Customer Reviews

Zondervan Atlas of the Bible

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"Zondervan Atlas of the Bible" is an excellent Bible atlas that also contains Bible background information. It was full of color photographs of the various regions so the reader could see what they look like (in modern times). There were also some pictures of the ruins of various cities. There were charts, timelines, and, of course, lots and lots of maps. Most of the maps had a 3D look to show the relative elevation and also showed the locations of cities, rivers, and known ancient international and intra-national roads. The maps in the Historical section also showed the movement of troops or people during the events mentioned in the Bible.

The first part covered elevation, cities, roads, and agricultural information (like what the terrain was like, rainfall, and what crops were grown in the region) for the various regions in Canaan as well as relevant areas of Egypt, Sinai, and Mesopotamia. It also covered how the Biblical feasts aligned with the planting/harvesting cycle for various crops, the months, and the rainy/dry seasons. It explained how the geography influenced Biblical events, which was very enlightening. It made the Bible "come alive." The text was concise and easy to understand. I plan on reading this part again because it had so much useful information.

The second part went through the historical narrative of the Bible, starting with Eden and ending with Revelation. Each historical section had a timeline at the start which showed Biblical events aligned with rulers in Syria/Mesopotamia and Egypt as well as what archaeological period it fell under. The author acknowledged that not everyone will agree with how he lined things up.

The text summarized the various Biblical events related to the maps and tied in archaeological findings (like if city remains were found for that time period or if archaeologists have uncovered non-Biblical records referring to those Biblical cities or kings). He also gave an international view of events by tying in information from Egypt and Mesopotamia records about various battles that affected Canaan/Israel as well.

For those who care, the author has Abraham entering Canaan in 2091 BC, which he says was in the middle of the Middle Bronze I period. He has Jacob and his family entering Egypt in 1876 BC, in Middle Bronze IIA, and during the Egyptian 12th Dynasty. He has the Exodus from Egypt in 1446 BC, during the Late Bronze I period, and during Thutmose III's reign in Egypt. He has Joshua beginning his conquest of Canaan in 1406 BC and near the end of the Late Bronze IIA period. He has Judges occurring during the Iron I period. And then he doesn't refer to the periods anymore.

I side with those who think the evidence strongly supports the scheme of: Joshua's conquest of Canaan brought about the start of Middle Bronze I and the Assyrian conquest of Israel and Babylonian conquest of Judah--and exile of much of their populations during each--explains the lack of population seen in Israel in the Late Bronze periods. So the archaeological tie-ins the author used weren't as useful for me since I had to put them into the context I use. Also, I agree with the group inspired by Immanuel Velikovsky and Donovan Courville that believe the alignment this author used for connecting Mesopotamia and Egyptian kings to the Biblical timeline is also off. So the timelines were useless for me.

Also, the author tried to identify where the Garden of Eden was located on current geography, but he overlooks that a world-wide Flood would have wiped Eden off the map and re-arranged the geography. Trying to locate Eden based on a couple rivers named post-Flood after the Eden ones is futile.

But the maps and the geographical information related to the Biblical events were excellent and very useful to me. Overall, it's an excellent Altas with useful maps, and I learned a lot from it. I'd recommend it to those who want a large set of maps for Biblical events and who would like to learn more about how geography influenced Biblical events.


I received this book as a review copy from the publisher.

Reviewed by Debbie from ChristFocus Book Club

I have always loved maps. Remember the game "Are we there yet?" as a kid? Yeah, that was my favorite game until the day I discovered I could add all the little red numbers between the cities on my parents' atlas together and find out exactly how long till we were there.

So when I got the Zondervan Atlas of the Bible by Carl Rasmussen in the mail I was like a kid in a candy store. And this isn't your grandma's Bible Atlas either. The multidimensional and three-dimensional maps add a new layer to the context of many biblical accounts. My personal favorites are the maps that detail some of the Old Testament battles; the three-dimensional maps give a new understanding of how the terrain may have played a role.

