HISTORICAL BIBLE GEOGRAPHY

COURSE SYLLABUS
Zion Bible College
OT 1201-01
Fall 2009
Tuesday 1:45-2:35 pm & 2:45-3:35pm

Rev. Paul Conway, Associate Professor, MDiv., DMin. Candidate 2013

Office: Hasseltine Hall Room 110
Office Phone: T.B.D.
Office Hours:
Wednesday, 9:00am - 10:50am
Thursday, 9:00-10:50 am
Email: Pconway@zbc.edu

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

This course educates students in the Hermeneutical tool of historical Bible geography. Class
sessions serves as an visual education of the land where the Bible was written, Israel. Over the
semester students will travel visually detailing the 28 physical regions of the holy land.
Attention will be given to biblical and extrabiblical events in their physical contexts.

COURSE OBJECTIVES:

1. To introduce students to the physical lay of the land of Israel and surrounding nations in
Biblical history.
2. Expose students to historical events in biblical history and the physical setting in which
they took place.
3. Become familiar with the Geography of the Holy land by engaging map work in the
“Holy Land Satelite Atlas” and its DVD.
4. Expose students to actual visuals of the Holy Land and surrounding nations to see places
they are studying in their map labs.
5. Explore some of the significant architecture of history such as the Temple or locations
like Qumran and the people who lived there.
6. To equip the student with a strong knowledge of the material demonstrated in their
quality of testing and quiz grades.
7. To expand students exposure to many materials available in the discipline of Historical
Geography via “Reading Research” and notations of recommended material by the
professor in class.
8. To prepare undergraduate students for graduate level studies in the unique but valuable
material covered by this course.
9. Examine and engage the archaeology of key locations of Biblical History through visual
aids.
TEXTBOOKS:
Cleave, Richard Holy Land Satalite Atlas Vol. 1 & DVD
Nicholas, Cyprus, Rhor Productions, 2007
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REQUIREMENTS:

1. Tests
A mid-term and final examination will be administered. Tests will be cumulative and
will encompass materials from class as well as the assigned map work. Guidance will be
given in class by the professor prior to these tests.

2. Quiz’s
Five quizzes will be unscheduled but announced one week prior to being administered in
class. The purpose of these quiz’s are to prepare the students for the mid-term and final
examination.

3. Historical/Archaeology Presentation: Students shall give four presentations in class

between 2-3 min. The topics encompass the history and archaeological information of
two cities, one biblical and one extra-biblical event. This shall include a written page in
Turabian format for both the professor and students. You are encouraged to have visuals
that enhance the information you present along with geographic itineraries (Maps
charting the movement of the events) and original source material references when
relevent.

4. Reading Journal (300 pages of reading) :

Students shall read 300 pages of reading from supplemental sources. Several Articles
will be required and noted in class. The remainder of the reading will be the students
preference. A reading log containing quotes and interaction with the articles and texts
will be submitted for grading in Turabian format. The length shall be 2-3 pages for each
section being journaled.

The Professor recommends the following articles from Biblical Archaeology Review but
does not limit the reading to this research alone. The Bibliography provided is a good
guide to work from. I highly recommend the Holy Land Satellite Atlas Vol. 2, Original
source material is reccomended in Josephy and Eusebius.

Recommended Reading: See Bibliography

Recommended Articles from Biblical Archaeology Review.

Nov/Dec, 1982
Pg. 24-32, The Undiscovered Gate beneath Jerusalem’s Golden Gate by James
Fleming.

Pg 26-37, has the House where Jesus Stayed in Capernaum been found? By
James F. Strange and Hershel Shanks.

Nov/Dec. 1983,
* pg. 24-31, Synagogue where Jesus Preached found at Capernaum Author
Undisclosed.

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Sept/Oct, 1988
Pg. 18-33, The Galilee Boat, 2,000 year old hull recovered intact. By Shelley
Wachsmann

Nov/Dec. 1989
*pg. 23-42, Reconstructing Herod’s Temple Mount in Jerusalem by Kathleen and
Lee Ritmeyer.

Nov/Dec, 1993
Pg. 46-56 Cast your net upon the waters, Fish and Fishermen in Jesus’ time, by
Mendel Nun.

July/Aug. 1994

Pg. 20-33, 64. How they Meet. (Hezekiah’s Tunnel) by Dan Gill.

Pg. 36-38 Siloam Inscription Memorializes Engineering Achievement, by Simon

B. Parker…

Nov/Dec. 1998
*Pg. 30-39 Where Masada’s Defenders fell by Nachman Ben-Yehuda.

Pg. 46-54,58 Governments in Exile by Ze’ev Meshel.

Nov/Dec, 1999
Pg. 36-44 Jerusalem Under Siege, by William H. Shea.

July/Aug. 1999
*Pg. 18-31,64 Ports of Galilee, Modern Drought Reveals Harbors from Jesus’
Time by Mendel Nun.

May/June 2007
*Pg. 30-37, 60 Years with the Dead Sea Scrolls and A Short History by BAR
Editors.

GRADING SCALE:

Exam #1………………………….20%
Exam #2……………….…………20%
Quiz’s………………….…………20%
Archaeology Presentations……….20%
Reading Journal……….………….20%

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POLICIES:

1. Attendance: Speaks of not merely one’s physical presence but of an engagement of

one’s mind and body in the class. Students found sleeping in class, studying for another
class, etc. will be marked absent.
Students are expected to attend all class periods. Attendance will be taken at the
beginning of each class, as well as after each break. Three “lates” equal one absence.
Every hour absent from class is one cut. Read page 111-112 of the Student Handbook
very carefully.

