Kingdom of Judah

The Commonwealth of Judah (Hebrew: מַמְלֶכֶת יְהוּדָה‎ (Mamlekhet Yehuda) was a Jewish accompaniment accustomed in the Southern Levant during the Iron Age. It is generally referred to as the "Southern Kingdom" to analyze it from the arctic Commonwealth of Israel.

Judah emerged as a accompaniment apparently no beforehand than the 9th aeon BCE, but the accountable is one of ample controversy.12 In the 7th aeon BCE, The Commonwealth basic Jerusalem became a burghal with a citizenry abounding times greater than afore and bright ascendancy over its neighbours, apparently as the aftereffect of a accommodating adjustment with the Assyrians, who admired to authorize Judah as a pro-Assyrian addict accompaniment authoritative the admired olive industry.3 Judah prospered beneath Assyrian vassalage, (despite a adverse apostasy adjoin the Assyrian baron Sennacherib), but in the aftermost bisected of the 7th aeon BCE Assyria aback collapsed, and the after antagonism amid the Egyptian and Neo-Babylonian empires for ascendancy of the Levant led to the abolition of the commonwealth in a alternation of campaigns amid 597 and 582, the displacement of the aristocratic of the community, and the assimilation of the Land of Israel as a arena of the empire.3

Biblical history

According to the Bible, the commonwealth of Judah resulted from the alienation of the United commonwealth of Israel (1020 to about 930 BC), created by Saul, David and Solomon, which was a abutment of the twelve Israelite tribes. Afterwards the arctic tribes banned to acquire Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, as their king. At first, abandoned the association of Judah remained loyal to the abode of David, but anon afterwards the association of Benjamin abutting Judah. The two kingdoms, Judah in the south and Israel in the north, co-existed uneasily afterwards the split, until the abolition of Israel by the Assyrians in c.722/721 larboard Judah as the sole actual kingdom.

The above affair of the Bible's history is the adherence of Judah, and abnormally its kings, to "Yahweh", the god of Israel. According to the Bible, all the kings of Israel and about all the kings of Judah were "bad", which in agreement of Biblical history agency that they bootless to accomplish adoration of Yahweh alone. Of the "good" kings, Hezekiah (727–698 BCE) is acclaimed for his efforts at backyard out account (in this case, the adoration of Baal and Asherah, amid added acceptable Near Eastern divinities),4 but his successors, Manasseh of Judah (698–642 BCE) and Amon (642–640 BCE), active idolatry, cartoon bottomward on the commonwealth the acrimony of Yahweh. Baron Josiah (640–609 BCE) alternate to the adoration of Yahweh alone, but his efforts were too backward and Israel's unfaithfulness acquired God to admittance the kingdom's abolition by the Babylonians in c.587/586 BCE.

Relations with the Northern Kingdom

For the aboriginal sixty years, the kings of Judah approved to re-establish their ascendancy over the arctic kingdom, and there was abiding war amid them. Israel and Judah were in a accompaniment of war throughout Rehoboam's seventeen year reign. Rehoboam congenital busy defenses and strongholds, forth with adherent cities. In the fifth year of Rehoboam's administration Pharaoh Shishaq of Egypt, brought a huge army and took abounding cities. Back they laid annoy to Jerusalem, Rehoboam gave them all of the treasures out of the temple as a accolade and Judah became a addict accompaniment of Egypt. Rehoboam's son and successor, Abijah connected his father's efforts to accompany Israel beneath his control. He waged a above action adjoin Jeroboam of Israel and was arrive with a abundant accident of activity on the Israel side; Abijah and his bodies defeated them with a abundant slaughter, so that 500,000 called men of Israel fell slain5 afterwards which Jeroboam airish little blackmail to Judah for the blow of his administration and the bound of the Association of Benjamin was adequate to the aboriginal affiliated border.6

Abijah's son and successor, Asa, maintained accord for the aboriginal 35 years of his reign,7 during which time he revamped and able the fortresses originally congenital by his grandfather, Rehoboam. An aggression by the Egyptian-backed administrator Zerah the Ethiopian and his actor men and 300 chariots was defeated by Asa's 580,000 men (these abstracts appear from 2 Chronicles) in the Valley of Zephath, abreast Mareshah.8 The Bible does not accompaniment whether Zerah was a pharaoh or a accepted of the army. The Ethiopians were pursued all the way to Gerar, in the littoral plain, area they chock-full out of arduous exhaustion. The consistent accord kept Judah chargeless from Egyptian incursions until the time of Josiah some centuries later.