However, this is not merely an atlas. Fully half of this book is text in addition to the maps, chronological charts, full-color photos and graphics. All considered, this book is a solid Bible history book in and of itself. Some of the pictures are more relevant and helpful than others, but the whole book is so beautifully put together one can hardly blame them for including some vivid imagery of the Middle East countryside.

I foresee this book being indispensable in the near future as Redeemer Church is planning to work through the Pentateuch together in nine weeks for a series we're calling the Old Testament Challenge.

Recommended for: Anyone wanting to study the history of their Bible deeper; all cartophiles

This book was a free review copy provided by Zondervan.

I have owned or read several of these types of works, and one thing I have found is that they are all relatively similar in content and outlook. Most are written from an evangelical Christian perspective, as is this one (this is not a criticism, merely a statement of the work's perspective), and most cover roughly the same material in more or less the same way. These works are informative for the layman, and the advanced student will probably find them useful as well for the maps. I still refer to the atlas that I purchased my second year of college, though I do not refer to the text. With regards to this atlas, there are no distinguishing features to separate it from the myriad of other similar volumes, and I would additionally argue that the prose of considerably lesser quality than found in some of those other works, such as the Holman Bible Atlas. In fact, the only unique feature of note is the publication date, but it does not seem to have taken advantage of the advances in Biblical studies of the last decade. If you do not already have a Bible atlas, you may find this one worthwhile to purchase, since it is relatively well done, but do not consider it a supplement to an atlas you already own, as you will be sorely disappointed.

That this bible atlas is an improved revision to Carl Rasmussen's 256-page Gold Medallion Award-winning Zondervan NIV Atlas of the Bible (1999) means that a good book is now even better with over 300 pages. The author recognizes that many historical events in the Bible were, in various ways, influenced by their geographical context. Also, since the majority of biblical events occurred in the Middle East where the contemporary states of Israel and Jordan exist, the book begins with a geographical description of this area as a whole with a special focus on these countries but also covering Egypt, Syria & Lebanon, and Mesopotamia. The historical section opens with an intro to events during the 3rd millennium BC of the Pre-Patriarchal Period and continues up to Jerusalem's fall in AD 70 with a focus on biblical and extrabiblical texts that lend themselves to geographical illustration. The generally standard dates of the Encyclopedia of Archaeological Excavations in the Holy Land were used for archaeological periods and for Egyptian, Assyrian and other kings, and Thiele's The Mysterious Numbers of the Hebrew Kings (rev. 3rd ed, 1983) was used for dating the Judean and Israelite kings. Dating Israel's early history - the patriarchs through the period of the judges - follows the plain reading of the biblical text which the author believes fits well with known extrabiblical chronologies. Rasmussen is also aware of alternate chronological schemes, but in place of a detailed discussion of this which is outside the scope of the book he provides detailed charts throughout with a general chronological chart in the appendices.

Although the NIV of the Bible is used for the spelling of biblical names and biblical quotes, when extrabiblical texts are cited, reference is made to Ancient Near Eastern Texts Relating to the Old Testament (3rd ed, 1969), edited by J. B. Pritchard, which Rasmussen and others consider the standard English translation of these relevant texts. At the end of the introduction, it is notable that the author acknowledges the possibility of inaccuracies and inconsistencies in the book despite all attempts by the author, cartographers, and editors to avoid them, so he requests from readers the submission of recommended corrections. Such an acknowledgment and request increases the integrity of this book and any future revisions. Since, at the time of this review, Amazon has not made available an in-book viewing of the table of contents, which would help readers in their consideration of whether to purchase, I will provide it here. There are no stated chapter numbers, only section, subsection, sub-subsection, and sub-sub-subsection titles which I will present using caps, parentheses, and brackets, each section receiving its own paragraph.

