Read Jer. 2:14-16, The Cities of Judah

References in the prophets to “the cities of Judah” usually catch my attention.  It is at least in part because we have had the opportunity to get acquainted with that area of Israel, having visited such sites as Lachish, Azekah and Mareshah.  The area of these cities of Judah is, in Scripture, referred to as “the lowlands” or “Shephelah.”  I would suggest you at least become familiar with the area.  We are including a couple of maps for that purpose.  

On the 3D Illustration the lowland is seen as little “pebbles” between the Mediterranean coast and the mountains of Judea.  You see several rivers flowing from this area into the Med.  Those, from N to S, are

the Aijalon (sun stood still for Joshua), Soreq (Samson), Elah (David and Goliath) and the Lachish. 

In the record of Joshua’s southern conquest of the land he defeated a confederation of armies from the cities of this area, led by the king of Jerusalem (Josh. 10).  Then he visited each of the cities one at a time.  Under the kings of Israel (from Solomon through those of Judea) the larger and more defensible cities had walls built around them.  Soldiers and supplies to withstand a siege were placed in these cities.  Both the Assyrians, in the time of Hezekiah, and the Babylonians, in the time of Zedekiah, had to take these walled cities on their way to the main prize, Jerusalem.  The Assyrian siege ramp at Lachish is visible in the photo attached to this post.  Generally “Gath” (the question mark on the map just means the exact location is questionable) was one of the “Five Cites of the Philistines (with Ashkelon, Ashdod, Gaza and Ekron), but at different times was under the control of Judah.  Azekah (not on this map but slightly north ofLachish) and Lachish were the last two remaining cities in the time of the Babylonians (Jer. 34:6-7).  This is interesting in light of the “Lachish Letters,” and one in particular which we will post here. 

Judah also included the tribal area of Benjamin which was to the north of Jerusalem.  Jer. 17:26 gives several populated regions of Judah: the cities of Judah, places around Jerusalem, the land of Benjamin, the lowlands, the mountains and the south.

Jeremiah says, according to the number of your cities are your gods (2:28).  Is he being precise, that each city had a favorite god?  Or is he using hyperbole as he speaks of the idolatry of Judah?  I do know that there was false worship going on in Lachish (in the lowland) and Arad (in the south).  We will include a photo of the “high place” of each which served as a governmental and religious center and a fortress.