Dates & People

Important Dates

• 1200 BC – 0 BC: length of the chapter

• 922 BC: Solomon dies, K. of Israel splits in half

• 722 BC: Assyria conquers northern Kingdom of Israel

• 587/6 BC: Babylonian conquest of Judah, Bab. Exile begins

• 538 BC: Babylonian Exile ends (Persia conquers Babylon)

Pre-Kingdom People

• Joshua– Fall of Jericho– Failure at Ai (Achan)– Entering the Promised Land– Crossed the Jordan (parted the waters)

• The Judges– Cycle of Apostasy

Judges• Deborah

– Fighting Canaanite King Jabin (chariots)– Guided General Barak

• Gideon– Fighting against the Midianites– Fleece miracle– Late in life, he worships false gods

• Samson– Fighting the Philistines– Samson & Delilah

Kingdom Period

• Samuel – Last Judge– Samuel appoints the kings– Unite the tribes (all of them)

• Saul – the 1st King– Becomes prideful, loses throne

• Davidic Dynasty (David & heirs)

Davidic Dynasty

• David– Founds Jerusalem (Brings Ark of the Covenant)– Unifying the tribes into one land– Affair with Bathsheba

• Solomon– Builds the Temple (1st time)– Huge army, enslaves the people, many wives– Kingdom splits after his death

Prophets• Moses – the lawgiver

• Elijah – chief of the “normal” prophets– Calls down fire– Ascends into heaven

• Northern Prophets– Elijah– Elisha (cures the sick)– Amos & Hosea (Prophets of Social Justice)

Prophets of the South• Isaiah – Largest prophetic book– 3 prophets

• Micah – minor prophet around at the same time as Isaiah

• Jeremiah – Fall of Judah– New Covenant (Christian covenant)

• Ezekiel – Fall of Judah & exile– Keep the Holiness Code

3 Isaiahs• 1st Isaiah– Preaching around 722 BC– Using Israel as an object lesson of dangers of sin– God will “prune” the Chosen People

• 2nd Isaiah– During the Exile– Compassion– Suffering Servant Songs

• 3rd Isaiah: after the exile

Post-Exile

• Cyrus lets the Jews return to Jerusalem

• Hellenism leads to intolerance under Seleucids

• Maccabee rebellion– Hasmonean Dynasty

• Romans conquer Hasmoneans: replace with Herod