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Issachar, son of Jacob

In Genesis, Issachar was referred to as the fifth son of Leah, but the ninth son of Jacob. He was also the leader of the Tribe of Issachar. He can be found on the Biblical Timeline Chart around 1704 BC. The name Issachar had two meanings, which included “man of hire” and “there is a reward”. However, some scholars believe there is another etymology for the name, ‘whis is ish Sokar’ or “man of Sokar”. This was associated with the tribe that was known to be worshippers of Sokar, who is one of the Egyptian deities.

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Issachar
map of Issachar

Issachar In the Bible

Since Leah was considered as Jacob’s first wife in the Bible, scholars assumed that the authors identified the Tribe of Issachar as among the original groups of Israelites. There were also some assumptions that the Tribe mainly originated as the group of Shekelesh, in which “Shekel” is a name synonymous with ish sakar or “man of hire”.

Other Sources

As for the classical rabbinical text, Issachar was mentioned as the man born on the 4th of Av, and that he lived for up to 122 years. In the Book of Jasher, it was narrated that Issachar married Jobab’s younger daughter, by the name of Aridah. Moreover, Issachar was noted to have four sons, and they were all born in the land of Canaan. These sons of Issachar eventually left their homeland to live with him in Egypt.

It is also worth noting that in the Book of Jasher, Issachar was depicted as a man who was rather pragmatic. He was also dedicated to becoming a learned man, but he took part in activities such as in military campaigns where his brothers were a part of. He also relied on Zebulun for finances while Issachar provided spiritual support.

The Virtue of Issachar

In most scriptures, Issachar was described as a man who was often with religious scholars. For instance, in the Book of Chronicles, Issachar was presented us being with men who were wise enough to know what to do during times of difficulties in Israel. However, in the Midrash, Issachar was among those who were rather influential in proselytism. During the Blessing of Jacob, this man was seen as one who succumbed to forced labor and lived a difficult life.

Zebulun and Issachar

The Tribe of Zebulun was often depicted in the scriptures as merchants while Issachar was presented as among the religious teachers. In spite of their differences, the two always had a peaceful relationship. As Issachar provided Zebulun with spiritual knowledge, Zebulun supported Issachar financially. This was indeed a healthy relationship that has led to a good partnership between the two.

 Indeed, Issachar has lived quite a meaningful life as he pursued to achieve a higher spirituality that helped several people along the way. He might not have succeeded in financial matters unlike Zebulun, yet he was able to make good use of his skills and intelligence. His virtue and way of thinking indeed proved that while it helps to be practical in life, it is still important to enrich one’s spirituality to obtain the strength of will despite challenges.

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Elam, Biblical Figure

Elam (which means forever in Hebrew) is the one of the sons of Shem, who was the son of Noah. His siblings are Arphaxad, Asshur, Lud, and Aram.

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elam
‘Elam (/ˈiːləm/) was an ancient Pre-Iranic civilization centered in the far west and southwest of what is now modern-day Iran.’

There is also Elam (the nation) which may have been named after him. It is located towards the west of ancient Persia and today’s Iran. Bordered by the Zagros Mountains which are east and north, and then there is the Persian Gulf in the south and the Tigris River towards the west.

Elam is recorded in history at the time of Sagron of Akkad around 2300 BC where it is listed on the Bible Timeline. Not long after the Elamites pillaged Ur and founded an Elamite kingdom inside Shnunna. The Elamites went on to take Babylon up till Hammurabi around 1700 BC.

Following Hammurabi, the Kassites took over Elam and reigned till around 1200 BC. Then the upcoming era was the greatest peak of Elam’s power. The entirety of western Iran was ruled by them until the Romans stepped in once again. An Assyrian named Ashurbanipal traveled through the area on several missions to take over Susa during 641 BC. Before that, Elam had included Anshan, (which one day became Cyrus the Great’s) as part of the district. Once Assyria became weak, Elam and Anshan were combined with the reign of Medes. As a result, they were with the Babylonians during the loss of the Assyrian Empire.

Afterward, Elam had hardly any independence as part of their history and stayed as a piece of the Medes and Persian kingdoms. Biblically Elam’s role could have been as an agent for the larger kingdoms in its donations of armies.

