Jerusalem Quiz 2

Revelation 14

"Then I looked, and there was the lamb, standing on mount zion. And with him were 140k who had his name and his father's name written on their foreheads. 21-22: The unfaithful people are killed like a ripe grape.

Dead Sea Scrolls

1) Origins & Opposition to Jerusalem - Damascus Document, col. i, 3-12 (3) For because of the unfaithfulness of those who abandoned Him He hid His face from Israel and its Sanctuary (4) and delivered them up to the sword. But remembering the Covenant of the Patriarchs, He left a remnant (5) to Israel and did not deliver them to destruction. And in the time of wrath, three hundred and (6) ninety years after He had delivered them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, [196 BCE?] (7) He visited them, and caused a root of planting to spring from Israel and Aaron to possess (8) His land and to grow fat on the good things of His earth. And they understood their iniquity, and recognized that (9) they were guilty men. But they were like blind men, and like men who groping seek their way (10) for twenty years. And God considered their works, for they had sought Him with a perfect heart; (11) and He raised up for them a Teacher of Righteousness to lead them in the way of His heart and to make known (12) to the last generations what He would do to the last generation, the congregation of traitors. 2) Eschatological Expections & Attitude Toward Temple - 4QFlorilegium 'I will appoint a place for my people Israel and will plant them that they may dwell there and be troubled no more by their] enemy. [And] the son of wickedness [shall no more afflict] him as at first, and as from the day that [(2) I commanded judges] (to be) over my people Israel' [2Sam 7:10]- meaning the house which [ in] the end of days, as it is written in the book of [Moses (3) 'In the sanctuary, O Lord, which] thy hands have [es]tablished. Yahweh will rule for ever and ever.' [Exod. 15:17]- That is the house 'where there shall never more enter [ (4) ] and 'the Ammonite and the Moabite' and 'bastard' and 'alien' and sojourner 'for ever', for my holy ones are there. (5) [Its glory shall endure for]ever, he shall be seen continually upon it, and strangers shall not again make it desolate as they desolated formerly (6) the sanc[tuary of I]srael because of their sin. And he purposes to build for him a man-made sanctuary in which sacrifices may be made to him; (7) (that there may be) before him works of the Law. And as he said to David, 'And I shall [give] thee [rest] from all thine enemies' -meaning that he will give rest to them from a[ll] (8) the sons of Belial who made them stumble to destroy them [ ] when they came with the device of [Be]lial to make the s[ons of] (9) Li[ght] s to [ ] his [l]ife to Belial throughout their [ ] error. (10)['And] Yahweh tells you that he will build a house for you, and I shall set up your seed after you, and I shall establish his royal throne (11) [for eve]r. I shall be to him as a father, and he will be to me as a son.' He is 'the Shoot of David' who will arise with the Interpreter of the Law, who, (12)[shall arise] in Zi[on in the l]ast days; as it is written, 'And I shall raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen.' That is 'the tabernacle of (13) David that is fal][len' is he] who will arise to save Israel.

Psalm 122-127

122: Praying for the peace of Jerusalem 123: HAVE MERCY ON US 124: thank lord for helping us against our enemies 125: God is the firmest handle. Reliable 126: The broken will be happy when god helps 127: People who believe in God will have lots of sons.

Ezra

1: As the book begins, God inspires King Cyrus of Persia (who has just conquered Babylon) to send out a herald and a written edict throughout his new empire. The edict tells the people that God has appointed Cyrus the new ruler of this empire, and ordered him to build him a new temple in Jerusalem. Cyrus orders all the Israelites out of captivity and sends them back to Judah and Jerusalem to rebuild the house of their God. He also says that people should give the Israelites gold, goods, animals, and offerings to God to help them in their mission. The people of Judah and Benjamin and all the Levites and priests get ready to return. Their neighbors help them prepare with gifts and aid, like Cyrus commanded. Also, with the help of his treasurer Mithredath and the Prince of Judah Sheshbazzar, Cyrus releases the treasure and gold and silver vessels the Babylonians had plundered from the temple in Jerusalem, returning them to the Israelites. 2:

2 Kings 22-25

2 Kings 22: Josiah sends his priest and discovers the book of Law, God says you will be dead before Jerusalem is bad 23: Josiah destoryes all the bad things, killed by Pharaoh Neco, Jechoaz becomes king for 3 months, banished and then Jehoiakim becomes king. He is evil too 24: Jehoaikim becomes nebudchadnezzar's servant. Jehoiachin succeeds him later, jehoiachin is a bad king and submits to Babylonians. Zedekiah becomes puppet king after and then eventually rebels. 25: Nebuchadnezzar destroys everything. Kills Zedekiah. Jehoiachin released from prison.

Haggai 1-2

Bad things happening to Gods people because they are not contributing to rebuilding the temple. God says to haggai that people are not interested. God says that once the temple is built things will go great

Dead Sea Scrolls real

Because of the unfaithfulness for those who abandoned him. Someone to lead them down the righteous path. In 2 Samuel, People shall not enter the temple, the holy sanctuary. Not for mere mortals.

Zechariah 3 and 6

3: The angel tells Satan to take a hike, and gets Joshua out of his dirty clothes and into his High Priest wardrobe. God promises Joshua that if he keeps God's commandments, then God will wipe out Israel's guilt in a flash and bring everyone back together under their own fig trees. 6: Chariots in the sky. collect silver and gold from exiles. To help the high priest in following divine law and temple law, God says he will bring forth "my servant the branch" to rebuild his temple. Christians interpret this to be a prophecy of the coming of Christ, but other commentators see this as a reference to Jimmy "the Branch" Zerubabbel, the governor of Judah and the high priest's partner in getting the people to join together under—you guessed it—a fig tree.

psalms 79

79: • The writer pleads for God's return to Jerusalem after it's been sacked (i.e., this is a post-exilic composition). He also asks God to work through his anger issues and penchant for destruction...just with other nations...

Nehemiah 7

After finishing the wall and appointing people to positions at the temple, Nehemiah puts his brother Hanani and another guy, Hananiah the commander of the citadel, in charge of Jerusalem. This is because of their piety and exceptional faithfulness, plus he thought it would be cool because their names sound so similar. Nehemiah tells them not to open the city gates until the sun is hot, and that the gatekeepers should bar the doors while they're standing guard. He also tells them how to appoint guards and watchmen. Nehemiah notes that the city at this time was very large, but few people were living in it. Next Nehemiah writes another extremely long list. He records the number of Israelites to return to the city in total, listing the number who came along with each head of family. He lists the priests, Levites, temple servants, descendants of Solomon's servants, and those who couldn't prove their descent from Israel. The people descended from priests but couldn't prove it were excluded from the priesthood. They weren't allowed to partake of the holy food until a legit priest, using the magic seer stones Urim and Thummim, could determine if they were really part of Israel. Nehemiah says that the entire assembly of Israel numbered 42,360 people, not including their 7,337 male and female slaves. He adds that they had 245 male and female singers. No backup dancers, though. He even lists the number of horses, mules, camels, and donkeys, and goes on to list the amount of gold, silver, basins, and priestly robes. The special classes of people listed above (priests, Levites, gatekeepers, etc.) and some of the people settle in their own towns outside the city.

Ezra 9

After the burnt offerings, some Israelite officials approach Ezra and tell him that the people haven't separated themselves from the people of other nations who commit abominations (Canaanites, Hittites, Egyptians, Justin Bieber fans). The problem is that some of them are still married to women from these different lands and have had children with them. They tell Ezra that the leaders and other officials have led the way in arranging these mixed marriages. Ezra tears his clothes, pulls out hair from his head and beard, and sits down appalled. Other people who obey God's laws gather around him while he stews about it. In the evening, Ezra gets up and ends his brief fast. (He basically skipped lunch.) He prays to God, saying he's extremely ashamed, and the guilt of the people is really great. Ezra says that they've been guilty from their ancestors' time to the present, which led them to be captured by foreign kings and brought into exile. But God has left a remnant of his people. They're still slaves ruled by foreigners, but God's showering his love on them and giving them a shot to rebuild the temple and Jerusalem. But now, says Ezra, they're at risk of getting it wrong yet again by intermarrying with the people who have filled the land with abominations and idol worship, and disobeying the prophets' orders not to do this. Ezra says that, in the past, God has punished them even less than they deserved by even allowing a remnant of the people to survive. Now he's worried that God will destroy them until there's nobody left standing. He concludes by saying that they're so guilty they can't even face God.

1 Maccabees 1

Alexander the Great 1 After Alexander son of Philip, the Macedonian, who came from the land of Kittim, had defeated[a] King Darius of the Persians and the Medes, he succeeded him as king. (He had previously become king of Greece.) 2 He fought many battles, conquered strongholds, and put to death the kings of the earth. 3 He advanced to the ends of the earth, and plundered many nations. When the earth became quiet before him, he was exalted, and his heart was lifted up. 4 He gathered a very strong army and ruled over countries, nations, and princes, and they became tributary to him. 5 After this he fell sick and perceived that he was dying. 6 So he summoned his most honored officers, who had been brought up with him from youth, and divided his kingdom among them while he was still alive. 7 And after Alexander had reigned twelve years, he died. 8 Then his officers began to rule, each in his own place. 9 They all put on crowns after his death, and so did their descendants after them for many years; and they caused many evils on the earth. Antiochus Epiphanes and Renegade Jews 10 From them came forth a sinful root, Antiochus Epiphanes, son of King Antiochus; he had been a hostage in Rome. He began to reign in the one hundred thirty-seventh year of the kingdom of the Greeks.[b] 11 In those days certain renegades came out from Israel and misled many, saying, "Let us go and make a covenant with the Gentiles around us, for since we separated from them many disasters have come upon us." 12 This proposal pleased them, 13 and some of the people eagerly went to the king, who authorized them to observe the ordinances of the Gentiles. 14 So they built a gymnasium in Jerusalem, according to Gentile custom, 15 and removed the marks of circumcision, and abandoned the holy covenant. They joined with the Gentiles and sold themselves to do evil. Antiochus in Egypt 16 When Antiochus saw that his kingdom was established, he determined to become king of the land of Egypt, in order that he might reign over both kingdoms. 17 So he invaded Egypt with a strong force, with chariots and elephants and cavalry and with a large fleet. 18 He engaged King Ptolemy of Egypt in battle, and Ptolemy turned and fled before him, and many were wounded and fell. 19 They captured the fortified cities in the land of Egypt, and he plundered the land of Egypt. Persecution of the Jews 20 After subduing Egypt, Antiochus returned in the one hundred forty-third year.[c] He went up against Israel and came to Jerusalem with a strong force. 21 He arrogantly entered the sanctuary and took the golden altar, the lampstand for the light, and all its utensils. 22 He took also the table for the bread of the Presence, the cups for drink offerings, the bowls, the golden censers, the curtain, the crowns, and the gold decoration on the front of the temple; he stripped it all off. 23 He took the silver and the gold, and the costly vessels; he took also the hidden treasures that he found. 24 Taking them all, he went into his own land. He shed much blood, and spoke with great arrogance. 25 Israel mourned deeply in every community, 26 rulers and elders groaned, young women and young men became faint, the beauty of the women faded. 27 Every bridegroom took up the lament; she who sat in the bridal chamber was mourning. 28 Even the land trembled for its inhabitants, and all the house of Jacob was clothed with shame. The Occupation of Jerusalem 29 Two years later the king sent to the cities of Judah a chief collector of tribute, and he came to Jerusalem with a large force. 30 Deceitfully he spoke peaceable words to them, and they believed him; but he suddenly fell upon the city, dealt it a severe blow, and destroyed many people of Israel. 31 He plundered the city, burned it with fire, and tore down its houses and its surrounding walls. 32 They took captive the women and children, and seized the livestock. 33 Then they fortified the city of David with a great strong wall and strong towers, and it became their citadel. 34 They stationed there a sinful people, men who were renegades. These strengthened their position; 35 they stored up arms and food, and collecting the spoils of Jerusalem they stored them there, and became a great menace, 36 for the citadel[d] became an ambush against the sanctuary, an evil adversary of Israel at all times. 37 On every side of the sanctuary they shed innocent blood; they even defiled the sanctuary. 38 Because of them the residents of Jerusalem fled; she became a dwelling of strangers; she became strange to her offspring, and her children forsook her. 39 Her sanctuary became desolate like a desert; her feasts were turned into mourning, her sabbaths into a reproach, her honor into contempt. 40 Her dishonor now grew as great as her glory; her exaltation was turned into mourning. Installation of Gentile Cults 41 Then the king wrote to his whole kingdom that all should be one people, 42 and that all should give up their particular customs. 43 All the Gentiles accepted the command of the king. Many even from Israel gladly adopted his religion; they sacrificed to idols and profaned the sabbath. 44 And the king sent letters by messengers to Jerusalem and the towns of Judah; he directed them to follow customs strange to the land, 45 to forbid burnt offerings and sacrifices and drink offerings in the sanctuary, to profane sabbaths and festivals, 46 to defile the sanctuary and the priests, 47 to build altars and sacred precincts and shrines for idols, to sacrifice swine and other unclean animals, 48 and to leave their sons uncircumcised. They were to make themselves abominable by everything unclean and profane, 49 so that they would forget the law and change all the ordinances. 50 He added,[e] "And whoever does not obey the command of the king shall die." 51 In such words he wrote to his whole kingdom. He appointed inspectors over all the people and commanded the towns of Judah to offer sacrifice, town by town. 52 Many of the people, everyone who forsook the law, joined them, and they did evil in the land; 53 they drove Israel into hiding in every place of refuge they had. 54 Now on the fifteenth day of Chislev, in the one hundred forty-fifth year,[f] they erected a desolating sacrilege on the altar of burnt offering. They also built altars in the surrounding towns of Judah, 55 and offered incense at the doors of the houses and in the streets. 56 The books of the law that they found they tore to pieces and burned with fire. 57 Anyone found possessing the book of the covenant, or anyone who adhered to the law, was condemned to death by decree of the king. 58 They kept using violence against Israel, against those who were found month after month in the towns. 59 On the twenty-fifth day of the month they offered sacrifice on the altar that was on top of the altar of burnt offering. 60 According to the decree, they put to death the women who had their children circumcised, 61 and their families and those who circumcised them; and they hung the infants from their mothers' necks. 62 But many in Israel stood firm and were resolved in their hearts not to eat unclean food. 63 They chose to die rather than to be defiled by food or to profane the holy covenant; and they did die. 64 Very great wrath came upon Israel.

