The Old Testament covers the period from Genesis (the very beginning) to Malachi (the end). The world of the Bible was a different place than our own, but it was not so different as to be unrecognizable. In fact, many of the places referenced in the Bible are still with us today.
For example, Sodom and Gomorrah were two cities located in what is now Saudi Arabia. Sodom has been destroyed by fire and Gomorrah has been swallowed up by earthquakes; however, their names still exist today as places where people live. Similarly, Jerusalem and Jericho are both mentioned throughout the Bible; however, they have changed names over time and are no longer referred as such today.
As you study the Old Testament World Map below, keep in mind that this map is not intended to be entirely accurate—it is only meant to give you an idea of where some of these locations were located at the time when this book was written.
The Old Testament world was a place that stretched from the Mediterranean Sea in the west to the Persian Gulf in the east, and from Egypt on its southern border to Assyria and Babylonia on its northern borders.
It included the land of Canaan, which was inhabited by the descendants of Canaan, son of Ham. This land encompassed parts of modern-day Israel, Lebanon, Jordan, Syria, and Iraq.
The area known as Mesopotamia was located between these two regions. It’s best known for being home to the great city of Babylon and its ruler Nebuchadnezzar II (Daniel 2:37-38).
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When the events of the Bible take place on the other side of the world, it’s easy to miss the significance of geography. A single verse could transport you miles away, and you might never notice. The books of the Bible deal with real, physical places, and even if we can’t be there, we can still use maps to get our bearings.
Sometimes the right map can help you see Scripture in a whole new way.
Related post: 26 Breathtaking Photos of Biblical Places
When you use Logos and Proclaim Church Presentation Software together, you can share hundreds of pieces of exclusive church media with your church—including maps for every book of the Bible. (Try Proclaim free for 30 days here.)
Here you’ll find 39 of those maps—one for every book of the Old Testament, in canonical order.
Genesis
Exodus
Leviticus
Numbers
Deuteronomy
Joshua
Judges
Ruth
1 Samuel
2 Samuel
1 Kings
2 Kings
1 Chronicles
2 Chronicles
Ezra
Nehemiah
Esther
Job
Psalms
Proverbs
Ecclesiastes
Song of Solomon
Isaiah
Jeremiah
Lamentations
Ezekiel
Daniel
Hosea
Joel
Amos
Obadiah
Jonah
Micah
Nahum
Habakkuk
Zephaniah
Haggai
Zechariah
Malachi
Maps make it easy to see how the cities and landmarks of the Bible fit together. When you’re trying to keep track of who went where, a map can help keep you (or your listeners) anchored in biblical context.
