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About LivingDusty

Welcome to LivingDusty.com
                                 — Revealing the Biblical Landscape


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My name is Peter Blankenship and I am a recent graduate of the masters program in Biblical History and Geography at the Jerusalem University College in Jerusalem, Israel.

From the Wilderness to the Web

I began blogging back in 2008 during my first semester in Jerusalem. This was the means by which I kept my family and friends informed of my adventures across Israel and Jordan. This blog was a way to keep family and friends up to date with my travels and all that I was learning about the Land of the Bible. During my time here I have travelled from a stone's throw from the borders of Lebanon, Syria and Iraq to within a few miles of Sudan's border with Egypt.
I have had the opportunity to study with experts in the history, geography and archaeology of this Land Between such as Paul Wright, Ph. D., Anson Rainey, Ph. D. and Gabriel Barkay, Ph. D. Much of what I have learned during my time here has come from classes, conversations and field work with these three men. The purpose of LivingDusty.com is to share bits of what I have learned from these men and from walking this land. I hope you enjoy it. If you ever want to delve deeper into learning about the Land Between take a look at the Resources page for some ideas on where to start. If you want to learn more about LivingDusty.com check out my launch post. To be sure not to miss any of my posts subscribe to my feed.
Shevet Achim in Jerusalem

Why LivingDusty?

 There is a book within Judaism which can be considered a rabbinic commentary on the first five books of the Bible, which are known as the Torah. This book is the Mishnah. There is a passage in it which says, “Let your house be the meeting place of the wise; cover yourself with the dust of their feet, and drink their words as a thirsty man drinks water.”

The idea of Living Dusty comes out of that passage. Everyday I want to sit at the feet of the wisest teacher who ever walked this earth, Jesus, the Messiah. I want to drink in his words and teaching as ravenously as a thirsty man drinks water. He is my teacher and I want to always be 100% His trusting disciple.

Why does this land matter?

"Observe the commands of the Lord your God, walking in obedience to him and revering him. For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land--a land with streams and pools of water, with springs flowing in the valleys and hills; a land with wheat and barley, vines and fig trees, pomegranates, olive oil and honey; a land where bread will not be scarce and you will lack nothing; a land where the rocks are iron and you can dig copper out of the hills.

Deuteronomy 8:6-9


This land matters because God chose it and He chose it for a reason. Understanding that reason is the primary focus of the study of the historical geography of the Bible.

How does historical geography help us better understand the Bible?

The characters of the Bible and their teachings cannot always be accurately understood within a modern Western framework. The Bible was written by Easterners, for Easterners, in a time very different from that in which we live today. Understanding the Bible is a never-ending adventure. Developing a historical geographical understanding of it is an essential part of this adventure. Without this aspect of study Bible study would be like trying to navigate unknown territory without a map, literally! Check out the Introduction for more information.

Comments are welcome

If at any time you have questions or thoughts pertaining to something on this site, please share them either by commenting or contacting me. The first is public, the second is private. You may use whichever method you like. I will always do my best to respond quickly and answer any questions to which I know or can find out an answer.

I love getting comments on the LivingDusty Blog. Not only does that let me know it is being read, your comments add to the knowledge and community of this site. If you want to comment on something then please do. Whether you consider yourself a beginner or an expert on the posted topic feel free to have your say and ask any question. Also, feel free to post relevant links in comments. That sort of link can only improve the blog. For more on commenting see this post.
The adventure, some of which is told in the LivingDusty Blog, has been one of the most exciting things I have done in my entire life! It is an honor to study in the land where the Son of God was born. I am thrilled to continue increasing my understanding of the incredible story God has been telling since the Creation through study here in the land where much of it took place. Enjoy taking part in this journey with me.

Grace and peace,
Peter