1 Maccabees 1-2

Alexander the great conquered Darius and was great. Left his officers to rule after him. Antiochus Epiphanes led the jews to sin. He invaded egypt. He engaged Int Ptolemy and conquered. He also went up against and Israel and conquered jerusalem. He led them down the wrong path. He converted everyone 2. Mattathias saw what was happening to Jerusalem and was disgusted We will not obey the kings words and turn away from religionn. Him and his followers attacked.

Ezra 1

As the book begins, God inspires King Cyrus of Persia (who has just conquered Babylon) to send out a herald and a written edict throughout his new empire. The edict tells the people that God has appointed Cyrus the new ruler of this empire, and ordered him to build him a new temple in Jerusalem. Cyrus orders all the Israelites out of captivity and sends them back to Judah and Jerusalem to rebuild the house of their God. He also says that people should give the Israelites gold, goods, animals, and offerings to God to help them in their mission. The people of Judah and Benjamin and all the Levites and priests get ready to return. Their neighbors help them prepare with gifts and aid, like Cyrus commanded. Also, with the help of his treasurer Mithredath and the Prince of Judah Sheshbazzar, Cyrus releases the treasure and gold and silver vessels the Babylonians had plundered from the temple in Jerusalem, returning them to the Israelites.

Nehemiah 8

At the beginning of the seventh month, everyone gathers at the Water Gate in Jerusalem. Ezra brings the Law of Moses and reads it to all the people. He begins at sunrise morning and finishes at midday. Everyone turns off their phones and listens. Nehemiah lists the people who stood on the platform next to Ezra as he read, and also the names of those Levites who helped explain the law so people could understand it. Nehemiah also explains the form of this assembly, with the people standing up as Ezra opens the scroll and starts to read, and concluding with an "Amen, Amen." The people weep with guilt when they hear the law being read, since they've been so disobedient. But Nehemiah, Ezra, and the Levites who were teaching the people tell them to rejoice rather mourn. This day is holy to the Lord, and they should eat and drink with joy. So the people rejoice and ask if this stuff will be on the exam. On the second day of the seventh month, the heads of the ancestral houses get together to study the law with Ezra. They discover that during the seventh month they're actually supposed to be celebrating the festival of booths (Sukkot), living in booths outside their houses as taught in the book of Moses that Ezra's been reading. So everyone goes to the hills to gather branches to build booths to live in temporarily. No one had observed this festival since the days of Joshua, so this is a big deal. They observe the holiday for seven days, and then hold a solemn festival. Ezra continues teaching them the law every day during this time.

Psalms 79

God come back to Jerusalem save us, stop being mad, get mad at other nations who ridicule you

Ezekiel 9

God hires 6 executioners to kill people in Jerusalem. Marks everyone who is safe. Kills everyone who doesn't. God has no pity.

Ezekiel 8

God shows Ezekiel the abominations. image of jealousy. They worship evil images. but it gets worse god says. God will bring wrath

Ezekiel 10

God's glory leaves Jerusalem. The cherubim's four faces. God's glory appears in the temple in the form of a cloud. Throne chariot takes off and the glory of god sits on thop

Zechariah 3

I'll be Back Jerusalem will be so full of people and cattle that you won't be able to count them. Anyone that tries to mess with Jerusalem will have God to deal with. Zechariah then has a vision of the High Priest Joshua with an angel, with Satan standing next to them challenging them. The angel tells Satan to take a hike, and gets Joshua out of his dirty clothes and into his High Priest wardrobe. God promises Joshua that if he keeps God's commandments, then God will wipe out Israel's guilt in a flash and bring everyone back together under their own fig trees.

Josephus description of jERUSALEM

MAGNIFICENT, SPECIFIC UNITS OF MEASUREMENT OF JERUSALEM. beautiful tempe.

