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PalestineAid to Bible Understanding
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in some instances to identify with considerable accuracy certain ancient places and sites of major events.
Some common Arabic geographical terms that are helpful in relating places to Biblical sites are given in the following list.
ARABIC GEOGRAPHICAL TERMS AND THEIR MEANING
ʽAin spring, natural fountain
Bahr sea
Beit house
Biqaʽ valley (in hill country)
Bir well
Burj tower
Darb road
Debbet sandy height
Jebel mountain
Karm vineyard
Kefr village
Khirbet ruins
Majdel castle or tower
Nahr river
Neqb mountain path
Ras cape, top of hill or mountain
Shatt shore or bank; river
Talʽat ascent
Tell mound (often containing ruins)
Wadi torrent valley
CLIMATIC CONDITIONS
Palestine’s climate is as diversified as its topography. In the matter of a hundred miles (161 kilometers), from the Dead Sea to Mount Hermon, the contrasting extremes in altitude produce climatic conditions equivalent to those that are elsewhere spread over thousands of miles in latitude between the Tropic and the Arctic. Mount Hermon is usually covered with snow all year round, while down along the Dead Sea the thermometer sometimes reaches 120° F. (49° C.). Sea breezes up from the Mediterranean moderate the temperature along the central mountain range. As a result it is seldom hotter than 90° or 92° F. (32.2° or 33° C.) in Jerusalem, and rarely does it freeze there. Its average January temperature is around 49° F. (9.4° C.). Snowfall in that part of the country is not a common thing.—Compare 2 Samuel 23:20.
Rainfall in this country of contrasts also varies a great deal. Along the coast the annual precipitation is about fifteen inches (38 centimeters) but in the higher altitudes of Mount Carmel, the central range and the highlands E of the Jordan there is up to twice this amount. On the other hand, desert conditions prevail in the Negeb, the lower Jordan valley and the Dead Sea area, with two to four inches (5 to 10 centimeters) of rain annually. Most of the rain falls in the winter months of December, January and February; only 6 or 7 percent in the summer months from June to October. The light “early” or autumn rain in October and November permits the plowing of soil (baked hard by the summer heat) in preparation for the sowing of winter grains. The “late” or spring rain comes in March and April.—Deut. 11:14; Joel 2:23; Zech. 10:1; Jas. 5:7.
One of Palestine’s great assets is the abundance of dew, especially through the rainless summer months, for without the heavy dews many of the vineyards and grazing lands would suffer greatly. (Hag. 1:10; Zech. 8:12) The moisture-laden breezes blowing up from the Mediterranean and down from Mount Hermon account for much of the dew in Palestine. (Ps. 133:3) In certain areas the dew at night is so heavy that enough moisture is recovered by the vegetation to compensate for the losses during the heat of the day. (Compare Job 29:19.) Of particular importance is the dew in the Negeb and uplands of Gilead where rainfall is minimal.—See DEW.
PLANTS AND ANIMALS
The tremendous variety of trees, shrubs and plants found in this small area of the earth has been a source of amazement among botanists, one of whom has listed more than 3,000 species of ferns and flowering plants growing here. The diversity in altitude, climate and soil helps to account for this variety in flora, some plants being at home in the cold alpine, others in the torrid desert, and still others in the alluvial plain or rocky plateau, each blooming and bearing seed in its season. Within comparatively short distances from one another are found hot-weather palms and cold-weather oaks and pines; willows along the streams and tamarisks in the wilderness. This land is also famous for its cultivated vineyards, olive groves, fig orchards and fields of wheat, barley and millet. Other crops included peas, beans, lentils, eggplants, onions and cucumbers, as well as cotton and flax. Modern visitors to this land are often disappointed unless it is springtime, when the countryside is in full bloom with its flower spectacle. For most of the year the stony hillsides are barren and bleak. At one time, however, parts of the land were more heavily wooded than at present, lush like “the garden of Jehovah,” a veritable botanical garden “flowing with milk and honey,” hospitable and inviting.—Gen. 13:10; Ex. 3:8; Num. 13:23, 24; Deut. 8:7-9.
Animal, bird and fish life was abundant in park-like Palestine in the past more so than today. The lion, bear, wild bull and hippopotamus are no longer present, but other wildlife that may be found include wolves, wild boars and wildcats, jackals, hares and foxes. Zoologists list 113 different kinds of mammals. Domesticated animals are common—sheep, goats, cows, horses, asses and camels. There are many kinds of birds too: 348 species are known to exist, including large ones like the vultures, hawks, owls and eagles. Over 90 reptiles and amphibians and more than 40 freshwater fish have also been listed.
RESOURCES FROM THE GROUND
Besides proving to be a well-watered land capable of producing an abundance of foodstuffs, Palestine’s mountains contained useful iron and copper ores. (Deut. 8:9) Gold, silver, tin and lead had to be imported, but there were large deposits of salt, and in the Jordan valley there were beds of clay for the brick, pottery and foundry industries. (1 Ki. 7:46) Excellent limestones for the building trade were quarried, and there were outcroppings of dark basalt valued for its hardness and fine-grained texture.
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PalluAid to Bible Understanding
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PALLU
(Palʹlu) [distinguished].
Second-named son of Jacob’s firstborn Reuben. (Gen. 46:9; 1 Chron. 5:3) Pallu founded the family of Palluites in the tribe of Reuben. (Ex. 6:14; Num. 26:5) He is possibly the same son of Reuben called Peleth at Numbers 16:1.
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PalluitesAid to Bible Understanding
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PALLUITES
(Palʹlu·ites).
A Reubenite family descended from Pallu.—Num. 26:5.
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Palm TreeAid to Bible Understanding
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PALM TREE
[Heb., ta·marʹ; Gr., phoiʹnix].
The date palm (Phoenix dactylifera), though now found only in certain sections, was once abundant in Palestine and apparently as characteristic of that land as it was and is of the Nile valley of Egypt. Following the second destruction of Jerusalem, Roman Emperor Vespasian had a sestertius coin minted bearing the figure of a weeping woman seated beneath a palm tree with the inscription “Judaea Capta.”
Palms are associated with oases and are a welcome
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