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 Image: http://www.israel-a-history-of.com/map-of-ancient-mesopotamia.html Babylonian Captivity 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) Image: https://www.thevintagenews.com/2018/12/23/nebuchadnezzar-ii/ Babylonian Captivity Nebuchadnezzar II • 605-562 BC • Strengthening Babylon through the military • Extensive building projects Image: https://www.thevintagenews.com/2018/12/23/nebuchadnezzar-ii/ Babylonian Captivity 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) Image: https://www.thevintagenews.com/2018/12/23/nebuchadnezzar-ii/ Babylonian Captivity Image: © Trustees of the British Museum Image: By Osama Shukir Muhammed Amin FRCP(Glasg) - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?o https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=61522024 bjectId=367114&partId=1 Babylonian Captivity Image: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:The_ruins_of_the_North_Palace_of_king_Nebuchadnezzar_II_at_Babylon,_Iraq.jpg Babylonian Captivity Image: http://zoroastrianheritage.blogspot.com/2013/03/the-remarkable-discovery-of-cyrus.html Babylonian Captivity Image: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ishtar_Gate#/media/File:Ishtar-gate-%D8%A8%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%A8%D8%A9-%D8%B9%D8%B4%D8%AA%D8%A7%D8%B1.jpg Babylonian Captivity Image:https://www.britannica.com/topic/Pergamon-Museum/media/451557/188553 Babylonian Captivity Image: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ishtar_Gate#/media/File:Pergamon_Museum_Berlin_2007110.jpg Babylonian Captivity Image: https://www.dkfindout.com/us/history/mesopotamia/babylon/ Babylonian Captivity Image: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ishtar_Gate#/media/File:Pergamon_Museum_Berlin_2007109.jpg Babylonian Captivity Image: https://www.smb.museum/en/events/detail.html?tx_smb_pi1%5Bevent%5D=107786&cHash=cf44b127defa4b452f2c643452478dc4 © Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Pergamonmsueum / Achim Kleuker Babylonian Captivity 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 Image: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/458522805784444997/?lp=true Babylonian Captivity Babylonian Religion • Ishtar • Represented as a lion • Goddess of love, fertility, war • Worshiped prominently at Nippur, southeast of Babylon Image: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inanna#/media/File:Pergamon_Museum_Berlin_2007112.jpg Babylonian Captivity Babylonian Religion • Adad • Associated with storms • Represented as a bull • Worship center located south of Babylon in Karkara Image: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ishtar_Gate#/media/File:Close-up_of_Ishtar_Gate_tiles,_Pergamon_Museum_3.jpg Owner Jami430 Babylonian Captivity 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 Image: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Nabonidus.jpg user Jona Lendering Babylonian Captivity 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.” Image: Image: © Trustees of the British Museum https://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=327143&partId=1 Babylonian Captivity Nabonidus Chronicle • Discovered 1879 • Housed at the British Museum • Describes periods of time when Nabonidus was away and entrusted the kingdom to Belshazzar Image: Image: © Trustees of the British Museum https://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?assetId=32578001&objectId=327273&partId=1 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, 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.” Image: Image: © Trustees of the British Museum https://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?assetId=32578001&objectId=327273&partId=1 Babylonian Captivity Image: http://zoroastrianheritage.blogspot.com/2013/03/the-remarkable-discovery-of-cyrus.html Babylonian Captivity 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 Image: Image: © Trustees of the British Museum https://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?assetId=32578001&objectId=327273&partId=1 Babylonian Captivity “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 Image: Image: © Trustees of the British Museum https://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?assetId=32578001&objectId=327273&partId=1 Babylonian Captivity 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) Image: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Olympic_Park_Cyrus-3.jpg Owner Siamax Restoration of Judah “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.