Bible Study
c. 479 b.c. Long before Esther’s time, the people of Israel and Judah (later called Jews) had been dispersed throughout the Near East by the Assyrians and the Babylonians. Eventually the Persians absorbed nearly all of these lands into their empire, which reached its greatest extent during the
Bible Study
538–332 b.c. Under Persian rule, the lands of Israel (now called Samaria) and Judah (now called Judea) were minor provinces within the satrapy called Beyond the River. Returning Judeans settled mostly in the province of Judea, but a few settled in the plain of Ono and Idumea as
Bible Study
c. 445 b.c. Though Nehemiah gives a careful listing of the sections of Jerusalem’s walls that were rebuilt, it is difficult to be certain exactly which walls and gates he was referring to. The city had extended beyond the city of David and the Temple Mount by the
Bible Study
c. 450 b.c. During the time of Nehemiah, the Persian Empire had reached its greatest extent, engulfing nearly the entire Near East. In 539 b.c. the Persians under Cyrus the Great defeated the Babylonians and absorbed the lands of Israel and Judah (known as Beyond the River) into
Bible Study
538–515 b.c. Among the first tasks undertaken upon the exiles’ return was the rebuilding of the altar and the temple. Almost immediately the altar was set up, and regular burnt offerings were resumed. About a year later the foundations of the temple were laid, but opposition from other
Bible Study
538–332 b.c. Under Persian rule, the lands of Israel (now called Samaria) and Judah (now called Judea) were minor provinces within the satrapy called Beyond the River. It appears that Edomites encroached upon Judea’s southern border after the fall of Jerusalem to the Babylonians, and this territory
Bible Study
c. 458 b.c. During the time of Ezra the Persian Empire had reached its greatest extent, engulfing nearly the entire Near East. In 539 b.c. the Persians under Cyrus the Great defeated the Babylonians and absorbed their territory into the empire, including the lands of Israel and Judah
Bible Study
597, 586, 582 b.c. It appears that there were three separate deportations of Judeans to Babylon under the rule of Nebuchadnezzar (see also Jer. 52:28–30). The first came in 597 b.c. during the reign of Jehoiachin, when Nebuchadnezzar besieged Jerusalem and carried away many of the
Bible Study
628–609 b.c. Early in his reign, King Josiah of Judah launched a massive effort to abolish pagan worship throughout Judah and the land of Israel and to refurbish the temple of the Lord in Jerusalem. At the same time, the waning power of the Assyrians allowed him to
Bible Study
701 b.c. During the reign of Hezekiah of Judah, Sennacherib of Assyria came and attacked cities along the western edge of Judah, and he sent officials to besiege Jerusalem and convince Hezekiah to surrender. The Cushite king Tirhakah advanced from Egypt to support Hezekiah (2 Kings 19:9;Isa.
Bible Study
c. 702 b.c. In anticipation of an Assyrian attack, King Hezekiah of Judah fortified Jerusalem, repairing broken sections of the wall and redirecting the flow of water from the Gihon Spring into the city. He also outfitted his army with weapons and shields and appointed battle commanders over the
Bible Study
c. 722 b.c. During the reign of King Ahaz of Judah, both Israel and Judah had become vassals (semi-independent subjects) of Assyria. Later, however, King Hoshea of Israel rebelled, causing the Assyrians to completely annex Israel as a province of the empire. Philistia was annexed into the empire as