Longer Questions Flashcards
(3 cards)
Please tell the story of Judah’s last years. The characters are Josiah, Necho, Zedekiah, Jehoiakim, Gedaliahand Jehoiachin. Who were they, what did they do, and when did they do it? [10]
Key Characters & Events:
Josiah (640–609 BCE)
Reformed Judah’s religion (centralized worship, destroyed idols).
Killed by Pharaoh Necho II at Megiddo while trying to block Egypt’s advance against Babylon.
Necho II (610–595 BCE)
Egyptian pharaoh, who killed Josiah and controlled Judah briefly.
Defeated by Babylon at Carchemish, ending Egyptian influence.
Jehoiakim (609–598 BCE)
Installed by Necho as a puppet king after deposing Josiah’s son Jehoahaz.
Rebelled against Babylon, leading to Nebuchadnezzar’s siege.
Died during the siege (598 BCE), possibly assassinated (Jer 22:18–19).
Jehoiachin (598–597 BCE)
Ruled only 3 months before surrendering to Babylon.
Exiled to Babylon with the royal family and elites.
Zedekiah (597–586 BCE)
Nebuchadnezzar’s puppet king.
Rebelled, leading to Babylon’s final siege.
Captured, blinded, and exiled after watching his sons executed.
Gedaliah (586 BCE)
Appointed Babylonian governor over Judah after Jerusalem’s fall.
Assassinated by Ishmael (a royal remnant), causing survivors to flee to Egypt.
Describe the four major phases in the rebuilding of the post-exilic Jewish community. Describe the role of the following characters: Sheshbazzar, Zerubbabel, Joshua, Ezra, Nehemiah, Darius etc. [10]
Phase 1: Return Under Cyrus (538–515 BCE)
Sheshbazzar:
Leader of the first return (Ezra 1:8–11).
Laid the Temple foundation, but work stalled (Ezra 5:16).
Phase 2: Temple Rebuilt Under Darius I (520–515 BCE)
Zerubbabel (governor) & Joshua (high priest):
Restarted construction after prophetic urging (Haggai, Zechariah).
Completed the Second Temple (515 BCE, Ezra 6:15).
Phase 3: Ezra’s Reforms (458/7 BCE)
Ezra:
Priest-scribe sent by Persian king Artaxerxes I.
Enforced Torah obedience, dissolved foreign marriages (Ezra 7–10).
Phase 4: Nehemiah’s Wall (445–433 BCE)
Nehemiah:
Cupbearer to Artaxerxes I, appointed governor.
Rebuilt Jerusalem’s walls despite opposition (Neh 2–6).
Reformed society (debt relief, Sabbath enforcement, Neh 5, 13).
Darius I (522–486 BCE):
Approved Temple completion (Ezra 6:1–12).
What are the main differences between the two creation narratives, both in terms
of content and theological message? Why does the OT start like this? [10]
- Content Differences
Genesis 1:1–2:4a (Priestly/P Source)
Order of Creation: Structured in 7 days; humans created last (1:26–27).
God’s Name: Uses Elohim (emphasizing transcendence).
Creation Method: God speaks commands (“Let there be…”).
Focus: Cosmic order, Sabbath rest (2:1–3).
Genesis 2:4b–25 (Yahwist/J Source)
Order of Creation: Man created first (2:7), then plants/animals (2:8–19), woman last (2:21–22).
God’s Name: Uses Yahweh Elohim (personal, relational).
Creation Method: Hands-on (God “forms” man, “breathes” life).
Focus: Human relationships, moral choice (2:16–17; 3:1–7).
- Theological Messages
P Source:
Universal God: Highlights God’s sovereignty over all creation.
Structured Worship: Sabbath as sacred (1:31–2:3).
J Source:
Intimate God: Depicts Yahweh walking/talking with humans (3:8).
Moral Drama: Explores free will, sin, and consequences (2:16–17; 3:1–24).
- Why Does the OT Start Like This?
Dual Revelation: Combines transcendent (P) and personal (J) portraits of God.
Exilic Reassurance: P’s order comforts post-exile Jews; J’s Eden explains human brokenness.
Literary Purpose: Introduces Torah’s core theme—covenant relationship—through complementary narratives.
