Physical Geography of the Holy Land

Edward Robinson, an American biblical scholar, is recognized as the father of biblical geography. His work, Physical Geography of the Holy Land, published posthumously in 1865, was based on extensive personal exploration and a critical approach to local traditions.1

The Holy Land, an area in the Middle East where biblical events occurred, possesses immense strategic importance due to its location as a crossroads between Egypt, Syria, and the Mediterranean. Settlement in the region is heavily dependent on water availability, with precipitation decreasing from north to south and from the coast inland. The land features coastal lowlands, fertile valleys like the Jezreel Valley, and hilly regions in Galilee, Samaria, and Judaea. The Jordan Valley is a deep rift, and the Negev is a desertlike region extending to the Red Sea.23