Chapter II: Part I: Physical Geography

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I. THE GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE BIBLICAL
WORLD 3

Extent of the Biblical World.--Conditions Favorable to Early
Civilizations.--Egypt's Climate and Resources.--Its Isolation and
Limitations.--Conditions in the Tigris-Euphrates Valley.--Forces
Developing Its Civilization.--Civilization of Arabia.--Physical
Characteristics of Syria and Palestine.--Their Central Position and
Lack of Unity.--Asia Minor.--Mycenæ.--Greece.--Italy.--Situation of
Rome.--Reason Why Rome Went Forth to Conquer.--_Résumé._

II. THE GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF PALESTINE 13

History of the Terms Palestine and Canaan.--Bounds of
Palestine.--Geological History.--Alluvial and Sand Deposits.--General
Divisions.--Variety in Physical Contour.--Effects of This
Variety.--Openness to the Arabian Desert.--Absence of Navigable Rivers
and Good Harbors.--Incentives to Industry.--Incentives to Faith and
Moral Culture.--Central and Exposed to Attack on Every
Side.--Significance of Palestine's Characteristics.

III. THE COAST PLAINS 21

Extent and Character.--Fertility.--Divisions.--Plain of Tyre.--The
Plain of Acre.--Carmel.--Plain of Sharon.--The Philistine Plain.--The
Shephelah or Lowland.

IV. THE PLATEAU OF GALILEE AND THE PLAIN OF
ESDRAELON 27

Physical and Political Significance of the Central Plateau.--Natural
and Political Bounds.--Its Extent and Natural Divisions.--Physical
Characteristics of Upper Galilee.--Its Fertility.--Characteristics of
Lower Galilee.--Situation and Bounds of the Plain of Esdraelon.--Plain
of Jezreel.--Water Supply and Fertility of Plain of
Esdraelon.--Central and Commanding Position.--Importance of the Plain
in Palestinian History.

V. THE HILLS OF SAMARIA AND JUDAH 34

Character of the Hills of Samaria.--Northeastern
Samaria.--Northwestern Samaria.--The View from Mount Ebal.--Bounds and
General Characteristics of Southern Samaria.--Southwestern
Samaria.--The Central Heights of Judah.--Lack of Water
Supply.--Wilderness of Judea.--Western Judah.--Valley of Ajalon.--Wady
Ali.--Valley of Sorek.--Valley of Elah.--Valley of Zephathah.--Wady
el-Jizâir.--Significance of These Valleys.--The South Country.--Its
Northern and Western Divisions.--Its Central and Eastern
Divisions.--The Striking Contrasts between Judah and Samaria.--Effect
upon Their Inhabitants.

VI. THE JORDAN AND DEAD SEA VALLEY 45

Geological History.--Evidences of Volcanic Action.--Natural
Divisions.--Mount Hermon.--Source of the Jordan at Banias.--At Tell
el-Kadi.--The Two Western Confluents.--The Upper Jordan Valley.--The
Rapid Descent to the Sea of Galilee.--The Sea of Galilee.--Its
Shores.--From the Sea of Galilee to the Dead Sea.--Character of the
Valley.--The Jordan Itself.--Fords of the Lower Jordan.--Ancient Names
of the Dead Sea.--Its Unique Characteristics.--Its Eastern Bank.--The
Southern End.--The Western Shores.--Grim Associations of the Dead Sea.

VII. THE EAST-JORDAN LAND 55

Form and Climate of the East-Jordan Land.--Well-Watered and
Fertile.--The Four Great Natural Divisions.--Characteristics of the
Northern and Western Jaulan.--Southern and Eastern Jaulan.--Character
of the Hauran.--Borderland of the Hauran.--Gilead.--The Jabbok and
Jebel Ôsha.--Southern Gilead.--Character of the Plateau of Moab.--Its
Fertility and Water Supply.--Its Mountains.--Its Views.--The
Arnon.--Southern Moab and Edom.--Significance of the East-Jordan Land.

VIII. THE TWO CAPITALS: JERUSALEM AND SAMARIA 64

Importance of Jerusalem and Samaria.--Site of Jerusalem.--The Kidron
Valley.--The Tyropœon Valley.--The Original City.--Its Extent.--The
Western Hill.--The Northern Extension of the City.--Josephus's
Description of Jerusalem.--The Geological Formation.--The Water
Supply.--Jerusalem's Military Strength.--Strength of Its
Position.--Samaria's Name.--Its Situation.--Its Military
Strength.--Its Beauty and Prosperity.

IX. THE GREAT HIGHWAYS OF THE BIBLICAL WORLD 73

Importance of the Highways.--Lack of the Road-building Instincts among
the Semites.--Evidence that Modern Roads Follow the Old
Ways.--Ordinary Palestinian Roads.--Evidence that the Hebrews Built
Roads.--The Four Roads from Egypt.--Trails into Palestine from the
South.--Highway Through Moab.--The Great Desert Highway.--Character of
the Southern Approaches to Palestine.--The Coast Road.--The "Way of
the Sea."--Its Commercial and Strategic Importance.--The Central Road
and Its Cross-roads in the South.--In the North.--The Road Along the
Jordan.--Roads Eastward from Damascus.--The Highway from Antioch to
Ephesus.--The Road from Asia Minor to Rome.--From Ephesus to
Rome.--From Syria to Rome by Sea.--From Alexandria to Rome by
Sea.--Significance of the Great Highways.