The TABLE OF CONTENTS is as follows: Preface, Abbreviations, Introduction, GEOGRAPHICAL SECTION (Introduction to the Middle East as a Whole, The Geography of Israel and Jordan [The Five Major Longitudinal Zones {Introduction to the Five Zones, Coastal Plain, Central Mountain Range, The Rift Valley, Transjordanian Mountains, The Eastern Desert}, Weather Patterns {The Dry Season - Summer, The Rainy Season - Winter, The Transitional Seasons}, Major Natural Routes - Roads {Roads and Modes of Travel, The International North - South Route, The International Transjordanian Route, Interregional and Local Routes}, Geographical Regions of Israel and Jordan {Bashan, Huleh Valley Upper Galilee, Plain of Acco, Lower Galilee, Jezreel Valley, Mount Carmel, Sea of Galilee, Sharon Plain, Hill Country of Manasseh, Hill Country of Ephraim, Hill Country of Benjamin, Hill Country of Judah, Judean Wilderness, Dead Sea/Salt Sea, Philistine Plain, Shephelah, Negev, The "Arabah" South of the Dead Sea, Gilead, Jordan Valley, Moab, Edom}, The Geography of Egypt, The Geography of Syria and Lebanon, The Geography of Mesopotamia.)

HISTORICAL SECTION (The Pre-Patriarchal Period [Garden of Eden, Table of Nations, Mesopotamia - Early Bronze Age, Egypt during the Early Bronze Age, The Southern Levant during the Early Bronze Age], The Patriarchs and the Egyptian Sojourn, Exodus and Conquest [The Exodus from Egypt, The Conquest of Canaan], Settlement in the Land of Canaan [Allotment of the Land {Judah, Simeon, Ephraim, Manasseh, Benjamin, Zebulun, Isaachar, Asher, Naphtali, Dan, Reuben/Gad/& Manasseh, Levitical Cities, Cities of Refuge}, The Period of the Judges], Transition to the Monarchy: Samuel and Saul, The United Monarchy: David and Solomon, The Divided Kingdom, Judah Alone, Exile and Return, The Arrival of the Greeks, The Maccabean Revolt and the Hasmonean Dynasty, Early Roman Rule in Palestine, The Life of Christ, The Expansion of the Church in Palestine, The Journeys of Paul [The Early Life of Saul, Paul's First Missionary Journey, Paul's Second Missionary Journey, Paul's Third Missionary Journey, Paul's Journey to Rome], The Seven Churches of Revelation [Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, Laodicea], Jerusalem, The Disciplines of Historical Geography [Philology: Textual Studies {The Bible, Extrabiblical Texts}, Toponymy: Study of Place Names, Archaeology, Geography, Conclusion])

APPENDICES (Bibliography, Glossary, Timeline of Biblical History, Index of Scripture References, Index of Persons, Geographical Dictionary and Index).

As one can see from the table of contents above, the book attempts to be fairly comprehensive. Also, in addition to the numerous colorful maps, one is graced with many color pictures of site locations and archeological finds. The book is sturdy and well-bound, capable of lasting a lifetime of use given adequate care, at least until the next even-better revision comes out. It is recommended as a useful bible study companion.

For those familiar with the Zondervan Atlas of the Bible, this is an updated version, containing more photos and information. The last version of this particular Atlas, as far as I can tell, was updated in 1985, so I am grateful for this current edition.

If you are not familiar with this Atlas, it contains historical data points and information about the land on which the Biblical Story is set. It is NOT a contemporary atlas of the area, nor does it contain information concerning the countries which now exist within the area.

As such, while it makes a wonderful resource for those interested in the historical geography of the area, it does not provide information that will assist you in understanding the current situation in the area, nor does it contain maps or information showing the geopolitical situation after World War II.

Since I often explore the past as an understanding to the present (and future), I had hoped that it would contain some of this more contemporary information. A specific example involves the geography of underground water aquifers within the country of Israel and its neighboring countries. Until you see these aquifers on a contemporary map, you cannot understand the importance of water in the region and many of the issues in today's politics.

