Cupbearer to the king
Cupbearer to the king may sound like a lowly position, but it was actually considered a high office. The cupbearer’s job was to taste any… Read More »Cupbearer to the king
Biblical Facts
An unscheduled assembly in Jerusalem
An unscheduled assembly in Jerusalem. Three times each year, all the people of Israel were to gather in Jerusalem: Passover, Pentecost, and the Feast of… Read More »An unscheduled assembly in Jerusalem
How long was the journey from Babylon to Jerusalem?
How long was the journey from Babylon to Jerusalem? It took Ezra and the caravan he was traveling with four months to traverse the nearly… Read More »How long was the journey from Babylon to Jerusalem?
How long did it take to rebuild the temple?
How long did it take to rebuild the temple? The Jews returning from exile faced many obstacles in rebuilding the temple. The non-Jewish people now… Read More »How long did it take to rebuild the temple?
The Behistun Inscription
The Behistun Inscription. This 50-by-80-foot (15-by-24 m) inscription was carved into the face of a cliff in western Iran. Using various languages, it provides an… Read More »The Behistun Inscription
Beyond the River
Beyond the River was the name given by Persian rulers to their province that included Judah and Israel (4:11). The “River” refers to the Euphrates… Read More »Beyond the River
Joppa
Joppa was 35 miles (56 km) northwest of Jeru-salem on the Mediterranean Sea and was a major seaport. Joppa had the only natural harbor in… Read More »Joppa
Darics
Darics (2:69) were gold coins used throughout the Persian Empire. These coins were often called “archers” because of the image of an archer stamped on… Read More »Darics
Cyrus the Great
Cyrus the Great was the founder of the largest empire the ancient Near East had seen thus far. He conquered much of Southwest and Central… Read More »Cyrus the Great
Passover
Passover is a feast remembering Israel’s exodus from Egypt. It recalls their final meal in Egypt before deliverance. The most important element is the lamb… Read More »Passover
The Book of the Law of the Lord
The Book of the Law of the Lord. The high priest discovered this forgotten book while the temple was being repaired (34:14). After reading the… Read More »The Book of the Law of the Lord
Hezekiah’s wall
Hezekiah’s wall (32:5) was one of his many efforts to defend Jerusalem from the invading Assyrians. Archaeologists have uncovered a 650-foot (200-m)portion of this wall.