Northern Israel · OT & NT
Galilee
The northern region of Jesus' early ministry — fishing villages, hills, and the great inland sea.
Today: Northern District of Israel
Galilee is the northernmost region of biblical Israel, bounded by the Jordan River and the Sea of Galilee on the east. In the Old Testament it was the territory of Zebulun, Naphtali, Issachar, and Asher. In the time of Christ it was densely populated, racially mixed, and looked down upon by Judeans.
The bulk of Jesus' public ministry unfolded in Galilee — the calling of the Twelve, the Sermon on the Mount, the great miracles, the feeding of the five thousand. Isaiah 9:1-2, fulfilled in Matthew 4:14-16, declares that the people of Galilee, sitting in darkness, would see a great light.
Key verses
"But there shall be no gloom to her that was in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali; but in the latter time hath he made it glorious, by the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations. The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined."
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"The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, Toward the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles, The people that sat in darkness Saw a great light, And to them that sat in the region and shadow of death, To them did light spring up. From that time began Jesus to preach, and to say, Repent ye; for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."
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"And Jesus went about in all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of disease and all manner of sickness among the people."
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"that saying ye yourselves know, which was published throughout all Judæa, beginning from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached;"
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