Bible Atlas: A Manual of Biblical Geography and History

Chapter II: Of the

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PATRIARCHS c. 2103 Joseph.
2100
------------------------------------------------------------------------
PERIOD c. 2075

c. 2060 B.C.
+------------
|
| c. 2045.
2000 |
------------------------------------------------------------------------
| c. 1993.
OF THE |
| THE
|
|
|
|
|
1500 |
------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
CHOSEN |
| SOJOURN IN
1400 |
------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
| c. 1330 Moses.
FAMILY. |
| EGYPT.
1300 |
------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
| c. 1260 Joshua.
1250 B.C. | 1250
--------------+============--------------------------------------
|
| WANDERING
|
|
III. | 1210 c. 1210
+------------
1200 | CONQUEST.
---------------------|---------------------------------------------------
PERIOD | 1180 c. 1180
+------------ c. 1170. Othniel, Judge.
OF |
| RULE
ISRAELITE |
| OF THE c. 1130. Gideon, Judge.
PEOPLE |
| JUDGES.
|
| c. 1100. Jephthah, Judge.
1100 |
---------------------|--------------------------------------------------
| c. 1080. Samuel, Judge.
|
1050 B.C. | 1050 c. 1050. Saul, King.
----------------------------------------------------------------
| UNITY
|
IV. | c. 1010. David, King.
|
1000 |
------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
| 970. Solomon, King.
|
| 935 KINGS OF ISRAEL. KINGS OF JUDAH.
+---------935. Jeroboam. 935. Rehoboam.
PERIOD
900
------------------------------------------------------------------------
875. Ahab
870. Jehoshaphat.

842. Jehu. 842. Athaliah, usurper.
OF DIVISION 836. Jehoash.
800
------------------------------------------------------------------------
799. Joash.
783. Jeroboam II. 783. Uzziah.

741. Menahem.

500
------------------------------------------------------------------------
PERIOD

PERSIAN 458. Ezra.

444. Nehemiah.

(END OF OLD
TESTAMENT)

400
------------------------------------------------------------------------
RULE

350. Jaddua, High Priest.

OF 330 B.C. 330. Onias, High Priest.
+---------
|
|
| 300. Simon the Just, High Priest.
300 |
-------------------|----------------------------------------------------
|
| GREEK
JEWISH |
| RULE
200 |
-------------------|----------------------------------------------------
|
|
|
|
| 168 B.C.
+---------
PROVINCE | 166. Judas Maccabeus.
| JEWISH
|
| INDEPENDENCE
100 |
------------------------------------------------------------------------
| 63. Antipater.
|
|
| 43 B.C. 43. Herod the Great.
+--------

A.D.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
ROMAN

26. Pontius Pilate, Procurator.
41. Herod Agrippa I. King of Judea.
52. Felix, Procurator.
60. Festus, Procurator.

RULE
------------------------------------------------------------------------
100

B.C. IV.
THE HISTORY OF ISRAEL.

[All the dates in this column are uncertain above 1000 B.C.,
and are given tentatively. The dates are not
sufficient for a complete and sure chronology].

2500
------------------------------------------------------------------------

2400
------------------------------------------------------------------------

2300
------------------------------------------------------------------------
c. 2280(?)--Call and Migration of Abraham.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
c. 2270(?)--Abraham's Victory over the Five Kings. [Gen. 14]

c. 2232(?)--The Offering of Isaac on Mount Moriah.

2200
------------------------------------------------------------------------
c. 2180(?) Death of Abraham.

c. 2120(?)--Jacob's Vision and Journey to Padan-aram.
c. 2103(?)--Jacob's Return to Canaan.
2100
------------------------------------------------------------------------
c. 2084(?)--Joseph Sold into Egypt.
c. 2073(?)--Joseph Ruler in Egypt.
c. 2060(?)--Jacob and his Family go down
to Egypt; Beginning of the SOJOURN OF THE ISRAELITES.

c. 2045(?)--Death of Jacob in Egypt.