From a Biblical/historical standpoint, one wants to know why there were fights between Lot's men and Abram's men concerning wells. Is there a source of water under Jerusalem? If so, did it impact the sieges of Jerusalem? Is this (or that) well still providing water in the area? If so, what is the source of the well? Did this impact the location and movements of the Biblical characters, and if so, how and why was this an issue. So aquifers are an important part of the geography, both historical and present.

For those who hoped that the measurements in this Atlas would include Metric measurements, they will be disappointed. While maps contain both Metric and Imperial measurements, charts on rainfall and the texts of the essays continue to be strictly in Imperial Measurements (Inches and Miles). In today's international world, both should be included for clarity.

So, while this is a beautiful update for Zondervan, there are a few areas where they might have gone a step further and made this Atlas "state of the art."

Nevertheless, if you do not have a Biblical Atlas available to you, this is definitely a wonderful resource. It contains much information that will be helpful, and if I am disappointed about the information that it doesn't include, these points are minor and not particularly noticeable to most people studying Biblical History.

Calling the ATLAS OF THE BIBLE an "atlas", is like calling the Library of Congress a newsstand. Actually its a complete study guide for the bible, from every modern scientific discipline available to us. Beyond that, the book has been published in full color, with breathtaking photos of the stark, majestic landscape intertwined with maps that explain everything mentioned in the Old and New Testaments of the Bible, from Genesis to Revelations. Opening with an introduction to the Geology of the whole Middle East, everything is given for students of any level to gain a complete feel for the size, and layout of lands mentioned in the bible. The book uses the latest in 3D mapping, which anyone who's played with GOOGLE EARTH will know, allows you to visualize the geography of an area from a 45 degree angle. Then, on top of the geographical 3D views in full color (to represent vegetation), are the markers for Biblical archeological sites, and trade routes. When just maps wont say enough, photos of these areas are included. Even the climate, growing seasons, rainfall, agriculture, animal husbandry and follage practices, its all here. The "geographic" section covers briefly placement of ancient cultures too. Within the first 81 pages, one gains a thorough understanding of not only maps, but the "lay of the land" as foundation for the REAL purpose of the book: The historical analysis of the Biblical age.

The Historical section starts with an attempt to place Eden, Cush, Havilah, then the descendants of Ham, Shem, and Japheth. Some might find this anti-scientific, but since these bits are treated as theological or spiritual, I cant see how it mitigates the actual scholarship thruout the rest of the book. Timelines are used extensively, comparing Canaan, Egypt and Syria from 3200BC (early Bronze age) onward. Here's where the modern discoveries of biblical archeology, like photos of sacrificial altars from before the time of Abraham, or city walls for Arad from 2800BC start to bring the biblical history to life. Obviously conjecture occurs when Abrahams route from Ur to Israel is considered. However, its balanced with scientific archeology, which obviously comes into play for the Egyptian Exodus period. The cross references between biblical historical accounts, and those found on the EBLA and MARI TABLETS from 1800BC, attest to the accuracy of the Bible. The division of Israel to the 12 tribes is documented on maps, and cross referenced to biblical passages. Some timelines are more specific, as with the period when the Kingdom is established, showing the overlap of Samuel, Saul, and David lives. Again, when so much of the Old Testament concerns this period, its natural the book would focus on military campaigns, and the building of Jerusalem. Along with clear timelines showing the division of the Kingdom, are photos of Mesopotamian art showing King Jeru bowing down before Shalmaneser III. This is what brings the Old Testament to life, and helps to overlay a modern chronology over the scattershot manner that historical dates are revealed in the history books. And on it goes, Xerex's empire rises and falls, the Greeks come and go, then the Romans, concluding with the Maccabean revolt and loss of free Jewish empire. As the "common era" is reached, more and more historical records from that era become available beyond Josephus. (Altho I wish some more cross-referecing of sources were included here.)