Josephus description of jerusalem and temple

Flavius Josephus' Description of Jerusalem (The Jewish War) CHAPTER 4 THE DESCRIPTION OF JERUSALEM War.5.4.1. (136) The city of Jerusalem was fortified with three walls, on such parts as were not encompassed with unpassable valleys; for in such places it had but one wall. The city was built upon two hills, which are opposite to one another, and have a valley to divide them asunder; at which valley the corresponding rows of houses on both hills end. (137) Of these hills, that which contains the upper city is much higher, and in length more direct. Accordingly, it was called the "Citadel," by king David; he was the father of that Solomon who built this temple at the first; but it is by us called the "Upper Marketplace." But the other hill, which was called "Acra," and sustains the lower city, is of the shape of a moon when she is horned; (138) over against this was a third hill, but naturally lower than Acra, and parted formerly from the other by a broad valley. (139) However in those times when the Hasmoneans reigned, they filled up that valley with earth, and had a mind to join the city to the temple. They then took off part of the height of Acra, and reduced it to be of less elevation than it was before, that the temple might be superior to it. (140) Now the V alley of the Cheesemongers [also known as "the Central Valley" or "the Tyropean Valley"], as it was called, and was that which we told you before distinguished the hill of the upper city from that of the lower, extended as far as Siloam; for that is the name of a fountain [i.e., the Gihon Spring that fed the Siloam Pool]1 which hath sweeter water in it, and this in great plenty also. (141) But on the outsides, these hills are surrounded by deep valleys, and by reason of the precipices to them belonging on both sides, they are everywhere unpassable. 1 Note that the name of the Gihon Spring was no longer known to Josephus. War.5.4.2. (142) Now, of these three walls, the old one was hard to be taken, both by reason of the valleys, and of that hill on which it was built, and which was above them. (143) But besides that great advantage, as to the place where they were situated, it was also built very strong; because David and Solomon, and the following kings, were very zealous about this work. (144) Now that wall began on the north, at the tower called "Hippicus," and extended as far as the "Xistus," a place so called, and then, joining to the council house, ended at the west cloister of the temple. (145) But if we go the other way westward, it began at the same place, and extended through a place called "Bethso," to the gate of the Essenes; and after that it went southward, having its bending above the fountain Siloam, where it also bends again towards the east at Solomon's pool, and reaches as far as a certain place which they called "Ophlas," where it was joined to the eastern cloister of the temple. (146) The second wall took its beginning from that gate which they called "Gennath," which belonged to the first wall; it only encompassed the northern quarter of the city, and reached as far as the tower Antonia. (147) The beginning of the third wall was at the tower Hippicus, whence it reached as far as the north quarter of the city, and the tower Psephinus, and then was so far extended till it came over against the monuments of Helena, which Helena was queen of Adiabene, the daughter of Izates; it then extended farther to a great length, and passed by the sepulchral caverns of the kings, and bent again at the tower of the corner, at the monument which is called the "Monument of the Fuller," and joined to the old wall at the valley called the "Valley of Cedron." (148) It was Agrippa who encompassed the parts added to the old city with this wall, which had been all naked before; for as the city grew more populous, it gradually crept beyond its old limits, (149) and those parts of it that stood northward of 4 the temple, and joined that hill to the city, made it considerably larger, and occasioned that hill, which is in number the fourth, and is called "Bezetha," to be inhabited also. It lies over against the tower Antonia, but is divided from it by a deep valley, (150) which was dug on purpose, and that in order to hinder the foundations of the tower of Antonia from joining to this hill, and thereby affording an opportunity for getting to it with ease, and hindering the security that arose from its superior elevation; (151) for which reason also that depth of the ditch made the elevation of the towers more remarkable. This new-built part of the city was called "Bezetha," in our language, which, if interpreted in the Grecian language, may be called "the New City." (152) Since, therefore, its inhabitants stood in need of a covering, the father of the present king, and of the same name with him, Agrippa, began that wall we spoke of; but he left off building it when he had only laid the foundation, out of the fear he was in of Claudius Caesar, lest he should suspect that so strong a wall was built in order to make some innovation in public affairs; (153) for the city could no way have been taken if that wall had been finished in the manner it was begun; as its parts were connected together by stones twenty cubits long, and ten cubits broad, which could never have either been easily undermined by any iron tools, or shaken by any engines. (154) The wall was, however, ten cubits wide, and it would probably have had a height greater than that, had not his zeal who began it been hindered from exerting itself. (155) After this it was erected with great diligence by the Jews, as high as twenty cubits, above which it had battlements of two cubits, and turrets of three cubits altitude, insomuch that the entire altitude extended as far as twenty-five cubits. War.5.4.3. (156) Now the towers that were upon it were twenty cubits in breadth and twenty cubits in height; they were square and solid, as was the wall itself, wherein the niceness of the joints and the beauty of the stones were no way inferior to those of the holy house itself. (157) Above this solid altitude of the towers, which was twenty cubits, there were rooms of great magnificence, and over them upper rooms and cisterns to receive rain water. They were many in number, and the steps by which you ascended up to them were every one broad; (158) of these towers then the third wall had ninety, and the spaces between them were each two hundred cubits; but in the middle wall were forty towers, and the old wall was parted into sixty, (159) while the whole compass of the city was thirty-three furlongs. Now the third wall was all of it wonderful; yet was the tower Psephinus elevated above its northwest corner, and there Titus pitched his own tent; (160) for being seventy cubits high, it both afforded a prospect of Arabia at sunrising, as well as it did of the utmost limits of the Hebrew possessions at the sea westward. Moreover, it was an octagon, (161) and over against it was the tower Hippicus; and hard by two others were erected by king Herod, in the old wall. These were, for largeness, beauty, and strength, beyond all that were in the habitable earth; (162) for besides the magnanimity of his nature, and his magnificence towards the city on other occasions, he built these after such an extraordinary manner, to gratify his own private affections, and dedicated these towers to the memory of those three persons who had been dearest to him, and from whom he named them. They were his brother, his friend, and his wife. This wife he had slain, out of his love [and jealousy], as we have already related; the other two he lost in war, as they were courageously fighting. (163) Hippicus, so named from his friend, was square; its length and breadth were each twenty-five cubits, and its height thirty, and it had no vacuity in it. (164) Over this solid building, which was composed of great stones united together, there was a reservoir twenty cubits deep, (165) over which there was a house of two stories, whose height was twenty-five cubits, and divided into several parts; over which were battlements of two cubits, and turrets all round of three cubits high, insomuch that the 5 entire height added together amounted to fourscore cubits. (166) The second tower, which he named from his brother Phasaelus, had its breadth and its height equal, each of them forty cubits; over which was its solid height of forty cubits; (167) over which a cloister went round about, whose height was ten cubits, and it was covered from enemies by breast-works and bulwarks. (168) There was also built over that cloister another tower, parted into the magnificent rooms and a place for bathing; so that this tower wanted nothing that might make it appear to be a royal palace. (169) It was also adorned with battlements and turrets, more than was the foregoing, and the entire altitude was about ninety cubits; the appearance of it resembled the tower of Pharus, which exhibited a fire to such as sailed to Alexandria, but was much larger than it in compass. This was now converted to a house, wherein Simon exercised his tyrannical authority. (170) The third tower was Mariamne, for that was his queen's name; it was solid as high as twenty cubits; its breadth and its length were twenty cubits, and were equal to each other; (171) its upper buildings were more magnificent, had greater variety than the other towers had; for the king thought it most proper for him to adorn that which was denominated from his wife, better than those denominated from men, as those were built stronger than this that bore his wife's name. The entire height of this tower was fifty cubits. War.5.4.4. (172) Now as these towers were so very tall, they appeared much taller by the place on which they stood; (173) for that very old wall wherein they were was built on a high hill, and was itself a kind of elevation that was still thirty cubits taller; over which were the towers situated, and thereby were made much higher to appearance. (174) The largeness also of the stones was wonderful, for they were not made of common small stones nor of such large ones only as men could carry, but there were of white marble cut out of the rock; (175) each stone was twenty cubits in length, and ten in breadth, and five in depth. They were so exactly united to one another, that each tower looked like one entire rock of stone, so growing naturally, and afterwards cut by the hands of the artificers into their present shape and corners; so little or not at all, did their joints or connection appear. (176) Now as these towers were themselves on the north side of the wall, the king had a palace inwardly thereto adjoined, which exceeds all my ability to describe it; (177) for it was so very curious as to want no cost or skill in its construction, but was entirely walled about to the height of thirty cubits, and was adorned with tower at equal distances, and with large bed chambers, that would contain beds for a hundred guests a piece; (178) in which the variety of the stones is not to be expressed; for a large quantity of those that were rare of that kind was collected together. Their roofs were also wonderful, both for the length of the beams and the splendor of their ornaments. (179) The number of the rooms was also very great, and the variety of the figures that were about them was prodigious; their furniture was complete, and the greatest part of the vessels that were put in them was of silver and gold. (180) There were besides many porticoes, one beyond another round about, and in each of these porticoes curious pillars; yet were all the courts that were exposed to the air everywhere green. (181) There were moreover several groves of trees, and long walks through them, with deep canals, and cisterns, that in several parts were filled with brazen statues, through which the water ran out. There were withal many dove-courts1 of tame pigeons about the canal; (182) but, indeed, it is not possible to give a complete description of these palaces and the very remembrance of them is a torment to one, as putting one in mind what vastly rich buildings that fire which was kindled by the robbers hath consumed; (183) for these were not burnt by the Romans, but by these internal plotters, as we have already related, in the beginning of their rebellion. That fire began at the tower of Antonia, and went on to the palaces, and consumed the upper parts of the three towers themselves. 6 CHAPTER 5 A DESCRIPTION OF THE TEMPLE War.5.5.1. (184) Now this temple, as I have already said, was built upon a strong hill. At first the plain at the top was hardly sufficient for the holy house and the altar, for the ground about it was very uneven, and like a precipice; (185) but when king Solomon, who was the person that built the temple, had built a wall to it on its east side, there was then added one cloister founded on a bank cast up for it, and on the other parts the holy house stood naked; but in future ages the people added new banks,1 and the hill became a larger plain. (186) They then broke down the wall on the north side, and took in as much as sufficed afterward for the compass of the entire temple; (187) and when they had built walls on the three sides of the temple round about, from the bottom of the hill, and had performed a work that was greater than could be hoped for (in which work long ages were spent by them, as well as all their sacred treasures were exhausted, which were still replenished by those tributes which were sent to God from the whole habitable earth), they then encompassed their upper courts with cloisters, as well as they [afterward] did the lowest [court of the] temple. (188) The lowest part of this was erected to the height of three hundred cubits, and in some places more; yet did not the entire depth of the foundations appear, for they brought earth, and filled up the valleys, as being desirous to make them on a level with the narrow streets of the city; (189) wherein they made use of stones of forty cubits in magnitude; for the great plenty of money they then had, and the liberality of the people, made this attempt of theirs to succeed to an incredible degree; and what could not be so much as hoped for as ever to be accomplished, was, by perseverance and length of time, brought to perfection. War.5.5.2. (190) Now, for the works that were above those foundations, these were not unworthy of such foundations; for all the cloisters were double, and the pillars to them belonging were twenty-five cubits in height, and supported the cloisters. These pillars were of one entire stone each of them, and that stone was white marble; (191) and the roofs were adorned with cedar, curiously graven. The natural magnificence, and excellent polish, and the harmony of joints in these cloisters, afforded a prospect that was very remarkable; nor was it on the outside adorned with any work of the painter or engraver. (192) The cloisters [of the outmost court] were in breadth thirty cubits, while the entire compass of it was, by measure, six furlongs, including the tower of Antonia; those entire courts that were exposed to the air were laid with stones of all sorts. (193) When you go through these [first] cloisters, unto the second [court of the] temple, there was a partition made of stone all round, whose height was three cubits: its construction was very elegant; (194) upon it stood pillars, at equal distances from one another, declaring the law of purity, some in Greek, and some in Roman letters, that "no foreigner should go within that sanctuary;" for that second [court of the] temple was called "the Sanctuary;" (195) and was ascended to by fourteen steps from the first court. This court was foursquare, and had a wall about it peculiar to itself: (196) the height of its buildings, although it was on the outside forty cubits,2 was hidden by the steps, and on the inside that height was but twenty-five cubits; for it being built over against a higher part of the hill with steps, it was no farther to be entirely discerned within, being covered by the hill itself. (197) Beyond these fourteen steps there was the distance of ten cubits: this was all plain, (198) whence there were other steps, each of five cubits a piece, that led to the gates, which gates on the north and south sides were eight, on each of those sides four, and of necessity two on the east; for since there was a partition built for the women on that side, as the proper place wherein they were to worship, there was a necessity of a second gate for them: this gate was cut out of its wall, over against the first gate. (199) There was also on the other sides 7 one southern and one northern gate, through which was a passage into the court of the women; for as to the other gates, the women were not allowed to pass through them; nor when they went through their own gate could they go beyond their own wall. This place was allotted to the women of our own country, and of other countries, provided they were of the same nation, and that equally; (200) the western part of this court had no gate at all, but the wall was built entire on that side; but then the cloisters which were betwixt the gates, extended from the wall inward, before the chambers; for they were supported by very fine and large pillars. These cloisters were single, and, excepting their magnitude, were no way inferior to those of the lower court. War.5.5.3. (201) Now nine of these gates were on every side covered over with gold and silver, as were the jambs of their doors and their lintels; but there was one gate that was without [the inward court of] the holy house, which was of Corinthian brass, and greatly excelled those that were only covered over with silver and gold. (202) Each gate had two doors, whose height was severally thirty cubits, and their breadth fifteen. (203) However, they had large spaces within of thirty cubits, and had on each side rooms, and those, both in breadth and in length, built like towers, and their height was above forty cubits. Two pillars did also support these rooms, and were in circumference twelve cubits. (204) Now the magnitudes of the other gates were equal one to another; but that over the Corinthian gate, which opened on the east over against the gate of the holy house itself, was much larger; (205) for its height was fifty cubits; and its doors were forty cubits; and it was adorned after a most costly manner, as having much richer and thicker plates of silver and gold upon them than the other. These nine gates had that silver and gold poured upon them by Alexander, the father of Tiberius. (206) Now there were fifteen steps, which led away from the wall of the court of the women to this greater gate; whereas those that led thither from the gates were five steps shorter. War.5.5.4. (207) As to the holy house itself, which was placed in the midst [of the inmost court], that most sacred part of the temple, it was ascended to by twelve steps; and in front its height and its breadth were equal, and each a hundred cubits, though it was behind forty cubits narrower; for on its front it had what may be styled shoulders on each side, that passed twenty cubits farther. (208) Its first gate was seventy cubits high, and twenty-five cubits broad; but this gate had no doors; for it represented the universal visibility of heaven, and that it cannot be excluded from any place. Its front was covered with gold all over, and through it the first part of the house, that was more inward did all of it appear; which, as it was very large, so did all the parts about the more inward gate appear to shine to those that saw them; (209) but then, as the entire house was divided into two parts within, it was only the first part of it that was open to our view. Its height extended all along to ninety cubits in height, and its length was fifty cubits, and its breadth twenty; (210) but that gate which was at this end of the first part of the house was, as we have already observed, all over covered with gold, as was its whole wall about it; it had also golden vines above it, from which clusters of grapes hung as tall as a man's height; (211) but then this house, as it was divided into two parts, the inner part was lower than the appearance of the outer, and had golden doors of fifty-five cubits altitude, and sixteen in breadth; (212) but before these doors there was a veil of equal largeness with the doors. It was a Babylonian curtain, embroidered with blue, and fine linen, and scarlet, and purple, and of a contexture that was truly wonderful. Nor was this mixture of colors without its mystical interpretation, but was a kind of image of the universe; (213) for by the scarlet there seemed to be enigmatically signified fire, by the fine flax the earth, by the blue the air, and by the purple the sea; two of them having their colors the foundation of this resemblance; 8 but the fine flax and the purple have their own origin for that foundation, the earth producing the one, and the sea the other. (214) This curtain had also embroidered upon it all that was mystical in the heavens, excepting that of the [twelve] signs, representing living creatures. War.5.5.5. (215) When any person entered into the temple, its floor received them. This part of the temple therefore was in height sixty cubits, and its length the same; whereas its breadth was but twenty cubits: (216) but still that sixty cubits in length was divided again, and the first part of it cut off at forty cubits, and had in it three things that were very wonderful and famous among all mankind; the candlestick, the table [of shew bread], and the altar of incense. (217) Now, the seven lamps signified the seven planets; for so many there were springing out of the candlestick. Now, the twelve loaves that were upon the table signified the circle of the zodiac and the year; (218) but the altar of incense, by its thirteen kinds of sweet- smelling spices with which the sea replenished it, signified that God is the possessor of all things that are both in the uninhabitable and habitable parts of the earth, and that they are all to be dedicated to his use. (219) But the inmost part of the temple of all was of twenty cubits. This was also separated from the outer part by a veil. In this there was nothing at all. It was inaccessible and inviolable, and not to be seen by any; and was called the Holy of Holies. (220) Now, about the sides of the lower part of the temple there were little houses, with passages out of one into another; there were a great many of them, and they were of three stories high; there were also entrances on each side into them from the gate of the temple. (221) But the superior part of the temple had no such little houses any farther, because the temple was there narrower, and forty cubits higher, and of a smaller body than the lower parts of it. Thus we collect that the whole height, including the sixty cubits from the floor, amounted to a hundred cubits. War.5.5.6. (222) Now the outward face of the temple in its front wanted nothing that was likely to surprise either men's minds or their eyes, for it was covered all over the plates of gold of great weight, and, at the first rising of the sun, reflected back a very fiery splendor, and made those who forced themselves to look upon it to turn their eyes away, just as they would have done at the sun's own rays. (223) But this temple appeared to strangers, when they were at a distance, like a mountain covered with snow; for, as to those parts of it that were not gilt, they were exceeding white. (224) On its top it had spikes with sharp points, to prevent any pollution of it by birds sitting upon it. Of its stones, some of them were forty-five cubits in length, five in height, and six in breadth. (225) Before this temple stood the altar, fifteen cubits high, and equal both in length and breadth; each of which dimensions was fifty cubits. The figure it was built in was a square, and it had corners like horns; and the passage up to it was by an insensible acclivity. It was formed without any iron tool, nor did any such iron tool so much as touch it at any time. (226) There was a wall of partition, about a cubit in height, made of fine stones, and so as to be grateful to the sight; this encompassed the holy house, and the altar, and kept the people that were on the outside off from the priests. (227) Moreover those that had the gonorrhea and the leprosy were excluded out of the city entirely; women also, when their courses were upon them were shut out of the temple; nor when they were free from that impurity, were they allowed to go beyond the limit before-mentioned; men also, that were not thoroughly pure, were prohibited to come into the inner court of the temple; nay, the priests themselves that were not pure, were prohibited to come into it also. War.5.5.7. (228) Now all those of the stock of the priests, that could not minister by reason of some defect in their bodies, came within the partition together with those that had no such imperfection, and had their share with them by reason of their stock, but still made use of none except their own 9 private garments; for nobody but he that officiated had on his sacred garments; (229) but then these priests that were without any blemish upon them, went up to the altar clothed in fine linen. They abstained chiefly from wine, out of this fear, lest otherwise they should transgress some rules of their ministration. (230) The high priest did also go up with them; not always indeed, but on the seventh days and new moons, and if any festivals belonging to our nation, which we celebrate every year, happened. (231) When he officiated, he had on a pair of breeches that reached beneath his privy parts to his thighs, and had on an inner garment of linen, together with a blue garment, round, without seem, with fringework, and reaching to the feet. There were also golden bells that hung upon the fringes, and pomegranates intermixed among them. The bells signified thunder, and the pomegranates lightning. (232) But that girdle that tied the garment to the breast was embroidered with five rows of various colors of gold, and purple, and scarlet, as also of fine linen and blue; with which colors, we told you before, the veils of the temple were embroidered also. (233) The like embroidery was upon the ephod; but the quantity of gold therein was greater. Its figure was that of a stomacher for the breast. There were upon it two golden buttons like small shields, which buttoned the ephod to the garment: in these buttons were enclosed two very large and very excellent sardonyxes, having the names of the tribes of that nation engraved upon them: (234) on the other part were hung twelve stones, three in a row one way, and four in the other; a sardius, a topaz, and an emerald: a carbuncle, a jasper, and a sapphire: and agate, an amethyst, and a ligure; an onyx, a beryl, and a chrysolite; upon every one of which was again engraved one of the forementioned names of the tribes. (235) A miter also of fine linen encompassed his head, which was tied by a blue ribbon, about which there was another golden crown, in which was engraven the sacred name [of God]; it consists of four vowels. (236) However, the high priest did not wear these garments at other times, but a more plain habit; he only did it when he went into the most sacred part of the temple, which he did but once a year; on that day when our custom is for all of us to keep a fast to God. (237) And thus much concerning the city and the temple: but for the customs and laws hereto relating, we shall speak more accurately another time; for there remain a great many things, thereto relating, which have not been here touched upon. War.5.5.8. (238) Now, as to the tower of Antonia, it was situated at the corner of two cloisters of the court of the temple; of that on the west, and that on the north; it was erected upon a rock, of fifty cubits in height, and was on a great precipice; it was the work of king Herod, wherein he demonstrated his natural magnanimity. (239) In the first place, the rock itself was covered over with smooth pieces of stone, from its foundation, both for ornament, and that anyone who would either try to get up or to go down it, might not be able to hold his feet upon it. (240) Next to this, and before you come to the edifice of the tower itself, there was a wall three cubits high; but within that wall all the space of the tower of Antonia itself was built upon, to the height, of forty cubits. (241) The inward parts had the largeness and form of a palace, it being parted into all kinds of rooms and other conveniences, such as courts, and places for bathing, and broad spaces for camps; insomuch that, by having all conveniences that cities wanted, it might seem to be composed of several cities, but by its magnificence, it seemed a palace; (242) and as the entire structure resembled that of a tower, it contained also four other distinct towers at its four corners; whereof the others were but fifty cubits high; whereas that which lay upon the southeast corner was seventy cubits high, that from thence the whole temple might be viewed; (243) but on the corner where it joined to the two cloisters of the temple, it had passages down to them both, through which the guard (244) (for there always lay in this tower a Roman legion) went several ways among the cloisters, with their arms, on the Jewish 10 festivals, in order to watch the people, that they might not there attempt to make any innovations; (245) for the temple was a fortress that guarded the city, as was the tower of Antonia a guard to the temple; and in that tower were the guards of those three.3 There was also a peculiar fortress belonging to the upper city, which was Herod's palace; (246) but for the hill Bezetha, it was divided from the tower of Antonia, as we have already told you; and as that hill on which the tower of Antonia stood, was the highest of these three, so did it adjoin to the new city, and was the only place that hindered the sight of the temple on the north. (247) And this shall suffice at present to have spoken about the city and the walls about it, because I have proposed to myself to make a more accurate description of it elsewhere.

