Galilee

Galilee was a region in Palestine famous for its importance during the ministry of Christ. When the land was divided originally, towns in the territory of Naphtali were said to be in “Galilee”. After the return from Babylon, many of Benjamin and Levi settled in the region.

History

Territory of Naphtali

Reading the accounts given at 1 Kings 9:11-13 and 2 Chron. 8:2, it is evident that Naphtali did not inhabit all of the territory in Galilee which they inherited, for Solomon had to repopulate many of those cities in his time.

Settlement of Benjamin and Levi

Many of Benjamin and Levi settled in Galilee after the return from Babylon, which is evident from the Scriptures. But Galilee did not originally belong to Benjamin. When the land was divided originally, towns in the territory of Naphtali were said to be in “Galilee”, i.e. Josh. 20:7.

Adjacent Regions

Gadarenes

Matthew 8:34 And behold, the whole city came out for a meeting with Yahshua and seeing Him they exhorted that He would pass over from their districts.

There is nothing in Scripture or in history that we can ascertain about the race of these people. Luke (8:26) tells us that this district was adjacent to Galilee. There were many settlements of Greeks, Romans, White Syrians (as Strabo tells us that the Syrians were White) and even some remnant Israelites in this area. An examination of the Old Testament reveals that there were children of Israel who escaped the Assyrian captivity, not taken by the Assyrians, although they were nevertheless cut off from their relationship with Yahweh.  

What is obvious here, however, is that these people would rather continue to suffer with the status quo, than to see change come even if it were for the better. They preferred the world – and their swine – to the Word of God. That, to me, is a very good portrait of most of our own race today. Most so-called Christians would never trade in their swine for any amount of the Truth.