The New Testament era also is fully documented. The book's photos of landscapes or archeological finds, models of Herod's temple or 1st century fishing boats like Peter used, all combine to realize the time of the historical Jesus. First century maps clarify towns and city names. Many archeological sites are preserved from this period, as the place near Caesarea Philippi where Peter confirmed that Jesus was the Christ. (Apparently oral tradition kept these places located, until Constantanoble's mother came and built religious sites over the areas.) After Jesus death, resurrection and ascension, the "Atlas" follows the complex journeys of the Apostles, and the spread of Christianity. In depth, linear accounts of the NT history recorded in Acts, photos of the very buildings Paul viewed, roads he walked, even inscriptions of convert's names over their landshares, helps to visualize Luke's historical analysis of the early church. The book's biblical recap ends with the locations of the 7 churches mentioned in Revelations. Towards the book's completion, a chapter is devoted to the history of Jerusalem. Included are detailed maps of NT Jerusalem, and Crusader era church construction. Finally, we're treated to a small discourse on the discipline of historical geography, including a section on the study of the biblical texts, the history of place names, as well as recent discoveries of extrabiblical texts confirming biblical accounts. A complete timeline of biblical history concludes the atlas, along with bibliography, index of scripture references and key players, plus a HUGE geographical dictionary and index. That part's cool. A town or city will be listed, giving its modern, then ancient name, its biblical references, and the pages where information and maps can be found locating such a town, or photos of it.

Here's one book functioning as a historical reference to the entire period of ancient mid eastern history pertaining to Israel. Since the Bible's historical account is retold in modern chronological style, any bible student would benefit greatly from the ATLAS OF THE BIBLE. Anyone interested in the disciplines of ancient middle eastern history, archeology, or geography, would gain insight and merit from its pages. I'd highly recommend the book to anyone interested in middle eastern history, or who could use a complete biblical study companion.

This is a great atlas on the Bible produced by Zondervan, one that you would expect to find in your Christian students library. It is very well made with thick, glossy pages and will last for years. As someone who assigns projects to students on the Bible, I would be pleased if they referenced this work.

It is broken down into two main sections: geographical and historical. With the Then and Now Bible Maps: With Clear Plastic Overlays of Modern Day Cities and Countries these two texts offer a complete overview of what most people will need to discover and learn about biblical lands and their transformation throughout history.

The text is filled with examples of what the biblical lands looked like in their time and today, routes biblical figures took, hundreds of great photographs, and articles that are very suitable for high school students.

The author does not forget the Maccabean Revolt or Hasmonean Dynasty, which many texts leave out, but are critical parts of Israel's history. That gives this book an extra huge plus over others. Plenty of useful appendices are included, including indexes of scripture verses and persons.

You will be pleased with this text. Highly recommended.

This review was entirely plagerized from BiblePlaces Blog. It was helpful to me for making the decision to purchase the book.

Quoted text:

"For the last twenty years I have used and recommended Carl G. Rasmussen's Zondervan NIV Atlas of the Bible (1989). This week the revised edition (now entitled, Zondervan Atlas of the Bible) was released and my appreciation for it has only grown. In short, I highly recommend this atlas for everyone from church-goers to Israel tour participants to college and seminary students. Here are a few reasons why I am so enthusiastic:
"First-person knowledge of the land: The author has not only led dozens of study trips to Israel, Turkey, and Greece, he has lived in Israel for many years. His intimate knowledge and love of the land and Scripture is reflected throughout the book.
"Appreciation for geographical regions: Unfortunately it is unusual for an atlas to survey the distinct geographical units, but this atlas provides helpful summaries of the primary characteristics of the twenty major regions, such as the Jezreel Valley, Hill Country of Benjamin, Dead Sea, and Edom. If this is essential for you in an atlas, this is the one to get.
"Historical survey from Genesis 3 to Revelation 3: The author begins in the Garden of Eden and ends with the churches of Revelation. That means that whatever event you want to know more about, you'll find it here. More important than the broad scope is the accurate, knowledgeable treatment of the stories and issues.
"Accurate, colorful maps: This atlas has more than a hundred full-color maps. There is a map on nearly every other page. I could wish for a few more detailed maps (e.g., Isaiah 10:28-32), but I'm certainly not disappointed with the quality or appearance.
"Conservative convictions: This means a lot to me, and I was encouraged again and again to see that the author holds to time-tested views consistent with the biblical witness. That includes an early date for the patriarchs, an early date for the conquest, a willingness to allow that some of the Habiru may have been Israelites, and a high regard for the biblical descriptions of the reigns of David and Solomon.
"Sound judgment: This, of course, is shorthand for "agrees with my conclusions," but I was pleased to see, for example, that he suggests that Joshua's Ai is "probably" Khirbet el-Maqatir, ignores the recent proposal that locates Sodom at Tell el-Hammam, and does not equate Kh. Qeiyafa with Shaaraim.
"The end of the book: There are some terrific resources here, including the section on the disciplines of historical geography, Jerusalem, and the fantastic geographical dictionary and index.

