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Jewish History from Alexander to the Death of Seleucus IV

Jewish History from Alexander to the Death of Seleucus IV Eupator (333-175 BCE). The Diadochan Period. After a seventh month siege, from January to August 332, Alexander took control of the city of Tyre; the city was burnt and some 30,000 survivors, mostly women and children, while another 2,000 men capable of bearing arms were crucified (Diod. 17....

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The Intertestamental Period

By Ernest L. Martin Ph.D., To many people, the teachings of the New Testament seem so foreign to those found in the Old Testament. In fact, it seems on the surface that the authors of the New Testament books almost lived in a different world than the prophets, kings and priests who composed the Old Testament writings. And in one way of looking at i...

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The Antiochan Crisis to the Death of Judas (174-160 BCE)

Brief Account of Events Said to Have Occurred. Although little is known of events in Israel before Antiochus IV Epiphanes, from this point on, there are fairly detailed and reliable sources of information on Jewish history. Unfortunately, there is some confusion about the order of events in Jewish sources and a problem correlating these with the He...

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Daniel's Prophecies Come to Pass

The Bible and Archaeology - The Intertestamental Period: Daniel's Prophecies Come to Pass - by Mario Seiglie. This series has traced the history of the Old Testament from Genesis through the captivity of the Kingdoms of Israel and Judah, describing archaeological finds and historical accounts that have confirmed and illuminated the biblical account...

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Hasmonean Rule From Jonathan to the Death of Simon

Hasmonean Rule From Jonathan to the Death of Simon (160-134 BCE). Brief Account of Events Said to Have Occurred. After Judas' death, there followed a period when the Maccabean movement was out of power (160-53 BCE). In 153 BCE, Jonathan, Judas' brother and replacement regained popular support. Jonathan took advantage of internal weakness within the...

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The Intertestamental Period

The period from the book of Malachi at the end of our Old Testament to the opening of Matthew at the beginning of our New Testament comprises about 400 years. These 400 "silent years" were only silent in the sense that there were no prophets from God who were writing Scripture. They were years which brought about dramatic and sweeping changes throu...

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The Rise of Herod the Great (51 - 37 BCE)

In 49 BCE, in Rome, a civil war erupted between Pompey and Julius Caesar. At first, Hyrcanus II and Antipater supported Pompey, as most from the east did, but quickly switched allegiances, when it was discovered that Caesar and his allies had been victorious over Pompey, who had fled to Egypt but who was murdered in 48 BCE in Egypt. In gratitude fo...

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The Hasmonean Dynasty from Hyrcanus to Salome

The Hasmonean Dynasty from (John) Hyrcanus to (Salome) Alexandra (134 - 67 BCE). Ptolemy, the man who murdered the father of (John) Hyrcanus and two brothers, also attempted to murder (John) Hyrcanus and take power; Hyrcanus prevailed over him after a protracted conflict, but lost his mother to Ptolemy, who had held her hostage. Antiochus VII Sidet...

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Pompey and the End of Jewish Independence (67 - 51 BCE)

Jewish and Roman histories begin to intersect at this point, so that one cannot discuss Jewish history without discussing Roman history (The reverse is not as true, of course). When Salome died in 67 BCE, there arose a conflict between Hyrcanus II and his brother Aristobolus II over who would become both High Priest and king. The people opted for A...

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History of the Intertestamental Period

Following the conquests of Alexander the Great and his early death in 323 B.C., his empire was divided by four of his generals. Israel initially fell under the rule of Seleucus, who held authority over Syria, but soon passed to Ptolemy, who had gained authority over Egypt. This period under the "Ptolemies" from 301 to 198 B.C. was generally one of ...

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