1 Maccabees 2

Mattathias and His Sons 2 In those days Mattathias son of John son of Simeon, a priest of the family of Joarib, moved from Jerusalem and settled in Modein. 2 He had five sons, John surnamed Gaddi, 3 Simon called Thassi, 4 Judas called Maccabeus, 5 Eleazar called Avaran, and Jonathan called Apphus. 6 He saw the blasphemies being committed in Judah and Jerusalem, 7 and said, "Alas! Why was I born to see this, the ruin of my people, the ruin of the holy city, and to live there when it was given over to the enemy, the sanctuary given over to aliens? 8 Her temple has become like a person without honor;[a] 9 her glorious vessels have been carried into exile. Her infants have been killed in her streets, her youths by the sword of the foe. 10 What nation has not inherited her palaces[b] and has not seized her spoils? 11 All her adornment has been taken away; no longer free, she has become a slave. 12 And see, our holy place, our beauty, and our glory have been laid waste; the Gentiles have profaned them. 13 Why should we live any longer?" 14 Then Mattathias and his sons tore their clothes, put on sackcloth, and mourned greatly. Pagan Worship Refused 15 The king's officers who were enforcing the apostasy came to the town of Modein to make them offer sacrifice. 16 Many from Israel came to them; and Mattathias and his sons were assembled. 17 Then the king's officers spoke to Mattathias as follows: "You are a leader, honored and great in this town, and supported by sons and brothers. 18 Now be the first to come and do what the king commands, as all the Gentiles and the people of Judah and those that are left in Jerusalem have done. Then you and your sons will be numbered among the Friends of the king, and you and your sons will be honored with silver and gold and many gifts." 19 But Mattathias answered and said in a loud voice: "Even if all the nations that live under the rule of the king obey him, and have chosen to obey his commandments, every one of them abandoning the religion of their ancestors, 20 I and my sons and my brothers will continue to live by the covenant of our ancestors. 21 Far be it from us to desert the law and the ordinances. 22 We will not obey the king's words by turning aside from our religion to the right hand or to the left." 23 When he had finished speaking these words, a Jew came forward in the sight of all to offer sacrifice on the altar in Modein, according to the king's command. 24 When Mattathias saw it, he burned with zeal and his heart was stirred. He gave vent to righteous anger; he ran and killed him on the altar. 25 At the same time he killed the king's officer who was forcing them to sacrifice, and he tore down the altar. 26 Thus he burned with zeal for the law, just as Phinehas did against Zimri son of Salu. 27 Then Mattathias cried out in the town with a loud voice, saying: "Let every one who is zealous for the law and supports the covenant come out with me!" 28 Then he and his sons fled to the hills and left all that they had in the town. 29 At that time many who were seeking righteousness and justice went down to the wilderness to live there, 30 they, their sons, their wives, and their livestock, because troubles pressed heavily upon them. 31 And it was reported to the king's officers, and to the troops in Jerusalem the city of David, that those who had rejected the king's command had gone down to the hiding places in the wilderness. 32 Many pursued them, and overtook them; they encamped opposite them and prepared for battle against them on the sabbath day. 33 They said to them, "Enough of this! Come out and do what the king commands, and you will live." 34 But they said, "We will not come out, nor will we do what the king commands and so profane the sabbath day." 35 Then the enemy[c] quickly attacked them. 36 But they did not answer them or hurl a stone at them or block up their hiding places, 37 for they said, "Let us all die in our innocence; heaven and earth testify for us that you are killing us unjustly." 38 So they attacked them on the sabbath, and they died, with their wives and children and livestock, to the number of a thousand persons. 39 When Mattathias and his friends learned of it, they mourned for them deeply. 40 And all said to their neighbors: "If we all do as our kindred have done and refuse to fight with the Gentiles for our lives and for our ordinances, they will quickly destroy us from the earth." 41 So they made this decision that day: "Let us fight against anyone who comes to attack us on the sabbath day; let us not all die as our kindred died in their hiding places." Counter-Attack 42 Then there united with them a company of Hasideans, mighty warriors of Israel, all who offered themselves willingly for the law. 43 And all who became fugitives to escape their troubles joined them and reinforced them. 44 They organized an army, and struck down sinners in their anger and renegades in their wrath; the survivors fled to the Gentiles for safety. 45 And Mattathias and his friends went around and tore down the altars; 46 they forcibly circumcised all the uncircumcised boys that they found within the borders of Israel. 47 They hunted down the arrogant, and the work prospered in their hands. 48 They rescued the law out of the hands of the Gentiles and kings, and they never let the sinner gain the upper hand. The Last Words of Mattathias 49 Now the days drew near for Mattathias to die, and he said to his sons: "Arrogance and scorn have now become strong; it is a time of ruin and furious anger. 50 Now, my children, show zeal for the law, and give your lives for the covenant of our ancestors. 51 "Remember the deeds of the ancestors, which they did in their generations; and you will receive great honor and an everlasting name. 52 Was not Abraham found faithful when tested, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness? 53 Joseph in the time of his distress kept the commandment, and became lord of Egypt. 54 Phinehas our ancestor, because he was deeply zealous, received the covenant of everlasting priesthood. 55 Joshua, because he fulfilled the command, became a judge in Israel. 56 Caleb, because he testified in the assembly, received an inheritance in the land. 57 David, because he was merciful, inherited the throne of the kingdom forever. 58 Elijah, because of great zeal for the law, was taken up into heaven. 59 Hananiah, Azariah, and Mishael believed and were saved from the flame. 60 Daniel, because of his innocence, was delivered from the mouth of the lions. 61 "And so observe, from generation to generation, that none of those who put their trust in him will lack strength. 62 Do not fear the words of sinners, for their splendor will turn into dung and worms. 63 Today they will be exalted, but tomorrow they will not be found, because they will have returned to the dust, and their plans will have perished. 64 My children, be courageous and grow strong in the law, for by it you will gain honor. 65 "Here is your brother Simeon who, I know, is wise in counsel; always listen to him; he shall be your father. 66 Judas Maccabeus has been a mighty warrior from his youth; he shall command the army for you and fight the battle against the peoples.[d] 67 You shall rally around you all who observe the law, and avenge the wrong done to your people. 68 Pay back the Gentiles in full, and obey the commands of the law." 69 Then he blessed them, and was gathered to his ancestors. 70 He died in the one hundred forty-sixth year[e] and was buried in the tomb of his ancestors at Modein. And all Israel mourned for him with great lamentation.

