Download THE HOLY LAND

Presentation on
Biblical Geography
BIBLICAL GEOGRAPHY
The Climate and Weather
Conditions of the Palestine
The Importance of the Climate
It determined the succession of
season, the seasonal activities and the
calendar of feasts.
It imposed its rhythm to collective,
familial and Individual life.
Two Factors that Determine
the Climate
• The position of the Palestine at the
southeastern corner of the Mediterranean
where the desert and sea almost touch
each other.
• The division of the region into North-South
Lines of relief.
Major Climatic Regions
•
The coast plain, including the plain of
Esdraelon as far as Affuleh.
Major Climatic Regions
• The Cis Jordan hills, including also
Carmel
Major Climatic Regions
• The Rift Valley, including the valley
of Jezreel
Major Climatic Regions
• The Trans-Jordan Plateau.
Major Climatic Regions
• The Desert.
Major Climatic Regions
•
The Steppe- This is region dividing the
cultivable area from the true deserts of
the Negeb in Cis Jordan and of Eastern
and Southern Trans-Jordan.
Six Major Rules Which Determine the
Differences Between the Regions
•
Since Palestine lies at the southeastern corner of
the Mediterranean, rainfall tend to decrease as
one goes from north to south.
•
Rainfall tends to decrease also from west to east
that is as one goes farther from the sea.
•
Rainfall tends to increase, however, as one goes
up the mountains.
•
Rainfall tends to decrease very markedly on the
lee side of the mountains that is toward east.
This is particularly true of the eastern slopes of
the hills of Cis - jordan leading down into the rift
valley.
•
Temperature tends to decrease with an increase
in height.
•
The temperature range, however tends to
increase with the decrease of rainfall that is to
say, the farther one goes from the sea and to
some extent also from north to south.
Palestine Weather Cycle
• The dry summer from mid-June to mid
September.
• The rainy season in the cooler half of the
year.
• The transitional seasons.
The Summer
•
•
•
•
Mid-June to Mid-September.
Extraordinarily regular.
The Eastern winds.
The low pressure draws air in from the
Mediterranean which deflects the Etesian
winds towards the Palestinian coast.
• The dew factor- responsible for the growth
of grapes during the summer.
Shittah- The Rainy Season
and the Winter.
• It is unpredictable.
• The rainy season begins gradually during the
second half of October.
• The former Rain- The thunderstorms.
• The cold season from about Christmas- The snow
fall.
• The latter rain-March and April
The Transitional Seasons
• Between the rainy season and the summer at either
end are the transitional seasons.
• The Sirocco - a hot dry wind from the desert.
• The Sirocco produces the highest temperature of
the year.
• The Sirocco of the spring season are highly
destructive of the winter vegetation.
The Climate and the
People of the Bible
Biblical thought is shot through and
through with the conception – The
climate reflects the nature of God in
His dealings with man.
The Climate and the People
of the Bible
• The uncertainty and the variety- The Israelite could
never experience a sense of Stability in his daily life.
• The uncertainty and the variety- not a matter of
chance.
• Biblical writers- God was in full control of the climate
and the kind of the weather he gave them was part of
his purposes for them.
• Israelites responded to natural beauty and marveled
at it.
Thank
U