Biblical Illustrations

Nineveh, which was situated at the confluence of the Tigris and Khoser rivers (modern-day Mosul, Iraq), was first settled in the seventh millennium b.c. According to the… Read More »The City of Nineveh

The city of Babylon reached its zenith under Nebuchadrezzar II (Nebuchadnezzar of Scripture, who reigned 605–562 b.c.). He restored and enlarged it, making it the largest… Read More »The City of Babylon

Ezekiel’s final vision of an ideal temple (and city, and land; chs. 40–48) forms a counterpart to the vision of chs. 8–11. In each case he is… Read More »Ezekiel’s Temple Vision

Jerusalem was destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 b.c. Upon their return from exile in 536 b.c., the Jews, under the leadership of Zerubbabel and Jeshua, first restored… Read More »Jerusalem in the Time of Nehemiah (c. 444–420? b.c.)

The rebuilding of Jerusalem’s temple was done in stages (c. 536–516 b.c.). First, the altar was built, so that sacrifices could again be made (Ezra 3:2–3).… Read More »Zerubbabel’s Temple

During the reign of King Hezekiah, the city of Jerusalem expanded more than ever before. Many refugees from the Assyrian invasion settled on the Western… Read More »Jerusalem in the Time of Hezekiah (c. 725–686 b.c.)

In the temple courtyard there were 10 bronze wheeled stands that held 10 basins filled with water—five on the south side of the temple, five… Read More »Bronze Basins and Stands

To get to the new quarter that Solomon built from the old city of David, one had to pass through the gate in the northern… Read More »Solomon’s Temple and Palace Complex

Solomon began to build “the house of the Lord” in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah in the spring of 967 or 966 b.c. (1 Kings 6:1; 2 Chron. 3:1–2) and… Read More »Solomon’s Temple

David commanded his son Solomon to build a new temple. This work took seven years, followed by 13 years of building an adjacent royal complex… Read More »Jerusalem in the Time of Solomon (c. 970–930 b.c.)

About four millennia ago, Melchizedek was king of Jerusalem, which was then called Salem (Gen. 14:18). This was an unwalled city, which was taken over… Read More »Jerusalem in the Time of David (c. 1010–970 b.c.)

Jericho (Tell es-Sultan) is perhaps the oldest city on earth, and it is the lowest city on the surface of the planet (c. 750 feet/229… Read More »The City of Jericho