2. Plagiarism: Any material, whether published or unpublished, copied from another

writer, must be identified by use of quotation marks, block quotations, and
documentation with specific citation of the source. Paraphrased material must likewise
be attributed to the original author. As a school, intent on training men and women of
integrity for the ministry, Zion takes plagiarism seriously.
Plagiarism consists of the following categories:
a. Use of another’s ideas without giving credit
b. Quoting material from published or unpublished words, or oral
presentation, without giving proper citation
c. Paraphrasing material, whether published or unpublished, written or oral,
without proper citation
d. Copying another student’s paper, without that student’s permission

3. Cheating: Consists, but is not limited to the following:

a. Using unauthorized notes or material when taking an examination
b. Copying answers to examination questions, obtaining, or helping others to obtain,
unauthorized copies of examination questions
c. Copying another person’s class work/assignments and/or homework and
submitting it as one’s own
d. Having another student do one’s paper, or any other assignment, in whole or in
part and submitting the assignment as one’s own work
e. Allowing another student to copy one’s paper
f. Copying another student’s paper with that student’s permission

Penalties for plagiarism and cheating include but are not limited to an F for the
assignment and/or an F for the course

4. Academic Policies: Student should carefully read pages 110-113 of their Student
Handbook for precise policies concerning late work, extensions, make-up exam
policy, attendance policy, add-drop, etc.

CLASS SCHEDULE

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Date (Week) Topic Due

1 Overview (Geographic)
2 Overview (Historic & Archaeological) Quiz
3 Overview (Historic & Archaeological)
4 Region Joppa Quiz
5 Region Jerusalem
6 Region Jerusalem Quiz
Week 7
Fall Break Oct., 9-13th
8 Region Jericho Exam #1
9 Region Beersheba 1-125 Pages of Reading Journal
10 Region Masada Quiz
11 Region Petra
12 Region Damascus Quiz
Week 13
Thanksgiving Break Nov. 20-29
14 Region Damascus
15 Region Nazareth Quiz
16 Region Nazareth 125-250 Pages of Reading Journal
17 Final Exam Week Exam #2 Dec. 14-18

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Aharoni, Yohanan. Carta Bible Atlas Previously Macmillan Bible Atlas. NY, NY:
Coronet Books, 2002.

Arnold, Bill T & Beyer, Bryan E. Encountering the Old Testament. Grand Rapids,
M.I.: Baker Book House, 1999.
__________________________ Readings from the Ancient Near East. Grand
Rapids, MI: Backer Academic, MI. 2002.

Blaiklock E.M. and R.K. Harrison et. al. Dictionary of Biblical Archaeology. Grand Rapids, MI:
Zondervan Pub., House, 1983.

Bromiley, Geoffrey. W. The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia Vol. 1-4. Grand Rapids,
MI:
Eerdmans Pub. Co., 1982.

Cleave, Richard Holy Land Satellite Atlas Vol. 1 & 2. Nichor,Cyprus: Rohr Productions, 2003.

Currid, John Doing Archaeology in the Land of the BibleGrand Rapids, MI:
Baker Academic, 1999.

Curtis, Adriane Oxford Bible Atlas. Oxford, LN: Oxford Press, 2007.

DeVaries, LaMoine F. Cities of the Biblical World. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Pub., 1997.

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De Vaux, Roland Ancient Israel: Its Life and Institutions. Grand Rapids, MI:
Eerdmans Pub., Co., 1997.

Evans, Craig, A., and Stanley E. Porter, eds. Dictionary of New Testament Background.
Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity, 2000.

Gowan, Donald E. Bridge Between the Testaments. Allison Park, PA: Pickwick Publications,
1986.

Green, Joel B., et al. Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels. Downers Grove, IL:
Inter-Varsity, 1992.

Hendin, David Guide to Biblical Coins. NY, NY: Amphora Books, 1986.

Hoereth, Alfred Archaeology and the Old Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House,
1998.

Hoereth, Alfred And McRay, John Biblical Archaeology: An Exploration of the History andy
Culture of
Early Civilizations. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books,2006,

Hoffmeier, James The Archaeology of the Bible. Lion, UK: Lion Press, 2008.

Kaiser, Walter Jr. ad. et. The Archaeological Study Bible. Grand Rapids
MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 2006

King, Philip J. and Stager, Lawrence E. Life in Biblical Israel. Louisville, England:
Westminster John Knox Press, 2001.

Manson, Steve Josephus and the New Testament. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Pub., Co., 1992.

Mazar, Amihai, Studies in the Archaeology of the Iron Age in Israel and Jordan. Sheffield,
England:
Sheffield Academic Press, 2001.

_____________ Archaeology of the Land of the Bible: 10,000-586 B.C.E. NY, NY:
Doubleday Press, 1990.

Mcray, John Archaeology and the New Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 2001.

Monson, James Regions on the Run Book. Mountain Homes, AZ: Bible Backgrounds,1998.

Rainey, Ansen The Sacred Bridge: Carta’s Atlas of the Biblical World. Jerusalem, Israel:
Carta Publishing, 2005.

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___________ The Holy Land: From the Persian to the Arab Conquests (536 b.c. to a.d. 640): A
Historical Geography. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1979.

Shanks, Hershel Ancient Israel, Revised and Expanded. Washington, DC: Prentice Hall,
Biblical Archaeology Review, 1999.

Stern, Ephraim Archaeology of the Land of the Bible Vol. II. NY, NY: Doubleday Press, 2001.

Thompson, J.A. The Bible and Archaeology. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans Pub., Co., 1982.

Vermes, Geza. Who’s Who in the Age of Jesus. London, England: Penguin Books, 2005.

Wright, Paul H. Holman Quick-source Bible Atlas. Grand Rapids, MI: Broad and Holman Press,
2005.

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