Ezra 1: 1-2
Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the Word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled (Cp. Jeremiah 29: 10), the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout his entire kingdom, and put it in writing, saying, Thus says Cyrus king of Persia: All the kingdoms of the earth the LORD has given me. And He commanded me to build Him a house (Temple) in Jerusalem which is in Judah.
NOTE: Jeremiah’s prophesy does not say that King Cyrus would be the one to issue the decree that the LORD’S house (Temple) would be rebuilt, but rather that the Babylonian captivity would end after seventy years (Cp. 2 Chronicles 36: 20-21; Jeremiah 29: 10). Again in 2 Chronicles 36: 22-23 and Isaiah 44: 28; 45: 1a does it specifically mention that the LORD would use Cyrus king of Persia to issue forth the decree to rebuild Jerusalem and the Temple.
Daniel 9: 1-2, 16a, 17, 25
In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus of the lineage of the Medes, who was made king over the Realm of the Chaldeans; in the first year of his reign I, Daniel understood by the books the number of years specified by the Word of the LORD through Jeremiah the prophet, that He would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem. O LORD, according to all Your righteousness, I pray, let Your anger and Your fury be turned away from Your city Jerusalem, Your holy mountain. Now therefore, our God, hear the prayer of Your servant, and his supplication, and for the LORD’S sake cause Your face to shine on Your sanctuary, which is desolate. Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the command to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince, there shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublesome times.
NOTE: Daniel mentions about the prophesying of Jeremiah and the restoration of the Temple during the first year of Darius’ reign and not king Cyrus. In fact, the only mention about Cyrus king of Persia was in a relatively short Chapter 10, but he wrote a lot more about Darius, with whom it seems, he had a personal relationship as one of his appointed Governors of the 120 satraps throughout his entire kingdom (Cp. Daniel 6: 1-2, 13-14, 18-23).
Ezra 2: 1, 64-65
Now these are the people of the province who came back from the captivity, of those who had been carried away, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away to Babylon, and who returned to Jerusalem and Judah, everyone to his own city. The whole assembly together was forty-two thousand three hundred and sixty, besides their male and female servants of whom were seven thousand three hundred and thirty-seven; and they had two hundred men and women singers.
2 Kings 24: 14, 16; 25: 11-12
And he carried into captivity all Jerusalem: all the captains and all the mighty men of valor, ten thousand captives, and all the craftsmen and smiths. None remained but the poorest people of the land. All the valiant men, seven thousand, and craftsmen and smiths, one thousand, all who were strong and fit for war, these, the king of Babylon brought captive to Babylon. Then Nebuzzaradan the captain of the guard carried away captive the rest of the people who remained in the city and the defectors who deserted to the king of Babylon with the rest of the multitude; But the captain of the guard left some of the poor of the land as vinedressers and farmers.
NOTE: There were in excess of 18, 000 people of Jerusalem and Judah who were carried to Babylon, which consisted of the Academia, Military, royalty, skilled tradesmen, religious leaders (priests, Levites), lawyers (scribes), socially prominent families and the most physically fit. After seventy years of captivity, doubtless some of these crème of the crop Jews managed to have good lives in this foreign land and prospered, even having offspring from pagan wives as their numbers now swelled to 42, 360; not counting having acquired 7,337 male and female servants (slaves) during this period from a land where they were taken as prisoners and as booty from the spoils of war, initially.
Ezra 3: 10, 12
When the builders laid the foundation of the Temple of the LORD, the priests stood in their apparel with trumpets, and the Levites, the sons of Asaph, with cymbals to praise the LORD, according to the ordinance of David king of Israel. But many of the priests and Levites and heads of the fathers’ houses, old men who had seen the first Temple, wept with a loud voice when the foundation of this temple was laid before their eyes. Yet many shouted aloud for joy.
