JStone
Rookie
- Jun 29, 2011
- 13,374
- 253
- 0
- Banned
- #1
Where did the Palestinians come from? Are they descendants of the biblical Canaanites? Why are they constantly at war with the Israelis? Is Palestine the original and proper name of the Holy Land? Here are the answers to these and other vital questions.
The name Palestine encompasses the ancient Holy Land and the modern nation of Israel. But it is not the original name for that country. The Romans assigned this name about the second century A.D.
To appreciate the pressure brought upon the Jews in Judea and Jerusalem during this time, some background is necessary.
A Jewish revolt occurred just before A.D. 70, when the Romans sacked Jerusalem after a bitter siege. The revolt was caused by ongoing provocations by the Roman occupation forces. Roman officials continually stole valuables from Jewish priests, demanding ransom for their return. They plundered the temple and looted the priests ornamental garmentsalong with other sacred treasures. This surpassed the breaking point, and the inevitable revolt began
The survivors of the A.D. 70 revolt were subjected to similar provocations that led to another revolt in A.D. 132. The Romans prevailed again, and the revolt ended in A.D. 135. The Roman Emperor Hadrian (Publius Aelius Hadrianus) punished the surviving Jews.
He renamed Jerusalem after himself and the god Jupiter CapitolinusAelia Capitolina. He then imposed the death penalty on any Jew who would enter the city.
Some historians feel that this period was most likely the time that the Romans renamed Judea as Palestina (or Palestine). Others believe the change occurred about a century or so later, after Constantine established the eastern (Byzantine) part of the Roman Empire. Notice: Till the period of the Roman occupation it [the Mid-East area later designated as Palestine] was subdivided into independent provinces or kingdoms but never united under one collective designation. The extension of the name of Palestine beyond the limits of Philistia proper is not older than the Byzantine Period (Encyclopedia Britannica, 11th ed., Vol. 20, p. 601).
So, the Roman term Palestine came into existence well after Scripture had been written and canonized. The term Aelia Capitolina did not last for Jerusalem, but Palestine became a more permanent name for the region including and surrounding Judea. Understandably, the Jews who have lived there since then have rejected that name
Some believe that Israel today was once called Palestine millennia ago. The word Palestine does not occur in the original Hebrew or Greek Bible texts. The Hebrew term Pelesheth, which refers to the land of the ancient PhilistinesPhilistiais erroneously translated in the King James Version as Palestina in Exodus 15:14 and in Isaiah 14:29 and 31, and as Palestine in Joel 3:4. The New King James Version correctly reads Philistiathe land of the Philistinesin every case noted above.
The Bible does not use the term Palestine or Palestinians to designate any geographic location or people. Nor does the historian Josephus ever use these terms in his major works, Antiquities of the Jews and Wars of the Jews. These relatively recent terms cannot change historymuch less Scripture.
In the New Testament, other terms denote the territories of that region. For example, in Luke 1:5, Herod (the Great) is King of Judea. In Luke 3:1, we find other references: Pontius Pilate, governor of Judea; Herod (Antipas), Tetrarch of Galilee; Philip, Tetrarch of Ituraea (northeast of Judea); and Lysancas, Tetrarch of Abilene (near Ituraea). Notice that there is no king, governor or tetrarch of Palestine found anywhere in Scripturemore proof that Palestine was not an ancient term.
Ownership of the territory is another controversial issue. The Palestinians claim to be the ancient owners of Palestine. Yet we see that they only took possession of the land in the wake of the Turkish campaign through that region in about the tenth century A.D. The claim made by ancient Israel precedes this claim by about 2,300 years.
How ironic that these Palestinians accuse the Jews of depriving them of their home when (1) the vast majority of them moved to Israel after the Jews reclaimed the land from desolation and ruin, and (2) their Arab relatives in the world of Islam own over 1,000 times more real estate than exists within the boundaries of tiny Israel. Remember when thousands of Palestinians were expelled from Kuwait in 1991 after they were found conspiring with the Iraqis in selling out their host country?
The following scriptures show how the true Owner of this and all land everywhere expressed this land transfer: And the Lord gave unto Israel all the land which He swore to give unto their fathers; and they possessed it, and dwelt therein. And the Lord gave them rest round about, according to all that He swore unto their fathers: and there stood not a man of all their enemies before them; the Lord delivered all their enemies into their hand. There failed not ought of any good thing which the Lord had spoken unto the house of Israel; all came to pass (Josh. 21:43-45).
