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
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 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 (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 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 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 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 (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.
Generous givers. When Hezekiah asked the people to contribute financially to his temple restoration project, they gave generously (31:5). Their response recalls the time of… Read More »Generous givers
What is a scapegoat? Laying hands on a sacrificial animal (29:23–24) was a symbolic act. It meant that human sin was being placed on the… Read More »What is a scapegoat?
Ten Hebrew kings are mentioned among the records of the Assyrian Empire, which helps to show the reliability of biblical history. King Ahaz asked the… Read More »Ten Hebrew kings
Thistles (25:18) are flowering plants known for their sharp outer edges. This discourages animals from feeding on the plant. In the Bible, thistles often represent… Read More »Thistles
Why did the guards carry King David’s spears? Even though King David’s spears (23:9) were around 150 years old, they served an important purpose. Having… Read More »Why did the guards carry King David’s spears?