"What could be better? Some might not like the small font, which I assume is necessary because of the profusion of maps, timelines, and photos. I regret that the endnotes were removed in this edition, and students who want to pursue issues he brings up will not find any help here. I wish he had written more about (and come to different conclusions on) some New Testament issues, such as the locations of Emmaus, the baptism of Jesus, Bethsaida, and the Gadara/Gerasa issue. Some resources should have been updated, such as Context of Scripture instead of the 1969 edition of ANET. In my opinion, publishers should avoid using a photo of a non-biblical site (Petra) on the cover of a Bible atlas.
"Overall, I highly recommend this new edition and I would certainly commend it for use in preparatory work before traveling to the Holy Lands as well as for college and graduate courses on Bible geography."

I absolutely love this book. Since I have received it, I haven't put it down. It's a large booj with lots of maps, pictures and information. I am going to Israel next week on a group tour (led by our church) and wanted a book which would help prepare me for my travels. When Vine offered this I jumped on it immediately and I was not disappointed. I have learned more from this book than any Fodor's guide. It is rich in details and facts and will prove to be a tremendous resource for me. Only downside is I can't take the book with me due to it's size and weight (my suitcase is already full, lol). However, it has prepared me for what I want to see and I have photostatted some pages of interest to bring with me. If you are interested in learning more about the Holy Land, or better yet planning a trip there, then run to get this book. You will not be disappointed.

_Atlas of the Bible_ contains an abundance of maps of Biblical regions and landmarks, color-coded as to elevation. It's divided into two sections: a geographical section and an historical one. Accompanying the maps, the geographical section goes into such details as the climate, rainfall, and temperature, while the historical section is largely a chronological view through sites (and possible sites, since locations can be debated) where biblical events took place.

The book seems largely geared toward people living the U.S., to help them develop a better understanding of the geography of the Middle East. For example, one of the charts I found the most interesting compares the size of Middle East countries to areas of the United States (p. 19). This type of education is something sorely needed, since many of us will never be fortunate enough to take a trip to the Holy Land.

Timelines detail what else was happening simultaneous to Biblical events, and Rasmussen accompanies his text with Biblical references, so that each locale's importance to a Bible story is easy to see.

Accompanying the maps, interspersed throughout, are contemporary photos of certain locales. Images (such as conceptual drawings) of how regions appeared in Biblical times aren't present, but would have really added to developing an historical understanding of the region. Much of what "was" is now either rubble or replaced with more modern buildings, so even though the modern-day photos are of interest to those wanting to know what these sites look like today, it's difficult to imagine them as they appeared long ago. For example, there are a few concepts of what two items and one temple building used to look like (202, 207, and 258). I think additional images of this nature, especially of buildings and geographical regions, would have really added to my understanding of the Holy Land's appearance in Biblical times.

_Atlas of the Bible_ would be a valuable resource for those who are scholarly looking at the Bible and its key locales, either for educational reasons, or out of interest in where important biblical events took place.