Nehemiah 11

The leaders of the people all live in Jerusalem, and the people themselves cast lots so that a tenth of them will end up living in Jerusalem. People who offer to go voluntarily (without casting lots) are blessed. Kind of like when you voluntarily offer to check your carry-on baggage, Virgin America lets you board with Group 1. Nehemiah lists the Benjaminites and Judahites who lead the province and live in Jerusalem. The leaders of the towns actually live in the towns. He also lists the leaders of the priests and Levites, and also briefly mentions gatekeepers, singers, and important people like Pethahiah, a guy who helped the king in matters related to the people. Sort of an ombudsman. Nehemiah concludes with another medium-longish list of all the places and villages where the people lived, including Ono—the valley of the artisans and rumored birthplace of Yoko.

Pilgrim accounts

Twain, Traveler of Bordeaux, Ibn battuta, Egeria

Psalm 137

Verses 1-6 NRSV By the rivers of Babylon— there we sat down and there we wept when we remembered Zion. On the willows there we hung up our harps. For there our captors asked us for songs, and our tormentors asked for mirth, saying, "Sing us one of the songs of Zion!" How could we sing the Lord's song in a foreign land? If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand wither! Let my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth, if I do not remember you, if I do not set Jerusalem above my highest joy. KJV By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion. We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof. For there they that carried us away captive required of us a song; and they that wasted us required of us mirth, saying, Sing us one of the songs of Zion. How shall we sing the Lords song in a strange land? If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning. If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth; if I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy. We know this is a later psalm because it references the destruction of Jerusalem at the hands of the Babylonians, which happened around 586 BCE. To give you some context, people think David lived around 1000 BCE or so. The rivers of Babylon are where they are now—i.e., not Israel. The psalm serves two purposes: (1) lament and (2) prayer for vengeance. Whenever a culture is displaced or endures a shock, it immediately goes into preservation-mode. Think of any major cultural shock and you'll know what we mean. What we get in these first verses is just plain sadness. The Israelites don't want to be in exile because they're farther from God's land. Also, if they forget Jerusalem, they don't want to write about anything because nothing else deserves it. The Israelites' culture is so tied up with their land—remember all that nature imagery?—so losing their land means losing much, much more. Verses 7-9 NRSV Remember, O Lord, against the Edomites the day of Jerusalem's fall, how they said, "Tear it down! Tear it down! Down to its foundations!" O daughter Babylon, you devastator! Happy shall they be who pay you back what you have done to us! Happy shall they be who take your little ones and dash them against the rock! KJV Remember, O Lord, the children of Edom in the day of Jerusalem; who said, Rase it, rase it, even to the foundation thereof. O daughter of Babylon, who art to be destroyed; happy shall he be, that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us. Happy shall he be, that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stones. Well, this got harsh pretty quickly. The vengeance the author hopes for is decidedly violent: he dreams that the Babylonians' children will be thrown against the rocks. Well then. Did you notice that the writer almost lets God off the hook for letting Jerusalem fall? All he does is ask that God remember what happened. At this point, the writers of the Bible started thinking about God as more universal rather than in "your god vs. my god" terms. Before, God was one among many—the Israelites just thought he was the best. But the traumatic fall of Jerusalem made them think twice...and psalms like this usher in a new era.

Ezra 6

Darius orders a search of the archives in Babylon. But it's in a search of the archives in Ecbatana, the capital of Media, where they discover that Cyrus really did decree the rebuilding of Israel's temple (along with some stipulations about its size and about returning the vessels). So Darius sends a letter ordering Tattenai and the other officials in the province to let the people of Judah go on with rebuilding. He tells them to pay the people of Judah to rebuild the temple, covering the cost from the province's treasury, and to also supply all the young bulls, rams, and sheep for offerings, and all the wheat, salt, wine, and oil the priests require. Darius says that if anyone alters the edict, they'll be impaled on their own roof beam and their house will be turned into a dunghill. Darius also asks God to overthrow any kings or peoples who attack and try to disrupt the rebuilding. Tattenai and the other officials back off after the threat from Darius, and the elders keep building and prospering. Zechariah and Haggai keep encouraging the people through their prophecies. They finish the temple in the sixth year of Darius' reign, thanks to God and the decrees from the Persian Emperors. Even Artaxerses is OK with it. The people of Israel and the priests and Levites all celebrate, offering mass quantities of bulls and rams and lambs, along with twelve male goats symbolizing the twelve tribes of Israel. They also celebrate Passover. The priests and Levites purify themselves, and everyone eats the Passover lamb. Not only the people of Israel eat the lamb, but others who have separated and cleansed themselves from the nations' impurities get a turn at the buffet. The people are overjoyed that God inclined the heart of the king to let them build.

Ezra 7

During the reign of Artaxerxes, Ezra leaves Babylonia. He's a scribe who's an expert in the Law of Moses, and King Artaxerxes gives him whatever he wants. We're given his illustrious ancestry, all the way back to the original High Priest Aaron, so it's clear that something pretty special is in the works. Ezra and some other Israelites—temple servants, priests, singers, gatekeepers, Levites—take around four or five months to journey to Jerusalem. God makes sure he gets there safely. Ezra wants to study the law of God, practice it, and teach it to others. He majored in Old Testament at NYU. Artaxerxes sends a letter to Ezra. The letter permits any other Israelite to go to Jerusalem with Ezra (so this predates Ezra actually going to Jerusalem, it would seem). He commissions Ezra to govern Judah according to God's law, and to bring gifts of gold and silver from Artaxerxes and from the whole province of Babylonia, along with freewill offerings from the people and priests. The money, says Artaxerxes, is to purchase animals for sacrifice, along with grain and drink offerings. They can use the remainder of the money for whatever they want. Par-tay! He gives Ezra vessels for the temple and tells him to draw funds for whatever he requires for the temple out of the king's treasury. Artaxerxes also orders the provinces' treasurers to give Ezra everything he needs up to a certain limit. This is a pretty sweet deal. They should do whatever the God of Israel commands. He also tells them not to impose tribute or taxes of any kind on the various priests, singers, and others connected with the temple. He tells Ezra to appoint judges and magistrates, and to instruct people in the law, punishing them however he needs to if they break it, including death or banishment. This is a pretty impressive amount of authority when you think about it. Ezra's voice breaks in at the end, praising God for inspiring the king and his officials to help and favor Ezra. He says that he gathered other leaders of Israel to go with him.

Pilgrim accounts :

Egeria, Traveler of bordeaux, ibn battuta, mark twain

Haggai 2

Extreme Makeover, Jerusalem Edition God offers some words of encouragement to the priests and the people, who have been looking at the reconstruction and not seeing anything all that great. He tells them that the restored temple will even more impressive than the last. All the silver and gold on earth belong to God, hint hint. God tells Haggai to ask the priests a few obvious questions about ritual purity. Can ritually clean things make other things clean if they touch them? Nope. Can unclean things defile other things? Yes. This leads to another discussion of why bad things are happening and how God promises that things will get a lot better as they keep building on the temple's foundation. God's so happy about the rebuilding of the Temple that he promises Zerubbabel, the governor of Judah, that he'll destroy all the enemies of Judah and make Zerubbabel his special guy.

Ezekiel 8-11

Ezekiel 8-11 8: • Another time, while sitting in front of Jerusalem's elders, the hand of God falls on Ezekiel. He sees the same God-like figure, with fiery loins and legs and an amber torso. • Its hand reaches out and grabs Ezekiel by a lock of his hair, and the spirit of God brings him to Jerusalem in a vision. • It sits him down in front of the "image of jealousy" in the Temple. The glory of God looks the same way he saw it in Chapter 1, loins and all. Evil Animal Pictures • God shows Ezekiel this idolatrous "image of jealousy" but says, just wait, there's worse. • He tells Ezekiel to dig through the Temple's wall. Ezekiel digs through and sees a room with all kinds of animals and creeping things on the walls. • The elders of Israel are in the room, swinging incense and worshipping the evil images. Sounds like a scene from Rosemary's Baby. • But God says there's still worse to come. The suspense is killing us. • Next, he shows Ezekiel women weeping for the god Tammuz, and finally, twenty-five people all bowing down to the sun. • The sun. Don't they realize who created the sun? • God says that the people won't stop with these abominations. They're also filling the land with violence and "putting the branch to their noses" (kind of like thumbing their noses at God, apparently). • God will bring wrath on them; groveling won't help one bit 9: • God summons six executioners to kill the people in Jerusalem, including a figure dressed in linen with a writing case. • The executioners come in and stand by the Temple altar, while God gives them their orders. • God tells the man with the writing case to mark the people who going to survive off from those doomed for destruction. The survivors are those who turn away from the abominations. The writing case guy will mark them on the foreheads. • The executioners will then go through the city and kill everyone who doesn't have the mark, everyone from the youngest children to the oldest men and women. • First, the executioners kill the corrupt elders in God's sanctuary, before moving into the city. • Ezekiel prostrates himself and asks God if he'll kill as many people in the rest of Judah as he has in Jerusalem. • God says yeah, no pity. • At the end of the chapter, the man with the writing case returns and says he's accomplished his mission. 10: • The chariot with the four-faced cherubim is still parked in the vicinity. God tells writing-case guy to go and take the burning coals from the center of the cherubim near the wheels, and dump them on the city. • God's glory appears in the Temple in the form of a cloud, while the sound of the wings of the cherubim grows as loud as the voice of God. • God tells the writing-case dude to take fire from the center of the four-faced cherubim. The cherubim appear to have human hands coming out from under their wings. That's just weird. • Meanwhile, Ezekiel sees how strange the wheels under the cherubim really are. Every part of the wheels is filled with eyes and they're able to roll not just forwards and backwards but side-to-side, since they're really "wheels within wheels." Synchronized Flying • Ezekiel explains that the cherubim's four-faces were those of a human, a lion, an eagle, and that of the cherub itself. • As the wheels under the cherubim move the cherubim move too in some kind of perfect synchronization. • The glory of God leaves the Temple and takes its place on top of the throne above the cherubim. • Ezekiel watches as the throne-chariot takes off, stopping above the east gate of the Temple. • God's saying b'bye to the Temple and heading east. 11: • The spirit carries Ezekiel to the east gate of the Temple. He sees twenty-five men there, including Jaazaniah son of Azzur and Pelatiah son of Benaiah. • God tells Ezekiel that these guys are bad. They're falsely informing Jerusalem that they'll be safe from God's wrath. He tells Ezekiel to prophesy against them. • God says that the people have been smugly claiming that they're safe in the city like meat in a pot. But in reality, all the corpses in the city will be the meat in the pot, while the people themselves will be taken out of it by the invaders. • They'll be harshly judged by God and lots of them will be killed. It's payback time for disobeying all his laws. A Somewhat Distant Promise • As Ezekiel's making this prophecy, Pelatiah falls down and dies. • Ezekiel himself falls down and asks if God's planning to destroy everyone from Israel. • God tells Ezekiel that his own kin, his fellow exiles, and the whole House of Israel have strayed from God and are losing their land as punishment. • But he's going to re-gather them from exile in the future and give their land back to their descendants. • They'll be able to follow all of God's laws at that time, and he'll give them a heart of flesh instead of a heart of stone. • But the people who worshipped idols and abominations will definitely be punished. • The chariot with the cherubim and the glory of God finally flies away. The spirit brings Ezekiel back to Babylon, where he tells the exiles about what he saw

Ezra-Nehemiah

Ezra As the curtain rises and the orchestra dramatically swells, King Cyrus of Persia has just defeated the Babylonians. Inspired by God's spirit, he tells the Israelites that they can head home and rebuild their temple. He returns the sacred temple vessels stolen by the Babylonians and personally bankrolls the whole building project from his treasury Zerubbabel and Jeshua the High Priest (not Star Trekcharacters, but they should be) lead the people back and start laying down the foundations for a new Temple. But Israel's enemies are able to frustrate the building plans by getting the new Persian king Artaxerxes to order construction to a halt. Things stay that way until Darius comes to power in Persia. Two prophets, Haggai and Zechariah, urge the Israelites to start building, so naturally the enemies of Israel again complain to the king and demand he check the records to see if Cyrus actually gave permission to build. But—bwahahaha!—when Darius finds Cyrus's original decree, he lets them start rebuilding. Ezra (earlier in time but not in the narrative) is sent by Artaxerxes to help the Israelites get their religious observance back on track. A big part of this involves Ezra breaking up marriages between Israelites and non-Israelites. He has a major meltdown when he hears about all the intermarriage, and manages to convince the men to send away their foreign wives and children. Nehemiah Nehemiah's a Hebrew cup-bearer to Artaxerxes, who allows him to return to Jerusalem to help set things in order and rebuild the city. Gentile leaders from different provinces (specifically, leaders of the Ammonites, Samaritans, and Arabs) try to derail the rebuilding project, but thanks to some military readiness and cases of Five-Hour Energy, Nehemiah and his workers successfully speed-build the walls of the city. After this, Nehemiah reads the riot act to Israelite officials and nobles who have been oppressing the poor, charging ridiculous interest on loans, and forcing the people to pawn their land in order to eat. He successfully evades charges of rebellion against the Persian king drummed up by his enemies, and has Ezra give everyone a crash course on the Laws of Moses. The surviving Jews return from exile to repopulate Jerusalem, and Nehemiah—who's come back from a trip to the Persian capital in Susa—shapes up the backsliding Jews, breaks up more interfaith marriages, and saves the day. And he's the first to admit it.

