Babylonian Captivity
“Archaeology fully supports the biblical evidence of the disastrous effect of the Babylonian campaigns which brought this period to a close. Of these, Tell Beit Mirsim and Beth- Shemesh are typical examples. There had been periods of intermission of occupation of sites previously, but at no other time had large numbers of sites ceased permanently to be towns. This shows clearly how disastrous an effect the Babylonian policy had on the country.” Kathleen Kenyon, Archaeology of the Holy Land, 299 Babylonian Captivity
“Archaeology fully supports the biblical evidence of the disastrous effect of the Babylonian campaigns which brought this period to a close. Of these, Tell Beit Mirsim and Beth- Shemesh are typical examples. There had been periods of intermission of occupation of sites previously, but at no other time had large numbers of sites ceased permanently to be towns. This shows clearly how disastrous an effect the Babylonian policy had on the country.” Kathleen Kenyon, Archaeology of the Holy Land, 299 Babylonian Captivity
“Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, on the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the River Chebar, that the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God.” Ezek 1:1, NKJV Babylonian Captivity
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Nebuchadnezzar II • 605-562 BC • Strengthening Babylon through the military • Ninevah (Nah 2:6; 3:1-3, 15) • Tyre (Ezek 26:1-21) • Egypt (Ezek 29:17-21)
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Nebuchadnezzar II • 605-562 BC • Strengthening Babylon through the military • Extensive building projects
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Nebuchadnezzar II • “The king spoke, saying, ‘Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for a royal dwelling by my mighty power and for the honor of my majesty?’” (Dan 4:30, NKJV)
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Babylonian Religion “’A sword is against the Chaldeans,’ says the LORD, ‘Against the inhabitants of Babylon, And against her princes and her wise men… A drought is against her waters, and they will be dried up, For it is the land of carven images, And they are insane with their idols.’” Jeremiah 50:35, 38 (NKJV) Babylonian Captivity
Babylonian Religion • Marduk • Head of Babylonian pantheon • Patron deity of Babylon • Temple dedicated to Marduk in Babylon • Nebuchadnezzar dedicated buildings to Marduk • Associated with magic, judgment, vegetation, water • Represented as a snake- headed dragon
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Babylonian Religion • Ishtar • Represented as a lion • Goddess of love, fertility, war • Worshiped prominently at Nippur, southeast of Babylon
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Babylonian Religion • Adad • Associated with storms • Represented as a bull • Worship center located south of Babylon in Karkara
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Babylonian Religion “Now in the second year of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; and his spirit was so troubled that his sleep left him. Then the king gave the command to call the magicians, the astrologers, the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans to tell the king his dreams…” Daniel 2:1-2(NKJV) Babylonian Captivity
Nabonidus • 556-539 BC • Very unpopular • Final king of Babylonian Empire
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Nabonidus Cylinder • Discovered 1854, J.E. Taylor, Ur • Housed at the British Museum • Offers a prayer to the moon god for himself and “Belshazzar my firstborn son, my offspring of my heart.”
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Nabonidus Chronicle • Discovered 1879 • Housed at the British Museum • Describes periods of time when Nabonidus was away and entrusted the kingdom to Belshazzar
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Nabonidus, Belshazzar, and Daneil “And I have heard of you, that you can give interpretations and explain enigmas. Now if you can read the writing and make known to me its interpretation, you shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold around your neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.” Daniel 5:16 (NKJV) Babylonian Captivity
Nabonidus, Belshazzar, and Daneil “And I have heard of you, that you can give interpretations and explain enigmas. Now if you can read the writing and make known to me its interpretation, you shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold around your neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.” Daniel 5:16 (NKJV) Babylonian Captivity
Nabonidus Chronicle • Describes the defeat of Babylon by Persia • This event coincided with the Babylonian New Year festival (cf. Dan 5:1, 4-5) • “The armies of Cyrus entered Babylon without battle.”
