Babylon
Kingdom of Babylon existed only for a short period. After the death of the prominent king
Nebuchadnezzer, the kingdom was withered and later came to an end. Nebuchadnezzer had
expanded his kingdom in a large measure. It was one of the famous empires in the east. It had
fortifications, hanging gardens – that was one among the seven world wonders in those times,
grand and beautiful palaces which were world famous. Nebuchadnezzer died in 562BC and
his son Evil Murdock succeeded him (II Kings 25:27-30). After two years of his reign, his
son Nerger Shareser came to power (Jer.39:3). After four years of his reign, Nabonidus
succeeded him. Since he was physically weak, his son Belshazzer ruled as a replacer.
Babylon Kingdom was fallen during his time.
* Babylonian exile
Exile was not of all the people but of royal priests, prophets, economically leading
men of Judah, elites, land owners and military leaders were taken into exile. Landless poor,
widows, physically challenged were remained in Judah (ordinary people, folk of the land).
Exile was positive for some people such as poor people and oppressed.
Social condition
* People left in the land were happy because there was no oppression from their own
community. The poor people had more land.
* On the other side there was no standing army for them. So they were exposed to danger and
insecurity. The neighboring countries have great opportunities to attack Judah. Some of the
cities of Judah have taken by other such as Gilead was taken by Amonites.
* The economic condition was so weak.
* The Babylonian made the Jews to cultivate their land and asked tribute.
Religiously
* The people were happy about their living. But the prophets were not at all happy because
the people were losing their religion. Those who exiled adopted the Babylonian cult and
religion. Idol worship increased heavily.
Politically
Judah lost its kingship. The idea of kingship was completely destroyed. The tribal spirit was
also gone. So the Judian families lived with constant confront with the number of other
nationalities.Condition of exiled people (gola) in Babylon
* In the beginning of exile the people were sad but later it turned upside down. Most of the
exiled people were upper class, skilled people, and they know the technique of farming.
Because of them the economy of Babylon was increased. So the exiled people were very
happy. Babylonian made the Jews to settle in colonies and gave liberty. They were given
state service like military, they had mixed marriage. The Jews in Babylon contributed to the
development of city especially architect.
* In the exile Jews lost their religion. So in exile there was Jews group who wanted to renew
Jewish religion. They were called as “salvation group.” They tried to reconstruct the Jewish
identity.
Egyptian Exile
One group of people went to Babylon whereas at the same time another group of people went
to Egypt as exiles. It was compulsory deportation. The people went to Egypt voluntarily
because of the fear of Babylon and other countries. Moreover, they were insecure of other
nations. When people faced famine in Judah they went to Egypt. They wanted to be rich and
prosper. They settled on lower and upper Egypt (Jeremiah 44:1). We don‟t know the exact
number of the people those who went to Egypt.
* Some people they engaged in scribal works.
* The religious condition of the Jews in Egypt was much better than the Jews those who are
in Babylon. They were allowed to have small temples of Yahweh in Egypt. Religious
p[practices were there in order to keep their religion alive.
* There was another group in Egypt who motivated theologically to have renewal of their
religion.
Mede-Persia
Cyrus the Persian king attacked Babylon in a decisive war at Oppeze near Tigris River and
defeated the Babylon kingdom. Right after Cyrus came to power, he issued a decree of
freedom for Jews. Some of the parts of the decree issued by Cyrus are stated in Ezra 1:2-4,
6:3-5. He also issued a decree to rebuild the temple and those who had the desire to go back
to Jerusalem were permitted to return to their native land.
Jerusalem temple was rebuilt under the leadership of Zerubabel. When the temple was rebuilt
they got the facility to worship their God. It was the fulfillment of the prophecy of Isaiah
regarding Cyrus Isaiah 44:28.Darius III was the last Persian emperor. When Alexander the Great attacked him, Darius
could not defend against him. Thus Mede-Persian Empire also came to an end.
Condition of Jews in this period
* Israel did not achieve restoration as if they had before the exile. Of course they had some of
the process of restoration which emerged from the pressure of the Persians.
* Judah gone back to the pre- state structure. There was no army or tax.
* Most of the people thought that they are no more suppressed community. They could feel
their freedom and liberty.
* They started to restore their religious and cultural activities.
* No more deportation but only restoration (King Cyrus returned back all the vessels that
captured during the exile). But many people were hesitant about the restoration and
suspicious about the new community.
* There was not lot of Job opportunities in Judah but in Babylon there were lot of
opportunities for Job. So, many Jews did not come back to their own land but settled in
Babylon.
Greece or Hellenistic period
Alexander the Great was the prominent and mighty Emperor of Greece. When he returned
after conquering the then known world, he died prematurely at the age thirty-three. After the
death of the Emperor his four military captains, who were Cassender, Lycimaccus, Selucus
and Ptolemy, divided his kingdom, Ptolemy was deputed as the king of Egypt and Selucus
Syria. Kingdom of Syria became more powerful than the other kingdoms. Selucus I to IV
ruled the nation respectively. But Selucus IV was murdered by Antiochus Ephiphanus and
took over the government. The Jews suffered severely during his reign. The freedom of
existing religious ordinances was bunged up. Freedom of worship, observance of Sabbath,
sacrifices and circumcision were completely prohibited for the Jews. He built an altar for the
god Zeus in the temple of Jerusalem and offered swine in the temple. Thus he dishonored the
temple. Those who circumcised their children were put to death as household. Those who
denied dishonoring the Sabbath day were killed ruthlessly and about a thousand was
slaughtered in one day (I Macc. 1:60, 61.
Mattathias, an old priest gathered some followers and fought a guerrilla attack. Judas the son
of Mattathias was the chief of this rebel group and had won many victories (I Macca. 2:44-
48). Judas was known as “Maccaby” which mean “A Hammer”. His followers were known as
Maccabees. Their warfare was known as „maccaby battles‟. In 164 BC they recaptured thetemple of Jerusalem and rededicated it with much celebration exactly after the third year of
the desecration of the temple by Antiochus Ephiphanes. Antiochus Ephiphanes died in 164
BC.
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