2000
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1993(?)--Death of Joseph in Egypt.
The Israelites remain in the Land of Goshen, between Egypt
and the Wilderness, from about 2062 to 1250 B.C. [dates very
very uncertain]. During most of this period the Hyksos or
Shepherd-Kings, friendly to the Israelites, were ruling in
Egypt.

1500--The Israelites still in Egypt.
1500
------------------------------------------------------------------------

1400
------------------------------------------------------------------------

About 1330(?) begins the Oppression of the Israelites under
Dynasty XIX. in Egypt. About the same time 1330(?)
Moses was born. All the dates of this period are uncertain.
1300
------------------------------------------------------------------------

1250 1250(?)--The Exodus of the Israelites from Egypt. End of the
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sojourn; Beginning of the History of Israel as a People.
Death of Moses.

1210(?)--The Israelites enter the Land of Canaan, and begin the
Conquest of Canaan. Battle of Beth-horon, 1210(?).
1200
------------------------------------------------------------------------

1180(?)--Death of Joshua.
1170(?)--Age of the Judges in Israel begins.

1130--Gideon ruling in Israel.

1100
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1080--Samuel, the last of the Judges.

1050 1050--Coronation of Saul, King of Israel.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

1010--David King over Judah.
1003--David King over Israel.
1000
------------------------------------------------------------------------
990--David conquers Syria, Moab, and Edom.
970--Solomon, King of Israel, Syria, Moab, and Edom.

935--Division of the Kingdom. Jeroboam, King of Ten Tribes
(Israel). Rehoboam, King of Judah.

900
------------------------------------------------------------------------
875--Worship of Baal introduced into Israel by Jezebel.
870--Elijah the Prophet.

842--Jehu King of Judah. Athaliah usurper in Judah.
836--Revolution in Judah under Jehoiada, the Priest.
800
------------------------------------------------------------------------
799--Joash, King of Israel.
783--Jeroboam II., King of Israel. Israelite power;
Prophet Amos.

769--Uzziah, King of Israel; Age of Prosperity.
748--Prophet Hosea in Israel.
738--Prophet Isaiah begins his Ministry. Jotham, King of Judah.
730--Hoshea, last King of Israel.

721--Fall of Samaria. Israel carried captive by
Sargon II. of Assyria.

701--Sennacherib's invasion of Judah.
700
------------------------------------------------------------------------

647--Manasseh a captive at Babylon; but released later.

628--Prophet Jeremiah begins Ministry.
621--Josiah begins great reforms. Finding of the Book of the
Law.

608--Death of Josiah in battle at Megiddo. Necho of Egypt
invades Judah. Jehoiakim, King of Judah.
606--First visit of Nebuchadnezzar to Judah; first group of
Captives to Babylon.
600
------------------------------------------------------------------------
598--Chaldeans invade Judah a second time.
592--Prophet Ezekiel in Chaldea.

586--Fall of Jerusalem; end of Kingdom of Judah; Jews taken
to Babylon.
536--Decree of Cyrus, King of Persia, permitting return of
Exiled Jews.
535--Rebuilding of Temple begun. 522--Discontinued.
520--Prophets Haggai and Zechariah.
515--Second Temple completed.
500
------------------------------------------------------------------------

478--Esther's deliverance.
458--Ezra's visit to Jerusalem.

444--Nehemiah rebuilds the Wall of Jerusalem.
440--Separation of Samaritans from Jews.

400 400(?)--Malachi, last of Old Testament Prophets.
(END OF OLD
TESTAMENT)
------------------------------------------------------------------------

350--Jaddua, High Priest.
332--Visit of Alexander the Great to Judea.
330--Onias, High Priest.

305--Jerusalem taken by Ptolemy Lagus, of Egypt.
Judea subject to Egypt.
300--Simon the First, High Priest.
300
------------------------------------------------------------------------
275(?)--Translation of the Old Testament into Greek begun
(Septuagint.)

200
------------------------------------------------------------------------
197--Palestine annexed to kingdom of Syria under
Antiochus III.

168--Persecution of the Jews by Antiochus IV. (Epiphanes).
168--Revolt of Mattathias against Syrian rule.
166--Judas Maccabeus, Liberator and Ruler of Judea.
142--Simon, brother of Judas, High Priest and Ruler.

