GALILEE
(Galʹi·lee), Galilean (Gal·i·leʹan) [circle, region, district].
The first mention of Galilee in the Bible identifies it as a district in the mountainous region of Naphtali, where the city of refuge Kedesh was located. (Josh. 20:7) If not earlier, at least by Isaiah’s time, Galilee included the territory of Zebulun. Perhaps many non-Israelites lived in Galilee; whence the expression “Galilee of the nations.” (Isa. 9:1) Some scholars think that the twenty cities of Galilee that King Solomon offered to Hiram the king of Tyre were probably inhabited by pagans. (1 Ki. 9:10-13; see CABUL No. 2.) The Assyrian king Tiglath-pileser III conquered Galilee during the reign of the Israelite king Pekah (in the eighth century B.C.E.).—2 Ki. 15:29.
BOUNDARIES
Over the years the territorial boundaries of Galilee did not remain constant. Their greatest extent seems to have been approximately sixty by thirty miles (97 by 48 kilometers), and embraced the ancient territories of the tribes of Asher, Issachar, Naphtali and Zebulun. However, during the time of Jesus Christ’s earthly ministry, Galilee, while under the jurisdiction of Herod Antipas (Luke 3:1), extended only about twenty-five miles (40 kilometers) from E to W and about forty miles (64 kilometers) from N to S.
To the S lay Samaria, Galilee’s southern boundary extending from the foot of Mount Carmel along the Plain of Esdraelon toward Scythopolis (Beth-shean) and then to the Jordan. The Jordan River, with the Sea of Galilee and Lake Huleh (now mostly drained), constituted the eastern boundary. The territory of Tyre, reaching below the ancient city of Kedesh (Kedasa, Cydessa), bounded Galilee on the N. (Wars of the Jews, Book II, chap. XVIII, par. 1; Book IV, chap. II, par. 3) To the W lay the territory of Ptolemais (Acco) and Mount Carmel.
This most northerly Roman province of Palestine W of the Jordan (not including Phoenicia) was further divided into Upper and Lower Galilee. The boundary between the two Galilees extended from Tiberias on the W bank of the Sea of Galilee to a point in the vicinity of Ptolemais.—Wars of the Jews, Book III chap. III, par. 1.
GEOGRAPHICAL CHARACTERISTICS
In the first century C.E., before the war with Rome, Galilee was densely populated and enjoyed great prosperity. A thriving fishing industry existed at the Sea of Galilee. Other occupations included weaving, stonecutting, shipbuilding and pottery manufacture. The Jewish historian Josephus claimed there were 240 cities and villages in Galilee, the smallest of these numbering over 15,000 inhabitants. If this testimony is not an exaggeration, as many believe it to be, this would mean that Galilee had a population of about three million.—The Life of Flavius Josephus, par. 45; Wars of the Jews, Book III, chap. III, par. 2.
Galilee was blessed with abundant springs and fertile soil. So the chief occupation of the Galileans apparently was agriculture. Today many different kinds of vegetables, as well as wheat, barley, figs, millet, indigo, olives, rice, sugarcane, oranges, pears and apricots, are cultivated. Anciently, Galilee was heavily wooded. Among the trees still found there are cedars, cypresses, firs, oaks, oleanders, palms, pines, sycamores and walnuts.
Both the climate and the geographical features of Galilee are marked by great contrast. The highlands are cool, the seacoast enjoys a mild temperature, and the Jordan valley is hot. The altitude of Lower Galilee plunges to 696 feet (212 meters) below sea level at the Sea of Galilee, and reaches its highest point at Mount Tabor, with an elevation of over 1,800 feet (549 meters). However, the hills and mountains of Upper Galilee range from 1,500 feet (457 meters) to over 3,900 feet (1,189 meters) in height.
PEOPLE OF GALILEE
As a people, the Jews of Galilee differed from those of Judea. According to the testimony of rabbis of ancient times, the Galileans valued reputation, whereas the Judeans placed greater emphasis on money than on a good name. The Galileans generally were not such sticklers for tradition as were the Judeans. In the Talmud, the former are, in fact, charged with neglecting tradition. In this regard it may be noted that Pharisees and scribes from Jerusalem, not Galilee, were the ones who took issue with the failure of Jesus’ disciples to observe the traditional washing of hands.—Mark 7:1, 5.
