Israelite History

Thousands of Years of Development

Part I by Jack Mahoney
Part II by Gina Belmonte

Six Major Middle Eastern Empires

In biblical history, the land of Israel/Palestine
was ruled by six major empires:
Egyptians
Assyrians
Babylonians
Persians
Greeks
Romans

Mnemonic Aid:

Eat At Bobs, Pasadenas Greatest Restaurant

Pre-Historic Period
3760 BCE - traditional date
of creation of world
Year 1 in Jewish calendar
Is Gen 1-11 factual history
(Orthodox/Fundamentalist view)?

or foundational myths about

basic theological truths
(Liberal/Progressive view)?

HEBREW / ISRAELITE PERIOD

(2nd Millennium to ca. 539 BCE)

ca. 3000 - ca. 1000 BCE EGYPTIAN are overlords

of area that later belongs
to Jewish people, or
todays Israel.
ca. 1800-1700 Foundations of Israelite
People under Patriarchs/
Ancestors; God promises
to give Holy Land to
Abrahams descendants

Patriarchs
1) ABRAHAM & Sarah
(+ her handmaid Hagar)
2) Isaac & Rebekah
(+ elder half-brother
Ishmael, son of Hagar)
3) Jacob = Israel (two
wives, Leah & Rachel, &
two handmaids, Zilpah &
Bilhah)
4) Twelve Sons of Jacob
= 12 Tribes of Israel
(Judah = "Royal Tribe";
Levi = "Priestly Tribe";
Joseph; Benjamin; etc.)

Moses & the Exodus Generation

ca. 1700-1300 - Israelites (a.k.a. Hebrews) in Egypt (since time of

Joseph, the "dreamer"); welcome at first, but later in slavery
ca. 1250 - MOSES and the Exodus

Plagues; Passover; Exodus from Egypt;

Torah/Covenant on Mount Sinai;
Wandering in the Desert for 40 years
(books of Exodus - Deuteronomy)

Have Jews learned more from troubled eras than from good eras?
What elements of Jewish faith are tied to the Exodus?

Joshua and the Judges

ca. 1200-1030 after Moses

death, conquest of Promised
Land led by Joshua
Loose confederation of 12 tribes
of Israel
Charismatic military/political
leaders called "Judges:
Samson, Deborah, etc.

Events recorded in books of

Joshua, Judges, Ruth

United Kingdom of Israel:

The Golden Age

ca. 1030 - 12 tribes in one united

monarchy; first ruler King Saul;
continual war with Philistines
ca. 1000 - Jerusalem conquered
by King DAVIDs army; made
capital of all Israel; David
expands kingdom; God promises
House of David will rule Israel
forever (2 Sam 7)
ca. 970 - First Temple built in
Jerusalem by Davids son, King
Solomon; worship centralized
ca. 930 - Death of Solomon;
throne succession struggles;
kingdom divides into two parts:
North vs. South

Divided Monarchies
(922 BCE - 587 BCE)

North

South

922-721 - "Kingdom of Israel";

ruled by several series of
corrupt kings;

922-587 - "Kingdom of Judah";

ruled by Davids descendants:
some bad, some good;

721 - fall of Northern Kingdom

& capital Samaria to
ASSYRIANS; deportation of
most Israelites; importation of
foreigners into areas of former
Israel

720's - religious reforms under

King Hezekiah; resistance
against Assyrian takeover

620's - religious reforms of

King Josiah; Deuteronomy

Babylonian Conquest of Judah

605 - Babylon defeats Egypt;

territory of Judah becomes part of
Babylonian Empire

597 - First unsuccessful revolt of

Judah vs. Babylon; ruling elite of
Judah exiled to Babylon

587 - Another unsuccessful revolt of

Judah vs. Babylon; total destruction
of Jerusalem city & temple by
Babylonians

Questions to Consider
Do you think the Babylonian exile
foreshadowed a dark history to come?
To what extent is State of Israel today
grounded on the biblical history and
religious beliefs of the Jews?

Babylonian Exile

587-539 BCE - most upper-class

Jews (officials, priests, artisans)
deported to Babylon; others flee
to Egypt, etc.;

much of HB written, esp. major

prophets; final compilation of
Torah (Genesis to Deuteronomy)
& Deuteronomistic History
(Joshua to 2 Kings) by Judean
scribes living in exile in Babylon.

