At this time in history: 2000 - 1800 BC

These will be periodic glimpses into what was happening in the rest of the world during some of the major events in the Bible.  It is important to remember that the people of God were not isolated, from the rest of the world, nor was God only working in the area. If we say and believe that God is truly sovereign, then we must acknowledge that He most likely had many different things going on in the world at the same time. The Israelites were his chosen people, but probably not the only people that He worked in and through to reveal his glory.

2000-1800BC

Middle Kingdom in Egypt (11-12^th Dynasties), 2050 – 1800 BC

Abram, son of Terah, is born in Ur of the Chaldeans, around 1952 BC (Genesis 11:31-32)

At about the same time of Abram’s birth, the third dynasty (established by Ur-Nammu around 2047 BC) fell to the Elamites in 1940 BC. However, it remained an important economic city as it provided access to the Persian Gulf for trade. The city of Ur is estimated to have been the largest city in the world from 2030 – 1980 BC with approximately 65,000 inhabitants.

Laws of Eshunna copied on to new tablets (1930BC). Two tablets were written in Akkadian cuneiform and are comprised of social laws that were written in such a way as to make them easy to commit to memory by all peoples to ensure social peace. Eshunna was a city located north of Ur on the Diyala River which served as a tributary to the Tigris River. The tablets were discovered in 1945 and 1947 in northern Iraq.

The world’s oldest joke known today is traced back to about 1900BC in the Sumerian culture. “Something which has never occurred since time immemorial; a young woman did not fart in her husband’s lap.” Shortly after this joke was told, the last Sumerian dynasty fell.

The Mokaya along the Pacific coast of present day Mexico were preparing Cacao beverages in 1900 BC. Chocolate has been a delicacy for a long time.

Proto Greek invasions of Greece began around 1900 BC.

The Port of Lothal in India is abandoned around 1900 BC. Lothal is reputed to have the earliest known dock and pier system to berth ships and boats.

Terah takes Abram, Sarai, and Lot to Canaan, but they stop and settle along the way in Haran (located to the northwest of Ur, in modern day southern Turkey), around 1890 BC. Presumably it was a good time to leave as the city of Ur had fallen to the Elamites and had started to decline.

Egyptian Pharaoh, Sunusret III begins leading campaigns against the Nubians to gain access to more land around 1860 BC. The conflicts between the Egyptians and Nubian people give rise to the opera Aida (1871 AD), and later the musical by the same name (2000 AD).

Isaac, son of Abraham (formerly, Abram), is born around 1852 BC.

Around 1800 BC, the Hyksos begin to settle in the Nile Delta region in Egypt.