107--Aristobulus assumes title of King of Judea.
105--Rise of Sects, Pharisees and Sadducees.
100
------------------------------------------------------------------------
63--Jerusalem taken by Pompey; Romans intervene in Judea.
63--Antipater, Ruler, under Roman authority.

43--Herod the Great made King by Roman Senate.

A.D. 4 B.C.--Jesus born at Bethlehem. 4 B.C.--Death of Herod.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

26 A.D.--Ministry of John the Baptist.

30 A.D.--Crucifixion, Resurrection, and Ascension of Christ.
37--Conversion of St. Paul.

50--Council of Christian Church at Jerusalem.
68--Revolt of Jews against Roman Empire.
68--Martyrdom of St. Paul.
70--Destruction of Jerusalem by Titus.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
100

B.C. V. VI.
EGYPT. KINGDOMS OF THE EAST.

4700(?)--Egypt founded by Menes.
Old Kingdom (Dynasties I.-X.). 4500 B.C.--Kingdoms existing in
Memphis earliest capital. Babylonia.
4000(?)--City of Babylon
founded.
3900(?)--Rise of Ur to power.
3500(?)--Pyramids built
(Dynasty IV.).
3000--Nineveh in existence.
2900(?)--Middle kingdom begins
(Dynasties XI.-XVII.)
2500 B.C.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

2454(?)--First dynasty of kings
begins to reign at Babylon
with Su-mu-abi.
Eleven kings reigning 2454 to
2151(?).
2400
------------------------------------------------------------------------

During the middle kingdom, 2900-1570
B.C. Thebes was capital until about
2000 B.C. The dates are very uncertain,
but between 2500 and 2000 B.C. the
kingdom declined. 12th Dynasty 2500-2300.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

2280(?)--Hammurabi (Amraphel(?))
(Gen. 14), sixth king of the
first dynasty reigning at
Babylon. He conquered many
states, established a code of
laws, and may be regarded as
founder of the early
Babylonian Empire.
2300
------------------------------------------------------------------------

2150(?)--Second dynasty of kings
at Babylon begins with
An-ma-an. (According to
records, not certain, it
lasted until 1783 B.C.)

------------------------------------------------------------------------

About 2000 B.C. Lower Egypt
fell under the power of invaders
from the desert, who were called
Hyksos, or Shepherd Kings. Their
capital was Tanis, or Zoan. Very
little is known of their history,
and their names cannot be given
with certainty, as their memory
was hated by the rulers that
followed them, and their
inscriptions may have been
obliterated. They ruled Egypt
until about 1570 B.C.(?), though
the dates both of their conquest
and their departure are 2000--Ishkibal, fourth king of
uncertain. second dynasty, reigning at
Babylon.
2000
------------------------------------------------------------------------
About 1570 the war of liberation
from the Hyksos began under
Dynasty XVIII., and the New
Kingdom opened.
1570-1320(?)--Dynasty XVIII. 1800--An Assyrian Kingdom in
reigning (Amosis, Amenophis, existence, but subject to
Queen Hatasu, Thutmosis (or Babylon. Asshur, its capital.
Thotmes) III., Amenophis II.,
Amenophis III., Amenophis 1782--Third dynasty of kings of
IV.). A period of conquest. Babylon, beginning with
Egyptian invasion of Syria Gandish, reigning 1782-1767.
about 1490(?) (Thutmosis III.). This dynasty, known as
Battle of Esdraelon in Canaan. Kassites, came from Elam,
Tell-el-Amarna letters written conquered Babylonia, and
in reigns of Amenophis III. held rule until 1207. Not
and IV. much is known of Babylonian
history during this period;
but the kingdom was
declining.

1500-1207--Kassite dynasty
1500 still reigning at Babylon.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

1430--Assur-nadin-akhi. King of
Assyria. (From this reign,
regular lists of Assyrian
kings; and their kingdom
grows in power.)
1400
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1359(?)--Dynasty XIX. begins.
Seti I. powerful ruler and conqueror.
Rameses II., "Pharaoh of the Oppression"(?).
Merenepthah, "Pharaoh of the Exodus"(?).
Decline of Egyptian power. Rameses III.,
date unknown.

