The Inter-testimal Periods
Events of the Persian Period.
Of the four periods classified as "Between the Testament" or a period of about 400 years, the Persian period is almost a blank. This is a period of about 250 years. What we do know is from the time of Nehemiah, the HIGH PRIEST became the most important person in the state. In the genealogies of the period, the Levites were recorded as "chief of the fathers." From Nehemiah to the end of the Persian Empire the High Priest under Darius Codomannus were Eliashib, Joiada, Jonathan, and Jaddua (these are listed in Neh. 12:22).
Elisahib, the high priest in the time of Ezra, was succeed by his son Joiada, and he by his son, Jonathan, and this seems to be the end of the family linage.
During the reign of Artaxerxes II, there was a rivalry between Jonathan and his brother Joshua (Jesus). Joshua was slain by his brother in the Temple. Joshua had aligned himself with the Persian sat-trap and was suspected of trying to secure the Priest hood through unorthodox means. When Bagoses, the sat-trap, found out about about the murder he punished Judea by imposing a fifty shekel tax on every lamb offered for sacrifice. The Jews learned a lesson here about a higher authority. Bagoses said, "Am I not purer than the dead body of him you have slain in the temple?"
During this time (c. 408 B.C.), the Egyptians destroyed a Temple built by the Jews on the island of Yeb (Elephantine) for unknown reasons. (See Jeremiah 43 for th migration of the Jews). We do have the Elephantine papyri), from those Jews in Egypt requesting authority to rebuild the Elephantine Temple but apparently the authority was never granted.
The Priests: Jaddaus; and Alexander the Great.
Jaddaus was the successor of the Priesthood behind Jonathan. His High Priesthood was under Darius Codomannus (338-331 B.C.).
Josephus tells the story of an interview between Jaddaus and Alexander the Great. While Alexander was besieging Tyre, he sent a demand to the Jews that they submit. After taking Tyre, Alexander marched to Jerusalem. Jaddua, by the command of God in a vision, hung Garlands in the city and went forth in a solemn procession to meet the conqueror. On seeing the high priest in his state robes and seeing the rest of the priests in their attire, Alexander fell prostrate in adoration and rising embraced the High Priest. Alexander was chastised by Parmenio, his aid, and replied that he did not worship the Priest but worshiped the NAME engraved on the frontlet (YHWH) and recognized him as a figure that had appeared to him in a vision in Macedonia. Entering Jerusalem, he offered a sacrifice to YHWH and was shown the prophecies relating to him written in the book of Daniel. He then granted the Jews full privileges to worship as their forefathers had worshiped, not only there (Jerusalem), but everywhere.
This story gives us a problem with the closing date of the OT, which will be discussed later.
Alexander and the Samaritans
The Samaritans sought to win the favor of Alexander and claimed the same privileges as the Jews. The reception to that proposal was not accepted favorably by Alexander. As Alexander moved on to Egypt the Samaritans rebelled and burned alive the Macedonian governor, Andromachus.
For a Complete list of the Seleucid and Ptolemy Kings see (Look at the Index)
When Alexander learned of this event, he returned and burned Samaria. In 1962 in the desolate terrain about nine miles north of Jericho, about 200 skeletons with jewelry, food remains, clothes and coins and numerous written documents were found in two caves. These were some of the occupants of Samaria. After killing Andromachus, the Samaritans fled to the desolate area when they learned that Alexander was returning. But, they were discovered (or betrayed) and mercilessly slaughtered to a man and their remains thrown back in the caves.
Alexander's place in Jewish History!
After Alexander died his empire was divided between his generals. Ptolemy I ruled Egypt. Seleucus I ruled Syria. Cassander ruled in Macedonia. Lysimachus ruled in Thrace. These four divisions are symbolized in the Book of Daniel by the four headed goat, leopard, and four horns on the head of the he-goat, which grew up when its first single horn was broken (Dan. 7:6; 8:8).
The tradition of his visit to Jerusalem represents a side of Alexander's character that has been lost by most recent historians. Alexander saw his purpose as bringing together the east and the west and not to annihilate them. He did not want to enslave Asia and Greece. He was after union between the east and the west.
There are several points that ought to be made about the conquest of Alexander the Great. The most direct consequence of the policy of Alexander was to weaken nationalities. This is the first condition that must be meet for the dissolution of old religions. His armies were full of people from many nations, his swift victories and the spread of the Greek culture deprived paganism of life. The Greek language was considered to be the most perfect expansion of the human language of the time. Greek was spoken everywhere. This affected the Jews as much, or more, than any one thing. With the spread of the language the Jew was now able to wander all of the world, engage other people, and still remain a Jew. The Jews were just beginning to realize their mission was to convert the entire world. To this day, the city that bears his name is a constant reminder of Alexander's greatness. Aristotle urged him to treat the Greeks as freemen and the Orientals as slaves, but Alexander rejected this because he claimed that his mission was divine and his purpose was to reconcile the world.
THE PTOLEMIES
Onias I (330-309).
Jaddua was succeeded by his son ONIAS I who was the high-priest from 330 B.C. to 309 B.C. At that time, Palestine was considered part of the Syrian (Seleucid) Empire. Ptolemy, the son of Lagus, attacked Jerusalem on the Sabbath and carried off a large number of Jewish and Samaritan captives to Alexander. There he gave them full citizenship, and when others in the Jewish land found out about their treatment, they left Judea to live in Egypt. Palestine became the crossroads for war between the Ptolemy and Seleucid Empire from that point on. It was subject to the first five Ptolemies for about a century (301 B.C. 198 B.C.). Great suffering was inflicted on Palestine for many years.
SIMON I (THE JUST) (300-292)
The high-priesthood then passed to Simon the Just (about 300-292 B.C). He was the Son of Onias I. In Jewish Tradition, he was the greatest high-priest in this family line. He raised the walls of Jerusalem almost three times their original height. According to tradition, Simon was the last survivor of the Great Synagogue of 120. That is, those who originally returned with Ezra. Putting together the cannon of the OT is ascribed to Simon as his final work. The members of the Great Synagogue were succeeded by the New Synagogue and they were the first writers of the Mishna. Simon had a disciple by the name of Zadok (Sadduc) the founder of the Sadduccees. Much of this is based on Jewish tradition and cannot be proven.
ELEAZAR (292-251 B.C.) and MANASSEH (251-240 B.C.).
Simon was succeeded by his brother Eleazar, since his son Onias was under age (291-251 B.C.). Eleazar's brother filled the priesthood after the death of Eleazar until 240 B.C. This was a period of peace for Palestine.