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Cyrus Cylinder • Discovered 1879, Hormuzd Raasam, Babylon • Housed at the British Museum • Records capturing Nabonidus, exporting him to govern elsewhere • Welcomed by the people of Babylon
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“Thus says the LORD to His anointed, To Cyrus, whose right hand I have held—… I will go before you And make the crooked places straight; I will break in pieces the gates of bronze And cut the bars of iron… For Jacob My servant’s sake, And Israel My elect, I have even called you by your name; I have named you, though you have not known Me.” Isaiah 45:1-4 (NKJV) Babylonian Captivity
“That very night Belshazzar, king of the Chaldeans, was slain. And Darius the Mede received the kingdom, being about sixty-two years old.” Daniel 5:30-31, NKJV Babylonian Captivity
Achaemenes, 700-675 BC Cyrus I, 640-600 BC Cyrus II, 559-530 BC Cambyses II, 530-522 BC Darius I, 522-486 BC Xerxes, 486-465 BC Artexerxes I, 465-424 BC Darius II, 424-404 BC Darius III, 336-330 BC Babylonian Captivity
Nabonidus Chronicle • Mentions that Cyrus appointed his general Gobryas (Gubaru) as a vice-regent over the area after capturing Babylon • He is portrayed as an older individual • He died several months later
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Cyrus II • 559-530 BC • Established and extended the Persian Empire • Conquered Babylon • Allowed the Jews to return to Judah (2 Chron 36:22-23; Ezra 1:1-4)
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“Thus says Cyrus king of Persia: All the kingdoms of the earth the LORD God of heaven has given me. And He has commanded me to build him a house at Jerusalem which is in Judah. Who is among you of all His people? May his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem which is in Judah, and build the house of the LORD God of Israel (He is God), which is in Jerusalem. And whoever is left in any place where he dwells, let the men of his place help him with silver and gold, with goods and livestock, besides the freewill offerings for the house of God which is in Jerusalem.” Ezra 4:2-4 (NKJV) Restoration of Judah
Cyrus Cylinder • Discovered 1879, Hormuzd Raasam, Babylon • Housed at the British Museum • Institution of a new policy returning deported populations back to their places of origin
Image: Image: © Trustees of the British Museum https://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?assetId=32578001&objectId=327273&partId=1 Restoration of Judah
“(As to the region) from… as far as Ashur and Susa, Agade, Eshnunna, the towns of Zamban, Me-Turnu, Der, as well as the region of the land of Gutians, I returned to (these) sacred cities on the other side of the Tigris, the sanctuaries of which have been ruins for a long time, the images which (used) to live therein and establish for them permanent sanctuaries. I (also) gathered all their former inhabitants and returned (to them) their habitations. May all the gods, which I have resettled in their sacred cities, ask daily before Bel and Nabu for long life for me.” Babylonian Captivity
Darius I • 522-486 BC • Tattenai, governor over Syria and Palestine, desired to stop the building of the wall of Jerusalem and the temple (Ezra 5:3-6:12) • Wrote to Darius for clarification of the original decree from Cyrus • Darius found the original decree and wrote back
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“Then King Darius issued a decree, and a search was made in the archives, where the treasures were stored in Babylon. And at Achmeta, in the palace that is in the province of Media, a scroll was found…” Ezra 6:1-2 (NKJV) Restoration of Judah
“Moreover I issue a decree as to what you shall do for the elders of these Jews, for the building of this house of God: Let the cost be paid at the king’s expense from taxes on the region beyond the River; this is to be given immediately to these men, so that they are not hindered… Also I issue a decree that whoever alters this edict, let a timber be pulled from his house and erected, and let him be hanged on it; and let his house be made a refuse heap because of this. And may the God who causes His name to dwell there destroy any king or people who put their hand to alter it, or to destroy this house of God which is in Jerusalem. I Darius issue a decree…” Ezra 6:8, 11-12 (NKJV) Restoration of Judah
Xerxes (Ahaseurus) • 486-465 BC • King in the book of Esther • Historical records reveal his character • Ruled from Susa (Esth 1:2) • Four year gap between the dismissal of Vashti and appointment of Esther (Esth 1:3; 2:16)
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Persian Society under Xerxes supports Esther • Elaborate banquet arrangements (Esth 1:6-8) • Homage before the king and his favorites (Esth 3:2) • Casting of dice to make decisions (Esth 3:7) • Exclusion of mourning garb from the palace (Esth 4:2) • Capital punishments included hangings (Esth 5:14) • Royal benefactors dressed in the king’s robes (Esth 6:7-8) • Persian mail system (Esth 3:13; 8:10) Restoration of Judah
Artaxerxes • 465-424 BC • Ministry of Ezra and Nehemiah • Ezra led back a group of people in 458 BC (Ezra 7:6-9) • Nehemiah was the cup bearer of Artaxerxes and returned to Jerusalem to rebuild the wall in 445 BC (Neh 2:1-8)
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Sanballat and Tobiah • Adversaries to Nehemiah • “Then I went to the governors in the region beyond the River, and gave them the kings letters. Now the king had sent captains of the army and the horsemen with me. When Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official heard of it, they were deeply disturbed that a man had come to seek the well- being of the children of Israel.” Neh 2:9-10 (NKJV) Restoration of Judah
Elephantine Papyri • Discovered in Elephantine, Egypt • 175 documents • Most are from a Jewish settlement in Egypt under Persian rule
Image: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elephantine_papyri#/media/File:Elephantine_Temple_reconstruction_request.gif Restoration of Judah
Elephantine Papyri • “We have also set the whole matter forth in our name to Delaiah and Shelemiah, the sons of Sanballat, the governor of Samaria.”
Image: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elephantine_papyri#/media/File:Elephantine_Temple_reconstruction_request.gif Restoration of Judah
Araq el-Amir • 3-4th century BC palace • Ancestral tombs located nearby • Aramaic inscriptions claim they belonged to the Tobiah family
Image: https://www.select.jo/location/iraq-al-amir/ Post-Exilic Judah
No evidence found of idolatry • Pagan sanctuaries • Idol figurines • Pagan worship objects