In his 36th year, Asa was confronted by Baasha of Israel,7 who congenital a breastwork at Ramah on the border, beneath than ten afar from Jerusalem. The aftereffect was that the basic was beneath burden and the aggressive bearings was precarious. Asa took gold and argent from the Temple and beatific them to Ben-Hadad I, baron of Aram Damascus, in barter for the Damascene baron abandoning his accord accord with Baasha. Ben-Hadad attacked Ijon, Dan, and abounding important cities of the association of Naphtali, and Baasha was affected to abjure from Ramah.9 Asa tore bottomward the amateurish breastwork and acclimated its raw abstracts to fortify Geba and Mizpah on his ancillary of the border.10

Asa's successor, Jehoshaphat, afflicted the action appear Israel and instead pursued alliances and co-operation with the arctic kingdom. The accord with Ahab was based on marriage. This accord led to adversity for the commonwealth with the Action of Ramoth-Gilead.11 He again entered into an accord with Ahaziah of Israel for the purpose of accustomed on amphibian business with Ophir. But the agile that was again able at Ezion-Gever was anon wrecked. A fresh agile was adapted out afterwards the cooperation of the baron of Israel, and although it was successful, the barter was not prosecuted.12 He afterwards abutting Jehoram of Israel in a war adjoin the Moabites, who were beneath accolade to Israel. This war was successful, with the Moabites actuality subdued. However, on seeing Mesha's act of alms his own son in a animal cede on the walls of Kir-haresheth abounding Jehoshaphat with horror, and he withdrew and alternate to his own land.13

Jehoshaphat's successor, Jehoram of Judah formed an accord with Israel by marrying Athaliah, the babe of Ahab. Despite this accord with the stronger arctic kingdom, Jehoram's aphorism of Judah was shaky. Edom revolted, and he was affected to accede their independence. A arrest by Philistines, Arabs and Ethiopians looted the king's house, and agitated off all of his ancestors except for his youngest son Ahaziah of Judah.

edit Clash of empires

Stamped abscess of a assistant of Baron Hezekiah acclimated to allowance a card document

Besides witnessing the abolition of Israel and the displacement of its population, Ahaz and his co-regent son Hezekiah were addict to Assyria and affected to pay an anniversary tribute. Afterwards Hezekiah became sole adjudicator in c. 715 BC, he re-captured Philistine-occupied acreage in the Negev desert, formed alliances with Ashkelon and Egypt, and fabricated a angle adjoin Assyria by abnegation to pay tribute.14 (Isaiah 30-31; 36:6-9) In response, Sennacherib of Assyria attacked the adherent cities of Judah. (2 Kings 18:13) Hezekiah paid three hundred talents of argent and thirty talents of gold to Assyria — acute him to abandoned the temple and aristocratic treasury of argent and band the gold from the doorposts of Solomon's Temple. (2 Kings 18:14-16)14 However, Sennacherib besieged Jerusalem15 (2 Kings 18:17) in 701 BC, admitting the burghal was never taken.

During the continued administration of Manasseh (c. 687/686 - 643/642 BC),16 Judah was a addict of Assyrian rulers - Sennacherib and his successors, Esarhaddon17 and Ashurbanipal afterwards 669 BC. Manasseh is listed as actuality appropriate to accommodate abstracts for Esarhaddon's architecture projects, and as one of a cardinal of vassals who assisted Ashurbanipal's attack adjoin Egypt.17

When Josiah became baron of Judah in c. 641/640 BC,16 the all-embracing bearings was in flux. To the east, the Assyrian Empire was alpha to disintegrate, the Babylonian Empire had not yet risen to alter it, and Egypt to the west was still convalescent from Assyrian rule. In this ability vacuum, Judah was able to administer itself for the time actuality afterwards adopted intervention. However, in the bounce of 609 BC, Pharaoh Necho II alone led a ample army up to the Euphrates to aid the Assyrians.1819 Taking the bank avenue Via Maris into Syria at the arch of a ample army, Necho anesthetized the low tracts of Philistia and Sharon. However, the access over the backbone of hills which shuts in on the south of the abundant Jezreel Valley was blocked by the Judean army led by Josiah, who may accept advised that the Assyrians and Egyptians were attenuated by the afterlife of the pharaoh Psamtik I alone a year beforehand (610 BC).19 Presumably in an attack to advice the Babylonians, Josiah attempted to block the beforehand at Megiddo, area a angry action was fought and area Josiah was killed.20 Necho again abutting armament with the Assyrian Ashur-uballit II and calm they beyond the Euphrates and lay annoy to Harran. The accumulated armament bootless to abduction the city, and Necho aloof aback to arctic Syria. The accident additionally apparent the abrasion of the Assyrian Empire.

On his acknowledgment advance to Egypt in 608 BC, Necho begin that Jehoahaz had been called to accomplish his father, Josiah.21 Necho deposed Jehoahaz, who had been baron for alone three months, and replaced him with his earlier brother, Jehoiakim. Necho imposed on Judah a burden of a hundred talents of argent (about 3 3/4 bags or about 3.4 metric tons) and a aptitude of gold (about 75 pounds or about 34 kilograms). Necho again took Jehoahaz aback to Egypt as his prisoner,22 never to return.

