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Background of The Old Testament B PDF
Background of The Old Testament B PDF
THE OLD
TESTAMENT
was known as “the gift of the Nile” and played a large part in the
formative period of Israel's history. Northern and southern Egypt
were united early in the third millennium BC and great pharaohs
ruled the land. The Egyptian civilization developed to a high level
by the middle of the third millennium and continued largely
unchanged for three thousand years. Only in 331 BC did
Alexander the Great change the face of ancient Egypt, in fact the
face of the Middle East.
What is meant by
“The Amarna Period”?
2. Egypt under the Middle Kingdom: This consisted of the Kings of the
fifteenth, sixteenth and seventeenth dynasties, comprising the Shepherd
Kings. It was during the reign of these Kings that Joseph ruled, and the
whole family of Israel took up their residence in the Land of Goshen.
3. Egypt under the New Kingdom: From the
18th to the 13th, dynasty. The Kingdom was
consolidated by Amosis, who succeeded in
dismissing the Hyksos. Amosis was the “first
King who did not know Joseph," and began
the oppression of the Israelites. During the
rule of the thirtieth dynasty the country was
conquered by Persia, and from BC 340, till its
conquest by Alexander the Great.
4. Egypt under the Greeks; Egypt was
conquered by Alexander the Great in BC 331
and passed under the rule of the Greeks, and
so remained until BC 30, when it became a
province of Rome.
5. Egypt under the Romans: the Romans ruled
the country, with temporary interruptions, until
AD 640, when it was conquered by the Arabians.
BC
2700 Beginning of Egyptian history with
first dynasty of Manetho
2450 Fourth dynasty or period Of the
Pyramid-builders
2080 Close of the Old Empire by the
Hyksos invasion
Second Period or Middle Empire
BC
2080 Hyksos conquest of Lower Egypt
1900 Complete subjugation of the whole
country
1920 Abraham's visit to Egypt
1706 Settlement in Egypt of Jacob and
his sons
1525 Expulsion of the Hyksos
Third Period or New Empire
B.C.
1525 Revival of Egyptian independence
under a Theban dynasty
1500-1200 Three most brilliant
centuries of Egyptian history
1420 Exodus of the Israelites
525 Egypt conquered by the Persians
under Cambyses
Later Events
BC
332 Egypt conquered by the Greeks
under Alexander
323 Beginning of the rule of the
Ptolemies (or Greek kings of Egypt)
after the partition of Alexander's
Empire
30 Egypt becomes a Roman province
after the death of Cleopatra
Syria-Palestine is the central point for the major events and
issues of the OT story. It did influence as much as
Mesopotamia or Egypt did; but it did foster powerful city-
states, such as Jericho and Ebla, with which Israel had to
interact at her own peril. And this area, both in ancient times
and today, served as a defense zone between super powers or
as a prize to be fought over by these same powers. Many
important trade and travel routes passed through the area
and these resulted in great wealth for inhabitants of the land.
Vivid descriptions of this area and its
religious confusion are contained in
documents from ancient Ugarit (14th
century BC) and the Tell-el-Amarna
tablets (early 14th century BC). Israel
was commanded by God to conquer the
land and destroy its inhabitants and
their religious practices because of their
utter corruption and the danger it held
for the Israelites.
Syria-Palestine was sifted and tossed by
the super powers, first Egypt, then the
Hittite kingdom, the Assyrian kingdom,
the Babylonian kingdom (old and new),
the Persian Empire, the Grecian Empire,
and finally Rome. But the central
theological fact about Palestine proper is
that is was, to foster Israel as God's
people. It is described as a land “flowing
with milk and honey” (Ex 3:8), and it was
and remains Israel's homeland.
This map includes some of the geographical features of the land of Israel including: the Valley
of Jezreel, Plain of Sharon, Coastal Plain, Central Hills, Jordan Valley, Plain of Philistia,
Shephelah, The Negev, Wilderness of Judah, and Transjordanian Highlands. These physical
features make up the country of Israel.
Israel is a small strip of land; roughly 150 miles long and 50
miles wide. It has a very strategic location bordering three
continents, and was located in the center of the ancient
world and its empires. Babylon, Persia, and Assyria to the
East, Greece and Rome to the northwest, and Egypt to the
south. The land of Israel has a very unique topography with
five natural divisions that are parallel to one another running
across the entire land from north to south like vertical strips.
Greece
In 334 BC, Alexander went into Asia and defeated the Persians at the
river Granicus. After that he made a triumphal procession through the
liberated Greek cities. Thus, he advanced south through Cilicia into Syria,
where he defeated Darius III at Issus (333 BC). He moved on through
Phoenicia to Egypt. The Egyptians welcomed him as a liberator from
Persian oppression. Then, Alexander pressed to conquer Persia and
make himself the ruler of the world. He advanced northeast through
Syria and Mesopotamia, and defeated Darius again at Gaugamela (331
BC). Darius fled and was killed by his own followers. Alexander became
the master of the Persian Empire.
Map of Alexander's Empire at it's Height in 323 BC
At Megalopolis in 331 BC, Alexander's defeated the Spartans, who had
refused to recognize Macedonian supremacy. Alexander pressed on,
advancing through today’s Afghanistan and Pakistan to the Indus River
valley and by 326 BC he had reached Punjab. He might well have
advanced down the Ganges but his army refused to go any further.
Alexander reluctantly turned back. He died in 323 BC and soon after his
death Alexander's empire broke up, but his conquests permanently
changed the Greek world. Thus, Greek-speaking kingdoms in Egypt,
Syria, Persia, and Bactria were established and the knowledge and
cultures of east and west began to permeate and interact. It was the
beginning of Hellenistic age.
Greek Timeline
BC
498 Persian invasion of Greece
498-448 Greco-Persian Wars
336 Death of Philip of Macedon
334 Alexander the Great begins his
conquests
334 Battle of the Granicus
333 Battle of Issus
331 Battle of Arbela
323 Death of Alexander
146 Greece is made a Roman Province
Hellenization