Biblical Geography: The Galilee by Felix Just, S.J., Ph.D.
Political Overview:
Galilee during the Roman Period:
part of the Kingdom of Herod the Great (40-4 BC)
part of the Tetrarchy of Herod
Antipas (4 BC - AD 39)
Geographical Features:
Sea of Galilee
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Old Testament: a.k.a. Sea of Chinnereth (Num 34:11; Deut 3:17; Josh 13:27; 19:35) or Sea of Chinneroth (Josh 11:2; 12:3; 1 Kings 15:20)
New Testament: a.k.a. Lake of Gennesaret (Luke 5:1) or Sea of Tiberias (John 6:1; 21:1)
Mount Tabor -
Old Testament: mentioned in Joshua 19:12, 22, 34; Judges 4:6, 12, 14; 8:18; 1Samuel 10:3; 1Chronicles 6:77; Psalms 89:12; Jeremiah 46:18; and Hosea 5:1
New Testament: not mentioned by name, but traditionally identified as the "Mount of the Transfiguration" (Mark 9:2-10; Matthew 17:1-9; Luke 9:28-36)
Mount of the Beatitudes -
Exact location not specified in the NT, but probably near the Sea of Galilee, and traditionally located near Capernaum
Matthew 5:1 - "When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him." (cf. 8:1 - Jesus comes down the mountain)
See also "the mountain" (same one? or different?) mentioned in Matthew 14:23; 15:29; and 28:16; also Mark 3:13; 6:46; Luke 6:12; John 6:3; 6:15.
Largest Cities during the NT Period:
Sepphoris & Tiberias - political capitals during
the first century, but not mentioned in the NT!
Towns and Villages on or near the Shores of the Sea of Galilee:
Capernaum -
Mark 1:21 - They went to Capernaum; and when the sabbath came, he entered the synagogue and taught.
Mark 2:1 - When he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home.
Mark 9:33 - Then they came to Capernaum; and when he was in the house he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the way?”
Matthew 4:13 - He left Nazareth and made his home in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali,
Matthew 8:5 - When he entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, appealing to him
Matthew 11:23 - And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? No, you will be brought down to Hades. For if the deeds of power done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.
Matthew 17:24 - When they reached Capernaum, the collectors of the temple tax came to Peter and said, “Does your teacher not pay the temple tax?”
Luke 4:23 - He said to them, “Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, ‘Doctor, cure yourself!’ And you will say, ‘Do here also in your hometown the things that we have heard you did at Capernaum.’ ”
Luke 4:31 - He went down to Capernaum, a city in Galilee, and was teaching them on the sabbath.
Luke 7:1 - After Jesus had finished all his sayings in the hearing of the people, he entered Capernaum.
Luke 10:15 - And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? No, you will be brought down to Hades.
John 2:12 - After this he went down to Capernaum with his mother, his brothers, and his disciples; and they remained there a few days.
John 4:46 - Then he came again to Cana in Galilee where he had changed the water into wine. Now there was a royal official whose son lay ill in Capernaum.
John 6:17 - got into a boat, and started across the sea to Capernaum. It was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them.
John 6:24 - So when the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they themselves got into the boats and went to Capernaum looking for Jesus.
John 6:59 - He said these things while he was teaching in the synagogue at Capernaum.
Bethsaida -
Mark 6:45 - Immediately he made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side, to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd.
Mark 8:22 - They came to Bethsaida. Some people brought a blind man to him and begged him to touch him.
Matthew 11:21 - “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the deeds of power done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.”
Luke 9:10 - On their return the apostles told Jesus all they had done. He took them with him and withdrew privately to a city called Bethsaida.
Luke 10:13 - “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the deeds of power done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.”
John 1:44 - Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter.
John 12:21 - They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and said to him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.”
Chorazim -
only in Matt 11:21 and Luke 10:13 (see Bethsaida, above)
Dalmanutha - region or district; exact location unknown
only in Mark 8:10
Gennesaret -
exact location unknown
place name mentioned only in Mark 6:53 and Matt 14:34
"Lake of Gennesaret" also mentioned in Luke 5:1
Magdala - mentioned 12 times, always only in reference to “Mary the Magdalene” or “Mary of Magdala”
Matt 27:56, 61; 28:1; Mark 15:40, 47; 16:1, 9; Luke 8:2; 24:10; John 19:25; 20:1, 18
Towns and Villages in the Interior of Southern Galilee:
Cana -
Mark 3:18 (in list of 12 apostles) - ...and Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Cananaean,
Matthew 10:4 (in list of 12 apostles) - ...Simon the Cananaean, and Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed him.
