The Divided Kingdom

Abraham's first stopping point in Canaan, where God promised the land to his offspring. Jacob bought a parcel here; Joshua renewed the covenant here; Rehoboam came here to be made king, leading to the division of the kingdom.

The southern boundary of the patriarchal lands ("from Dan to Beersheba"). Abraham planted a tamarisk and called on the name of the Lord; Isaac dug wells; Jacob received a vision here on his way down to Egypt.

Where Jacob dreamed of the ladder reaching heaven and named the place "house of God." Later, Jeroboam set up one of the two golden calves here at the start of the northern kingdom — a recurring failure point in scripture.

David captured the Jebusite stronghold and made it his capital. Solomon built the first temple; Babylon destroyed it in 586 BC; Zerubbabel and Ezra/Nehemiah rebuilt; Herod expanded; Rome destroyed it again in AD 70. The center of redemptive history through every era — including the crucifixion, resurrection, and Pentecost.

Capital of the northern kingdom from Omri to its fall to Assyria in 722 BC. Lasted as a Hellenistic, then Roman city (renamed Sebaste by Herod). The region of Samaria became home to the Samaritans, whose well Jesus met the woman at. Philip preached the gospel here in Acts.

Capital of the Assyrian Empire, the city Jonah was sent to and that repented at his preaching. A century later Nahum prophesied its destruction, which came in 612 BC at the hands of Babylon and the Medes. The British Museum holds many of Sennacherib's reliefs from his palace here.

Capital of Nebuchadnezzar's empire and the place of Israel's seventy-year exile. Daniel and his three friends lived in the royal court here. The city's fall to Cyrus in 539 BC opened the way for the return. In Revelation, 'Babylon' becomes a symbol for any worldly power opposing God.

One of the world's oldest continuously inhabited cities. Capital of the Arameans for much of Israel's history. Saul of Tarsus was traveling here to arrest Christians when he met the risen Christ on the road; he later escaped the city by being lowered through the wall in a basket.