That part of Palestine adjacent to Jerusalem, its capital, and inhabited by the Jews after their return from captivity. It lay between Bethoron on the north, Emmaus on the west, Bethsur on the south, and the Jordan on the east. Under Herod, its king, Our Lord was born at Bethlehem (Luke 1). The evangelization of Judea began during Christ's life (Luke 23; Matthew 25). He journeyed through the land more than once and had friends there, and it was one of the first provinces to benefit by the preaching of the Apostles (Acts 2:26).