Land & region
Mesopotamia
The land between the Tigris and Euphrates, where the story begins and where Assyria and Babylon rise.
What the sources say, and how sure we are
- The text says
Genesis places Eden near the Tigris and Euphrates, and Abraham’s family comes from Ur and Haran in the same region. Assyria, with Nineveh as its capital, and Babylon later rule over Israel and Judah.Gen 2:14; Gen 11:31; 2 Kgs 17; 2 Kgs 25
- Outside evidence
Excavations at Ur, Nineveh, and Babylon, the Mari tablets, and the Babylonian Chronicles give a detailed outside record of the region.Mari Tablets; Babylonian Chronicles
- Debated
The location of Eden and the identity of “Ur of the Chaldeans” are debated.Gen 2:10–14; Gen 11:28