10 Interesting Facts about the Old Testament - Is the Old Testament the Jewish Bible? The Art of Ancient Egypt, Revised by Robins, 272 Pages, Pub. Israel’s population has reached 8 million as of Independence Day 2013! Ancient Israel was located in what scholars refer to as the Ancient Near East, an area around what we today call the Middle East. Jerusalem's Mount of Olives is the world's oldest continuously used cemetery.. 34. 5 Interesting Facts about the Ark of the Covenant - Why was this the most sought after artifact in all of history? There, a significant part of the nation's long history was enacted, of which the first thousand years are recorded in the Bible; there, its cultural, religious, and national identity was formed; and there, its physical presence has been maintained through the centuries, even after the majority was forced into exile. 32. Jerusalem is the seat of government and the proclaimed capital, although the latter status has not received wide international recognition. Interesting Facts in Bible History. Israel has won five bronze Olympic medals, one silver and one gold. Israel is only 1/6 of 1% of the landmass of the Middle East (Israel is roughly half the size of Lake Michigan). Learn more about Israel, including its history. Bibliography on Ancient Images. 2008 . Israel is the only country to revive an unspoken language and establish it as its national tongue.. 33. Israel, country in the Middle East, located at the eastern end of the Mediterranean Sea. While we have tales of the kings of ancient Israel, what was daily life like for the commoner? Patriarchal Period - The history of ancient Israel from Adam and Eve to the Egyptian bondage. Golda Meir was the 3rd woman in history to serve as a country’s prime minister. The Working Israelite. This section covers the Patriarchs before and after the flood, the migration and population by the sons of Noah, the trip to Egypt by Jacob, and the following enslavement. The birthplace of the Jewish people is the Land of Israel (Eretz Yisrael).