The Bible is not only God’s inspired Word, but it is also written history corroborated by modern science, including archeology, anthropology, and even DNA testing.

Numbers 13:22 states that the ancient city of Hebron was established seven years before the Egyptian town of Zoan. Archeology and DNA testing reveals this to have occurred around the year 1720 B.C. Nearly four millennia later, Hebron remains situated about 20 miles south of Jerusalem on several hills and wadis.

Biblical history tells us that Abram (later renamed Abraham) was born in Ur, a town near Babylon in the Amorite kingdom of Mesopotamia. Genesis 12:1-3 tells us that God prompted Abram to leave his home in a fertile valley in modern Iraq for a new land, Canaan.

“I will give to you and to your offspring after you ... all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession, and I will be their God” (Gen. 17:8, emphasis added).

So, in the time of Abraham, God delivered the world’s oldest continuous land deed, granting the Israelites title to ALL the land of Canaan, which includes what we know today as the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. The Bible tells us that the Canaanites were later dispersed from the region.

Upon arriving in Canaan, Abram, now Abraham, settled in Kiriath-arba (Gen. 23:2) around 1900 B.C., where he purchased land from the sons of Heth. The area became known as “Hebron,” after the Hebrew word for “the friend” in “alliance,” symbolizing God’s covenant with Abraham.

Abraham, his wife, Sarah, as well as sons Isaac and Jacob, and their wives, Rebekah and Leah, are all buried on this land in what is known to this day as the “Cave of Patriarchs.” Even present-day Islamic historians and authorities agree upon this fact. The Hebrews, of course, derive that name from the city of Hebron, which their patriarch settled nearly 4,000 years ago.

It is important to note that the Bible specifies that this area was settled by Canaanites, not Philistines. Modern science demonstrates that the Canaanites were/are genetically distinct from the Philistines. DNA testing confirms that the remnant of the Canaanites who lived in Canaan during Abraham’s time moved to what we now call Lebanon, confirming what the Bible says about God dispersing the Canaanites.

But what about the Palestinians?

Palestinians are descended from the ancient Philistines so often mentioned in the Bible. Not only were the Philistines/Palestinians not Canaanites, but nonbiblical history, including tomb records from the Egyptian Pharoah Ramesses III and the preserved writings of ancient Ammurapi, the last king of Ugarit, state that the Philistines were not from the Middle East at all.

Instead, the ancient secular historical records as well as the biblical accounts in Genesis 10:14, Deuteronomy 2:23, 1 Chronicles 1:12, Amos 9:7, and Jeremiah 47:4 all agree the Philistines were invaders from the islands off Greece — namely “Caphtor,” which is modern-day Crete. Crete is over 1,500 land miles away from Israel, or roughly the same distance as Key West, Florida, is from Toronto, Ontario.

In fact, history shows that Ammurapi lost his kingdom to a raid from these Cretian “Philistine” attackers, who traveled from across the sea to raid and destroy Ammurapi’s kingdom and many others.

The Philistine’s modern descendants seek the same destruction their ancient ancestors sought. Despite originating over 1,500 miles away from the Hebrews’ homeland, the Palestinians have utilized terror, torture, murder, and all-out war to try to eradicate the Jewish people and steal their land.

People pushing for a “Palestinian state” contend they simply want to return the Palestinians to their ancient homeland. But history and science prove the Palestinians’ homeland is off the coast of Greece, NOT Israel — the land of Canaan that God gave to Abraham through the world’s oldest, continuously active land deed (since not all Israelis went into captivity in the Babylonian invasion).

But Joe Biden is losing badly in the 2024 election polls. Facing a tough reelection battle, Biden is seeking to win pro-Palestinian supporters with his so-called “Biden Doctrine” — a recycled version of the old two-state solution.

Pulitzer Prize-winning foreign correspondent Thomas L. Friedman, who has close ties to the Biden administration, reports that the so-called “Biden Doctrine” involves “some form of US recognition of a demilitarized Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.” In other words, Biden wants to unilaterally recognize the nonexistent nation of “Palestine” and give them Israeli land.

That politically driven plan rewards the Israel-hating terrorists in Ramallah and Gaza with their own independent state. It also places enormous pressure on Israel to give up some of its God-given land to enemies bent on wiping the Jewish state off the map ... all so that Joe Biden can win another term in the White House.

Please prayerfully consider making a generous one-time gift or even a recurring monthly gift to fund our important work defending the world’s only Jewish state. We are educating legislators on the cold hard FACTS regarding Israel and the Palestinians. But we cannot do this important work without YOUR support. Please, give generously today.

“I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you” (Gen. 12:3).

Mat Staver
Chairman
Christians in Defense of Israel

As we move further into the new year, I ask for your generous and much-needed gift to defend Israel in 2024. Your gift now will help us fight the Biden administration’s attacks on Israel. Please give generously today! 

Fax Congress and sign the petition.

Sources:

“Abram’s Journey to Canaan.” The Bible Journey. Accessed February 7, 2024. Thebiblejourney.org/biblejourney2/23-the-journeys-of-adam-enoch-noah-abraham/abrams-journey-to-canaan/.‌

Berman, Lazar. “Biden Said Set to Make Push for Demilitarized Palestinian State as Part of New Doctrine.” The Times of Israel, February 1, 2024. Timesofisrael.com/biden-said-set-to-make-push-for-demilitarized-palestinian-state-as-part-of-new-doctrine/.

Cell Press. “Who Were the Canaanites? Ancient Human DNA Evidence Yields Answers.”  ScienceDaily, July 27, 2017. Sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/07/170727122039.htm.

“Hebron.” Wikipedia. Accessed February 8, 2024. En.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hebron.

“History & Overview of Hebron.” Jewish Virtual Library. Accessed February 8, 2024.  Jewishvirtuallibrary.org/history-and-overview-of-hebron.

Sauter, Megan. “Who Were the Philistines, and Where Did They Come From?” Biblical Archaeology Society, April 16, 2023. Biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/people-cultures-in-the-bible/who-were-philistines-where-did-they-come-from/.

“The Amazing Name Hebron: Meaning and Etymology.” Abarim Publications. Accessed February 7, 2024. Abarim-publications.com/Meaning/Hebron.html.