Announcements Make-up and re-take exams on Friday, 12

December, 3:00-5:00, in J 406 Study questions on Blackboard Final exam on Monday, 15 December,

10:30-12:30, in J 237 All questions from units 1-4 taken from previous

exams Review materials for prophets and post-exilic

history are on Blackboard

Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus

Born to set Thy people free.

From our fears and sins release us;

Let us find our rest in Thee.

Israel’s strength and consolation,

Hope of all the earth Thou art.

Dear Desire of every nation,

Joy of every longing heart.

Born Thy people to deliver,

Born a child and yet a king,

Born to reign in us forever,

Now Thy gracious kingdom bring.

By Thine own eternal Spirit

Rule in all our hearts alone;

By Thine all-sufficient merit

Raise us to Thy glorious throne.

Post-Exilic Judaism:Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther

Sources Biblical

Ezra and Nehemiah Narratives Letters Documents Lists

Haggai and Zechariah Esther Malachi

Extra-biblical Herodotus Josephus Persian inscriptions

Archaeological Papyri Official seals with

names

Cyrus Cylinder

General History of the Period: The Rise of Medo-Persia Review

722 – fall of the north to Assyria (Nineveh) 612 – fall of Nineveh to Babylon 587/6 – fall of Jerusalem to Babylon

Cyrus the Great (559-530) – first return Cambyses (530-522) Darius I (522-486) – Temple completed Xerxes I/Ahasuerus (486-465) – Esther Artaxerxes I (464-425) – Ezra, Nehemiah, Malachi

Jerusalem Re-established (539-516)[Ezra’s review of history – chs 1-6]

Cyrus’s edict in 539 Returnees Leadership (royal and priestly lines)

Sheshbazzar Zerubbabel Joshua

Opposition Enemies of Judah and Benjamin Samaritan opposition

Rebuilding and completing the Temple (516)

The Scroll (Megillah) of Esther

The Feast of Ahasuerus – who was showing off!

Esther and Mordecai

Esther Before the King

Esther before Ahasuerus – the version in the Septuagint (Greek translation)

Esther’s Banquet for the King and Haman

Haman’s Humiliation

Assyrian relief – horses with “crowns”

Haman Begs Esther for Mercy

Esther in a Foreign Court (ca 483) A literary masterpiece built around…

Reversals A long “thread” of biblical allusions – deliverance

at Passover; Amalekites (Agag) A comic portrayal of the Persian court

Key themes Threat to Judaism in the diaspora Hiddenness / Sovereignty of God

Ezra’s Return to Jerusalem (ca. 460)

Ezra 7:1-11 Ezra’s identity

Priest - line of Aaron

Teacher who knew the Torah

His mission

The Reformation (Ezra 7-10; Nehemiah 8-10)

The Problem(s) Ezra’s prayer Punishment of the disobedient Reading the Torah and celebrating the Feast of

Tabernacles Fasting, confession, covenant to keep the Torah The intent of the reform

Prevent another exile from occurring Intermarriage with foreigners would lead to idolatry

Nehemiah the Governor (ca. 444) Identity and character

In the administration of Artaxerxes I A man of faith, prayer, and action

Strengthening Jerusalem’s defenses (chapters1-6)

The reformation with Ezra (chapters 8-10)

Nehemiah’s Word Development of Jerusalem

People moved into Jerusalem Walls of Jerusalem dedicated

Ongoing religious reformation removing foreigners payment of tithes keeping the Sabbath addressing the problem of intermarriage