Libya
Libya is a region mentioned in both the Old and New Testaments, located in the region of North Africa in modern-day Libya. Known today as Cyrene. It appears across 3 verses in Scripture.
Biblical History
Libya, known in Hebrew as 'Put' or 'Lubim,' appears in both Testaments as the North African region west of Egypt. In the Table of Nations, Put is listed as a son of Ham (Genesis 10:6), establishing Libya's place in the biblical geography of peoples. Libyan soldiers frequently served as mercenaries and allies of Egypt, and the prophets reference this military connection. Nahum 3:9 names Put and the Lubim among Egypt's allies who could not save Nineveh-like No-amon (Thebes) from destruction. Ezekiel prophesied judgment against Put alongside Egypt, Ethiopia, and other African peoples (Ezekiel 30:5; 38:5). Daniel 11:43 predicts that Libyans and Cushites would follow in the steps of a future conqueror. In the New Testament, Libya appears in Acts 2:10, where 'parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene' are represented among the international crowd at Pentecost who heard the apostles speaking in their own languages. This Pentecost appearance means that Libyan Jews were among the first to hear the gospel proclaimed, extending the reach of the good news to the farthest regions of North Africa.
Archaeological & Historical Notes
Biblical Libya corresponds to the ancient region of Cyrenaica in modern eastern Libya, centered on the Greek colony of Cyrene (modern Shahhat). Cyrene was founded around 630 BC and became a major center of Greek culture in North Africa. Extensive archaeological excavations have uncovered a magnificent city with temples, agoras, theaters, and baths. The Jewish community in Cyrene was substantial, as evidenced by a large synagogue and references in Josephus. Simon of Cyrene, who carried Jesus' cross (Mark 15:21), came from this city. Italian and Libyan archaeologists have excavated extensively at Cyrene and neighboring Apollonia (the port city). The site is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, though recent political instability has raised concerns about the preservation of its archaeological heritage.
Verse Appearances (10)
References
- Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
- OpenBible.info (n.d.) Bible Geocoding. Available at: https://www.openbible.info/geo/. [CC BY 4.0]
- Bagnall, R. et al. (eds.) (n.d.) Pleiades: A Gazetteer of Past Places. Available at: https://pleiades.stoa.org. [CC BY 3.0]
- Wikidata contributors (n.d.) Wikidata. Available at: https://www.wikidata.org. [CC0]
- Lawrence, D. et al. (2025) Villages to Empires: a settlement dataset for the Southern Levant. doi:10.5281/zenodo.15111732. [CC BY 4.0]
- Church of England (1769) The Holy Bible, Authorized (King James) Version. [Public Domain]