Jerusalem is the holy city set on the Judean hills, its name traditionally read as “foundation of peace.” It first appears when Melchizedek, king of Salem (traditionally identified with Jerusalem), met Abraham (Genesis 14:18). In the biblical account, David captured it from the Jebusites and made it his capital, and Solomon is said to have built the first Temple there; it became the center of Israel’s worship and the City of David.
Its history is marked by loss and return: destroyed by Babylon in 586 BC, rebuilt with the second Temple, and destroyed again by Rome in AD 70. It is the setting of Jesus’ final week — his arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane and crucifixion at Golgotha. In Jewish hope it remains the city of God’s dwelling; the New Testament also looks toward a New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:2).
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How this is made · A Fortt Media project, created & edited by Jon Fortt. Grounded in a curated Scripture database and carefully drafted and audited with the help of AI — described plainly, and written to assume no particular denomination or doctrine. Read the full approach → · Report a correction →
