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After leaving Egypt, the Hebrews settled back in the hills of Palestine or Canaan along eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea, approximately where Israel is today.  They quickly developed a productive society despite the barrenness of the land.  They implemented a system of private property, which much sharing within the family structure.  Before long, they became targets for their primitive, pagan neighbors.  Worst among these were the Philistines, who had iron weapons and good organization.  The Hebrews, in contrast, were loosely affiliated and unprepared to defend against outside invasions.  The Bible recounts many of these struggles with the Philistines, which God used to punish the Hebrews for disobedience and bring them back to Him.   

After leaving Egypt, the Hebrews settled back in the hills of Palestine or Canaan along eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea, approximately where Israel is today.  They quickly developed a productive society despite the barrenness of the land.  They implemented a system of private property, which much sharing within the family structure.  Before long, they became targets for their primitive, pagan neighbors.  Worst among these were the Philistines, who had iron weapons and good organization.  The Hebrews, in contrast, were loosely affiliated and unprepared to defend against outside invasions.  The Bible recounts many of these struggles with the Philistines, which God used to punish the Hebrews for disobedience and bring them back to Him.   

Inevitably a Hebrew warrior, Saul, took power around 1000 B.C. and defeated the Philistines and Canaanites.  The priest Samuel anointed Saul as King, but many Hebrews declined to obey him.  David, a shrewd fighter who had trained as a mercenary with the Philistines, became famous as a teenager for defeating the Philistine giant Goliath as described in the Bible.  David then built an empire for Israel that extended from Damascus, then a thriving city in the Fertile Crescent, all the way south past what is now the Gaza Strip.  For its capital he built a hill city called Jerusalem, and encapsulated it within a wall.  II Samuel 9-20 describes this period.

 

Inevitably a Hebrew warrior, Saul, took power around 1000 B.C. and defeated the Philistines and Canaanites.  The priest Samuel anointed Saul as King, but many Hebrews declined to obey him.  David, a shrewd fighter who had trained as a mercenary with the Philistines, became famous as a teenager for defeating the Philistine giant Goliath as described in the Bible.  David next built an empire for Israel that extended from Damascus, then a thriving city in the Fertile Crescent, all the way south past what is now the Gaza Strip.  For its capital he built a hill city called Jerusalem, and encapsulated it within a wall.  II Samuel 9-20 describes this period.

David's son was Solomon, who ruled for forty years (965-925 B.C.) and constructed the great temple of Jerusalem.  He was known for his wisdom and justice.  He created two states: Israel in the north, with a capital at Samaria, and Judah in the south, with a capital at Jerusalem.  But Solomon also taxed the Hebrews heavily and, after he died, the empire fell into decline.  The Kingdom of Israel split after the death of Solomon.  I Kings 12.

David's son was Solomon, who ruled for forty years (965-925 B.C.) and constructed the great temple of Jerusalem.  He was known for his wisdom and justice.  He created two states: Israel in the north, with a capital at Samaria, and Judah in the south, with a capital at Jerusalem.  But Solomon also taxed the Hebrews heavily and, after he died, the empire fell into decline.  The Kingdom of Israel split after the death of Solomon.  I Kings 12.

[[Image:Twelve Tribes of Israel.JPG|right]]

[[Image:Twelve Tribes of Israel.JPG|right]]

Judah in the south survived longer than Israel in the north.  The southern Kingdom of Judah consisted of two of the twelve Hebrew tribes, while the northern Kingdom of Israel had the other ten Hebrew tribes.  But due to its northern location, the Kingdom of Israel had to contend with Assyria, which was a cruel and extremely powerful kingdom of northern Mesopotamia.  It was located in present-day northern Iraq and at times controlled the northern part of present-day Syria.  Assyria became an independent state in the 14th century B.C., expanded in the 9th century B.C. and, under powerful kings like Sargon II, united most of the Middle East from Egypt to the Persian Gulf under Assyrian rule.  It was finally destroyed by a Chaldean-Median coalition in 612-609 B.C.

