Explain Bible

What does the Bible say about palestine?

Bible Topic · WEB

The Bible teaches that God promised a defined land, often associated with the region later called Palestine, to Abraham and his descendants as part of his covenant purposes, while ultimately directing hope to his kingdom in Christ. Genesis 12:5-7 and Genesis 13:14-17 record the promise to Abraham, and Genesis 15:18-21 describes its broad boundaries. Numbers 34:1-12 gives Israel’s allotted borders, while Exodus 23:31, Deuteronomy 11:24, Joshua 1:4, and 1 Kings 4:21, 24 speak of God’s gift and Israel’s historical possession of the land. Yet the prophets also show that God judges sin and defends his purposes, as in Zechariah 12:9. Christians should therefore read these promises faithfully, while recognizing their fullest fulfillment in Christ and avoiding simplistic claims about present political arrangements.

Top passages, ranked by readers

Rankings: OpenBible.info Topical Bible (CC BY) · Scripture: World English Bible

  • Exodus 23:31

    I will set your border from the Red Sea even to the sea of the Philistines, and from the wilderness to the River; for I will deliver the inhabitants of the land into your hand, and you shall drive them out before you.

  • 1 Kings 4:24

    For he had dominion over all [the region] on this side the River, from Tiphsah even to Gaza, over all the kings on this side the River: and he had peace on all sides round about him.

  • 1 Kings 4:21

    Solomon ruled over all the kingdoms from the River to the land of the Philistines, and to the border of Egypt: they brought tribute, and served Solomon all the days of his life.

  • Genesis 15:18-21

    [18] In that day Yahweh made a covenant with Abram, saying, "To your seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates: [19] the Kenites, the Kenizzites, the Kadmonites, [20] the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim, [21] the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites, and the Jebusites."

  • Joshua 1:4

    From the wilderness, and this Lebanon, even to the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and to the great sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your border.

  • Genesis 12:5-7

    [5] Abram took Sarai his wife, Lot his brother's son, all their substance that they had gathered, and the souls who they had gotten in Haran; and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan. Into the land of Canaan they came. [6] Abram passed through the land to the place of Shechem, to the oak of Moreh. The Canaanite was then in the land. [7] Yahweh appeared to Abram, and said, "I will give this land to your seed." He built an altar there to Yahweh, who appeared to him.

  • Numbers 34:1-12

    [1] Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, [2] Command the children of Israel, and tell them, When you come into the land of Canaan (this is the land that shall fall to you for an inheritance, even the land of Canaan according to the borders of it), [3] then your south quarter shall be from the wilderness of Zin along by the side of Edom, and your south border shall be from the end of the Salt Sea eastward; [4] and your border shall turn about southward of the ascent of Akrabbim, and pass along to Zin; and the goings out of it shall be southward of Kadesh-barnea; and it shall go forth to Hazar Addar, and pass along to Azmon; [5] and the border shall turn about from Azmon to the brook of Egypt, and the goings out of it shall be at the sea. [6] For the western border, you shall have the great sea and the border [of it]: this shall be your west border. [7] This shall be your north border: from the great sea you shall mark out for you Mount Hor; [8] from Mount Hor you shall mark out to the entrance of Hamath; and the goings out of the border shall be at Zedad; [9] and the border shall go forth to Ziphron, and the goings out of it shall be at Hazar Enan: this shall be your north border. [10] You shall mark out your east border from Hazar Enan to Shepham; [11] and the border shall go down from Shepham to Riblah, on the east side of Ain; and the border shall go down, and shall reach to the side of the sea of Chinnereth eastward; [12] and the border shall go down to the Jordan, and the goings out of it shall be at the Salt Sea. This shall be your land according to the borders of it round about.

  • Deuteronomy 11:24

    Every place whereon the sole of your foot shall tread shall be yours: from the wilderness, and Lebanon, from the river, the river Euphrates, even to the hinder sea shall be your border.

  • Zechariah 12:9

    It will happen in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.

  • Genesis 13:14-17

    [14] Yahweh said to Abram, after Lot was separated from him, "Now, lift up your eyes, and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward, [15] for all the land which you see, I will give to you, and to your offspring forever. [16] I will make your offspring as the dust of the earth, so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then your seed may also be numbered. [17] Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for I will give it to you."

Related topics

Go deeper

Ask Explain Bible AI about palestine and get a fuller answer from a Reformed theological perspective.

Ask what the Bible says about palestine