1300(?)--Shalmaneser I., King
of Assyria, begins conquests.
1300 Calah becomes capital.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1290(?)--Tukulti-ninib, King
of Assyria, conquers Babylon;
but it soon regains its
independence. Babylonian
Kingdom declining in power.

1207-1075--Dynasty of Isin in
Babylon; wars between Assyria
and Babylonia; continued
decline of Babylonia and rise
1200 of Assyria.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

1120-1090--Tiglath-pileser I.,
the first great king of
Assyria, conqueror over many
lands. THE ASSYRIAN EMPIRE
1100 begins.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1089(?)--Dynasty XXI. begins; a line of
kings of foreign race who obtained control
in Egypt.

1000
------------------------------------------------------------------------

925--Shishak, King of Egypt, invades
Judah, and takes many cities.

900(?)--Zerah, the Ethiopian (Osorkon II.),
900 invades Egypt.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
885-860--Assur-nazir-pal, King
of Assyria.

860-825--Shalmaneser II., King.
854--Victory of Shalmaneser
over Syrians and Israelites
(under King Ahab) at Karkar.
842--Jehu, King of Israel, pays
tribute to Shalmaneser.

800--Babylon under Assyrian
800 control.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

745-727--Tiglath-pileser III.,
King of Assyria; great
conqueror; receives tribute
from Menahem, King of Israel.
732--Damascus taken.

725--Hoshea, King of Israel, in 727-722--Shalmaneser IV., King.
Alliance with So (or Sabakon), 725--Siege of Samaria begun.
King of Egypt. 722-705--Sargon II., King of
Assyria.
704-687--Sennacherib, King.
701--Defeat of Tirkahah by Nineveh made capital.
700 Sennacherib, King of Assyria.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
674--Invasion of Egypt by 680-668--Esar-haddon, King.
Esar-haddon, King of Assyria. 674--Egypt invaded by
665--Destruction of Thebes by Assyrians. Empire of Assyria
the Assyrians. at its culmination.
668-626--Assur-bani-pal, King.
Decline of Assyrian Empire
begins.
625-604--Nabopolassar, King of
Babylon, founder of Chaldean
Empire.
609--FALL OF ASSYRIAN EMPIRE.
Nineveh destroyed by the
Medes.
608--Victory of Nebuchadnezzar,
son of Nabopolassar, over
Necho, King of Egypt, at
606--Necho, King of Egypt, Carchemish. CHALDEAN EMPIRE
defeated at Carchemish by begins (606-536).
Nebuchadnezzar. 604-562--Nebuchadnezzar, King
600 of Babylon.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
586--Jerusalem taken and
destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar.
567--Egypt invaded by 585-573--Siege of Tyre by
Nebuchadnezzar, but not held. Nebuchadnezzar.
562--Rapid decline of Chaldean
power after death of
Nebuchadnezzar.
558-536--Nabonidus, last king
of Babylon. He associates
his son Belshazzar in the
government.
553--Cyrus, the Persian,
conquers the Medes. Beginning
of Persian power.
536--Babylon taken by Cyrus.
525--Egypt conquered by Persians End of Chaldean Empire.
under Cambyses and annexed to 530-330--THE PERSIAN EMPIRE.
the Persian empire. From that 529-521--Cambyses, King of
time until 332 Egypt was under Persia. Egypt conquered.
Persian rule. 521-486--Darius, King of
500 Persia.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
491--Darius, King of Persia,
invades Greece. 490--Battle
of Marathon. Greeks
victorious over Persians.
486-466--Xerxes (Ahasuerus in
book of Esther), King of
Persia.
481--Expedition of Xerxes into
Greece.
480--Battles of Thermopylae and
Salamis.
466-425--Artaxerxes Longimanus,
King of Persia. Empire
declining in power.
425--Xerxes II., King of Persia.
400 424-404--Darius II., King.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

361--Artaxerxes (or Darius)
Ochus, King of Persia.

