For the purposes of this article, Palestine extends to the north 10 to 15 miles beyond the ancient site of Dan and NT Caesarea Philippi (later called Banias) into the gorges and mountains just south of Mount Hermon. To the east it extends to the Arabian steppe. To the south Palestine extends 10 to 15 miles beyond Beersheba. On the west is the Mediterranean Sea. It therefore includes western Palestine-between the Jordan and the Arabian steppe.

Palestine west of the Jordan covers approximately 6,000 square miles. East of the Jordan an area of about 4,000 square miles was included in the land of Israel, Unlike its neighbors in Mesopotamia and Egypt, Palestine did not have a water source suitable for irrigation and so there is much focus found around streams, springs, and wells, especially for settlement.

Geographical Features Palestine is naturally divided into four narrow strips of land running north and south. Some areas can be further divided into east-west sections. These natural geographical divisions not only influenced settlement patterns but also the outlining of administrative districts.

Coastal Plain This fertile plain begins 10 to 12 miles south of Gaza, just north of the Egyptian border, and stretches northward to the Tyre-Sidon area. END OF PART 2