Jewish Deportations -- Periods Of Captivitiy -- Three -- 605 / 597 / 587 BC

 

 

If we use the dates, 600 - 580 BC, that's an incredible "narrow period of time" in the big scheme of things. But it's much more complicated than that: AI prompt: 

Historians divide the Jewish / Biblical / Babylonian deportations into three events (605, 597, and 587) -- this is an incredibly short period of time -- about 20 - 30 years. Could one argue that from the perspective of the average Jew, he and/or his family was constantly o the move during those thirty years? 

Greeks and Egyptians during this period of time.

During this period, the Greeks were in a period of development, Greek city-states were rising; developing its political systems, including the first democracy in Athens. This period is marked by the rise of Greek civilization.

The Babylonians at this time: the Chaldean Empire, the last independent Mesopotamian power and was at its height around 600 BC under rulers like Nebuchadnezzar II.

So, the Jews were "squeezed" by the Babylonians to the east/south and the Egyptians to the west. Egypt and Babylonian empires were fighting for control of the Levant. Egypt installed vassal kings in Judah to try to hold back the Babylonians / Chaldeans.

This period, 605 - 580 BC: three periods of captivity / deportations of the Jews:  

• first deportation, 605 BC: the prophet Daniel was taken in this first wave;
• the poorest of the poor stayed behind; 
• famine, think Gaza these days; a significant portion of the population stayed behind;
• second deportation: 597 BC: the prophet Ezekial was taken in this second wave.
• following a subsequent rebellion by King Jehoiakim and the short reign of his son Jehoiachin, Nebuchadnezzar besieged / captured Jersulaem, exiled the King Jehoiachin and the prophet Ezekial, and thousands of the wealthiest, influential, and skillful craftsmen.
• third deportation: 587 BC: after the final rebellion by King Zedekiah, the Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem and Solomon's Temple; 
• the majority of the remaining population was forcibly removed to Babylon. This was when Jeremiah had had enough and fled to Egypt, somewhere between 585 to 582 BC.

Some escaped deportation to Babylon by fleeing to Egypt -- including the prophet Jeremiah, around  585 - 582 BC.

Jeremiah:

• b. 650 BC, Anathoth, Judah, a village near Jerusalem;
• began his ministry around 627 BC
• fled to Egypt: 585, he would have been 65 years old by the time he fled?
• taken there forcibly by a group of Judeans
• death: after 587 BC -- traditional date: 570 BC -- 80 years old? Wow?