336--Darius Codomannus, last
king of Persia.
332--Alexander the Great
receives the submission of
Egypt. 330--Persian Empire conquered
by Alexander the Great
328--Ptolemy Soter establishes (Battle of Arbela.)
the Greek kingdom of Egypt.
323--Alexander the Great dies
at Babylon.
301--Alexander's empire divided
among his four generals
Ptolemy, Seleucus, Cassander,
300 Lysimachus.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
286--The Alexandrian library and
Museum began by King Ptolemy II.,
Philadelphus.
247-225--Reign of Ptolemy Euergetes,
ablest and most powerful of the
Ptolemies.

200 205-182--Reign of Ptolemy V. Epiphanes.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
187--Seleucus IV., Philopator,
King of Syria.
175--Antiochus IV., Epiphanes,
King of Syria.
165--The Roman senate
intervenes in Egypt. 162--Demetrius I., Soter,
100 King of Syria.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
69--Syria and Armenia
conquered by Romans.
52-30--Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt.

30--Egypt becomes a Roman province.
27--Syria made an imperial
A.D. province of Roman empire.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

100
------------------------------------------------------------------------

B.C. VII. VIII.
THE ORIENTAL EMPIRES. THE WORLD IN GENERAL.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dates earlier than 700 B.C.
traditional and uncertain.

2850--China founded by Fu-hi.
2500
------------------------------------------------------------------------

2400
------------------------------------------------------------------------

2357--Lao reigning in China.

VII. =The Oriental Empires= are indicated upon the seventh column of the chart. While they follow in regular succession, there were brief periods of anarchy and confusion between them, which cannot be indicated. (1.) The Early Babylonian Empire, 2280-1120 B.C. Much of the time this was not an empire, but rather the leading state in the oriental world. (2.) The Assyrian Empire, 1120-626 B.C.; its capital at Nineveh on the Tigris River, its people fierce warriors, but not able rulers. (3.) The Chaldean Empire, 606-536 B.C., established by Nebuchadnezzar, and passing away soon after his death. (4.) The Persian Empire, 536-330, founded by Cyrus, and ruling over all the Old Testament lands. (5.) The Kingdoms (not empire) of Alexander's Successors, 330-60 B.C. The empire of Alexander the Great lasted only seven years (330-323), and was followed by war until 301, when the four generals of Alexander made a division of his conquests. (6.) The Roman Empire became dominant in the east about 60 B.C., and continued supreme until after the New Testament period.

VIII. =The World in General.= We arrange on the last column events showing the general progress of the world outside of the Bible lands. The student will note that Bible History antedates the annals of Greece and Rome by many centuries.

THE OLD TESTAMENT WORLD.

I. =Extent.= The Old Testament World embraces the seas and lands between 30° and 54° east longitude, or from the mouth of the Nile to that of the Persian Gulf; and between 27° and 40° north latitude, from the parallel south of Mount Sinai to that north of Mount Ararat. The total extent of territory is about 1,400 miles from east to west and 900 miles from north to south, aggregating 1,260,000 square miles. Deducting from this the space occupied by the Mediterranean Sea and other large bodies of water, the land will include about 1,110,000 square miles, or one-third the extent of the United States, excluding Alaska. Unlike the United States, however, nearly two-thirds of this extent is a vast desert, and uninhabitable, so that the portion actually occupied by man is less than an eighth of that included in the American Union.

II. =Seas.= This world of the Old Testament embraces several large bodies of water. 1. The _Caspian Sea_, the largest body of water surrounded by land on the globe, occupies its northeastern corner. 2. The _Persian Gulf_, the outlet of the great rivers of the Old Testament history, is in its southeastern border. 3. The two arms of the northern end of the _Red Sea_, the Gulf of Suez and the Gulf of Akaba, are on its southwestern side. 4. The _Mediterranean Sea_, "the great sea toward the going down of the sun" (Josh. 1:4), forms a part of its western boundary. These are its largest seas; but besides these may be named three others, all salt lakes, imbedded in its mountain system. 5. The _Dead Sea_, called in the Bible "Sea of the Plain," and "Salt Sea," lying 1,290 feet below the Mediterranean, and situated in the land of Palestine; 6. _Lake Van_, anciently Arsissa, in Armenia; and 7. _Lake Urumiyeh_, in Media. Neither of the last two are referred to in the Bible.