Judah in the south survived longer than Israel in the north.  The southern Kingdom of Judah consisted of two of the twelve Hebrew tribes, while the northern Kingdom of Israel had the other ten Hebrew tribes.  But due to its northern location, the Kingdom of Israel had to contend with Assyria, which was a cruel and extremely powerful kingdom of northern Mesopotamia.  It was located in present-day northern Iraq and at times controlled the northern part of present-day Syria.  Assyria became an independent state in the 14th century B.C., expanded in the 9th century B.C. and, under powerful kings like Sargon II, united most of the Middle East from Egypt to the Persian Gulf under Assyrian rule.  It was finally destroyed by a Chaldean-Median coalition in 612-609 B.C.

The Assyrians defeated the Kingdom of Israel in 772 B.C, and then scattered and dispersed the ten Hebrew tribes throughout the Assyrian Kingdom.  The Assyrian empire was so powerful because it used iron weapons and battering rams, and did not hesitate even to tunnel under enemies' walls.  The Assyrians also enslaved the peoples it captured, taking them away from their homeland.  The scattering of the Hebrews by the Assyrians was the first of several "diaspora" (pronounced deye-AS-puh-ruh), which means the scattering of the Jewish people away from their homeland.  In Judah, however, a young ruler known as Joshua ultimately rose to power in 640 B.C. and overthrew the Assyrian influence, which was in a state of decline then.  But Joshua himself ran into the merciless power of the Chaldean empire.

The Assyrians defeated the Kingdom of Israel in 772 B.C, and then scattered and dispersed the ten Hebrew tribes throughout the Assyrian Kingdom.  The Assyrian empire was so powerful because it used iron weapons and battering rams, and did not hesitate even to tunnel under enemies' walls.  The Assyrians also enslaved the peoples it captured, taking them away from their homeland.  The scattering of the Hebrews by the Assyrians was the first of several "diaspora" (pronounced deye-AS-puh-ruh), which means the scattering of the Jewish people away from their homeland.  In Judah, however, a young ruler known as Joshua ultimately rose to power in 640 B.C. and overthrew the Assyrian influence, which was in a state of decline then.  But Joshua himself ran into the merciless power of the Chaldean empire.

As Assyrian power began to decline, a ruler named Nabopolassar was able to establish a Chaldean dynasty, beginning in 625 B.C. and extending until the Persians conquered the territory by invading in 539 B.C. from present-day Iran. In that brief span of time an important ruler commanded the Chaldean dynasty and all of Babylonian empire: Nebuchadnezzar II (NEB-uh-kuhd-NEZ-ur), who reigned from 605 to 562 B.C.

As Assyrian power began to decline, a ruler named Nabopolassar was able to establish a Chaldean dynasty, beginning in 625 B.C. and extending until the Persians conquered the territory by invading in 539 B.C. from present-day Iran. In that brief span of time an important ruler commanded the Chaldean dynasty and all of Babylonian empire: Nebuchadnezzar II (NEB-uh-kuhd-NEZ-ur), who reigned from 605 to 562 B.C.

He was a military genius who demonstrated his prowess with a massive conquest of the Egyptian army in 606 or 605 B.C., thereby gaining control of all of Syria. After his father's death, he obtained the submission of Judah and spent the next few years expanding the Babylonian empire into Palestine. Although Nebuchadnezzar suffered many losses, he persisted and ultimately captured Jerusalem on March 16, 597, and then later again in 586, when the Chaldeans also destroyed Solomon's temple.  Nebuchadnezzar kidnapped and deported prominent Hebrews back to Babylonia, as recounted in the Bible and known as the Babylonian Exile.  Nebuchadnezzar was a godless military commander who suffered from seven years of madness, but at times he protected key prophets like Jeremiah.  Daniel describes seven years of madness for the ruler, but the Babylonian people did not dare criticize their own ruler.  Daniel 4:34-37.