Since the Sanhedrin and the temple were in Jerusalem, doubtless a greater concentration of teachers of the Law was to be found there; hence the Jewish proverb: “Go north [to Galilee] for riches, go south [to Judea] for wisdom.” But this does not mean that the Galileans were steeped in ignorance. Throughout the cities and villages of Galilee there were teachers of the Law and synagogues. The latter were, in effect, educational centers. (Luke 5:17) However, the chief priests and Pharisees at Jerusalem evidently considered themselves superior to the common Galileans and viewed them as ignorant of the Law. For example, when Nicodemus spoke up in defense of Jesus Christ, the Pharisees retorted: “You are not also out of Galilee, are you? Search and see that no prophet is to be raised up out of Galilee.” (John 7:45-52) Thus they ignored the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy concerning Messiah’s preaching. (Isa. 9:1, 2; Matt. 4:13-17) There is no definite evidence in the Bible record or otherwise, however, that a feeling of actual animosity toward the Galileans was held by the Judeans generally. In the Scriptures we never read of a clash between the Galileans and the Judeans when they assembled at Jerusalem for the festivals.
Some ascribe the distinct Galilean accent to foreign influence and suggest that the Galileans were looked down upon because their speech was not as pure as that of the Judeans. However, this cannot be proved. It is not at all unusual that the Galileans were easily recognized by their speech (Matt. 26:73), especially since the region of Samaria separated Galilee from Judea. Even today, in many parts of the earth, people are readily identified by their regional accent. Also, among the tribes of Israel pronunciation differences existed centuries previously. A striking example of this is the inability of the Ephraimites in Jephthah’s day to pronounce the password “Shibboleth” correctly.—Judg. 12:5, 6.
Jesus’ ministry in Galilee
Galilee was the scene for many outstanding events in Jesus’ earthly life. The Galilean cities of Bethsaida, Cana, Capernaum, Chorazin, Nain and Nazareth, and the regions of Magadan, are specifically mentioned in connection with his activity. (Matt. 11:20-23; 15:39; Luke 4:16; 7:11; John 2:11) Most of his earthly life Jesus spent at the Galilean city of Nazareth. (Matt. 2:21-23; Luke 2:51, 52) At a marriage feast in Cana, he performed his first miracle by turning water into the best of wine. (John 2:1-11) After the arrest of John the Baptist, Jesus withdrew from Judea to Galilee and began proclaiming: “Repent, for the kingdom of the heavens has drawn near.” (Matt. 4:12-17) As Jesus traveled throughout Galilee he taught in the various synagogues. In the course of time he came to his hometown, Nazareth, where, on the sabbath day, he read his commission from Isaiah chapter 61. Although those in the synagogue were at first favorably impressed, when Jesus compared them to the Israelites in the days of the prophets Elijah and Elisha, the synagogue audience became enraged and was ready to kill him.—Luke 4:14-30.
Afterward Jesus went to Capernaum, “a city of Galilee,” and established this as his home. Evidently near Capernaum he called Andrew, Peter, James and John to be fishers of men. (Luke 4:31; Matt. 4:13-22) Accompanied by these four disciples, Jesus began a major preaching tour of Galilee. In the course of his activities of teaching and performing powerful works, Jesus called Matthew from the tax office at Capernaum to be his follower. (Matt. 4:23-25; 9:1-9) Later, at a mountain near Capernaum, he chose the twelve apostles. All of them, with the possible exception of Judas Iscariot, were Galileans. Also near Capernaum Jesus delivered the Sermon on the Mount. (Luke 6:12-49; 7:1) At the Galilean city of Nain, he resurrected the only son of a widow. (Luke 7:11-17) In a later preaching tour, Jesus revisited Nazareth, but was again rejected. (Matt. 13:54-58) At Capernaum, around Passover time of 32 C.E., during what was apparently his final intensive coverage of Galilean territory, many disciples, stumbled by Jesus’ words about ‘eating his flesh and drinking his blood,’ forsook the Son of God.—John 6:22-71.
Although the synoptic Gospels tell mainly of Jesus’ ministry in Galilee, the Son of God did not ignore Judea, as some have wrongly concluded. It is noteworthy that the initial interest of the Galileans in Jesus was aroused by what they saw him do in Jerusalem. (John 4:45) However, probably more space is devoted to Jesus’ activity in Galilee because the Galileans responded more readily than did the Judeans. This is confirmed by the fact that the some 120 disciples, the first to receive God’s holy spirit, were Galileans. (Acts 1:15; 2:1-7) The control and influence of the Jewish religious leaders must not have been as strong among the Galileans as among the Judeans (Compare Luke 11:52; John 7:47-52; 12:42, 43.) Some suggest that the crowd that clamored for Jesus’ death was mainly composed of Judeans (Matt. 27:20-23), whereas those who had previously hailed Jesus as king were perhaps primarily Galileans. (Matt. 21:6-11) The presence of many Galileans and other non-Judeans during the Passover period may also have contributed to the fear of the leaders of Jerusalem to seize Jesus in broad daylight ‘lest an uproar occur.’—Matt. 26:3, 4.
[Picture on page 617]
A modern-day fisherman casts his net into the Sea of Galilee near Tiberias