Ezra 4: 1, 2b, 3-5
Now when the adversaries (enemies) of Judah and Benjamin heard that the descendants of the captivity were building the Temple of the LORD God of Israel, they said to them, “Let us build with you, for we seek your God as you do; and we have sacrificed to Him since the days of Esarhaddon king of Assyria, who brought us here.” But Zerubbabel and Jeshua [Yeshua??] and the rest of the fathers’ houses of Israel said to them, “You may do nothing with us to build a house (Temple) for our God; but we alone will build to the LORD God of Israel, as King Cyrus the king of Persia has commanded us.” Then the people of the land tried to discourage the people of Judah. They troubled them in building, and hired counselors to frustrate their purpose all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even to the reign of Darius king of Persia.
NOTE: According to this account, Cyrus ruled Persia before Darius but in the Book of Daniel, he mentions that Darius the Mede replaced Belshazzar, king of the Chaldeans (Cp. Daniel 5: 30; 6: 1), and he is later referred to as Belshazzar king of Babylon (Cp. Daniel 7: 1). It is possible that Chaldea was a territory within Babylon which Belshazzar ruled as sort of a Regent or Governor and later consolidated his power and became king of the Babylonian Empire after Nebuchadnezzar’s death. Also, Assyrian resettlement back into the region occurred on more than one occasion (Cp. Ezra 4: 9b-10; 2 Kings 17: 6, 24-41).
Ezra 4: 6-7a, 8
In the reign of Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his reign, they wrote an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem. In the days of Artaxerxes also, Bishlam, Mithredath, table and the rest of their companions wrote to Artaxerxes king of Persia. Rehum the commander and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter against Jerusalem to King Artaxerxes.
Ezra 4: 23-24
Now when the copy of King Artaxerxes’ letter was read before Rehum, Shimshai the scribe, and all their companions, they went up with haste to Jerusalem against the Jews, and by force of arms made them cease. Thus the work of the house (Temple) of God ceased, and it was discontinued until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.
NOTE: This is only the second time the word “Jew” is used in the Scriptures. Before that, it has been ‘Hebrews’ or children of Israel (Israelites).
Ezra 5: 1-2, 5
Then the prophet Haggai and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophets, prophesized to the Jews who were in Judah and Jerusalem, in the Name of the God of Israel, who was over them. So Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Jeshua [Yeshua??] the son of Jehozadak rose up and began to build the house of God which is in Jerusalem; and the prophets of God were with them, helping them. But the eye of their god was upon the elders of the “Jews,” so that they could not make them cease until a report could go to [King] Darius. Then a written answer was returned concerning this matter.
NOTE: Haggai and Zechariah are two of the post-exilic prophets and their writings have to be considered in this context; albeit they were undoubtedly among the captives taken during Babylon or perhaps they might have actually been born in Babylon during those seventy years. Although Jeshua [Yeshua??] the son of Jehozadak is credited with beginning building the house [Temple] of God, and Zechariah 4: 9 states that Zerubbabel laid the foundation of the Temple, it was Sheshbazzar, the prince of Judah who actually first laid the foundation of the Temple (Cp. Ezra 1: 8; 5: 16)
Ezra 6: 1-3, 7, 10-12
Then king Darius issued a decree, and a search was made in the archives [house of scrolls], where the treasures were stored in Babylon. And at Achmetha [Ecbatana the ancient capital of Media], a scroll was found, and in it a record was written thus: In the first year of King Cyrus, King Cyrus issued a decree concerning the house (Temple) of God at Jerusalem: “Let the house be rebuilt, the place where they offered sacrifices; and let the foundations of it be firmly laid. . . Let the work of this house of God alone; let the Governor of the “Jews” and the elders of the “Jews” build this house of God on its site. And I issue a decree that whoever alters this edict, let timber be pulled from his house and erected, and let him be hanged on it; and let his house be made a refuse heap because of this. And may the God who causes His Name to dwell there destroy any king or people who put their hand to alter it, or to destroy this house (Temple) of God which is in Jerusalem. I Darius issue a decree; let it be done diligently.