Persian Period
539 BCE Babylonian empire conquered by Persians
King Cyrus allows all exiles to return to their homelands
Urges reconstruction of city & temple of Jerusalem
Book of Ezra & Nehemiah gives account

Ca. 520 rebuilding of Second Temple in Jerusalem

Not as nice or large as Solomons Temple

Ca. 458-445 more exiles return to Jerusalem

Led by priest Ezra & governor Nehemiah

Some Jews stay in other parts of the Middle East,

sometimes in conflict with other nations.
Book of Esther

Hellenistic/Greek Era
334 Alexander the Great begins conquest of
Persian Empire (cf. Daniel 11:1-4)
Hellenization = establishment of Greek language, religion,
culture, government throughout East (2 Macc 4:13-15)
323 Alexander dies; empire divided among four generals
(Daniel 7)

Hellenistic Empire Divides (cf. 1 Maccabees 1-7)

Ptolemaic dynasty in Egypt controls Palestine 323-198 BCE
Seleucid dynasty from Syria rules Palestine 198-141 BCE

Ca. 250 BCE Septuagint (LXX)

HB translated into Greek in Alexandria, Egypt
More books added; categories rearranged

Maccabean Era
167 BCE Desecration of Jerusalem Temple
by Seleucid ruler, Antiochus IV Epiphanes
Statues of Greek gods
Sparks revolt of Jews led by Judas Maccabeus (167-161)
Events recorded in First & Second Book of Maccabees

164 Maccabean Revolts first main success:

rededication of the Jerusalem Temple (2 Macc 8)
Hannukah, the Feast of Lights

ca. 141-63 Short independence and expansion of Israel

under Maccabean/Hasmonean rulers

Hasmonean Dynasty
134-67 BC Hasmoneans rule Israel several generations
Rivalries among various Jewish Groups
Pharisees:
Popular group, mostly laymen
Strict observance of laws and traditions

Sadducees:
Smaller elite group, mostly priests
followed Torah, rejected new traditions.

Essenes:
Small group, lived monastic lifestyle near Dead Sea
Associated with Dead Sea Scrolls

Roman Era
63 BCE ca. 650 CE
63 Roman army under General
Pompey takes over Middle East
40-4 BCE King Herod the Great
Named King by Roman Senate
Fights to gain control over Israel
Builds cities with Roman temples,
fortresses;
expands Jerusalem Temple.

4BCE Herod dies;

Kingdom divided between three
sons and one sister

During & After King Herod

Herod (40-4 BCE)

6-4BC Jesus born in Bethlehem, raised in Nazareth
Pharisees - (2nd cent. BCE 1st cent. CE)
Precursors of rabbis (founders of rabbinic Judaism)
Followed laws of HB; also traditions of the elders
NT: Opponents of Jesus (Matt 23, Mark 8:11, Luke 12:1)
High Priests
Members of Tribe of Levi
Leaders of Jewish people; control Temple
Caiaphas: arrest & conviction of Jesus (Matt 26:3, John 11:49-53)
Roman Procurators (esp. Pilate 26-36CE)
Governors of provinces (e.g. Judea)
Military, civil & criminal jurisdiction
Jews had much self-government, run by Sanhedrin
Death penalty had to be approved & executed
by Roman Procurator

First Jewish Revolt

66-74 CE Jewish war vs. Rome begins in Galilee & Jerusalem
Recorded in Josephus Jewish War
68 CE Most of Judea recaptured by Romans (General Vespasian)
Emperor Nero dies; Pause in war; 3 short-lived Emperors
70 CE Jerusalem captured by Roman Army under General Titus
(Emperor Vespasians son); city burned; Second Temple destroyed

Summary and Review

539 BCE Persians (King Cyrus) conquer Babylon
rebuilding of 2nd Temple of Jerusalem

334 BCE Alexander the Great & Hellenization of Mideast

323 Alex dies; Empire divides: Ptolemies & Seleucids

167 BCE Desecration of Temple by Antiochus IV

leads to Maccabean Revolt; Temple rededicated 164

63 BCE ca. 650 CE Romans Control Mideast

40-4 BCE King Herod the Great
Ca. 30 CE Jesus crucifixion under Pontius Pilate
70 CE destruction of 2nd Temple of Jerusalem