John 2:1 - On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there.
John 2:11 - Jesus did this, the first of his signs, in Cana of Galilee, and revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.
John 4:46 - Then he came again to Cana in Galilee where he had changed the water into wine. Now there was a royal official whose son lay ill in Capernaum.
John 21:2 - Gathered there together were Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples.
Nain -
only in Luke 7:11 - Soon afterwards he went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd went with him.
Nazareth -
Vocabulary Used:
"Nazareth" (12x; Gk. Nazara or Nazaret or Nazareq): Mark 1:9; Matt 2:23; 4:13; 21:11; Luke 1:26; 2:4, 39, 51; 4:16; John 1:45, 46; Acts 10:38
"of Nazareth" (6x; Gk. NazarhnoV): Mark 1:24; 10:47; 14:67; 16:6; Luke 4:34; 24:19
"the Nazorean" (13x; Gk. NazwraioV): Matt 2:23; 26:71; Luke 18:37; John 18:5, 7; 19:19; Acts 2:22; 3:6; 4:10; 6:14; 22:8; 24:5; 26:9
Mark 1:9 – In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan.
Mark 1:24 – and he cried out, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God.”
Mark 10:47 – When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”
Mark 14:67 – When she saw Peter warming himself, she stared at him and said, “You also were with Jesus, the man [from] (of) Nazareth.”
Mark 16:6 – But he said to them, “Do not be alarmed; you are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has been raised; he is not here. Look, there is the place they laid him.
Matthew 2:23 – There he made his home in a town called Nazareth, so that what had been spoken through the prophets might be fulfilled, “He will be called a Nazorean.”
Matthew 4:13 – He left Nazareth and made his home in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali,
Matthew 21:11 – The crowds were saying, “This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee.”
Matthew 26:71 – When he went out to the porch, another servant-girl saw him, and she said to the bystanders, “This man was with Jesus of Nazareth (the Nazorean).”
Luke 1:26 – In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth,
Luke 2:4 – Joseph also went from the town [of] Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David.
Luke 2:39 – When they had finished everything required by the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town [of] Nazareth.
Luke 2:51 – Then he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them. His mother treasured all these things in her heart.
Luke 4:16 – When he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he went to the synagogue on the sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read,
Luke 4:34 – “Let us alone! What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God.”
Luke 18:37 – They told him, “Jesus of Nazareth (the Nazorean) is passing by.”
Luke 24:19 – He asked them, “What things?” They replied, “The things about Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people,
John 1:45-46 – Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found him about whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus son of Joseph from Nazareth.” / Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.”
John 18:5,7 – They answered, “Jesus of Nazareth (the Nazorean).” Jesus replied, “I am he.” Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them. / / Again he asked them, “Whom are you looking for?” And they said, “Jesus of Nazareth (the Nazorean).”
John 19:19 – Pilate also had an inscription written and put on the cross. It read, “Jesus of Nazareth (the Nazorean), the King of the Jews.”
Acts 2:22 – “You that are Israelites, listen to what I have to say: Jesus of Nazareth (the Nazorean), a man attested to you by God with deeds of power, wonders, and signs that God did through him among you, as you yourselves know--
Acts 3:6 – But Peter said, “I have no silver or gold, but what I have I give you; in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth (the Nazorean), stand up and walk.”
Acts 4:10 – let it be known to all of you, and to all the people of Israel, that this man is standing before you in good health by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth (the Nazorean), whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead.
Acts 6:14 – for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth (the Nazorean) will destroy this place and will change the customs that Moses handed on to us.”
Acts 10:38 – how God anointed Jesus [of] (from) Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power; how he went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.
Acts 22:8 – I answered, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ Then he said to me, ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth (the Nazorean) whom you are persecuting.’
Acts 24:5 – We have, in fact, found this man a pestilent fellow, an agitator among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes (the Nazoreans).
Acts 26:9 – “Indeed, I myself was convinced that I ought to do many things against the name of Jesus of Nazareth (the Nazorean).