NOTE: When King Artaxerxes made a search in the records of his fathers [presumably the ancient archives or scrolls in the capital of Media], he had a different reaction towards the rebuilding efforts in Jerusalem, and ordered the work to cease (Cp. 4: 11-24). Did King Artaxerxes fail to notice the edict issued by his predecessor King Cyrus of Persia, and if he read it, why did he disregard it and not honor it like King Darius?
Ezra 6: 14-18
So the elders of the Jews built, and they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they built and finished it, according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the commandment of Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia. Now the Temple was finished on the third day of the month of Adar, which was in the sixth year of the reign of King Darius. Then the children of Israel, the priests and the Levites and the rest of the descendants of the captivity, celebrated the dedication of this house (Temple) of God with joy. And they offered sacrifices at the dedication of this house (Temple) of God, one hundred bulls, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs, and as a sin offering for all Israel twelve male goats, according to the number of the tribes of Israel. They assigned the priests to their divisions and the Levites to their divisions, over the service of God in Jerusalem, as it is written in the Book of Moses.
COMMENTARY: It is curious that King Artaxerxes is mentioned among the kings who supported rebuilding the Temple because he is the one who had the work stopped by force of arms (Cp. Ezra 4: 23-24). Also, according to a quote from Jewish historian Flavius Josephus in his book, Antiq. 4: 7-11 and in 1 Erdras, the Dedication of the Second Temple took place on the 23rd of Adar [Month twelve of the sacred Jewish calendar, or “February” of the secular calendar].
The Temple was built in the 6th year of King Darius' reign, but which King Darius? Acording to the "Bible Dictionary' by Smith and Peloubet, Zondervan Publishing House, there are possibly four King Darius's. King Darius the Mede (538 BC); King Darius Hystaspes (521 BC); King Darius the Persian [II] Nothus Ochus (424-404 BC); or King Darius III Codomannus (336-330 BC), foe of Alexander the Great. The decree from King Cyrus of Persia to rebuild the Temple was around 539 BC, the first year of his reign over Babylon. Using the secular historical record this means the Temple could have been completed in 533 BC at the earliest and 515 BC at the latest [in the sixth year of King Darius' reign], by either of the two king Daruis's who were more kindly disposed toward the Jews.
The offering of 100 bulls + 200 rams + 400 lambs=700 ["7" the sacred number of completion], but the additional 12 male goats as a sin offering is curious. In 1 Kings 8: 62, King Solomon offers 22,000 bulls + 120,000 sheep=142,000 ["7" the sacred number of completion] for the dedication for the First Temple. The LORD'S response is recorded in 1 Kings 9: 3, which goes as follows: And the LORD said to him: "I have heard your prayer and your supplication that you have made before Me; I have consecrated this house [Temple] which you have built to put My Name there forever, and My eyes and My heart will be there perpetually." But pertaining to the narrative in the Book of Ezra, there appears to be no recorded Divine acknowledgement of the dedication of the Second Temple by Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Sheshbazzar and company.
Also, The Jewish study Biible has an interesting interpretation pertaining to the rebuilding of the Temple and the appearance of "mashiah" (Messiah), which in this case is another name for an anointed religious leader, and not the expected LORD and Redeemer of Israel.
Daniel 9: 25-27
You must know and understand: From the issuance of the word to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the time [time of the] anointed leader is seven weeks; and for sixty-two weeks it will be rebuilt, square and moat ["the streets and the wall"-NKJV], but in a time of distress. And after those sixty-two weeks, the anointed one will disappear and vanish ["be cut off"-NKJV]. The army of a leader who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary [Temple], but its end will come through a flood. Desolation is decreed until the end of war. During one week he will make a firm covenant with many. For half a week he will put a stop to the sacrifice and meal offering. At the corner of the altar will be an apalling abomination until the decreed destruction will be poured down upon the apalling thing (JSB). There are two words in Hebrew which are translated as 'weeks'; one is "shav'uim" (weeks) and the other is "shiv'im" (seventy).
Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
January 24, 2010
pbks@hotmail.com
Monday, January 25, 2010
Monday, January 11, 2010
Moses' three ‘Signs’ to the children of Israel
Most readers of the Old Testament book of EXODUS are familiar with the ten plagues or signs which the LORD wrought before Pharaoh and the his court (priests, magicians, wise men, astrologers, etc.) as well as among the Egyptian people to free the Israelites from 400 years of slavery, but little attention is paid to the “signs” that Moses had to perform among his own people to prove that he was the Deliverer that the LORD God sent to free them.
Exodus 3-14
Then Moses said to God, “Indeed, when I come to the children of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you, ‘and they say to me, ‘What is His Name?’ what shall I say to them?” And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM (Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh).” And He said, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, ‘I AM (Ehyeh) has sent me to you.’ ”
Exodus 3: 15a-16a
Moreover God said to Moses, “Thus you will say to the children of Israel: ‘The LORD of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob has sent me to you. “Go and gather the elders of Israel together, and say to them, ‘The LORD God [YHVH (Yod-He-Vav-He) Elohim] of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, appeared to me.
Exodus 4: 1-5
Then Moses answered and said, “But suppose they will not believe me or listen to my voice; suppose they say, ‘The LORD (YHVH) has not appeared to you.’ ” So the LORD said to him, “What is that in your hand?” He said, “A rod.” And He said, “Cast it on the ground.” (1) So he cast it (the rod) on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from it. Then the LORD said to Moses, “Reach out your hand and take it by the tail” (and he reached out his hand and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand), “that they may believe that the LORD God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob has appeared to you.
Exodus 4: 6-7
Furthermore the LORD said to him, “Now put your hand in your bosom.” (2) And he put his hand in his bosom, and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous [white], like snow. And He said, “Put your hand into your bosom again, and drew it out of his bosom, and behold, it was restored like his other flesh.
Exodus 4: 8-9
“Then it will be, if they do not believe even these two signs, or listen to your voice, then you shall take water from the Nile River and pour it on the dry land. (3) The water which you take from the Nile River will become blood on the dry land.
COMMENT: The part about the water becoming blood on the dry ground is reminiscent of Luke 22: 41-42, 44, which says:
And He [Jesus-Yeshua] was withdrawn from them [the disciples] about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and prayed, saying, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.” And being in [great] agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat [water] became like great drops of blood falling down to the [dry] ground.
Exodus 4: 28-31
So Moses told Aaron all the words of the LORD who had sent him, and all the signs which he had commanded him. Then Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the children of Israel. And Aaron spoke all the words which the LORD had spoken to Moses. Then he (Moses) did the signs [at least the first two if not all three of them] in the sight of the people. So the people believed; and when they heard that the LORD had visited the children of Israel and that He had looked on their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshipped.
Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
January 9, 2010
pbks@hotmail.com
Exodus 3-14
Then Moses said to God, “Indeed, when I come to the children of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you, ‘and they say to me, ‘What is His Name?’ what shall I say to them?” And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM (Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh).” And He said, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, ‘I AM (Ehyeh) has sent me to you.’ ”
Exodus 3: 15a-16a
Moreover God said to Moses, “Thus you will say to the children of Israel: ‘The LORD of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob has sent me to you. “Go and gather the elders of Israel together, and say to them, ‘The LORD God [YHVH (Yod-He-Vav-He) Elohim] of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, appeared to me.
Exodus 4: 1-5
Then Moses answered and said, “But suppose they will not believe me or listen to my voice; suppose they say, ‘The LORD (YHVH) has not appeared to you.’ ” So the LORD said to him, “What is that in your hand?” He said, “A rod.” And He said, “Cast it on the ground.” (1) So he cast it (the rod) on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from it. Then the LORD said to Moses, “Reach out your hand and take it by the tail” (and he reached out his hand and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand), “that they may believe that the LORD God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob has appeared to you.
