If you have spent a lot of time studying the Bible, whether it be from growing up in church, being a Sunday school teacher or just in your personal devotions, the words you read can be so familiar that you yearn for fresh insight. Delving into the town or city mentioned in a passage can breathe new life into the text.

If you are studying the 12 spies checking out Canaan (Numbers 13) and/or Joshua’s conquest of Jericho in his 6^th chapter, take the time to research what is historically known of Jericho and the country in which it belongs. These things include the fact that Jericho was very important, surrounded by double walls with guard towers built in them. The inner wall was 12 feet thick and the outer wall was 6 feet thick and archeologists found houses of the lower classes of people between them. There were multiple springs within the city and the Jordan River flowed nearby, both of which made the city invaluable. Archeologists have found tables, stools, bedsteads, jewelry, and weapons which speak of a fortified, wealthy, and intimidating city. Jericho’s enemies would want to destroy it because of its grandeur but also because of its central location within Canaan. All this information gives another layer of awe as Joshua and his men prepare to conquer this mighty city and why the 10 spies were so frightened about entering Canaan. It also shows that despite the power of Jericho and other cities within this nation, if God set it up so Israel would occupy this land, nothing would stop them. Joshua, in leading his people into this land, had to have great faith.

Resources you can use to help give a biblical passage new life include a Bible with notes within the chapters. There are many available and are often labeled, “Study Bible.” There are websites such as this one that can provide more information. As always, when you research things on the internet, you need to look for credibility of these sites. Who is giving this information and why they are credible, whether by education, experience, and/or the foundation they represent.

By spending a little extra time looking up the historical background of biblical towns and cities, you can gain more insight into the passages of the Bible you are studying.