Elam is found in the Bible as stories and prophecies. Abraham battled against Chedorlaomer, king of Elam to ensure Lot’s departure. (Gen 14:1). Isaiah’s message of hope incorporated the assurance that God would confiscate His people out of Elam (Isaiah 11:11). Through Isaiah 21:2 and 22:6 Elam’s strength in battle is mentioned. Elam was asked to go to Babylon (Isaiah 21:1). Another point in the Bible concerning Elam is the reference to contributing in God’s judgment towards Judah. Jeremiah 25:25 incorporates Elam as a nation ‘which must drink the cup of God’s wrath’. Afterwards, Jeremiah during the time of Zedekiah announced judgment towards Elam. There was no reasoning given for it; however Elam, working under Babylon might have been involved in the invasion of Jerusalem. Ezekiel portrayed Elam inside the ‘pit’ (Sheol) where it was shamed and disciplined for destroying so much (Ezekiel 32:24).

There is more reference to Elam as a person’s name or ‘homeland’. An intriguing indication was the men that come from Elam, who were there on the day of the Pentecost. They might have been Jews originating from Elam or brought over to Judaism (Acts 2:9).

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Moses

Known as the great prince of Egypt who eventually became a prophet, Moses has made a significant part in the Hebrew Bible. Pharaoh’s daughter named him Moses (Hebrew Mosheh), as she drew him out (Hebrew meshitihu) of the water. The name Moses in Egyptian means “son”, as derived from the Egyptian word “mes”. In Hebrew, he was referred to as Moshe Rabbenu, which means “Moses our Rabbi”. He was also noted as one of the most important prophets in Judaism, Islam, Christianity and other religions. He can be found on the Bible Timeline Chart around 1571 BC.

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The Time of Moses

The birth of Moses occurred at the time when the Israelites, particularly the children, were viewed as a threat to the Pharaoh’s power. The Israelite population continued to increase, and the Pharoah was afraid they might all become allies to the opponents of Egypt. Thus, an order was made, which would kill all the newborn Hebrew boys in the nation. When this news reached Jochebed, the Hebrew mother of Moses, she decided to spare the child’s life by hiding him in a basket. Then, she let the basket travel through the lengths of the Nile River.

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Moses is adopted by the Queen

Queen Bithia, the sister of the Pharaoh, decided to adopt the child upon seeing it nestled in a basket that was floating along the river. Hence, Moses was raised in the royal family of Egypt where he basked in a life of luxury.

Leaving Egypt

One incident occurred in the life of Moses when he deliberately killed an Egyptian overseer of an Israelite slave. Filled with fear and guilt, Moses left immediately until he reached Midian. It was here that he came across the voice of God who spoke to him while appearing as a burning bush.

Instead of letting Moses settle in the new land, God commanded him to return to Egypt to set free his people, the Israelites. At first, Moses was reluctant to do so as he had no superior ability to speak with command and eloquence. As a solution, God said that Aaron would become the voice behind Moses.

With the help of God, ten plagues were sent to Egypt, which led to the victorious release of the Israelites from the Pharaoh. After crossing the Red Sea, these people headed off to Mount Sinai, the place where they were given the Ten Commandments by Moses.

Moses_Bible
Moses and the Ten Commandments

From Mount Sinai, the Israelites were led to Canaan‘s border. It was here were Moses sent 12 spies who would determine the condition of the land, and if it was worth living. However, it was discovered that Giants settled in the place, and this caused the Israelites to keep on complaining and they even wanted to go back to Egypt. They even made acts of rebellion to God and Moses. Soon, the Israelites were punished, and they were left wandering for 40 years in the wilderness.

Moses was considered to be Israel’s great lawgiver, and he was able to put all these laws in four books. The books included the Covenant Code where the Decalogue were found, the Book of Leviticus, Book of Numbers and Book of Deuteronomy. Lastly, Moses was also regarded as the author behind these four books including Genesis that made up the Torah of the Jewish Bible.

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Benjamin, son of Jacob

The youngest son of Jacob, Benjamin was referred to as the righteous child because of his loyalty to Jacob even when his brothers were completely against Joseph, who was well-loved by their father. Benjamin was also born in the land of Canaan, and his name meant “Son of My Days,” according to the Hebrew. He can be found on the Biblical Timeline Poster around 1754 BC.

In the Scriptures

In the Book of Torah, it was narrated that there was a point when Joseph’s brothers headed off to Egypt, yet they were unable to recognize their brother. Thus, Joseph planned to test his brothers’ character and wanted to determine if they have already turned away from their evil way. So, he ordered his men to place secretly a silver cup inside the bag of his youngest brother, Benjamin.

