Lexham Geographic Commentary on the Historical Books, Volume 2 (Lexham Geographic Commentary)

1 Samuel-Esther

Barry J. Beitzel

• Publisher: Lexham Press
• Year: 2026
• eBook ISBN:
  9781493465330
• Subtopic: Middle Eastern History

Exploring the kings of Israel to the time of Queen Esther

· Study the land in which the stories of 1 Samuel-Esther took place.
· Learn how geographic and cultural factors can provide theological insights
· Visualize the promised land through full-color maps and photos

David ruled a kingdom with discernible borders. Solomon married the daughter of a real, historical Pharoah. When we understand the geographic and cultural features of the Bible, we experience its stories with fresh eyes.

· See where David fled during his decade of being pursued by Saul
· Learn how Samuel's judging circuit aligns with archaeological evidence
· Identify Solomon's Egyptian father-in-law
· Understand the geographical and cultural import of genealogies in 1 Chronicles 1-9

Written by a team of experts on biblical geography and culture, the Lexham Geographic Commentary on the Historical Books, Volume 2, is a guide to the biblical world of 1 Samuel through Esther. Each article addresses a particular story, event, or subject in 1-2 Samuel, 1-2 Kings, 1-2 Chronicles, or Esther, with full-color maps and photos providing deeper layers of context. Historical and cultural insights give readers a richer understanding of the biblical story.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Endorsements
• Half-Title Page
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Contents
• Abbreviations
• Series Preface
• Volume Preface
• Chapter 1: Literary Space in the Songs of Hannah and David: 1 Sam 2:1–10; 2 Sam 22
• Chapter 2: Samuel’s Judgeship: A Geographical Analysis: 1 Sam 3–7
• Chapter 3: ‘Here I Raise My Ebenezer’: The Geography of the Battles of Aphek and Mizpah: 1 Sam 4, 7
• Chapter 4: The Movements of Israel’s Ark of the Covenant: From Shiloh to Jerusalem: 1 Sam 4–7; 2 Sam 6
• Chapter 5: The Case of the United Monarchy: An Archaeological Perspective: 1 Sam 1–1 Kgs 11
• Chapter 6: The Boundaries of Saul’s and David’s Kingdoms: 1 Sam 13:1; 27:1–12; 2 Sam 2:1–7; 5:1–25; 8:1–14; 24:1–8; 1 Chr 12:1–22; 18:1–13
• Chapter 7: The Geographical Extent of the Kingdom of Judah in the Tenth Century BC: 1 Sam 17; 1 Kgs 4:7–19; 9:15–18; 2 Chr 11:5–12; Josh 13–19
• Chapter 8: The Battle Between David and Goliath: A Socio-spatial Analysis: 1 Sam 17:1–52
• Chapter 9: David’s Life as a Fugitive from Saul: A Geographic Analysis: 1 Sam 19–30
• Chapter 10: The Battle of Mount Gilboa and the Death of Saul: 1 Sam 8–15; 28–31; 2 Sam 1
• Chapter 11: David’s Place in the Life of Israel Immediately Following the Death of Saul: A Socio-spatial Analysis: 2 Sam 1:1–5:14
• Chapter 12: Tenth Century BC Evidence in Relation to Early Israel, the Jezreel Valley, and the Galilee: A Geographical Assessment: 2 Sam 3:3; 5:11; 8:1–18 ; 10:19; 1 Kgs 4:7–19; 5:1–18; 9:15; 10:28; 11:1, 23–35
• Chapter 13: The Benyaw Inscription from Abel Beth Maakah: 2 Sam 3:3; 10:6–8; 20:14–22; 1 Kgs 15:20; 2 Kgs 15:29; 1 Chr 19:6
• Chapter 14: David’s Consolidation of His Rule over Israel: A Geographical Analysis: 2 Sam 5–6
• Chapter 15: The Geography of the David and Bathsheba Incident: 2 Sam 11
• Chapter 16: The Historical Geography of the Slaying of the Rephaim from Gath: 2 Sam 21:15–22; 1 Chr 20:4–8
• Chapter 17: David’s ‘Mighty Men’: A Historical Geographical Assessment: 2 Sam 23:8–39; 1 Chr 11:10–47
• Chapter 18: Solomon and the Pharaoh’s Daughter: 1 Kgs 3
• Chapter 19: The Geography of Solomon’s Proto-Empire: 1 Kgs 4, 9
• Chapter 20: Solomon and Jerusalem’s Role in the Arabah Copper Industry : 1 Kgs 9:26–28; 10:11; 11:15
• Chapter 21: An Overview of the Divided Kingdom: Geographically, Economically, Religiously, and Politically: 1 Kgs 12:1–14:31; 2 Chr 10:1–12:16
• Chapter 22: Jeroboam I and the Religion of the Northern Kingdom: 1 Kgs 12:25–33
• Chapter 23: The Campaign of Pharaoh Shishak (Shoshenq I): A Socio-spatial Analysis: 1 Kgs 14:25–26; 2 Chr 12:1–12
• Chapter 24: The Ministry of Elijah: A Geographic Analysis: 1 Kgs 17:1–19:21; 21:17–29; 2 Kgs 1:1–2:18
• Chapter 25: Mountains and Caves and the Stories of Elijah: 1 Kgs 18:1–19:21
• Chapter 26: The Socio-spatial Dimension of the Ministry of Elisha: 2 Kgs 2–13
• Chapter 27: Geographical Matters in the Mesha Inscription and King Mesha’s Campaign: 2 Kgs 3
• Chapter 28: The Tel Dan Stele and Its Relation to Israel and Judah: 2 Kgs 8–9
• Chapter 29: The Geography of the Assyrian Campaigns Against Israel: 2 Kgs 15:19–20; 17:1–6; 18:9–11
• Chapter 30: The Geography of Israel’s Deportations and Returns: 2 Kgs 17:6, 24–35; 18:11; 2 Kgs 24–25; 2 Chr 36:20–21; Jer 29; 52:30
• Chapter 31: The Geography of Palestine in the Eighth Century BC: 2 Kgs 17:6; see also 2 Kgs 13:1–17:41; 18:9–12; 2 Chr 25:1–28:27; Isa 7:1–9:7
• Chapter 32: ‘According to All That David His Father Had Done’: The Cultic Reforms of Hezekiah in Archaeological Perspective: 2 Kgs 15–20 ; 2 Chr 26–32
• Chapter 33: The Geography of Sennacherib’s Campaign Against Judah and Jerusalem: 2 Kgs 18–19; 2 Chr 32:1–32; Isa 36–38
• Chapter 34: The Kingdom of Josiah: 2 Kgs 22:1–23:30; 2 Chr 34:1–35:27
• Chapter 35: Megiddo: The Campaign of Pharaoh Necho II and Josiah’s Tragic Death: 2 Kgs 23:28–30; 2 Chr 35:20–27
• Chapter 36: The Geography of the Babylonian Campaigns Against Judah and Jerusalem: 2 Kgs 24–25; 2 Chr 35–36
• Chapter 37: The Role of Geography in the Genealogies of Chronicles: 1 Chr 1–9
• Chapter 38: Rehoboam’s Fortification Network Against Egypt and Surrounding Nations : 2 Chr 10:1–12:16; 1 Kgs 11:43–12:24; 14:21–29
• Chapter 39: Jerusalem in the Postexilic Period: Ezra 1–10; Neh 1–13
• Chapter 40: The Geography of the Book of Esther: Esth 1:1–10:3
• Contributors
• Subject and Author Index
• Scripture Index
• Ancient Sources Index
• Image Attribution
• Project Staff
• Back Ad
• Back Cover