1. Introduction/pages 1-39. A few intersections
between Israel and the geo-political environment.
Babylon (626-539)
·
Conquest of Israel
by Assyria in 722
·
Babylon conquers
Egypt at the Battle of Carchemish. Judah
comes under Babylonian yoke (605)
·
Daniel taken in
first deportation. Temple wealth
confiscated.
·
Jehoiakim rebelled
against Babylon and was exiled.
·
Jehokain ruled for
3 months (597) when a second major deportation occurred. His mother, wives,
military advisors, soldiers and craftsmen deported (2 Kings 24.6-16; 2 Chron.
36.8-10). Ezekiel goes into exile (Ez. 1-2). The poor remained in the land.
·
Zedekiah was put
on the throne. Against Jeremiah’s
advice, he aligned himself with Egypt. A
third major deportation followed a tragic seige-operation against Jerusalem in
587-586. The Temple was destroyed and
burned along with many residences in Jerusalem.
·
Depending on how
one dates it, the 70-year exile occurs.
609-539? 606-535?
Persia
(539-331 B.C.
Achaemenid
Dynasty
- 559-530 - Cyrus
the Great
- 529-522 - Cambyses (son)
- 522 - Smerdis (Bardiya) (brother)
- 521-486 - Darius
I, the Great
- 485-465 - Xerxes I (son)
- 464-424 - Artaxerxes I, Longimanus (son)
- 424 - Xerxes II (son)
- 424 - Sogdianus (brother)
- 423-405 - Darius II, Nothus (brother)
- 404-359 - Artaxerxes II, Mnemon (son)
- 358-338 - Artaxerxes III (Ochus) (son)
- 337-336 - Artaxerxes IV ( Arses) (son)
- 335-330 - Darius III (Codomannus)
(great-grandson of Darius II)
Seleucids
- 305-281 B.C. - Seleucus I Nicator
- 281-261 - Antiochus I Soter
- 261-246 - Antiochus II Theos
- 246-225 - Seleucus II Callinicus
Parthian
Empire - Arsacid Dynasty
- 247-211 - Arsaces I (conquered Parthia
c. 238)
- 211-191 - Arsaces II (son)
- 191-176 - Priapatius (son)
- 176-171 - Phraates I (son)
- 171-138 - Mithridates I (brother)
- 138-128 - Phraates II (son)
- 128-123 - Artabanus I (son of
Priapatius)
- 123-87 - Mithridates II, the Great
(son)
- 90-80 - Gotarzes I
- 80-77 - Orodes I
- 77-70 - Sinatruces
|
Ishtar Gate |
·
Medo-Persia. Cyrus
conquered Babylon, Assyria, Mesopotomia, Armenia, and Cappodocia. Later, he took
Lydia, Asia Minor, Hyracania, Parthia, Arachosia, Marginanno, and Bactria. He was a benefactor of Israelites, allowing
Exiles to return (Ez. 1-4). Under
Zerubabbel, 42, 360 exiles returned as well as 7337 servants (Ez.2.64ff.)
·
Cyrus died and Belshazzar
took over (539-38, Daniel 5). He
campaigned successfully against Egypt and Ethopia. He died en route. The army place Darius 1 in his place.
|
Bihustin: Assyro-Babylonian
Trilinqual Inscription
Facilitated translations |
·
During Darius’
rule, Haggai and Zechariah prophesied about the Temple reconstruction (Ez.
5-6). Opposition developed. Archival research by Darius resulted in
orders for imperial support to the Exiles (Ez. 6.7-12). The Temple was finished
in 516-515. Darius went on to take Thrace, Macedonia, Scythia, and registers a
defeat of the Greeks at Marathon.
·
Xerxes followed.
He put down rebellions on the home turf, but also Egypt. He took Athens but lost the battle at
Salamis. He is known as “Ahasueris,” the
husband of Esther.
·
Artaxerxes 1 was
the successor who allowed Ezra to return to Israel (Ez. 7-10). Nehemiah
returned (458-457, Neh.1-2) and also reconstructed the walls (445-444). The Feast of Tabernacles was remembered and
covenant renewal occurred with renewed vows of faith and obedience.
Greek and Macedonian Conquest
·
Philip of Macedon
and Alexander the Great
·
Ptolemies and
Seleucid rulers and empires (varied boundaries and internecine fights amongst
Alexander’s successors in 275, 245, 240, 219, 217)
·
Maccabees (166-135
B.C.). Judas Maccabeus, the “Hammer,”
defeats the Syrians and liberates Jerusalem.
The “Feast of Lights” or “Hanukkah” originates in the deliverance from
the Seleucid ruler, Antioches Epiphanes IV, who had oppressed Israel, burned
their scrolls, outlawed the Sabbath and circumcision, and had defiled the
Temple with pig-sacrifices.
·
Hasmoneans (135-63
B.C.)
Roman Empire
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