History of Israel

History of Israel

The history of Israel leading up to the life of Jesus is complex and spans several centuries. It provides essential background to understanding the timeline of Jesus life and ministry from a historical context. Here is a brief overview.

1. United Kingdoms of Israel & Judah (1050 – 586 BC)

The united Kingdom of Israel, under kings Saul, David, and Solomon, was established around 1050 BC. After Solomon’s death, the kingdom split into the northern Kingdom of Israel and the southern Kingdom of Judah (with Jerusalem as its capital). These kingdoms existed during a period of regional power struggles and were influenced by the surrounding empires.

2. Assyrian and Babylonian captivities (8th – 6th Century BC)

In 722 BC, the Assyrian Empire conquered the northern Kingdom of Israel, leading to the dispersal of its ten tribes. The southern Kingdom of Judah continued until 586 BC, when it fell to the Babylonian Empire. The Babylonian conquest led to the destruction of the First Temple in Jerusalem and the exile of many Jews to Babylon.

3. Persian Period (538 – 332 BC)

The Persian Empire, under King Cyrus the Great, conquered Babylon in 538 BC. Cyrus allowed the Jewish exiles to return to Judah and rebuild the Second Temple in Jerusalem. This period was marked by the re-establishment of Jewish religious and cultural life in the region.

4. Hellenistic Rule (332 – 63 BC)

Alexander the Great of Macedonia conquered the Persian Empire, including the land of Israel, in 332 BC. After Alexander’s death, his empire was divided among his generals, and Israel came under the control of the Ptolemaic and later the Seleucid empires. This period saw tensions between Hellenistic cultural influences and Jewish traditions.

5. Maccabean Revolt and Hasmonean Dynasty (167 – 63 BC)

In 167 BC, the Maccabean Revolt erupted against the Seleucid Empire’s attempts to impose Hellenistic practices and forbid Jewish religious practices. The revolt led to the establishment of an independent Jewish state under the Hasmonean Dynasty.

6. Roman Rule (63 BC – 4th century AD)

The Roman Empire annexed the Hasmonean Kingdom in 63 BC. Herod the Great, appointed by Rome, ruled as a client king over Judea and undertook massive building projects, including the expansion of the Second Temple. It was under Roman rule, in the early 1st century AD, that Jesus of Nazareth was born and lived.