Exodus 4: 6-7
Furthermore the LORD said to him, “Now put your hand in your bosom.” (2) And he put his hand in his bosom, and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous [white], like snow. And He said, “Put your hand into your bosom again, and drew it out of his bosom, and behold, it was restored like his other flesh.
Exodus 4: 8-9
“Then it will be, if they do not believe even these two signs, or listen to your voice, then you shall take water from the Nile River and pour it on the dry land. (3) The water which you take from the Nile River will become blood on the dry land.
COMMENT: The part about the water becoming blood on the dry ground is reminiscent of Luke 22: 41-42, 44, which says:
And He [Jesus-Yeshua] was withdrawn from them [the disciples] about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and prayed, saying, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.” And being in [great] agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat [water] became like great drops of blood falling down to the [dry] ground.
Exodus 4: 28-31
So Moses told Aaron all the words of the LORD who had sent him, and all the signs which he had commanded him. Then Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the children of Israel. And Aaron spoke all the words which the LORD had spoken to Moses. Then he (Moses) did the signs [at least the first two if not all three of them] in the sight of the people. So the people believed; and when they heard that the LORD had visited the children of Israel and that He had looked on their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshipped.
Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
January 9, 2010
pbks@hotmail.com
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Shechem and Hebron: Famous and often overlooked cities of Bible Times
For many students of the Bible as well as believing Christians and Jews, cities such as Jerusalem, Nazareth, Bethlehem, Jericho, Capernaum, Shiloh and a few others carry a certain importance or intrigue. Yet, the cities of Shechem and Hebron add quite a historical perspective on the lives of a few of the more well-known personages of antiquity.
Genesis 12: 6
Abram passed through the land [Canaan] to the place of Shechem, as far as the terebinth tree of Moreh. And the Canaanites were then in the land.
Genesis 13: 18a
Then Abram moved his tent, and went and dwelt by the terebinth trees of Mamre, which are in Hebron.
Genesis 14: 13
Then one who had escaped came and told Abram the Hebrew, for he dwelt by the terebinth trees of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eschol and brother of Aner, and they were allies with Abram.
Genesis 23: 2-3
Kirjath Arba (that is Hebron) in the land of Canaan, the sons of Heth.
Genesis 23: 7-10
Then Abraham stood up and bowed himself to the people of the land [Hebron], the sons of Heth. And he spoke with them saying, “If it is your wish that I bury my dead [Sarah; Cp. 23: 2] out of my sight, hear me, and entreat with Ephron the son of Zohar for me, “that he may give me the cave of Macpelah which he has, which is at the end of his field. Let him give it to me at the full price, as property for a burial place among you.”
Genesis 23: 16-20
Abraham listened to Ephron; and Abraham weighed out the silver for Ephron which he named in the hearing of the sons of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver, currency of the merchants. So the field of Ephron which was in Macpelah, which was before Mamre, the field and the cave which was in it, and all the trees that were in the field, which were within all the surrounding borders, were deeded to Abraham as a possession in the presence of the sons of Heth, before all who went in at the gate of his city. And after this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Macpelah, before Mamre (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan. So the field and the cave that is in it were deeded to Abraham by the sons of Heth as property for a burial place.
Genesis 33: 18-19
Then Jacob came safely to the city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Padan Aram; and he pitched his tent before the city. And he bought the parcel of land [the field] where he had pitched his tent, from the children of Hamor, Shechem’s father, for one hundred pieces of silver.
Genesis 35: 27, 29
Then Jacob came to his father Isaac at Mamre, or Kirjath Arba (that is, Hebron), where Abraham and Isaac had dwelt. So Isaac breathed his last and died, and was gathered to his people, being old and full of days. And his sons Esau and Jacob buried him [in Hebron].
NOTE: Sarah, Abraham, and now Isaac are buried at the same burial place; the cave of Macpelah in Hebron.
Genesis 37: 1, 13b, 14b
Now Jacob dwelt in the land where his father [Isaac] was a stranger, in the land of Canaan. And Israel said to Joseph, “Are not your brothers feeding the flock in Shechem? Come, I will send you to them.” So he sent him out of the Valley of Hebron, and he went to Shechem.
