Crossway ESV Bible Atlas

Page 22

34

C R O S S W AY E S V B I B L E AT L A S

character partly because of its milder weather and greater precipitation. Historically, the north contained more permanent settlements and centers of agricultural activity. Throughout its history, this northern area has been more populous than the south. The contrast between the desert and the cultivated land has resulted in much conflict between peoples dwelling in those differing regions. Desert marauders such as the Amalekites and Midianites proved to be a most dangerous opponent of Israel. The people of God, who lived primarily in the hill country and were mostly agriculturalists, seemed always at odds with the frontier people. Saul, for instance, thought it so necessary to secure Israel’s borders from desert invasion that he mounted a major military campaign against the desert tribes (1 Sam. 14:47–48). 0-6. Economy of the Ancient Near East

Climate has largely determined the economy of the land of the Bible. In ancient times, agriculture was the basis of Palestine’s economy (see map 0-7). Areas that received sufficient precipitation had the capacity to sustain natural farming and therefore had a significant agricultural advantage. Biblical Israel was inhabited mainly by a highland people residing in the Judean and Samaritan mountains. Because those regions receive substantial rainfall and have fertile soils, they can sustain considerable agricultural capacity. Both cereals and deciduous fruit grow in this region. These advantages led Israel to develop an economy based principally on agriculture.

Vegetation Climate, topography, and soils are the primary factors in determining vegetation or plant geography.

copper

commercial timber

horses

iron

AN ATO L I A salt

Tigris River

copper

Hamath copper dye SY R I A

CY P R US

fish

Mediterranean Sea

Ri

ve

r

ELAM

Babylon

Susa

BA BY LO N I A

ISRAEL

salt

EGYPT sheep

sheep

ARABIAN D ESE RT

copper

camels

copper camels

Tema

le

Red Sea

camels

Pe r s i a n Gulf

Dumah

camels

Ri

v

er

Ecbatana

Asshur

cattle

Jerusalem

Ni

MEDIA

A SSY R I A

iron

Tyre dye

Ca s p i a n Sea

sheep

Nineveh

Carchemish

300 mi

200 300 400 km

Tushpa

copper

E u p h ra t e s

100

200

copper

horses

fish

Memphis

A R A R AT

sheep Tarsus

100

0

sheep

sheep

0

horses

agricultural produce (grain, fruit)

ARABIA horses

SOUTHWEST ARABIA 0

100 200 mi

0

200 km

perfume

SHEBA? perfume

OPHIR?

Gulf of Aden

gold

Thebes

sheep

fish

iron

200

300

400

Part1-Part2a_06.indd 34

500

600 Miles Miles

2/9/10 4:47 PM


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