Joshua 24:13 covers more details: And I [the Lord] have given you a land for which you did not labor, and cities which you built not, and you dwell in them; of the vineyards and oliveyards which you planted not do you eat.
Palestine and the Palestinians
The name Palestine encompasses the ancient Holy Land and the modern nation of Israel. But it is not the original name for that country. The Romans assigned this name about the second century A.D.
To appreciate the pressure brought upon the Jews in Judea and Jerusalem during this time, some background is necessary.
A Jewish revolt occurred just before A.D. 70, when the Romans sacked Jerusalem after a bitter siege. The revolt was caused by ongoing provocations by the Roman occupation forces. Roman officials continually stole valuables from Jewish priests, demanding ransom for their return. They plundered the temple and looted the priests ornamental garmentsalong with other sacred treasures. This surpassed the breaking point, and the inevitable revolt began
The survivors of the A.D. 70 revolt were subjected to similar provocations that led to another revolt in A.D. 132. The Romans prevailed again, and the revolt ended in A.D. 135. The Roman Emperor Hadrian (Publius Aelius Hadrianus) punished the surviving Jews.
He renamed Jerusalem after himself and the god Jupiter CapitolinusAelia Capitolina. He then imposed the death penalty on any Jew who would enter the city.
Some historians feel that this period was most likely the time that the Romans renamed Judea as Palestina (or Palestine). Others believe the change occurred about a century or so later, after Constantine established the eastern (Byzantine) part of the Roman Empire. Notice: Till the period of the Roman occupation it [the Mid-East area later designated as Palestine] was subdivided into independent provinces or kingdoms but never united under one collective designation. The extension of the name of Palestine beyond the limits of Philistia proper is not older than the Byzantine Period (Encyclopedia Britannica, 11th ed., Vol. 20, p. 601).
So, the Roman term Palestine came into existence well after Scripture had been written and canonized. The term Aelia Capitolina did not last for Jerusalem, but Palestine became a more permanent name for the region including and surrounding Judea. Understandably, the Jews who have lived there since then have rejected that name
Some believe that Israel today was once called Palestine millennia ago. The word Palestine does not occur in the original Hebrew or Greek Bible texts. The Hebrew term Pelesheth, which refers to the land of the ancient PhilistinesPhilistiais erroneously translated in the King James Version as Palestina in Exodus 15:14 and in Isaiah 14:29 and 31, and as Palestine in Joel 3:4. The New King James Version correctly reads Philistiathe land of the Philistinesin every case noted above.
The Bible does not use the term Palestine or Palestinians to designate any geographic location or people. Nor does the historian Josephus ever use these terms in his major works, Antiquities of the Jews and Wars of the Jews. These relatively recent terms cannot change historymuch less Scripture.
In the New Testament, other terms denote the territories of that region. For example, in Luke 1:5, Herod (the Great) is King of Judea. In Luke 3:1, we find other references: Pontius Pilate, governor of Judea; Herod (Antipas), Tetrarch of Galilee; Philip, Tetrarch of Ituraea (northeast of Judea); and Lysancas, Tetrarch of Abilene (near Ituraea). Notice that there is no king, governor or tetrarch of Palestine found anywhere in Scripturemore proof that Palestine was not an ancient term.
Ownership of the territory is another controversial issue. The Palestinians claim to be the ancient owners of Palestine. Yet we see that they only took possession of the land in the wake of the Turkish campaign through that region in about the tenth century A.D. The claim made by ancient Israel precedes this claim by about 2,300 years.
How ironic that these Palestinians accuse the Jews of depriving them of their home when (1) the vast majority of them moved to Israel after the Jews reclaimed the land from desolation and ruin, and (2) their Arab relatives in the world of Islam own over 1,000 times more real estate than exists within the boundaries of tiny Israel. Remember when thousands of Palestinians were expelled from Kuwait in 1991 after they were found conspiring with the Iraqis in selling out their host country?
The following scriptures show how the true Owner of this and all land everywhere expressed this land transfer: And the Lord gave unto Israel all the land which He swore to give unto their fathers; and they possessed it, and dwelt therein. And the Lord gave them rest round about, according to all that He swore unto their fathers: and there stood not a man of all their enemies before them; the Lord delivered all their enemies into their hand. There failed not ought of any good thing which the Lord had spoken unto the house of Israel; all came to pass (Josh. 21:43-45).
Joshua 24:13 covers more details: And I [the Lord] have given you a land for which you did not labor, and cities which you built not, and you dwell in them; of the vineyards and oliveyards which you planted not do you eat.
Palestine and the Palestinians
Would you like an espresso with your falafel, Abu?
