File:The historical Bible (1908) (14765363575).jpg

Identifier: historicalbible04kent (find matches)
Title: The historical Bible
Year: 1908 (1900s)
Authors: Kent, Charles Foster, 1867-1925
Subjects: Bible
Publisher: New York : C. Scribner
Contributing Library: Princeton Theological Seminary Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Internet Archive

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s which clearly imply that they livedfar down in the Persian period. The family of the high priest Joshuaalready numbers nine hundred and ninety-three. In this census are alsoincluded the inhabitants of many towns outside Jerusalem, as, for ex-ample, Jericho, Gibeon, and Bethlehem. Moreover, certain towns arementioned, such as Lud and Ono, which were not added to the Judeancommunity until the latter part of the Persian period. In view of thesefacts and the unmistakable implications in the sermons of Haggai andZechariah that in their day there had been no general return of theirkinsmen from Babylon, the prevailing popular interpretation of thisperiod of Israels history is clearly untenable and misleading. If therewas a general return of exiles from Babylon, it certainly did not comeuntil after the walls had been rebuilt under the inspiring leadership ofNehemiah. The Jews to whom Haggai and Zechariah preached, andwho rebuilt the second temple, were the people of the land who had sur- 40
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THE RESTORATION vived the destruction of Jerusalem, or else had returned from theirtemporary refuge on the borders of the land of Egypt. III. Convulsions in the Persian Empire. After a brilliant andsuccessful reign Cyrus died in 529 B.C., leaving his vast empire to hisson Cambyses. The new king lacked the wisdom and statesmanshipof his father, but inherited his love of conquest. Most of his shortreign was devoted to the conquest of Egypt. From their hill-tops theJews doubtless witnessed the march of the great armies of Persia, andwere forced to contribute to their support. It was a period of changeand transition, when old empires went down in ruin and new forcesgained the ascendancy. On his return from Egypt, Cambyses, finding a pretender contend-ing for the throne, committed suicide, thus leaving the empire with-out any legitimate head. During this crisis, in the autumn of 521B.C., a Persian noble, Darius, was raised to the kingship by conspira-tors, who had slain the pretender. Dari

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