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 Bob’s, Pasadena’s 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
today’s Israel.
• ca. 1800-1700 Foundations of Israelite
People under Patriarchs/
Ancestors; God promises
to give Holy Land to
Abraham’s 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 –
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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 DAVID’s 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 David’s 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 David’s 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 Solomon’s 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 Revolt’s 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 Vespasian’s 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