Genesis 50: 13-14a
For his [Jacob’s] sons carried him to the land of Canaan and buried him in the cave of Macpelah, before Mamre [Hebron], which Abraham bought with the field from Ephron the Hittite as property for a burial place. And after he had buried his father, Joseph returned to Egypt.
NOTE: Sarah, Abraham, Isaac, and now Jacob are buried at the same burial place; the cave of Macpelah in Hebron.
Joshua 24: 1, 25
Then Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem and called for the elders of Israel, for their heads [leaders], for their judges, and for their officers; and they presented themselves before God. So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and made for them a statute and an ordinance in Shechem.
NOTE: Joshua consecrated the people to the LORD at Shechem.
Joshua 24: 32
The bones of Joseph, which the children of Israel had brought up out of Egypt, they buried at Shechem, in the plot of ground which Jacob had brought from the sons of Hamor the father of Shechem (Cp. Genesis 33: 18-19; 34: 2a) for one hundred pieces of money [silver or an unknown currency-‘quesitah’], which had become an inheritance of the children of Joseph.
NOTE: The great patriarch and former Governor of the whole land of Egypt was buried [and probably his sons Manasseh and Ephraim] in the land of Shechem.
2 Samuel 2: 11
And the time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months (Cp. 2 Samuel 5: 3, 5).
NOTE: This was the capitol until moved to Jerusalem under a united Monarchy or Confederation of the twelve tribes [10 tribes of Israel along with Judah and Benjamin].
1 Kings 12: 20, 25
Jeroboam was made king over Israel and fortified Shechem in the mountains of Ephraim and dwelt there.
NOTE: In all likelihood Jeroboam made it his capitol and probably died in Shechem also.
Last, but not least:
Luke 1: 5, 7, 13, 57
There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah. His wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both advanced in years. But the angel said to him, “”Do not be afraid Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.” Now Elizabeth’s full time came for her to be delivered, and she brought forth a son.
NOTE: The city where Elizabeth lived, as a descendant of Aaron, was most probably Hebron (Cp. Joshua 21: 13).
Mark 6: 21-29 refers to King Herod beheading John the Baptizer and apparently the author didn't know the difference between someone being a King and a tetrarch; whom, although a ruler, still the person is not as powerful nor has the same authority as that of a King. Since John the Baptizer ministered in Bethany beyond the Jordan, which was in the region of Judea where Herod Archelaus ruled [according to ‘Wikipedia’]; he would have been the Herodian ruler to have executed John. His disciples buried him in a tomb; it was most likely in an ossurary located among John’s ancestral family cave in Hebron.
Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
January 5, 2010
pbks@hotmail.com
Genesis 12: 6
Abram passed through the land [Canaan] to the place of Shechem, as far as the terebinth tree of Moreh. And the Canaanites were then in the land.
Genesis 13: 18a
Then Abram moved his tent, and went and dwelt by the terebinth trees of Mamre, which are in Hebron.
Genesis 14: 13
Then one who had escaped came and told Abram the Hebrew, for he dwelt by the terebinth trees of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eschol and brother of Aner, and they were allies with Abram.
Genesis 23: 2-3
Kirjath Arba (that is Hebron) in the land of Canaan, the sons of Heth.
Genesis 23: 7-10
Then Abraham stood up and bowed himself to the people of the land [Hebron], the sons of Heth. And he spoke with them saying, “If it is your wish that I bury my dead [Sarah; Cp. 23: 2] out of my sight, hear me, and entreat with Ephron the son of Zohar for me, “that he may give me the cave of Macpelah which he has, which is at the end of his field. Let him give it to me at the full price, as property for a burial place among you.”
