Benjamin Region and Jerusalem Approaches *

Jerusalem is a city located on a plateau in the Judaean Mountains between the Mediterranean and the Dead Sea on the southern spur of a plateau in the Judaean Mountains, which include the Mount of Olives (East) and Mount Scopus (North East). The whole of Jerusalem is surrounded by valleys and dry riverbeds (wadis). The Kidron, Hinnom, and Tyropoeon Valleys intersect in an area just south of the Old City of Jerusalem.

Central Benjamin Plateau

The Benjamin Plateau is a very small piece of land in the hill country of central Benjamin. This land was guarded by four cities (Mizpah to the north, Gibeon to the west, Gibeah to the south and Geba to the east). On its north side begins a plateau (10 miles south-to-north by 4 miles east-to-west). The southernmost good link road, stretching east-west between the international trade routes, here met the only north-south route in the central highlands. Many other cities enjoyed the commercial advantages of the central Benjamin plateau: Bethel, Beeroth, Mizpah, Rama, Gibeon, and Gibeah, while Jerusalem clung to its southern edge. But although these other towns were closer to the intersections, only Jerusalem had deep valleys for defense.

Beth-Horon

Beth-Horon meaning “House of Horon” was an ancient biblical town strategically located on the Gibeon-Aijalon road, guarding the “ascent of Beth-Horon”. Upper Bethoron appears in Joshua 16:5 and Lower Bethoron in Joshua 16:3 and 1 Chronicles 7:24 and I Maccabees 3:16.

Roads from Jericho to Jerusalem

Benjamin Region and Jerusalem Approaches

Tribe of Benjamin

According to the Torah, the Tribe of Benjamin (Binyamin) was one of the Twelve Tribes of Israel, the youngest son of the patriarch Jacob and his wife Rachel. Located to the north of Judah but to the south of the northern Kingdom of Israel, Binyamin is significant in biblical narratives as a source of various Israelite leaders including the first Israelite king, Saul. Benjamin became part of the southern kingdom following the split into two kingdoms. After the destruction of the northern kingdom, Benjamin was absorbed into the southern kingdom. 

Territory of the Tribe of Benjamin

The Bible recounts that Joshua assigned to Benjamin the territory between that of Ephraim to the north and Judah to the south, with the Jordan River as the eastern border, and included many historically important cities, such as Bethel, Gibeah, Gezer and encroached on the northern hills of Jerusalem. (Joshua 18:11-28)

Gibeah – Geba

Bethel

Maps of Benjamin

Mateh Binyamin Regional Council 

Mateh Binyamin Regional Council is a regional council governing 46 Israeli settlements in southern Samaria. The council’s jurisdiction is from the Jordan valley in the east to the Samarian foothills in the west, and from the Shiloh river in the north to the Jerusalem Mountains in the south.

The Battle over the Heartland of Israel

In honor of Jerusalem Day 2020, The Binyamin Region brings you a special production highlighting the heroic battles over the heartland of Israel, the key to the Safety of Jerusalem. Yaakov Dolev, from the Binyamin Security department hosts Chezky Betzalel, Tour Guide and expert of The land of Israel studiesSHOW LESS