1. =The Per'sian period=, B. C. 536 to 330, from Cy'rus to Al-ex-an'der,
while the Jew'ish province was a part of the Per'sian empire. Very few
events of these two centuries have been recorded, but it appears to have
been a period of quiet prosperity and growth. The Jews were governed by
their high priests under the general control of the Per'sian government.
The principal events of this period were:
1.) _The second temple_, B. C. 535-515. This was begun soon after the
return from exile (Ezra 3. 1, 2, 8), but was not completed until
twenty-one years afterward (Ezra 6. 15, 16). It was smaller and less
splendid than that of Sol'o-mon, but was built upon the same plan.
2.) _Ez'ra's reformation_, B. C. 450. The coming to Je-ru'sa-lem of
Ez'ra the scribe was a great event in Is'ra-el-ite history; for, aided
by Ne-he-mi'ah, he led in a great reformation of the people. He found
them neglecting their law and following foreign customs. He awakened an
enthusiasm for the Mo-sa'ic law, aroused the patriotism of the people,
and renewed the ancient faith. His work gave him the title of "the
second founder of Is'ra-el."
3.) _The separation of the Sa-mar'i-tans_, B. C. 409. (For the origin
of the Sa-mar'i-tans see 2 Kings 17. 22-34.) They were a mingled people,
both in race and religion; but until the captivity were permitted to
worship in the temple at Je-ru'sa-lem. After the return from Bab'y-lon
the Sa-mar'i-tans and the Jews grew farther and farther apart. The
Sa-mar'i-tans opposed the rebuilding of the temple (Ezra 4. 9-24), and
delayed it for many years; and a century later strove to prevent
Ne-he-mi'ah from building the wall of Je-ru'sa-lem (Neh. 4. 2). Finally
they established a rival temple on Mount Ger'i-zim, and thenceforth the
two races were in bitter enmity (John 4. 9).
4.) _The completion of the Old Testament canon._ The prophets after the
restoration were Hag'ga-i, Zech-a-ri'ah, and Mal'a-chi; but the author
or editor of most of the latest books was Ez'ra, who also arranged the
Old Testament nearly, perhaps fully, in its present form. Thenceforward
no more books were added, and the scribe or interpreter took the place
of the prophet.
2. =The Greek period=, B. C. 330-166. In the year B. C. 330 Al-ex-an'der
the Great won the empire of Per'sia in the great battle of Ar-be'la, by
which the sovereignty of the East was transferred from A'sia to Eu'rope,
and a new chapter in the history of the world was opened. Al-ex-an'der
died at the hour when his conquests were completed, and before they
could be organized and assimilated; but the kingdoms into which his
empire was divided were all under Greek kings, and were all Greek in
language and civilization. Ju-de'a was on the border between Syr'i-a and
E'gypt, and belonged alternately to each kingdom. We divide this period
into three subdivisions:
1.) _The reign of Al-ex-an'der_, B. C. 330-321. The Jews had been well
treated by the Per'sian kings and remained faithful to Da-ri'us, the
last king of Per'sia, in his useless struggle. Al-ex-an'der marched
against Je-ru'sa-lem, determined to visit upon it heavy punishment for
its opposition, but (according to tradition) was met by Jad-du'a, the
high priest, and turned from an enemy to a friend of the Jews.
2.) _The E-gyp'tian supremacy_, B. C. 311-198. In the division of
Al-ex-an'der's conquests Ju-de'a was annexed to Syr'i-a, but it soon
fell into the hands of E'gypt, and was governed by the Ptol'e-mies
(Greek kings of E'gypt) until B. C. 198. The only important events of
this period were the rule of Si'mon the Just, an exceptionally able
high priest, about B. C. 300, and the translation of the Old Testament
into the Greek language for the use of the Jews of Al-ex-an'dri-a, who
had lost the use of He'brew or Chal'dee. This translation was made about
B. C. 286, according to Jew'ish tradition, and is known as the
Septuagint version.
3.) _The Syr'i-an supremacy_, B. C. 198-166. About the year B. C. 198
Ju-de'a fell into the hands of the Syr'i-an kingdom, also ruled by a
Greek dynasty, the Se-leu'ci-dae, or descendants of Se-leu'cus. This
change of rulers brought to the Jews a change of treatment. Hitherto
they had been permitted to live undisturbed upon their mountains, and to
enjoy a measure of liberty, both in civil and ecclesiastical matters.
But now the Syr'i-an kings not only robbed them of their freedom, but
also undertook to compel them to renounce their religion by one of the
most cruel persecutions in all history. The temple was desecrated and
left to ruin, and the worshipers of Je-ho'vah were tortured and slain,
in the vain endeavor to introduce the Greek and Syr'i-an forms of
idolatry among the Jews. Heb. 11. 33-40 is supposed to refer to this
persecution. When An-ti'o-chus, the Syr'i-an king, found that the Jews
could not be driven from their faith, he deliberately determined to
exterminate the whole nation. Uncounted thousands of Jews were
slaughtered, other thousands were sold as slaves, Je-ru'sa-lem was
well-nigh destroyed, the temple was dedicated to Ju'pi-ter O-lym'pus,
and the orgies of the Bacchanalia were substituted for the Feast of
Tabernacles. The religion of Je-ho'vah and the race of the Jews seemed
on the verge of utter annihilation in their own land.