Galilee
The word "Galilee" serves a dual purpose in our study of biblical geography, for it refers to both a lake and a region. The term is used sparingly in the Old Testament (only six times, and always in reference to the region, not the water). It is used abundantly in the Gospels and Acts.
The region is often referred to in terms of "upper Galilee" and "lower Galilee." "Upper" slopes toward the north toward Syria and Phoenicia. "Lower," meanwhile, slopes south toward the Plain of Esdraelon. The lake, which we refer to most commonly as the Sea of Galilee, also goes by other names in Scripture -- the lake of Gennesaret, the Sea of Chinnereth, the Sea of Tiberias. It is roughly 13 miles long (north to south) and 8 miles wide. The name "Chinnereth" reflected the lake's harp-like shape. It is the lowest fresh-water lake in the world at 682 feet below sea level. It is fed from the north by the Jordan River, which in turn flows out of the southern end toward the Dead Sea. While the Sea of Galilee does not figure prominently into the Old Testament story, at all, it seems to be at the very center of Jesus' ministry in the Gospels. We recall that He called his first disciples by the shores of Galilee. Also, we gather that much of His teaching ministry took place near the lake, including one episode when He actually taught from a boat on the lake. And, of course, several of His miracles occurred on and near the Sea of Galilee. |