What was Baal Peor in the Bible?
Baal Peor, or the Baal of Peor, was a local deity worshiped by the Moabites. When the Israelites, following Moses to the Promised Land, were in the vicinity of Peor, some of them fell into idolatry and worshiped Baal Peor. As a result of their sin, the men of Israel were judged by God. The…
What is the significance of Dothan in the Bible?
Dothan was a city in central Israel, approximately 12 miles north of Samaria in the hills of Gilboa. Today it is known as Tell-Dothan, located on the south plains of Jezreel. The word Dothan means “two wells,” and both wells are still in existence. Dothan is first mentioned in Genesis 37:17 as near the place…
What is the significance of Achaia in the Bible?
Achaia, also spelled Achaea, was a Roman province south of Macedonia and consisted of the southern part of what we call “Greece” today. Achaia was originally the name for a narrow strip of land on the northwest side of the Peloponnesus peninsula. Later, the meaning of Achaia was expanded to include Attica, Boeotia, Euboea, the…
What was/is the importance of the gates of Jerusalem?
The gates of ancient cities were important as a means of providing access to the city while maintaining security. The Bible speaks of the gates of Jerusalem many times in many different contexts. As the city walls are built, destroyed, and moved and the gates are bricked up, restored, or renamed, it can be difficult…
Should Jerusalem be the capital of modern-day Israel?
Jerusalem figures prominently in both biblical history and biblical prophecy, and it is currently the focus of much controversy and political wrangling. As of December 6, 2017, the United States has recognized Jerusalem as the official capital of Israel, acknowledging the facts of history but rankling the Muslim world. All politics aside, the declaration that…
What is the significance of Ai in the Bible?
Ai was a place in central Canaan. It is first mentioned in the Bible in Genesis 12:8 as a place where Abram camped during his journey toward the land God promised in Genesis 12:1: “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.” When Abram reached Ai,…
What is the significance of Mount Gerizim in the Bible?
Mount Gerizim is a mountain located in the central Samaritan highlands. Its summit is about 2,800 feet above sea level. Mount Gerizim sits directly opposite Mount Ebal with the biblical city of Shechem resting in the pass between the two elevations. Mount Gerizim on the south side of the valley and Mount Ebal to the…
Why does Golgotha mean “place of the skull” (Matthew 27:33)?
As Matthew recounts Jesus’ crucifixion, he describes that “they came to a place called Golgotha (which means ‘the place of the skull’)” (Matthew 27:33). Matthew doesn’t directly answer the question of why Golgotha means “place of the skull,” but he uses the term Golgotha, which was “the Aramaic name of a hill near Jerusalem where…
What are the cedars of Lebanon the Bible mentions?
In ancient times, cedar wood was especially desirable for its aromatic qualities as well as its resistance to decay and bugs. Lebanon was known for its magnificent cedars and was once heavily forested with them. Cedar was a major export and source of wealth, although, in more recent years, Lebanon has faced deforestation. Even today,…
What is the significance of Mount Horeb in the Bible?
Mount Horeb in the Bible is another name for Mount Sinai, the mountain where the Hebrew people entered into a covenant with God after escaping from bondage in Egypt (Deuteronomy 5:2; 1 Kings 8:9; 2 Chronicles 5:10). Mount Horeb is also the place where Moses received the Ten Commandments and the laws, rules, and instructions…