Jehoiakim disqualified originally as a addict of the Egyptians, advantageous a abundant tribute. However, back the Egyptians were defeated by the Babylonians at Carchemish in 605 BC, Jehoiakim afflicted allegiances, advantageous accolade to Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon. In 601 BC, in the fourth year of his reign, Nebuchadnezzar abominably attempted to access Egypt and was repulsed with abundant losses. This abortion advance to abundant rebellions amid the states of the Levant which owed adherence to Babylon. Jehoiakim additionally chock-full advantageous accolade to Nebuchadnezzar23 and took a pro-Egyptian position. Nebuchadnezzar anon dealt with these rebellions. According to the Babylonian Chronicles, afterwards advancing "the acreage of Hatti (Syria/Palestine)"2425 in 599 BC, he lay annoy to Jerusalem. Jehoiakim died in 598 BC26 during the siege, and was succeeded by his son Jeconiah at an age of either eight or eighteen.27 The burghal fell about three months later,2829 on 2 Adar (March 16) 597 BC. Nebuchadnezzar pillaged both Jerusalem and the Temple, carriage all his boodle to Babylon. Jeconiah and his cloister and added arresting citizens and craftsmen, forth with a ample allocation of the Jewish citizenry of Judah, calculation about 10,00030 were abandoned from the acreage and broadcast throughout the Babylonian Empire. (2 Kings 24:14) Amid them was Ezekiel. Nebuchadnezzar appointed Zedekiah, Jehoiakim's brother, baron of the bargain kingdom, who was fabricated a accessory of Babylon.

Destruction and dispersion

Despite the able remonstrances of Jeremiah and others, Zedekiah revolted adjoin Nebuchadnezzar, abeyance to pay accolade to him and entered into an accord with Pharaoh Hophra of Egypt. In 589 BCE, Nebuchadnezzar II alternate to Judah and afresh besieged Jerusalem. During this period, abounding Jews fled to surrounding Moab, Ammon, Edom and added countries to seek refuge.31 The burghal fell afterwards an eighteen ages annoy and Nebuchadnezzar afresh pillaged both Jerusalem and the Temple,32 afterwards which he destroyed them both.33 Afterwards killing all of Zedekiah's sons, Nebuchadnezzar took Zedekiah to Babylon,34 putting an end to the absolute Commonwealth of Judah. In accession to those dead during the siege, over time, some 4,600 Jews were abandoned afterwards the abatement of Judah.35 By 586 BCE abundant of Judah was devastated, and the above commonwealth suffered a abrupt abatement of both abridgement and population.36

Jerusalem allegedly remained arid for abundant of the 6th century,36 and the centre of force confused to Benjamin, the almost safe arctic area of the kingdom, area the boondocks of Mizpah became the basic of the fresh Babylonian arena of Yehud medinata for the balance of the Jewish citizenry in a allotment of the above kingdom.37 This was accepted Babylonian practice: back the Philistine burghal of Ashkalon was baffled in 604 BCE, the political, religious and bread-and-butter aristocratic (but not the aggregate of the population) was abandoned and the authoritative centre confused to a fresh location.38

Gedaliah was appointed governor of the Yehud province, accurate by a Chaldean guard. The authoritative centre of the arena was Mizpah,39 and not Jerusalem. On audition of the appointment, the Jews that had taken ambush in surrounding countries alternate to Judah. (Jeremiah 40:11-12) However, afore connected Gedaliah was assassinated by a affiliate of the aristocratic house, and the Chaldean soldiers killed. The citizenry that was larboard in the acreage and those that had alternate fled to Egypt fearing a Babylonian reprisal, beneath the administration of Johanan, son of Kareah, blank the advancement of the astrologer Jeremiah adjoin the move. (2 Kings 25:26, Jeremiah 43:5-7) In Egypt, the refugees acclimatized in Migdol, Tahpanhes, Noph, and Pathros, (Jeremiah 44:1) and Jeremiah went with them as moral guardian.

The numbers that were abandoned to Babylon and those who fabricated their way to Egypt and the balance that remained in the acreage and in surrounding countries is accountable to bookish debate. The Book of Jeremiah letters that a absolute of 4,600 were adopted to Babylon.35 The Books of Kings advance that it was ten thousand, and again eight thousand. Israel Finkelstein, a arresting archaeologist, suggests that the 4,600 represented the active of households and 8,000 was the total, whilst 10,000 is a rounding upwards of the additional number. Jeremiah additionally hints that an agnate cardinal may accept fled to Egypt. Given these figures, Finkelstein suggests that 3/4 of the citizenry of Judah had remained.

edit Abode of David

The Abode of David connected to be admired and recognised as leaders of the Babylonian Jewish association as Exilarchs.

edit Re-establishment

In 539 BCE the Persians baffled Babylon and accustomed the adopted Jews to acknowledgment to Yehud and clean the Temple, which was completed in in the sixth year of Darius (515 BCE) (Ezra 6:15) beneath Zerubbabel, the grandson of the additional to aftermost baron of Judah, Jehoiachin. Yehud arena was a peaceful allotment of the Achaemenid Persian Empire until the abatement of the Empire in c. 333 BCE to Alexander the Great. The aeon beneath Persian aphorism afterwards the architecture of the additional Temple, admitting actuality helped by its kings and acceptable the Jewish Religion, is admired as the Jewish Dark Age, because there is no abreast celebrated actual for that period.citation needed

The Jewish Dark Ages came to an end in 164 BCE, back the Maccabees rebelled adjoin the Seleucid Empire and succeeded in reestablishing an absolute Jewish commonwealth in the Acreage of Israel.citation needed