As readers of the Bible, we encounter various names of places – names of cities, mountains, and rivers. Often, questions arise about the precise locations of these places, prompting us to ponder: do we possess a clear understanding of where these sites once stood? We now find ourselves two millennia removed from the writings of the New Testament and between 2500 to 4000 years since the occurrences described in the Hebrew Bible.
While the last books of the Bible were composed in the 1st century CE, history did not stop there. From the canonization of the Bible until the present day, political powers shifted, giving rise to administrative changes; shifts in populations brought forth new beliefs; dominant language was changed; cities metamorphosed beyond recognition, while new urban centers emerged. Considering these shifts, we might ask: How can we tell where those places that we read about can be found today?
Names Preserved by People
For certain locales, the answer to our question is evident. While cities might have expanded and transformed, their names endured the passage of time. Amid post-Biblical history, times of prosperity fostered urban growth and the emergence of fresh neighborhoods, yet the inhabitants maintained their link to the very same city. Nonetheless, tumultuous eras led to urban decline due to warfare, plagues, earthquakes, or economic downturns. In larger cities that endured such hardships, a nucleus of the population often endured, preserving the name of their city. Furthermore, over generations, Jewish and Christian pilgrims embarked on journeys to these pivotal cities, chronicling their experiences in diaries. As a result, the names of central cities like Jerusalem, Jaffa, Hebron, and Bethlehem have spanned millennia, allowing us to trace their origins back to the epochs of the Hebrew Bible.
Investigating Memories
But what about lesser-known cities, or those that held significance during Biblical times, yet remained small for various reasons? Efforts to pinpoint these Biblical sites began even in the early days of Christianity. In the 4th century CE, the bishop Eusebius of Caesarea, compiled a lexicon of Biblical names and endeavored to associate them with contemporary locations. Yet, a seismic shift in identifying Biblical sites occurred in the 19th century, through the pioneering research of theologian Professor Edward Robinson, hailed as the "Father of Biblical Geography". Robinson embarked on two exploration journeys to trace Biblical sites, drawing insights from the geographical research of his era and historical accounts. At that time, Arabic was the main language in the region. Robinson, drawing on his linguistic studies, discerned linguistic features in place names as they were pronounced in Arabic, shedding light on their ancient origin. For instance, the linguistic change of [N] and [L] causes a change in the name of the village "Beitin" to "Beitil" which resembles "Beit-El" or "Bethel". Another example is in the name of the city Bisan. By replacing the sound [S] with the sound of [SH], you get Bishan, which resembles the Biblical name Beth-Shean. These correlations underscored that place names, even from the Biblical times, were partially preserved in Arabic pronunciation.
Yet, a fascinating dimension of this narrative is the tenacity of the Arabic-speaking population in preserving ancient place names, even as those names underwent changes. Consider the city of "Lod," renamed "Diospolis" in the early 3rd century CE. Yet, in Arabic, it was called "Lydda." Similarly, during King Ptolemy's reign in the 3rd century BCE, Beth-Shean was known as "Scythopolis", and Akko (Acre) bore the name "Ptolemais". Nevertheless, by the 19th century, the Arabic-speaking inhabitants still referred to these locations as "Bisan" and "Akka."
Unearthing Answers
The 20th century witnessed the integration of archaeological exploration as an additional tool for site identification. Through surveys and excavations, sites could be classified according to historical periods. By comparing the features of these periods with historical sources, the identification process gained enhanced credibility. Two famous examples are the city of Lachish, a pivotal center in the Kingdom of Judah, and the city of Megiddo, which gained confirmation through archaeological and historical cross-references. Rarely, an inscription bearing the city's name is found, confirming undoubtedly the place. Such is the royal inscription of the king of Ekron, one of the Philistine cities.
However, there are instances where archaeological records deviate from the Biblical description, resulting in discrepancies. Consider for example the city of Ai, conquered by Joshua (Joshua, 7-8). The suggested site, called "Et-Tell", bear the same meaning of the name Ai, signifying "ruin". Moreover, "Et-Tell" lies east of Bethel, matching the description of Ai's location (Joshua 7:2). Yet, archaeological excavations revealed no settlement at "Et-Tell" during Joshua's time. This conjecture implies that the true location of Ai remains undiscovered.
Calling All Adventurers
Not every location mentioned in the Bible has been definitively identified. Some places are mentioned only once, making their detection a challenge. However, approximately 300 sites have been identified with a high degree of certainty. As we read through the scriptures, we ought to pay close attention to the location names. Let us investigate, using various sources, where Biblical locations are identified nowadays, and let every time we read the Bible become a marvelous journey on the path of Biblical geography.
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