[onsin’o], was renamed Ishtar [ish’tir]. The gods remained basically the same; therefore, the people's behavior, based on belief in these gods, also remained much the same. ‘One extremely important change in the beliefs about the gods did occur. Marduk [mar’do0k], the chief god of the city of Baby- Jon, suddenly became the king of all the gods. This change did much to elevate Babylon i the eyes of the people. To oppose Babylon or Hammurabi invited disfavor in the eyes of Marduk, the king of the gods. ‘The Fall of Hammurabi’s Babylonian Empire Hammurabi ruled for forty-two years, beginning around 1800 B.C. But the kings that followed were unable to hold on to the empire that Hammurabi had built and maintained. Attackers from the outside struck repeatedly. In the 1500s B.C, the city of Babylon itself fll into enemy hands. ‘The great rock upon which Hammurabi’s Jaws were carved was eventually buried and forgotten, Not until A.D, 1901 was it uncov- ered. This rock stands in a museum today as one of the few reminders of the great Ham- ‘murabi and his empire. How very different are the reminders we have of Abraham, who followed God's call to a strange land, believ- ing the promise that he would father a great nation jection 2.3 Review 1. Which city was the center of the great ‘empire that rose up a few hundred years after Abraham’ departure? 2. Who became king of Babylon and united. all of Mesopotamia under his rule? 3. Who supposedly authorized Hammurabi to bea lawgiver? 4, What are laws? Why is it important that laws be written down? 5. Did Hammurabi’ laws treat the rich and the poor the same? Explain, Identify: empire, Babylonia, bureaucracy, promulgation The Patriarchs in Canaan The Land of Canaan The land to which God led Abraham was called Canaan, Located at the western end of the Fertile Crescent beside the Mediterranean Sea, Canaan was the center of the ancient world. Through it passed the trade routes between Mesopotamia and Egypt and also the road between Egypt and Asia Minor. Canaan was a main route of conquest as well as of trade, Armies of competing world powers often crossed through it or met in battle there. Canaan's central location shows God's awareness of the importance of geography in history. From ancient times, through the time of Christ, and to the present day, Canaan (also known as Israel or Palestine) has had a cen- tral and strategic position in the world. It has always been subject to invasion and has had a history of wars and strife. The Bible points to a valley in Israel called Megiddo [mi-gid’0}, or Armageddon [:ir'ma-géd/an], as the last battle- ground of world history. The Volley of Mego lezee) The st gat bate o hist i tke place nhs ley. Israel’s Founding Fathers ‘The Patriarchs (paitré-rks]—Abraham, his son Isaac, and his grandson Jacob—lived in Canaan for a total of 230 years. God's promises to Abraham passed first to Isaac and then to Jacob. These three men were the founding fathers of Israel, the most unusual and important nation in world history. 2.4"The Patriarchs in Canaan