The United 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.

Abraham settled by the oaks of Mamre near Hebron and bought the cave of Machpelah there as a burial site for Sarah. Patriarchs and matriarchs (except Rachel) are traditionally buried here. David reigned here for seven and a half years before moving to Jerusalem.

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.

The city that tricked Israel into a treaty during the conquest and was thereafter assigned to temple service. Joshua's long day occurred during their defense. Solomon went here to sacrifice before God appeared to him in a dream and granted him wisdom.

Rachel's burial place; Naomi and Ruth's home; David's birthplace and the city of David; and the prophesied birthplace of the Messiah. The Church of the Nativity has stood over the traditional site of Jesus' birth since the fourth century.

The river that separated Israel from the promised land; crossed on dry ground in the conquest; the site of Naaman's healing; the place of John the Baptist's ministry and Jesus' baptism. Flows from the Sea of Galilee south to the Dead Sea.

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.