Babylonian Archaeology and History

Found 5 Search results

  1. "And Man's Loftiness Will be Bowed"

    Rabbi Elchanan Samet

    The story of the Tower of Babel seems like the story of a crime and its punishment. What is the nature of the crime? Where is it described in the story? This lesson reviews a myriad of opinions, and offers an explanation based on the historical - cultural background of that era.

  2. The Rise of Nevuchadnetzar and the Beginning of the Babylonian Era

    Rabbi David Sabato

    After twenty-three years of prophecy during which Yirmiyahu and his fellow prophets warned about the impending calamity, the geopolitical situation becomes clarified; the "enemy from the north" about whom Yirmiyahu had warned over the years of his prophecy takes on concrete form in the figure of Nevuchadnetzar, king of Babylonia, serving as God's agent, who will come and punish the people for their refusal to hear His words during those years. Additionally, Yirmiyahu provides a long list of nations and kings who will fall into the hands of Nevuchadnetzar, and he thus highlights the global revolution that will take place in the wake of his conquests. After seventy years however, Babylon too will be destroyed.

  3. The Beginning of the End

    God’s Sword in the Hand of the King of Babylon - Part 2

    Dr. Tova Ganzel

    This article provides historical background about the king of Babylonia, Nevukhadnetzar and contrasts how he was seen by the two major prophets of his time, Yirmiyahu and Yehezkel. Additionally, this article examines life in the Babylonian exile, based on extra-biblical sources.

  4. Ripping Scrolls or Tearing Clothes: Yehoyakim is not Yoshiyahu

    Rabbi David Sabato

  5. Sefer Melachim II: Archaeology

    Nachliel Selavan | 41 minutes

    Sefer Melachim II takes place in Iron Age II, a period of tremendous geopolitical upheaval and change in the region. It is an era called “the era of mass deportations” and one which can be termed “the Age of Empires”. The main shift is from regional kingdoms or city states, which are local, powerful players, to Empires, which are administrative innovations which enable a largest territorial dominion the world has ever seen. Beyond the power of Egypt, Assyria became the iron fist which terrorized and held together the Near East. 

    Assyria was responsible for the mass-deportations which destroyed nations and ethnicities, deliberately mixing them up to prevent future rebellions. Check out TED Ed video for elaboration: The rise and fall of the Assyrian Empire https://youtu.be/7pa54hWROpQ.

    The wrath of Assyria has destroyed the 10 Tribes - the entire Kingdom of Israel - which is now gone. 

    With the decline of Assyria who over-extended themselves, there is a power vacuum, in which King Yoshiyahu is able to gain some power, which he quickly loses when meddling with foreign affairs - attempting to block Pharaoh Necho II at Megiddo - on his way to the Battle of Carchemish (605 BCE). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Carchemish

    Babylon wins this battle, and is now the new world power. Babylon eventually destroys the Kingdom of Yehuda and exiles them to Babylon, in two shifts, leaving Gedaliyahu ben Ahikam as governor - who is hastily killed. But there is a relatively happy ending to this Exile, as we prosper in Babylon, and eventually return to rebuild the Temple.

     

    Archaeology Snapshot is a discussion on the location, timeline, main characters and highlights from history and archaeology, for each Sefer in Tanach.