In the first part of the article we established the presence of an Israeli Jewish state as early as 4000BC(an estimate). In this second part of the article we must look to further the establishment and also take a look at Israel’s captivities and the dispersion following each captivity.
We must try to look at every opinion presented here through
the eyes of archaeology and accounts of notable historians. Mind you, we do not
seek to create further enmity between the estranged relationship of the two
major occupants of the land now known as Palestine. We urge our readers to set
aside their anger and sentiments in order to fill the created void with an open
mind willing to learn.
In the year 740BCE or sometime around 733BCE the Assyrian king
Sargon 11 led an army towards the Northern kingdom of Israel. We know that this
Northern kingdom of Israel was majorly made up of ten tribes out of the twelve
tribes making up the prior united Israel. We might like to address these twelve
tribes as twelve divisions of the ancient kingdom of Israel because of those
who might not welcome the idea of using oral or biblical stories as a base. As established
in the first article we had to find a balance in order to circumvent biblical
accounts. We want everyone including atheists to look at our arguments with an
open mind as the bible may create a problem.
The Bible has a more elaborated account on the Assyrian
captivity which took place about 740BCE (this date is more likely). For those
whose minds are more open to new knowledge and bear no resentment against the
bible or Torah, you can read the book of 1 Chronicles chapter 5. It has an
expounded account on the Assyrian invasion and the subsequent Jewish captivity.
Outside the Bible we can find an agreement to this story on the walls of the
Royal palace at Dur-Sharrukin(Khorsabad).
Below is the translation of the inscription.
In my first year of
reign**** the people of Samaria****to the number of 27,290 I carried away. Fifty
chariots for my royal equipment I selected. The city I rebuilt. I made it
greater than it was.
The number 27,290 may seem so meager but historians believe
that the numbers are greater than that. Historians include those who fled the
city before the invasion began and also those who died defending the city. We believe
the invasion was swift which led to the deaths of many defendants. Another point
to consider is the Assyrian brutish character towards prisoners of wars, many must
have been executed prior the dispersion(27,290 recorded by Sargon 11). Considering
the above assumptions historian place the number of both captives and those who
fled the city around hundreds of thousands.
These captives never found their way home officially as
no known edict urging them to return was ever passed until the time of the
Medes and Persia. History tells us that Babylon conquered Assyria then Medes
and Persia took Babylon, there is likely hood that the later children of
Assyrian Jewish captives who retained their identity might have followed the exodus
back to Judah when Cyrus gave the edict.
We must now take our attention to Babylon where the next
captors emerged from. The invasion of Judah( Jerusalem was the capital of the kingdom Judah) by Nebuchadnezzar’s army is a well known story. Nebuchadnezzar who
was the prince and co-ruler of Babylon marched his army to Judah, after defeating
the Jewish kingdom he led the city to waste. We must again avoid the bible in
order to keep the minds of our readers at ease. The bible gave a more expounded
account on the invasion and subsequent captivity. It mentioned not only the
name of the invading king but also that of Judah king Jehoiakim. To plunge deeper and to bring to limelight Judah’s
captivity we must turn to king Jehoiakim. Outside the bible is the report of
rationing ordered by king Nebuchadnezzar for the feeding of king Johoiakim and
other meaningful captives such as royals and skilled workmen. The Jehoiachin( probably a rendition of
Jehoiakim in aramic) rations tablet contained rations giving out to these
captives. The Jehoiachin ration tablet was excavated by Robert Kidewey near the
Ishtar gate at Babylon.
The abridged translation reads………
1 and ½ sila(oil) for
three, 1 and ½ carpenters from Arvad apiece. 11 and ½ for eight wood workers
form Babylos……………………10 sila to Jakuukinu, to king of Judah’s son. 2 and ½ Sila
for the five sons of the Judan king.
Another evidence of the siege and capture of Judah is seen
in the Babylonian chronicles. The
Babylonian chronicles consists of series of tablets which contains accounts of
major events in Babylonian history. According to these chronicles there is
clear evidence historically on Judah’s siege and subsequent fall in the hands
of Babylon.
This is a passage from the chronicles………
In the seventh year,
in the month of kislev, the king of Akkad mustered his troops, marched into the
Hatti-land, and encamped around the city of Judah and on the ninth day of the
month of Adar he seized the city and captured the king. He appointed there a
king of his own choice and taking heavy tribute brought it back to Babylon.
We know the captives were later allowed to return during the
reign of Cyrus the Persian king. Though
the bible clearly made mention of this, however to keep an open mind we must
continue to use archaeology to strike home our facts.
The Cyrus cylinder dates around 6th century BC is a cuneiform containing the exploits of king Cyrus and was discovered in the ruins of Babylon. It is now on display in the British
Museum.
This is a passage from Cyrus cylinder..........
To Assur and from
Susa, Agade, Esnunna, Zabban, Me-Turnu, Der, as far as the region of Gutuim,
the sacred centers on the other side of the Tigris, whose sanctuaries have been
abandoned for a long time, I returned the images of the gods, who have resided
there(Babylon), to their places and I let them dwell in eternal abodes. I gathered
all their inhabitants and returned them to their dwellings.
The Roman siege and destruction of Jerusalem is a well known
story thus we are going to spend little time here. Titus with his second in
command Tiberius Julius Alexander besieged and laid the city of Jerusalem to
ruins. Jerusalem at this time was under the governance of Jewish rebels who
maintained strong holds on the city. The siege took place in the year 70AD and
ended on August 30. The siege ended with
the deaths of more than a million Jews according to the first century historian
Josephus. This supposed high number was due to the convergent of Jews from
different lands (ie Egypt, Greece, Rome etc) for the Passover feast. The Jewish rebel defendants were zealots
who preferred deaths to surrendering, they fought with all they could muster
yet internal rift gifted the Romans a better pedestal against them.
We see an Israeli kingdom living in both troubled and serene times thousands of years ago in areas collectively known as Palestine today.
We must stop here. We have seen the city of Jerusalem
belonging to a Jewish State with no mention of a Palestinian state or nation. This
we can trace in all history book to the year 70AD. What happened next? How come
a Palestinian state now? What changed the history of Jerusalem?
Keep coming back to Sparrowlite, we are here for you……….
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