Judges 2-16 Under Joshua’s leadership the Israelites conquered and occupied most of Canaan, but Canaanites continued to occupy many parts of the land, particularly the valleys and the coastal areas. From time to time these Canaanites oppressed the Israelites, and the Lord raised up local leaders to help the Israelites fight against them. Often these […]
Category Archives: Judges Period
Samson’s Exploits
Judges 13-16 During the days when Israel was led by judges, Samson was born to an Israelite couple from the tribe of Dan near the border of Philistia. Samson was specially dedicated to God as a Nazirite (see Numbers 6:1-21), and the Lord foretold that Samson would lead the Israelites against the Philistines, who were […]
The Ark of the Covenant Is Captured and Returned
1 Samuel 6:1-7:2 After the Israelites were defeated in battle by the Philistines between Aphek and Ebenezer, the elders of Israel chose to bring the Ark of the Covenant from Shiloh to the battle to ensure victory. But the Philistines defeated them again and captured the Ark. They carried it to Ashdod and placed it […]
Mahanaim and Peniel
One of the most significant biblical locations that few Bible readers would recognize is the site of the twin fortresses of Mahanaim and Peniel. During the Old Testament these fortresses stood on opposite sides of the Jabbok River and guarded an important road leading from southern Gilead to the roads of the Jordan River valley. […]
Crete, Cyrene, and Syrtis
Though the Old Testament never directly mentions Crete (shown in inset), this island had a significant impact on the history of Israel. Crete was home to the ancient city of Knossos and the great Minoan civilization, the first advanced society in Europe, which flourished from before the time of Abraham until around the time of […]