Genesis 23: 16-20
Abraham listened to Ephron; and Abraham weighed out the silver for Ephron which he named in the hearing of the sons of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver, currency of the merchants. So the field of Ephron which was in Macpelah, which was before Mamre, the field and the cave which was in it, and all the trees that were in the field, which were within all the surrounding borders, were deeded to Abraham as a possession in the presence of the sons of Heth, before all who went in at the gate of his city. And after this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Macpelah, before Mamre (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan. So the field and the cave that is in it were deeded to Abraham by the sons of Heth as property for a burial place.
Genesis 33: 18-19
Then Jacob came safely to the city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Padan Aram; and he pitched his tent before the city. And he bought the parcel of land [the field] where he had pitched his tent, from the children of Hamor, Shechem’s father, for one hundred pieces of silver.
Genesis 35: 27, 29
Then Jacob came to his father Isaac at Mamre, or Kirjath Arba (that is, Hebron), where Abraham and Isaac had dwelt. So Isaac breathed his last and died, and was gathered to his people, being old and full of days. And his sons Esau and Jacob buried him [in Hebron].
NOTE: Sarah, Abraham, and now Isaac are buried at the same burial place; the cave of Macpelah in Hebron.
Genesis 37: 1, 13b, 14b
Now Jacob dwelt in the land where his father [Isaac] was a stranger, in the land of Canaan. And Israel said to Joseph, “Are not your brothers feeding the flock in Shechem? Come, I will send you to them.” So he sent him out of the Valley of Hebron, and he went to Shechem.
Genesis 50: 13-14a
For his [Jacob’s] sons carried him to the land of Canaan and buried him in the cave of Macpelah, before Mamre [Hebron], which Abraham bought with the field from Ephron the Hittite as property for a burial place. And after he had buried his father, Joseph returned to Egypt.
NOTE: Sarah, Abraham, Isaac, and now Jacob are buried at the same burial place; the cave of Macpelah in Hebron.
Joshua 24: 1, 25
Then Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem and called for the elders of Israel, for their heads [leaders], for their judges, and for their officers; and they presented themselves before God. So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and made for them a statute and an ordinance in Shechem.
NOTE: Joshua consecrated the people to the LORD at Shechem.
Joshua 24: 32
The bones of Joseph, which the children of Israel had brought up out of Egypt, they buried at Shechem, in the plot of ground which Jacob had brought from the sons of Hamor the father of Shechem (Cp. Genesis 33: 18-19; 34: 2a) for one hundred pieces of money [silver or an unknown currency-‘quesitah’], which had become an inheritance of the children of Joseph.
NOTE: The great patriarch and former Governor of the whole land of Egypt was buried [and probably his sons Manasseh and Ephraim] in the land of Shechem.
2 Samuel 2: 11
And the time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months (Cp. 2 Samuel 5: 3, 5).
NOTE: This was the capitol until moved to Jerusalem under a united Monarchy or Confederation of the twelve tribes [10 tribes of Israel along with Judah and Benjamin].
1 Kings 12: 20, 25
Jeroboam was made king over Israel and fortified Shechem in the mountains of Ephraim and dwelt there.
NOTE: In all likelihood Jeroboam made it his capitol and probably died in Shechem also.
Last, but not least:
Luke 1: 5, 7, 13, 57
There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah. His wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both advanced in years. But the angel said to him, “”Do not be afraid Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.” Now Elizabeth’s full time came for her to be delivered, and she brought forth a son.
NOTE: The city where Elizabeth lived, as a descendant of Aaron, was most probably Hebron (Cp. Joshua 21: 13).
Mark 6: 21-29 refers to King Herod beheading John the Baptizer and apparently the author didn't know the difference between someone being a King and a tetrarch; whom, although a ruler, still the person is not as powerful nor has the same authority as that of a King. Since John the Baptizer ministered in Bethany beyond the Jordan, which was in the region of Judea where Herod Archelaus ruled [according to ‘Wikipedia’]; he would have been the Herodian ruler to have executed John. His disciples buried him in a tomb; it was most likely in an ossurary located among John’s ancestral family cave in Hebron.
Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
January 5, 2010
pbks@hotmail.com
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)