Online Course
Biblical Geography
Studying the geography of the Bible in the Land of Israel may sound like an impossible dream, but now you can delve into the subject right where you are, even if you live on a different continent!
The video lectures for this course were filmed at various locations all over Israel, taking you into the Bible’s own environment and helping you better understand the worldview of the people of ancient Israel that was impacted by a unique climate, geography, and physical topography of the Land.
About the Course
This course will present the basic topography and major geographic regions of the Land of Israel, give an overview of important sites mentioned in the Bible, from the time of the Patriarchs until the time of the Gospels, and teach principles of identifying the location of key Biblical sites.
Many biblical stories are related to distinctive geographical surroundings.
The daily life of Israelites in the fertile Galilee region was quite different from those settled in the arid Negev desert, or up in the mountains of Jerusalem. If we are to understand the mindset of the people of the Bible, we must become conversant with their geography.
Enlightening Bible study
Equipped with a geographical knowledge of the Bible one is better able to properly interpret and apply the Scripture, and engage in the most rewarding and enlightening Bible study!
Free Sample Lecture
Course Syllabus:
- Lesson 1 – Introduction
- Lesson 2 – Geography of the Patriarchs
- Lesson 3 – Geography of the Exodus
- Lesson 4 – Geography of the Conquest
- Lesson 5 – Geography of Israelite Settlement in the Land
- Lesson 6 – Geography of the Judges
- Lesson 7 – Geography of the United Kingdom: Samuel, Saul, David and Solomon
- Lesson 8 – Divided Monarchy : The Northern Kingdom up until the Assyrian captivity
- Lesson 9 – Divided Monarchy : The Southern Kingdom up until the Assyrian captivity
- Lesson 10 – Judah from the fall of the Northern Kingdom to the Babylonian Conquest
- Lesson 11 – The Return to Zion: Persian and Hellenistic Periods
- Lesson 12 – The Geography of the Hasmoneans and the Herodians
- Lesson 13 – The Geography of the Gospels
- Lesson 14 – The Geography of Yeshua in Jerusalem
Instructor: Sheila Gyllenberg
Sheila Gyllenberg was born in Canada and has lived in Israel since 1983. She holds a master’s degree in Jewish History and a doctorate in Archaeology and Land of Israel Studies from Israel’s Bar Ilan University. In addition to her work as a tour guide, Sheila serves on the faculty of Israel College of the Bible in Netanya, Israel.
Course at a Glance
- 90 hours of study in total
- 3-5 hours of study per week
- Language: English
Course Objectives
The student will:
- learn the major geographic regions and features of the Land of Israel.
- be able to place historical and biblical events in geographic context.
- become familiar with the topography and the archaeological remains of key sites mentioned in the Bible.
Course Structure
- The course consists of 4 units that comprise 14 lessons. Each lesson contains a video lecture and assigned reading.
- This is a Self-Paced Online Course. The student is required to complete the course within six months from the day of registration, but is free to do so at his/her own pace and may review video lectures at any time during the course.
- At the end of each unit there is a short quiz to help reinforce the material studied. For those who take this course for personal enrichment only, all of the course assignments and examinations are optional.
Textbooks
- Required: Beitzel, Barry J. The New Moody Atlas of Bible Lands. Chicago: Moody Press, 2009.
- Recommended: O’Connor, Jerome Murphy. The Holy Land, 5th Ed. New York, Oxford Press, 2008.
Additional Readings will be available on itslearning, in PDF format.
Recommended Background: No prerequisites required
Course Fees
For Personal Enrichment – $249 USD
*These fees do not include required textbooks
**Payment is non-refundable