III. =Mountain Ranges.= The nucleus of the mountain system is found in the land of Armenia, on the north of the map. Here five great ranges of mountains have their origin. 1. The _Ararat Mountains_ are lofty masses, lying between the Caspian Sea and Asia Minor. They are arranged in three sections, nearly parallel: Mount Masius, on the south; Mount Niphates, north of Lake Van; and Mount Abus, still farther north. One of the peaks of this latter section is the traditional resting place of the ark (Gen. 8:4), and is the summit of the group, 17,750 feet high. 2. The _Caspian Mountains_, branching from Ararat, bend around the southern end of the Caspian Sea and extend eastward, forming the northern boundary of Media. 3. The _Zagros Mountains_ also start from Ararat, and follow a direction generally southeast, to the northern shore of the Persian Gulf. They form the eastern watershed of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. 4. The _Lebanon Range_ starts from the western side of the Ararat group, and follows the Mediterranean coast through Syria and Palestine, then down the Sinaitic peninsula. Its general direction is west of south. In Syria and Palestine it is divided into two parallel branches, Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon, the latter on the east. Its highest peak is Mount Hermon, about 9,000 feet above the sea. South of Palestine it forms the remarkable Sinaitic group of mountains, upon one of which the Law was given. 5. The last range is _Mount Taurus_, which also branches from Ararat, in a westerly direction, and forms the southern coast line of Asia Minor.

IV. =Rivers.= Passing by many unimportant streams, we notice the following, the largest of which have their rise in the mountain system of Armenia. 1. The _Araxes_, not named in the Bible, but important as a boundary, rises in the northern section of the Ararat Range, and flows, in a general direction, eastward into the Caspian Sea. 2. The _Tigris_, called in the Bible Hiddekel, rises in Mount Niphates, of the Ararat Range, and flows in a southeasterly direction, following the line of Mount Zagros, unites with the Euphrates, and thence flows into the Persian Gulf. Its length to the union with the Euphrates is 1,146 miles; beyond the union to the gulf, at present, 100 miles, though anciently much less; and at a time within the limits of history the two rivers discharged by separate mouths. Their united stream is now called the _Shaat el Arab_. 3. _The Euphrates_, or the _Frat_ (a word meaning "abounding"), is the great river of the Bible world. It has two important sources, both in Armenia: one at a place called _Domli_; the other, the more distant and true source, at _Diyadin_, at the foot of a mountain called _Ala Tagh_, 20 miles west of Mount Ararat. It flows westward 400 miles, then southward about as far, then in a southeasterly direction 1,000 miles, uniting at last with the Tigris to form the _Shaat el Arab_. It is navigable for 1,100 miles, and has in all ages formed the principal means of travel between Eastern and Western Asia. At Babylon, it is nearly a mile in width, though for 800 miles it does not receive a single tributary, as it flows through a desert. It overflows its banks every year, rising as high as twelve feet. 4. The _Orontes_ rises in Mount Lebanon, and flows northward parallel with the Mediterranean until, just before reaching Asia Minor, it breaks through the mountains and empties into the sea. 5. The _Jordan_, least yet most important of all, flows southward from the foot of Mount Hermon into the Dead Sea. It will be described in connection with the Physical Map of Palestine. 6. The _Nile_, the great river of Africa, rises in the centre of the continent and flows northward into the Mediterranean Sea, turning the desert through which it passes into a garden.

V. =The Lands.= These are not easy to determine since their boundaries and names varied at different periods of the history. Yet their locations may be given, and their natural limits are generally known. They may be classified as follows: 1. Lands of the Mountain System, all north and east of the Zagros chain of mountains: Armenia, Media, and Persia. 2. Lands of the Plain: Assyria, Elam, Mesopotamia, Chaldea, Arabia. 3. Lands of the Mediterranean: Asia Minor, Syria, Phoenicia, Palestine, The Wilderness, Egypt.

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