bible as Descendants of Canaan
Amorites. Semitic people found throughout the Fertile Crescent of the Near East at the beginning of the second millennium BC. Amorites are first mentioned in the Bible as descendants of Canaan in a list of ancient peoples (Gen 10:16; cf. 1 Chr 1:13–16).
BIBLE BACKGROUND: First-Century Christian and Roman Homes, and Ancient Israelite Homes
"To most people, ancient Roman homes bring to mind the beautiful Roman villas seen in Roman peplum movies, with a courtyard or an atrium and beautifully decorated rooms. These villas were called domus and only the very rich could afford to live in them." - romae-vitam.com
BIBLE BACKGROUND: Food In Bible Times
The Hebrew and Greek words rendered “food” have various literal meanings, such as “thing eaten,” “nourishment,” “bread,” and “meat," or "flesh.” After God had created Adam and Eve, he said: "'Look, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food. And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, in which there is a living soul, I have given every green plant for food.' And it was so.” Gen. 1:29-30.
Customs and Cultures of Bible Times
Customs and culture in Bible times: beard, burial, child care in a polygamous family, deeds to property, eating:, gifts, hair; head covering, king’s concubines, marriage, mourning, ripping of garments, washing of hands, whitewashing graves, women captives, and so on.
Who Were the Sadducees?
Sadducees. Jewish party cited 14 times in the NT, not referred to in the OT. In the Gospel narrative they first appear together with Pharisees at John’s baptism. He addressed them as “sons of snakes” and challenged them by asking, “Who said that you could escape the coming wrath of God?” He demanded that they... Continue Reading →
Psalm 91:11 BDC: Do You Have A Guardian Angel?
Does the Bible say that angels do not help humans or only helped humans in Bible times? No. (Psalm 91:11) Some Christians feel quite strongly that God has delivered them with angelic protection and direction in their life. Let's see what the Bible says and what we can infer from the Scriptures.
BIBLE BACKGROUNDS: The Two Worlds of Politics and Society and Early Christianity
A. POLITICAL There were three political entities in this world at the time of Christ. They were the Roman, the Hellenistic, and the Jewish states. The first two were closely tied together, and the third kept its sovereignty from the others. Let us begin with the state of the Romans. ROMAN EMPIRE The empire of... Continue Reading →
BIBLE BACKGROUNDS: The Trial of Jesus
Jesus had just observed the Passover with his disciples. He instituted what is now known as the Lord’s Table. He agonized in the garden of Gethsemane. There we witness the struggle of Jesus and how he acted under pressure. We see his absolute surrender to the will of the heavenly Father. Judas Iscariot betrayed... Continue Reading →