43 Geography

Judaism began in the ancient Near East in a land that was known as Canaan. This region was located beside the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. Currently, this region contains the countries of Israel, Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan. At the time of the ancient Hebrews, this region was a part of what was known as the “fertile crescent” – a region where some of the first civilizations arose.

The Eastern Mediterranean region where Canaan was located contains many climate types, from coastal plains bounded by the Mediterranean Sea in the west; hilly country and plains bounded by the River Jordan to the north and east; and the Dead Sea and desert in the south. The land of Canaan lay roughly in the middle of these regions. Canaan was relatively arid and difficult to farm. As a result, it was difficult to establish many large, long-term settlements in the area. In this harsh landscape, many competing groups survived as nomadic pastoralists, herding their animals throughout Canaan.

While Canaan was a harsh place to live, its central location made it a natural crossroads for trade between Africa, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. This region was surrounded by powerful civilizations, including the Egyptians, the Hittites, the Assyrians, and the Greeks. Canaan was often a divided and contested land. Groups living in this region were often affected by wars between their larger neighbors for control of the region. The population of Canaan was diverse, making it difficult to centralize and maintain political power. For these reasons, Canaanites went through cycles of consolidating power only to be defeated by powerful surrounding civilizations. In this way, the ancient Hebrews experienced Canaan as a land of frequent change. It was their home, but also a place that was rarely under their control.