The Atlas of Biblical Jerusalem

by Dan Bahat

From the First Temple period through to the time of Jesus, this Atlas graphically illustrates the colorful history of the city through maps, drawings and photographs. The Atlas of Biblical Jerusalem , which is excerpted from the more extensive The Carta Jerusalem Atlas, is a helpful and instructive tool for readers of the Scriptures and all who wish to visualize the Holy City as it was in biblical and New Testament times. Jerusalem was at the apex of its glory and beauty during the last century before the destruction of the Temple in 70 CE. Herod had built many magnificent edifices in the city, with the Temple and the Temple Mount as its crowning glory. The Talmud goes out of its way to describe the physical qualities of the city, which "took nine measures of beauty out of the ten with which the world was bestowed, leaving one measure to the rest of the world." This illustrated volume is based on the results of the latest archaeological excavations. Dan Bahat is one of Israel's leading archaeologists. Married with four sons, he lives and lectures between Canada, as associate professor at the University of St. Michael's College, University of Toronto, and Israel, as senior lecturer at the Land of Israel Studies at Bar-Ilan University. He is a foremost expert on Jerusalem in general, and on the Temple Mount, Herod's Palace, and the 1,600-foot tunnel that runs under the western retaining wall of the Temple Mount in particular. Bahat served as Jerusalem district archaeologist from 1978 to 1990 after having been district archaeologist for the Galilee. He has published and lectured extensively on the history of Jerusalem.

48 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1994

Reviews

[Aaron · Rating 5 out of 5]

One class exercise I like to do as a Sunday School teacher is to ask the students to draw a map of where the Biblical narrative takes place in the world. It is always an eye-opening experience. As I am trying to make the Bible come alive to the students, The Atlas of Biblical Jerusalem by Dan Bahat seems like the perfect resource.

The History of the Holy City

Jerusalem is a crucial component of Biblical history. This Atlas will help students of the Bible visualize the text. The contents include The First Temple Period, The Second Temple Period, Jerusalem at the Time of Jesus, and Topography of the City.

There are just about 50 pages worth of material in this Atlas, including 17 large maps, 13 insert maps, a chronological table and complete index of place names.

Maps, Illustrations, and Photographs

This atlas is filled with colorful maps, detailed illustrations, and bright photographs to help paint the picture of Jerusalem. The large page format is perfect for making the maps easy to read. There is something new to see and learn on every page.

I was especially impressed with the illustrations. They are in a 3D format with people included for scale. It helped me perceive the grandeur of the temple as well as the spaciousness of the city. Specifically, I have a greater understanding of the temple pools and Jesus’ tomb.

A Valuable Visual Guide

A large portion of the pages is dedicated to explaining the history of the city as well as current archeological discoveries. It is much more in-depth than any Study Bible I have seen. Every photo is captioned, usually extensively, to add context and clarity.

This is a valuable visual guide for any student of the Bible. I would suggest beginning Bible readers get this as soon as possible to help paint a picture of the Biblical narrative. And for those already familiar with the Bible stories, this resource will help enrich your understanding. Come and see.

I was provided a complimentary copy of The Atlas of Biblical Jerusalem in exchange for an honest review.