Ezra

Ezra 1: People can go back to Jerusalem. Cyrus says so. Cyrus gives gold back to people of Israel 2: Lists all the people coming back 3. They set up an altar and burn offerings for God. sing with joy 4. Enemies of jerusalem are trying to stop the rebuilding. The rebuilding doesn't happen until Darius 5. The prophets Zechariah and Haggai prophesy to the people of Judah and start to rebuild the temple Ezra eventually leaves Babylonia. Artaxerxes sends letter to Ezra. Give gold and silver and sacrifices. Ezra finds out not everybody in Jerusalem is pure. Some people married to people outside. He is stressed. He worried God will be mad. Ezra says they must separate from the wives.

Ezra 3

In the seventh month, the people gather together in Jerusalem. The high priest Jeshua, Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, and the priests set up an altar to God on the ruined foundations of the temple and make offerings day and night. The people observe the "festival of booths" and make the various kinds of burnt offerings required by God's laws from the time of Moses. They also hire carpenters and masons to rebuild the temple's foundation, and buy cedar wood from the Sidonians and Tyrians with the authorization of King Cyrus. In the second month of the second year after their arrival, Jeshua and Zerubbabel lead the people in laying the new temple foundations. They appoint the Levites to oversee the work. When the builders lay the foundations, the priests blow trumpets and the Levites play cymbals. Then they sing psalms composed by King David, praising God's goodness and steadfast love. The people shout with joy when the temple foundations are laid. But many of the elderly priests, Levites, and heads of families who remember the first temple weep aloud at the same time. The people can't distinguish the weeping from the joyful shout, and all the noise from the celebration can be heard far away.

Revelation 14: 1 21-22

John sees the Lamb standing on Mount Zion. With him are the 144,000 Elect. They're the only ones that can learn a special song the Lamb is singing. Everyone else is, apparently, a little tone deaf. Then, John hears several angels. One tells them all to fear and worship God, otherwise there is going to be some serious judgment going on. Another tells them that Babylon has fallen. A third one lets everyone know that the people who worship the Beast are going to burn. Literally. Don't Fear the Reaper... Or Maybe Do Next, John sees someone who looks like the Son of Man floating down on a cloud (could it be Jesus in disguise?). He's wearing a gold crown and holding a sickle. He takes the sickle and swings it to reap all the faithful people from the Earth. Another angel comes down with a sickle and reaps all the not-so-faithful people (who are like ripe grapes). Then he throws them into a wine press of God's wrath. It squirts out blood all over the place. That's probably not something you'd want to bottle.

2 Kings 22-25

Josiah starts reigning as an eight-year-old boy and rules for thirty-one years. Departing radically from the ways of his dad and granddad, Josiah becomes a great and righteous king, doing everything that David himself would have done. In the eighteenth year of his reign, Josiah sends his secretary Shaphan to ask the priest Hilkiah to use the donations made at the Temple for repairs on it. Hilkiah tells Shaphan that he's found "the book of the law" (probably a version of Deuteronomy), and gives it to Shaphan, who reads it. Shaphan tells Josiah that they're paying the workers for the repairs. Then he reads him the book of the law they've discovered. Josiah is distressed, realizing how far they've departed from the Laws of Moses. He tears his clothes. Chatting with Huldah Believing that God's wrath is against them for not following these rules, Josiah sends Shaphan, Hilkiah, and a few others to ask God what they should do. They go to a prophetess named Huldah (the wife of the son of the wardrobe keeper). She says that God will, indeed, visit his wrath on the people for their sins, just as the book of the law says he will. But, she says, God will have mercy on Josiah, since he humbled himself before God and repented for the idolatrous sins he committed in ignorance. He'll die and be laid in his grave in peace. He won't see the destruction that's coming for Judah. The messengers relay her words to the king. 23: • Josiah gathers together the elders of Judah and leads them, along with all the inhabitants of Judah and all the priests and prophets to the Temple. • Josiah promises God, in front of everyone, to fully follow the commandments God has provided for them, and he makes a covenant. All the people join in with the covenant. • Josiah quickly sets about destroying the polytheistic order of things. He takes all the vessels made for Baal, Asherah, and other deities out of the Temple. Then he burns them. • He deposes idolatrous priests who sacrificed to foreign gods at the high places. He burns the image of the Asherah, scattering its dust on the graves of the common people. • Josiah destroys the houses of male temple prostitutes, where women weaved for Asherah. • He destroys and defiles the high places, removing the priests from all Judah's towns. • However, the priests of the high places protest by eating unleavened bread instead of coming to Jerusalem and the Temple. • He defiles Topheth—which is where people used to sacrifice children to Moloch—and removes horses that were dedicated to the sun god. He burns the chariots dedicated to the sun, as well. • Josiah destroys more high places and altars that Ahaz and Manasseh had built. He destroys high places dedicated to the gods Astarte, Chemosh, and Milcom and cuts down sacred pillars and poles, defiling those sites with human bones. Breaking Down and Building Up • Josiah continues destroying stuff, like the altar and high place Jeroboam made at Bethel which caused Israel to sin. He cuts down a sacred pole there and defiles the altar by burning human bones from local tombs on it. • But Josiah makes sure that no one moves the bones of the man of God who predicted these things would happen, along with those of another prophet. • He destroys the high places in Samaria too and kills the priests of the high places on their altars, before polluting them by burning bones. • Still in the eighteenth year of his reign, Josiah orders—in accordance with the recently discovered law book—the celebration of Passover. It's the first time the holiday has been observed since the days of Moses. The judges and the kings (including David) apparently didn't know about it. • Josiah also gets rid of all the wizards and mediums. The narrator says that there were no kings before or after him who were like him. • Nonetheless, God is still going to destroy Judah and Jerusalem and send the people into exile. Neco—But Not the Wafers • Pharaoh Neco of Egypt goes up to the King of Assyria. But when Josiah goes out to meet Pharaoh Neco at Megiddo, the Pharaoh kills him (or, has him killed). • Josiah's body is brought back by chariot and laid to rest in Jerusalem. • His son, Jehoahaz, becomes the new king at age twenty-three. He only reigns for three months, though it's enough time to return to the evil ways of his ancestors. • The Pharaoh keeps him confined in the city of Rimlah, apart from Jerusalem. • The Pharaoh makes another of Josiah's sons Eliakim the new king, then sends Jehoahaz to exile in Egypt, where he dies. Eliakim's name is changed to Jehoiakim. • Jehoiakim taxes the people in order to pay the Pharaoh tribute in silver and gold. • Jehoiakim starts reigning at age twenty-five and continues for eleven years. • Like his brother, he is also devoted to the wicked ways of his ancestors. 24: • King Nebuchadnezzar starts reigning on Babylon. Jehoiakim is his servant or vassal for three years, but then rebels against him. • God sends the Chaldeans and numerous other peoples allied with them all come to destroy Judah, in accordance with the prophecies of total destruction for Judah. • The narrator says this is mainly punishment for Manasseh's sins and all the innocent people he killed. • The Babylonians put down the Egyptians, making them a non-power. • When Jehoiakim dies, his son Jehoiachin succeeds him. • Jehoiachin starts reigning at age eighteen and stays in power three more months. He's another bad king, says the narrator. • In the eighth year of Nebuchadnezzar's reign, he besieges Jerusalem. Jehoiachin surrenders himself and the whole royal family into the captivity of the Babylonians. Exile from Mainstreet • Nebuchadnezzar loots Jerusalem, steals all the treasures of the Temple, and cuts the vessels dedicated to God into pieces. • He captures all the people of Jerusalem—warriors, smiths, and artisans so on—everyone except the poorest people. • He takes the entirety of the royal family and the royal house, along with all the officials and government people and the elite. • Nebuchadnezzar makes Mattaniah, Jehoiachin's brother, the new (puppet) king. He renames him Zedekiah. • Zedekiah reigns for eleven years, beginning at age twenty-one. He's yet another sinful king. It is under his reign that the final stages of the exile will happen. • Eventually, Zedekiah rebels against Nebuchadnezzar. 25: • In the ninth year of his reign, Zedekiah rebels and Nebuchadnezzar besieges Jerusalem for two whole years. • The famine grows extremely severe in a short period of time • Zedekiah tries to escape at night with his soldiers, but he gets captured by the Babylonians (Chaldeans) before they make it very far. • The Chaldeans kill Zedekiah's sons before his eyes, stab his eyes out, and take him in chains to Babylon. • Nebuchadnezzar's captain of the bodyguard, Nebuzaradan, comes to Jerusalem and burns down the Temple, the King's palace, and all the houses of the city. • The Babylonian army tears down the city walls. Nebuzaradan takes all the remaining people to Babylon—except for the very poorest, who still remain to be vinedressers and do farmwork. Brunch with the King • The Chaldeans break the bronze pillars that were in the Temple and carry them to Babylon. • They completely loot all the remaining silver and gold from the Temple, stripping away all the treasures and bringing them to Babylon. • Nebuzaradan sends the two highest priests of the Temple and the three guardians of the Temple's threshold to Babylon, where Nebuchadnezzar has them put to death. • Shaphan's grandson, Gedaliah, becomes the new governor of Judah, which has been virtually emptied out and put in exile. • Gedaliah tells some of the remaining warriors of Judah to put down their weapons and live peacefully under Babylon's rule. • They do this for a while, but then a warrior named Ishmael leads ten men to kill Gedaliah. • The remaining people then run away to Egypt, afraid of what the Babylonians will do to them as punishment. • After thirty-seven years of exile and imprisonment, Jehoiachin is freed by King Evil-merodoch of Babylon. The king lets Jehoiachin eat at his own table in luxury and also gives him a generous, regular allowance.

Book of Lamentations

Lamentations sacked by babylonians. All is bad. people were bad, better pray.

