The Fall of Israel and Judah

The Kingdoms of Israel and Judah (split 928 B.C.E.)

The Egyptian and Assyrian Empires in the Eighth Century B.C.E. Ancient Sudan.org, “16_map_01_assyrokushite_empires.html,” <http://www.ancientsudan.org/01_history_07_assyro.htm> (16 January 2007).

Depiction of the deportation of Israelites by the Assyrians From a wall relief built for Sennacherib’s palace at Nineveh Now located at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem

Amos 5 Hear this word that I take up over you in lamentation, O house of Israel: Fallen, no more to rise, is maiden Israel; forsaken on her land, with no one to raise her up. They hate the one who reproves in the gate, and they abhor the one who speaks the truth. Therefore, because you trample on the poor and take from them levies of grain, you have built houses of hewn stone, but you shall not live in them; you have planted pleasant vineyards, but you shall not drink their wine. For I know how many are your transgressions, and how great are your sins— you who afflict the righteous, who take a bribe, and push aside the needy in the gate.

The Samaritans Viewed in the Bible as the product of intermarriage of remaining peasants of Israel with new peoples brought in by the Assyrians They see themselves as pure descendants of Israel Now a dwindling community because they forbid intermarriage (only 530 in 1987) © Government Press Office, Israel

The city of Babylon rebels and achieves independence from an Assyrian empire weakened by a succession struggle. In 612 B.C.E. the capital of Assyria, Nineveh, falls to the Babylonian forces. “Babylon_map.gif,” <http://www.path-light.com/Rev2_06b.htm> (19 January 2007).

Egyptians replaced him with his half-brother From Josiah to Jehoiachin Josiah Jehoiakim Nebuchadrezzar made him a vassal king. He withheld tribute, though, and was besieged as a result. Jehoiachin Put in place by Nebuchadnezzar so he could keep the tributary state of Judah. Jehoahaz He favored the Chaldeans over the Egyptians, therefore it was only 3 months before the Egyptians removed him in favor of his brother, Jehoiakim. Egyptians replaced him with his half-brother Jehoiakim died during the siege (killed by own people?) and his son succeeded him. But scarcely three months later Nebuchadrezzar changed his mind and returned to remove Jehoichin and put a new family line on the throne. Jehoiachin was imprisoned in Babylon for 36 years until Nebuchadrezzar’s son released him and treated him as an honorable king.

The Babylonian Chronicle is a yearly diary of the major events of the empire. This tablet tells of Nebuchadrezzar’s replacement of Jehoiachin with Zedekiah. British Museum, “Cuneiform Tablet with Part of the Babylonian Chronicle (605-594 B.C.E.),” <http://www.thebritishmuseum.ac.uk/compass/ixbin/hixclient.exe?%7BUPPER%7D%3Av2_free_text_tindex=jerusalem+chronicle&_IXDB_=compass&_IXSPFX_=graphical%2Fsummary%2F&_IXFPFX_=graphical%2Ffull%2F&_IXNOMATCHES_=graphical%2Fno_matches.html&%24+%28with+v2_searchable_index%29+sort=.&_IXsearchterm=jerusalem%2520chronicle&submit-button=summary> (19 January 2006).

Babylonian Chronicle “In the seventh year [598/597], the month of Kislîmu, the king of Akkad mustered his troops, marched to the Hatti-land, and besieged the city of Judah and on the second day of the month of Addaru he seized the city and captured the king [Jehoiachin]. He appointed there a king of his own choice [Zedekiah], received its heavy tribute and sent to Babylon.” Translation adapted from A.K. Grayson, Assyrian and Babylonian Chronicles (1975) and Jean-Jacques Glassner, Mesopotamian Chronicles (Atlanta, 2004). Available at <http://www.livius.org/cg-cm/chronicles/abc5/jerusalem.html> (19 January 2007).

An artist’s rendition of the destruction of Jerusalem by Nebuchadrezzar. “destruct.jpg,” <http://www.ldolphin.org/destruct2.html> (19 January 2007).

Remaining Hebrews appointed a Judean aristocrat named Gedaliah to rule them, but he was eventually assassinated and the people were on the verge of rebellion against the Babylonians. To avoid their overlord’s wrath, many Jews fled to nearby cities, particularly Alexandria in Egypt to build thriving communities there.

Psalm 137 By the rivers of Babylon—    there we sat down and there we wept    when we remembered Zion. On the willows there    we hung up our harps. For there our captors    asked us for songs, and our tormentors asked for mirth, saying,    ‘Sing us one of the songs of Zion!’ How could we sing the Lord’s song    in a foreign land? If I forget you, O Jerusalem,    let my right hand wither! Let my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth,    if I do not remember you, if I do not set Jerusalem    above my highest joy.

A Message of Hope? “Israel is a hunted sheep driven away by lions. First the king of Assyria devoured it, and now at the end King Nebuchadrezzar of Babylon has gnawed its bones. Therefore, thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: I am going to punish the king of Babylon and his land, as I punished the king of Assyria. I will restore Israel to its pasture…for I will pardon the remnant that I have spared.” (Jeremiah 50:17-20)