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b-hebrew - Re: [b-hebrew] First temple destroyed 586 or 587 BCE?

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  • From: Peter Kirk <peterkirk AT qaya.org>
  • To: Yigal Levin <leviny1 AT mail.biu.ac.il>
  • Cc: b-hebrew <b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] First temple destroyed 586 or 587 BCE?
  • Date: Fri, 24 Sep 2004 11:25:48 +0100

On 24/09/2004 05:23, Yigal Levin wrote:

Where did all this come from? ...


From the book of Daniel, obviously. Karl prefers to trust that historical source more than the sources you are using. And it is far from certain that your sources are telling the full story.

... Cyrus II (The Great) became king of the
Persians in 559, and conquered Babylon in 539. His proclamation was issued
in that year or the next. He died in 530 and was succeeded by his son
Cambyses. Cambyses stabbed himself to death under strange circumstances in
522, which is when Darius took over. "Darius the Mede" is an invention of
Daniel - there was no such king.


The difficulties are not just in Daniel. 2 Chronicles 36:22 and Ezra 1:1 (cf. Daniel 10:1) both date the order for the return to Jerusalem in the *first* year of Cyrus. In 2 Chronicles this verse immediately follows the statement that the land (not the city or the temple) had enjoyed 70 years of desolation. Perhaps the point is (as in NIV Study Bible notes) that the biblical regnal years of Cyrus were counted from his capture of Babylon, so this refers to the first year of his reign over Babylon. But the text doesn't say so.

As for your "there was no such king", arguments from silence are dangerous. This Darius (son of Ahasuerus, 62 years old, according to Daniel 5:30, 9:1), could have been Cyrus' co-regent or governor of Babylon - perhaps to be identified with the Gubaru, governor of Babylon, known from ancient records.

--
Peter Kirk
peter AT qaya.org (personal)
peterkirk AT qaya.org (work)
http://www.qaya.org/






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