Zechariah 6

More visions, including such symbolic objects as seven burning candles, four flying chariots, four animal horns, three women, two olive trees and one flying scroll. Alas, no maidens milking, lords a-leaping or golden rings. God announces what it all means: "This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, says the LORD of hosts."(NRSV 4:6) The flying scroll and the four animal horns speak to God's pronouncement of doom on the nations that have made the lives of God's people miserable. Since there aren't any planes pulling ads and marriage proposals in the skies of ancient Jerusalem, a flying scroll really pops. The four flying chariots represent God's power over the nations, not to mention his commitment to expand the speedy food delivery service launched in the Habakkuk apocrypha. 2 girls, 1 jar: a couple of women with stork wings carry off a jar of wickedness that contains a statue of a third woman. (5:5-11) This is most likely an idol of a goddess named Asherah, who appears to have been worshipped as Yahweh's wife—Asherah is an anagram of the Hebrew word for wickedness. After the jar with Asherah is left standing on a pedestal in a Babylonian temple, a flying scroll returns with the message, "Does this mean it's over?" The candlestand refers to the restoration of the temple, but that's not all. Zechariah says that the two olive trees refer to the high priest and Zerubabbel, whose new power after the return from exile more than makes up for the way kids at school used to make fun of his name. The candlestand and olive trees vision is generally taken to mean that Zechariah is anointing these two offices to be the community's powers that be. Why? Judah is now under the authority of the Persian Empire, so picking a new king isn't really an option. Historically Zechariah is a prequel to 300, except the Jews' response to Persian rule is to roll with it. To help the high priest in following divine law and temple law, God says he will bring forth "my servant the branch" to rebuild his temple. Christians interpret this to be a prophecy of the coming of Christ, but other commentators see this as a reference to Jimmy "the Branch" Zerubabbel, the governor of Judah and the high priest's partner in getting the people to join together under—you guessed it—a fig tree.

Nehemiah

Nehemiah weeps for Jerusalem. hE ASKS gOD for success and mercy. He was cupbearer to king of Persia. Nehemiah wants to return to the homeland. Nehemiah tells everyone in Jerusalem to rebuild the wall. Nehemiah prays asking God to bring the guilt of these enemies down on them since they don't want them to rebuild. He organizes people to protect against the enemy. People of Jerusalem guard the sit. Nehemiah is mad at nobles and priests for making people borrow money and charging heavy interest. Tobiah is against Nehemiah and tries to intimidate him. He is no fool though Ezra focuses on rebuilding temple and nehemiah the walls.

Nehemiah 4

Now back to the action. Sanballat ridicules the Jews, and asks his associate and the army of Samaria what these Jews think they're doing, rebuilding their city and its walls. Tobiah claims that they're doing such a shabby job of it that even a fox could knock down the wall. Nice try, Tobiah. Nehemiah prays, asking God to bring the guilt of these enemies down on them since they taunted his people. So the people manage to rebuild the wall up to half its previous height, working really, really hard. But Sanballat, Tobiah, and the Arabs, Ammonites, and Ashdodites get even angrier when they hear how well the rebuilding and repairs are going. They plot to attack the people of Judah. But the people pray and set up a guard 24/7 to keep watch against their enemies. The workers complain about how difficult the rebuilding has become, with tons of rubble piled everywhere. And the people in the outlying towns warn about the enemies who are plotting against them. Nehemiah reorganizes things: he stations people in strategic locations around the wall, guarding the reconstruction with weapons. He urges the nobles, officials, and everyone else not to be afraid, to remember God, and to fight to protect their kin, their families, and their homes. The enemies realize that their plots been foiled and they don't attack. However, from that time on, half the workers hold weapons and guard the site while the other half work. The workers themselves work with one hand and carry a weapon with the other. The builders all have swords strapped to their sides. Nehemiah tells the nobles to come to their aid if the workers blow a trumpet for assistance, since they're pretty spread out as they rebuild. Nehemiah orders everyone to spend the night inside Jerusalem itself so that they'll be able to repel any nighttime attacks. Neither Nehemiah nor his brothers, servants, or men of the guard stop to even wash or change their clothes, and they keep their weapons in their right hands at all times. It's getting pretty funky in there.

Nehemiah 9

On the twenty-fourth day of the month, the people are fasting, wearing sackcloth, and putting dirt on their heads—the whole atonement thing. The Israelites separate themselves from the other people living there and confess their sins and disobedience. They read from the Law for a quarter of the day, then confess and worship God for the next quarter. Some of the Levites cry out to God and tell the people to stand up and bless and praise God. Following that, they send out for falafel. Next, Ezra stands up and confesses the people's sins to God. He praises God as the creator of the world, and the God of Abraham. Then Ezra recites the whole history of Israel up until his own time. He begins with the Exodus and the miracles God performed against Pharaoh. He tells it all: God destroying Pharaoh's army, God leading the people as a pillar of fire and a pillar of cloud, giving Moses the Law on Mount Sinai, and providing bread from heaven and water from the rock for the people in the wilderness. Even with all that, the people were disobedient, building the golden calf while Moses was hard at work up on Mt. Sinai. But God was forgiving and continued to sustain them in the wilderness anyway. Then God let the people conquer Canaan and become a populous nation. Still, they were disobedient, killing prophets and committing blasphemies. So God let the people fall into the hands of their enemies, though he's still merciful to them in many small and individual ways. He also instructs them through the prophets. But they still failed to be obedient and were stubborn—what is it with these people?—so God permitted them to be sent into exile. But he never totally forgot about them. Though God has been merciful to them in letting them return, they're still slaves, says Ezra, ruled by foreign kings. They all make a covenant agreeing to be obedient this time, signed with the names of the officials, priests, and Levites.

Lamentations

Our story opens on a city in mourning. Jerusalem has been invaded. Judah's been caught for centuries between powerful countries in the Middle East, and this time they backed the wrong guys. Their former allies but now sworn enemies, the Babylonians, have stormed the town and taken over. They've set fires, driven people out of their homes, and reduced the city and the Temple to a pile of rubble. The Babylonians also sent all the prominent citizens into exile in Babylon. And the people who are left in town? They're basically starving in the streets. Well, when they're not being tortured and humiliated by their occupiers. So why did this all happen? Even though the Jewish people living in Jerusalem have been God's chosen people since way back in Genesis, he's not too pleased with them right now. God was angry at the way the people were acting so he decided to let the Babylonians utterly destroy the city, including his very own Holy Temple where God's spirit hangs out when he's in town. The author doesn't really specify exactly what the people have done. He seems to think that their political and religious leaders were a bit incompetent, (After all, they didn't think the city could be taken by force. Wrong). He also calls out the prophets for leading the people astray and not predicting this disaster. Huge mess up, guys. You're prophets, for heaven's sake. The city, personified as a degraded woman, cries out to God to reconcile with the innocent victims of the leaders' misbehavior and unfaithfulness to God. But the major point is that the author does not blame God in the slightest. The people knew that they needed to stay in God's good graces and they didn't. He just followed through with consequences like any good parent. So how can they make things better? Well, the author recommends copious amounts of nonstop weeping, prayer, and repentance. The people need to turn back to God and hope he'll take them back. No promises, but it's worth a shot. Good luck, Jerusalem. You're gonna need it.

Nehemiah 5

People are coming to Nehemiah with various complaints. They're having trouble getting grain during a famine and are being forced to pledge their property just to get enough to eat. They say that they're borrowing money in order to pay their taxes to the king, and the people who are lending the money—fellow Jews—are forcing them to essentially rent out their sons and daughters as slaves. Not cool. Some of their daughters have even been raped. Totally not cool. Nehemiah gets angry, and accuses the nobles and officials of preying on their own people by charging excessive interest. They're essentially selling the people back into exile and slavery. The nobles have no argument to make against this. Busted. Nehemiah says that the nobles should give back all the property they've confiscated from the people and to return what they've taken from them in interest. The nobles and the priests agree and promise to forgive the people's debts and return their property. Nehemiah, performance artist, shakes out the folds of his garment, saying that anyone who fails to follow through will be shaken out from the fold of the House of Israel. Fortunately, the nobles and priests follow through on their promise. Nehemiah explains that he served as governor over Judah for twelve years. Selflessly, he and his brothers didn't even eat the food allowance granted them by the Emperor and survived on Ashdodite takeout. Unlike previous governors who excessively taxed and burdened the people, Nehemiah says he was a good governor. He devoted his attention to rebuilding the wall, and didn't acquire land. He goes through the number of people who dined at his table and what they typically ate in a day, along with how much wine they had for ten days. So generous. Nehemiah further demonstrates his restraint in not also taking advantage of the food allowance. What a great guy. He asks God to remember him because of the good he's done.

Psalm 122-127

Psalm 122 • The writer prays for Jerusalem, and that's that. Psalm 123 • Please God, may I have some mercy? Psalm 124 • The writer wonders what would have happened to the Israelite armies if God had abandoned them. It's a lot easier to speculate after you win a battle.... Psalm 125 • Here's something new: the author condemns evildoers and asserts God's power. Oh, did we say new? Psalm 126 • The meek and the broken will be rewarded when—guess who?—God saves them. Psalm 127 • God must reside in any place that hopes for prosperity and procreation. That's right, the faithful will have lots of sons. We're talking Cheaper by the Dozen style.

Ezra 8

Still speaking in the first person, Ezra begins this chapter with another long list recording the names of the different heads of families who went with Ezra to Jerusalem during Artaxerxes' reign. It also lists the number of males who came with each head of family. While this rag-tag team is returning, they stop by a river near Ahava, and Ezra realizes they don't have any descendants of Levi with them. One needs Levites to run the temple. He organizes a team of leaders and sends them to ask a guy named Iddo and his fellow temple servants at Casiphia to send them ministers for God's house. The text then lists the names and number of family members of the different ministers they managed to round up. Ezra organizes a fast by the river Ahava in order to gain God's protection, since he'd earlier refused the King's offer of cavalry protection, stating that God would defend them. Oops—this better work. Yep, the fast successfully secures their protection. Next, Ezra sets aside twelve priests and puts them in charge of all the treasures, vessels, bowls, and offerings of gold and silver that they're bringing back to Jerusalem. They're to guard the stuff until they can weigh them in the chambers of the temple and place them there. After they leave Ahava, God protects them from ambushes. They reach Jerusalem, remaining there three days before presenting the silver, the gold, and the vessels to the temple priests. All the money and bling are accounted for. The returned exiles offer bulls, rams, lambs, and male goats as burnt offerings. They support the people and the temple, and convey Artaxerxes' orders to the satraps and governors of the province.

Ezra 5

The prophets Zechariah and Haggai prophesy to the people of Judah, and, encouraged by the prophets, Zerubbabel and Jeshua start to rebuild the temple again. After all, lumber prices are going through the roof. The governor of the province Beyond the River, Tattenai, a guy named Shether-bozenai, and their associates question the Israelites about who gave them permission to rebuild and who are the people who are rebuilding. But God looks after the Jews, keeping his eye on their elders, who ignored this questioning. Tattenai sends a letter to Darius, on behalf of himself and his associates. He tells Darius that they all went to see the temple being constructed in Jerusalem. They recounted their questions to the elders, who insisted that Cyrus gave them the order to rebuild the city and the temple. The elders also explained how the governor appointed by Cyrus, Sheshbazzar, returned the temple vessels Nebuchadnezzar had stolen, and also laid foundations for a new temple, which they haven't yet been able to rebuild. Tattenai asks Darius to check and make sure that Cyrus really made this decree about rebuilding the temple.

Ezekiel 11

The spirit carries Ezekiel to the east gate of the temple. He meets guys and God says they are bad. God says however, that he will gather the people of Israel back in. He is going to give the land back to their descendants. The people who actually disobeyed will be punished.

Haggai 1

This Old Old House Remember how, in the book of Amos, all the bad things that happen to God's people are judgment for oppressing the poor? Bad things are still happening, but this time it's because they're not contributing to the restoration of the temple. Not a bad pitch, but a more experienced fundraiser would have at least offered each donor a prayer cloth. Haggai begins with a statement of the exact date that God spoke to Haggai. Biblical scholars have determined this to be August 29, 520 BCE. Seriously. God complains to Haggai that the people are more interested in getting their own homes built while the Big House still lies in ruins from the Babylonian invasion. He points out that, if they've been paying attention, they've noticed that things aren't going very well for the community. Hint: Once the Temple is rebuilt, God will make sure things get better. The people seem to get the message, and get back to work. On September 21. That was quick.

