The Historical Background of the Middle East

Abraham’s Journey from Ur Canaan  The “Promised Land”

Abraham’s Journeys

The Original Covenant It was with Abraham that God, known as Yahweh, made a covenant, promising to protect Abraham and his descendants, to wage wars on their behalf, and to obtain for them the land of Canaan, an area roughly approximate to modern Israel and the occupied West Bank . In exchange, the ancient Hebrews were bound individually and collectively to follow the ethical precepts and rituals laid down by God. In another part of the Torah, God pledges to Abraham's descendants "the land from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates," an area much larger than historic Canaan. Arabs also claim descendancy from Abraham and argue that this gives them a claim to the covenant as well.

Abraham’s Geneaology HAGAR ABRAHAM SARAH Ishmael Isaac 12 Arabian Tribes Jacob Esau 12 Tribes of Israel

The Ancient Fertile Crescent Area The Middle East: “The Cradle of Civilization”

Sargon of Akkad: The World’s First Empire

Menes: Unifier of Upper & Lower Egypt c. 3050 B. C. E. ?

“Shepherd of His People” Moses “Prince of Egypt” “Shepherd of His People”

The Exodus

Route of the Exodus

Moses and the 10 Commandmets A new “covenant” with Yahweh

Mount Sinai

St. Catherine’s Monastery at Mount Sinai

A Balance of Power: 1200 B. C. E.

King David’s Empire

Solomon’s Kingdom

King Solomon’s Temple Floor Plan The First Temple

Inside the Temple Tabernacle The Arc of the Covenant

The Temple Mount, Jerusalem Today Solomon’s Temple Wall: The “Wailing” Wall

Kingdoms of Judah & Israel

The Assyrian Empire ©2004 Wadsworth, a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. Thomson Learning™ is a trademark used herein under license.

Nebuchadnezzar II’s Babylon

Ishtar Gate

Israelites in Captivity

Jewish Captives: 8c BCE

The Persian Empire

Alexander the Great & the Hellenization of the Near East

The Great Library at Alexandria. Egypt

Roman Judea

Herod the Great’s Kingdom

The Jewish Revolt (66-70 C. E.)

Masada Roman Encampment

The Jewish Diaspora

St. Paul: Apostle to the Gentiles

Constantine’s City--Constantinopolis

Constantinople: A Greek City (Istanbul Today)

Church of Hagia Sophia [Holy Wisdom]

Interior of the Church of Hagia Sophia

Sunset on the “Golden Horn”

Justinian’s Empire at its Peak

The Spread of Christianity by 600

Byzantine & Sassanid Empires, 6c

A Threat to the Great Empires 6c Arabia: A Threat to the Great Empires ? ?