 

Nebuchadnezzar II was a military genius who demonstrated his prowess with a massive conquest of the Egyptian army in 606 or 605 B.C., thereby gaining control of all of Syria. After his father's death, he obtained the submission of Judah and spent the next few years expanding the Babylonian empire into Palestine. Although Nebuchadnezzar suffered many losses, he persisted and ultimately captured Jerusalem on March 16, 597, and then later again in 586, when the Chaldeans also destroyed Solomon's temple.  Nebuchadnezzar kidnapped and deported prominent Hebrews back to Babylonia, as recounted in the Bible and known as the Babylonian Exile.  Nebuchadnezzar was a godless military commander who suffered from seven years of madness, but at times he protected key prophets like Jeremiah.  Daniel described the period of madness by Nebuchadnezzar, but the Babylonian people did not dare criticize their own ruler.  Daniel 4:34-37.

Babylon was a culture that did not have the value system of the Hebrews, and Babylonians did not accept God.  The Babylonians were constantly raiding, kidnapping, killing or converting the Hebrews into slaves.  Much of the Old Testament is about how the Hebrews would gain or lose favor with the Lord, and the Babylonians would prevail against the Hebrews as they lost favor with the Lord.  "Babylon" is mentioned 246 times in the Old Testament!

Babylon was a culture that did not have the value system of the Hebrews, and Babylonians did not accept God.  The Babylonians were constantly raiding, kidnapping, killing or converting the Hebrews into slaves.  Much of the Old Testament is about how the Hebrews would gain or lose favor with the Lord, and the Babylonians would prevail against the Hebrews as they lost favor with the Lord.  "Babylon" is mentioned 246 times in the Old Testament!

Because he captured and exiled the Hebrews, King Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon is mentioned frequently in the Old Testament.  During his second invasion of Jerusalem, the city that had been previously established as the Hebrew center by David in 1000 B.C., Nebuchadnezzar destroyed the holy Temple built by King Solomon ("Solomon's Temple").  Nebuchadnezzar then captured the Jewish people and took them back to Babylon in what is known as the Babylonian Exile or Captivity, which lasted from 597 to 538 B.C. (beginning with his first invasion of Jerusalem).  "But because our ancestors had angered the God of heaven, he gave them into the hand of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, the Chaldean, who destroyed this house and carried away the people to Babylonia."  Ezra 5:12.

Because he captured and exiled the Hebrews, King Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon is mentioned frequently in the Old Testament.  As mentioned above, it was during his second invasion of Jerusalem, the city that had been previously established as the Hebrew center by David in 1000 B.C., that Nebuchadnezzar destroyed the holy Temple built by King Solomon ("Solomon's Temple").  Nebuchadnezzar then captured the Jewish people and took them back to Babylon in what is known as the Babylonian Exile or Captivity, which lasted from 597 to 538 B.C. (beginning with his first invasion of Jerusalem).  "But because our ancestors had angered the God of heaven, he gave them into the hand of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, the Chaldean, who destroyed this house and carried away the people to Babylonia."  Ezra 5:12.

 

The death of Nebuchadnezzar II signaled the end of the Babylonian empire, which then fell into decline.  It was inevitable that Babylon itself would be conquered.  Cyrus the Great was the King of Persia (the ancient name for Iran) (539-530 B.C.), who conquered Asia Minor for the Persians, including the territories of Assyria, Babylonia, Palestine and Syria.  His kingdom was known as the Achaemenid (ə-kē'mə-nĭd) (or Persian) empire.  He freed the Hebrews and ended the Babylonian Exile, allowing the Jewish people to return to Jerusalem and rebuild their Temple.  The tomb of Cyrus the Great still exists at Pasargadae, the town that was the capital of his empire but which is now in ruins in present-day Iran.   

The death of Nebuchadnezzar II signaled the end of the Babylonian empire, which then fell into decline.  It was inevitable that Babylon itself would be conquered.  Cyrus the Great was the King of Persia (the ancient name for Iran) (539-530 B.C.), who conquered Asia Minor for the Persians, including the territories of Assyria, Babylonia, Palestine and Syria.  His kingdom was known as the Achaemenid (ə-kē'mə-nĭd) (or Persian) empire.  He freed the Hebrews and ended the Babylonian Exile, allowing the Jewish people to return to Jerusalem and rebuild their Temple.  The tomb of Cyrus the Great still exists at Pasargadae, the town that was the capital of his empire but which is now in ruins in present-day Iran.