Nehemiah 1

This book begins by stating that it's the first person account of Nehemiah. He says that he was living in the Persian capital, Susa. His brother Hanani came to him, and Nehemiah asked him how the Jews who had left exile and returned to Jerusalem were doing. Hanani explains that they're in trouble: Jerusalem's wall is broken down and its gates have been burned. Nehemiah weeps, mourns, fasts, and prays for days. He asks God to listen to his words, as he repents for his family and his nation's failure to keep God's commandments. He admits that God told them all this would happen when he gave the law to Moses. But he also promised that he'd gather them from exile if they managed to keep his commandments again. Nehemiah asks God for success and mercy in the mission he's about to undertake. He ends by noting that he was cupbearer to the King of Persia, at this time. This was a pretty important position, so he was really close with the king.

Nehemiah 12

This chapter begins with another huge list: priests and Levites. It also lists a few gatekeepers at the end for good measure. In this case, since it's just a list of names, it's impossible to summarize. Take our word for it. Next, Nehemiah organizes the biggest bash of all: the dedication of the Temple. The Levites come to Jerusalem and rejoice with singing, cymbals, harps, and lyres. The singers and Simon Cowell come from their villages as well. The priests and Levites purify themselves, the people, the wall, and the gates. Nehemiah—since the dude is inventing Excel spreadsheets—lists all the important people and various honchos who paraded into the city on this festive occasion. Everyone offers sacrifice and rejoices: man, woman, and child. People can hear the celebration from far away. Men are appointed to look after and keep track of the first fruits and tithes that are given to the priests and Levites. They perform the service of purification along with the singers and gatekeepers. Just like in King David's day, the singers have a leader again, and they perform songs of praise for God. The people give daily portions of food to the singers and gatekeepers and set aside the portion for the Levites, who then set aside the portion for the priests.

Nehemiah 10

This chapter begins with another list: the names of the officials, priests, and their associates who signed the covenant. In the covenant, all the people and the nobles promise together to finally follow God's Law as given to Moses. They also promise not to marry the daughters of foreigners, not to buy grain and merchandise that foreigners bring into the city on the Sabbath, and to forgive debts every seventh year. Each person also pledges to give a third of a shekel for the upkeep of the temple and for performing various festivals, offerings, and observances every year. They agree to pay for the wood offering by casting lots, and promise to bring their first fruits, firstborn sons, and firstborn livestock to the temple. Note: the firstborn sons do not get sacrificed. They agree to give their first batch of dough to the priests. The priests will also get some of the fruit of their trees, oil, and wine. They also establish guidelines for how the Levites should collect tithes from the people.

Ezra 2

This chapter provides a very long list of the different families and descendants who returned to Jerusalem from exile in Babylon. It lists single ancestors and the number of their descendants who've journeyed back. The list includes: the Israelite people as a whole, the priests, the Levites, the singers, the gatekeepers, and the descendants of Solomon's servants. It also lists people who couldn't prove their descent from Israel but still claimed it, including the descendants of some priests who were excluded since their names weren't found in the genealogical records and they were thus considered "unclean." The governor tells the questionable priests not to eat any holy food, until an approved priest can consult the seer stones Urim and Thummim and see if these guys are the real deal. The entire assembly of people is 42,360 members strong, not counting their 7,337 servants. There are also 200 male and female singers. There's also an accounting of the number of horses, camels, mules, and donkeys. When they arrive in Jerusalem, some of the heads of the family make offerings to the temple building fund. They also donate lots of gold, silver, and priestly robes. The priests, Levites, and some of the people live inside the Jerusalem city limits. Some of the singers, gatekeepers, temple servants, and the rest of Israel settle in their respective towns in the suburbs.

Nehemiah 3

This is another long list and record-keeping chapter. Nehemiah explains exactly who repaired and rebuilt every part of the walls and gates. It's impossible to summarize this chapter in a form shorter than the actual chapter since it's just a long record of names and duties, with no action or story whatsoever. So check it out again in the text.

Nehemiah 6

When Israel's enemies—Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem again—hear that the wall's been completed, they ask to meet with Nehemiah. Nehemiah sees that they plan to do him harm. No fool, this guy. He refuses, asking why he should take time off from his work to do this. They ask him four times, and he answers in the same way. No dice. The fifth time, they up the ante. The enemies' servant brings a letter saying that they've heard that the Jews intend to rebel against the Empire and that Nehemiah wants to be their king, with the prophets supporting him. Nehemiah knows they're just trying to intimidate him. He tells them that they're making all this stuff up just to scare them away from rebuilding. He still won't meet with them. Talk to the hand. Nehemiah goes to visit a guy named Shemaiah who says (actually, falsely prophesies) that they should go hide in the temple, since men are coming to kill Nehemiah. Nehemiah cleverly sees that Shemaiah's been hired by Sanballat and Tobiah to trick him and make him an object of ridicule. Only priests are allowed in the temple, so obviously he's trying to get our man to break the law. He asks God not to forget what Shemaiah and the wicked prophetess Noadiah and other prophets did to try to trick him. The wall's finished on the twenty-fifth day of the month of Elul, impossibly fast according to Shmoop's Senior Masonry Consultant. The surrounding nations are all disheartened and scared by this. They understand that God supports the Jews, since they haven't even been able to get their contractor to return their phone calls. Nehemiah also mentions that some of the nobles were friends with Tobiah, due to his family's intermarrying with Jews. The nobles try to make Tobiah sound good in Nehemiah's presence, while Tobiah sends Nehemiah letters designed to intimidate him.

Ezra 4

When the enemies of Judah and Benjamin hear that they're building a new temple, they approach Zerubbabel and say they want to help since they've been sacrificing to God too. As if. Zerubbabel dismisses them, saying that the Israelites alone will build, since that's what Cyrus asked them to do. Anyway, it's not their place to join in the building. But the enemies bribe the royal officials and successfully delay the temple rebuilding until the time of King Darius. Before Darius comes to power, the enemies of Judah—Bishlam, Mithredath, and Tabeel—write a letter to the Emperor Artaxerxes, urging him to stop the rebuilding of the temple and the rest of the rebuilding projects in Judah. Note: At this point, the original Hebrew changes to Aramaic. Scribes named Rahum and Shimshai, on behalf of their associates (including, apparently, the Babylonians and the Persians in general, and the people exiled in the province "Beyond the River"), write another letter urging Artaxerxes to stop the rebuilding. The letter claims that the Jews are rebuilding a wicked and rebellious city, Jerusalem. If they're able to rebuild its walls, they'll stop paying tribute to the Emperor, and will go back to making trouble, causing the king to lose control of the whole province. They tell Artaxerxes to look in the annals, where he'll see just how rebellious Jerusalem has been in the past. Artaxerxes totally buys this argument and writes a letter back to Rehum and Shimshai, telling them that Jerusalem shouldn't be allowed to rebuild, since one of his officials looked into it for him and determined that the city had in fact been rebellious in the past. Rehum, Shimshai, and their allies go to Jerusalem and stop the rebuilding projects by force. It won't be resumed until the second year of Darius' reign.

Ezra 10

While Ezra prays and weeps in front of the temple, a large number of other people (men, women, and children) come and weep. A guy named Shecaniah suggests that everyone make a covenant with God agreeing to send away their foreign wives. Ezra agrees and makes the priests, Levites, and all the people swear to it. He then goes to the chamber of Johanan son of Eliashib, where he fasts and mourns about the people's faithlessness and bad choices in wives. Then they make a proclamation ordering everyone in Judah to gather in Jerusalem in the next three days. If they show up late, they'll lose all their property, won't be allowed back in the congregation of the people as a whole, and their "Levites Live" concert tickets will be confiscated. Everyone gets there on time. The tribes of Judah and Benjamin are all together. They sit in the heavy rain and tremble. Ezra explains their sin to them, telling the people to confess to God and then separate from their foreign wives. They agree to do so, but say that they'll need time, since so many people have transgressed this way. You can't do something like this overnight, y'know. Plus, it's raining and everyone's getting soaked. They ask that the people who've taken foreign wives have appointed times to come in and officially separate themselves. Only a few people oppose the plan. Ezra appoints men who are heads of families to gradually meet with each of the men who have taken foreign wives. There are so many that it takes months to figure it all out. The book ends with a list of the names of all the priests, Levites, and men of Israel who had taken foreign wives, before sending them away along with the children they had with them. The priests make guilt offerings to repent. They're the worst offenders.

Nehemiah 2

While serving wine to King Artaxerxes, Nehemiah looks sad, which he never does. Artaxerxes notices the sad face and asks what's wrong, and Nehemiah explains that his people's city is currently a wasteland. Artaxerxes asks Nehemiah what it is he wants to request from him. So after a quick prayer to God, Nehemiah asks Artaxerxes if he can return to his homeland of Judah and help rebuild the city. The king asks how long he'll be gone and when he'll return, and they set a date. He also grants Nehemiah's request to send letters to the provincial governors granting him safe passage, and to tell Asaph, the guy who oversees the King's forest, to give him the wood he needs to do the rebuilding and to build himself a house as well. So far so good. Nehemiah sets out, using the letters the king gave him, escorted by cavalry and army officers. But two of Israel's enemies, Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite, are not happy that Nehemiah is coming to help the Israelites. Nehemiah stays in Jerusalem for three days before stealthily heading out with a few men to inspect the city's walls. He does all this in strict secrecy, not telling the Jews, nobles, officials, or priests what he's doing. Nehemiah then addresses everyone, urging them to rebuild the wall, and explaining how God and the King have both been gracious to him. Everyone says, "Let's do it." Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem accuse them of being rebellious toward the king by doing this. They mock and ridicule them. Nehemiah tells these enemies that God will have mercy on Israel, and that the enemies have no historic claim to Jerusalem so they should just shut up.

Nehemiah 13

tThe people find out that the Law of Moses says that they shouldn't let any Ammonites or Moabites into their society, since these tribes refused to give their Israelite ancestors food and hired Balaam to curse them. (See Numbers 22:5.) So the people refuse to hang around these particular foreigners. The priest Eliashib prepares a room for Israel's old enemy Tobiah in the chamber where they used to store the grain offering, frankincense, vessels, tithes, wine, and oil. Nehemiah isn't there while this is happening because he's paying a visit to King Artaxerxes back in Persia. When he returns and finds out what went down, he throws out all of Tobiah's furniture and brings back the grain, vessels, and other things they used to keep in that room. He discovers that the Levites and singers weren't receiving their fair portion, so he fixes this and appoints a new group of treasurers to make sure the Levites get their share. Nehemiah asks God to remember him for all these righteous deeds. Nehemiah sees that the people are pressing grapes and selling and buying food on the Sabbath. He tells them to knock it off, explaining that this is exactly the kind of behavior that got them exiled in the first place. He orders the gates to the city shut when the Sabbath begins, and says that they shouldn't be opened until it ends. The merchants and sellers end up spending the night outside the city for one or two Sabbaths before Nehemiah threatens to arrest them. Nehemiah also commands the Levites to purify themselves and guard the gates to make sure the Sabbath is kept holy. He again asks God to remember these good deeds and count them in his favor. Nehemiah also takes on Jews who've married women from Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab, and whose half-foreign children can't speak Hebrew. He curses and beats some of the men who've married such women, and pulls out their hair, forcing them to swear to give up their foreign wives and kids. This is a very convincing tactic. He uses the example of King Solomon marrying foreign women as an example of how destructive it can be. Jehoiada's son is friends with that villainous Sanballat. Nehemiah chases Jehoiada's son away from him, and tells God to remember how this guy defiled the priesthood. Nehemiah states that he eliminated all foreign practices, established the duties of priests and Levites, and took care of the wood offering and first fruits. As the book ends, he asks God again to remember him for these good deeds.