The next day, there was a great search that was conducted, with the intention of finding the “lost” silver cup. After a

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Search for the lost cup

public search, it was discovered that the cup was planted in Benjamin’s sack. As a punishment for the alleged theft, Joseph commanded that the young boy should be left in the palace and held as his slave because of what he had done.

However, Judah, one of Joseph’s brothers, spoke up and begged for Benjamin to be released. Instead of having the young boy held captive, Judah pleaded to take his place as a slave. He explained that his father Jacob would be left heartbroken if he learned that Benjamin was left in Egypt.

Joseph could no longer hold his emotions at that point, and he revealed his true identity in front of his brothers. Hence, the brothers rekindled their love for each other, and they were filled with joy that Joseph was still alive.

It is also worth noting that Benjamin was also Joseph’s favorite brother. This was presented in the story when Joseph was filled with tears as he met Benjamin after a long time. He even ordered that Benjamin should receive five times more food than what his other brothers were served.

Other Accounts on Benjamin

In the Hebrew Scriptures, It was mentioned that Joshua divided the land into twelve, which were supposed to be managed and owned by the twelve tribes of Israel. Benjamin was assigned to the land between Ephraim, and extending to Judah, Jordan River, and other cities including Gibeah and Bethel. There were also several towns in the Book of Joshua that were all the possession of Benjamin.

As for Jerusalem, it was under the control of the tribe Jebusites, despite the fact that it was a part of the territory that was given to the tribe of Benjamin. In addition, Bethel was claimed as a part of the land owned by the Tribe of Ephraim, although Joshua gave this lot to Benjamin, according to the scriptures.

 Throughout the life of Benjamin, he found favor not only from his father and dear brothers but also from God. He was blessed with many gifts, and he continued to become a great leader of his tribe until his death.

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Astarte, Worshipped by Phoenicians

Astarte is one of the names that was commonly linked with the female divinity of the people during the early Bronze Age. It is listed on the Biblical Timeline Chart around 1754 BC.  It is also the Greek name of Ishtar, who is a Mesopotamian Semitic goddess. She is linked with war, sexuality and fertility. Among her symbols included the horse, dove, lion, star within a circle and a sphinx.

In Phoenicia, several states including Byblos, Tyre and Sidon were among the centers of worship for Astarte. For instance, there were coins in Sidon that included the symbol with a chariot where a globe or stone appears, and this represented Astarte. Moreover, Astarte had a temple that was shared with Eshmun, in Sidon. As in Beirut, some coins depicted Astarte, along with Poseidon and Eshmun being praised together.

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‘Book of Judges – The worship of Ashtaroth. And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the Lord, and served Baalim, and Ashtaroth, and the gods of Syria, and the gods of Zidon, and the gods of Moab, and the gods of the children of Ammon, and the gods of the Philistines, and forsook the Lord, and served not him. (Judges 10:6) ‘

Several other centers of worship were located in Malta, Eryx and Cythera. In Sicily, Astarte became popular as the Venus Erycina of the Romans. There were even Pyrgi tablets that contained bilingual inscriptions, which dated back to 500 BC. It was discovered that Astarte was linked with the Uni-Astre of the Etruscans. As for the land of Carthage, the goddess Tanit was worshipped along with Astarte.

According to Donald Harden, there was a statue of Astarte discovered in Tutugi, which was located near Granada, in Spain. The statue dated back as early as the 7th or 6th century, and Astarte was depicted as sitting on a throne. She was also flanked by several sphinxes, and there was a bowl held just underneath her pierced breasts.

The pantheon in Phoenicia was generally ascribed to the Sanchuniathon. In the description, it was presented that Astarte was the daughter of Epigeius and Ge, and that she was Elus’ sister. When Epigeius was overthrown by the god Elus, a virgin daughter was sent. This was a trick that Epigeius made to Elus, although it failed to work. Astarte, Asherah and Ba alat Gebal, who were sent to Elus, eventually became his wives.

The goddess Astarte bore Elus seven daughters (Titanides) and two sons (Pothos and Eros). Eventually, Astarte and Hadad were given the right by Elus to reign over the land. To show her sovereignty, Astarte decided to place a bull’s head on her own. She also wandered around the world, and she was noted to have picked up a fallen star or a meteorite and placed it at Tyre.

In the Hebrew scriptures, Astarte was referred to as Ashteroth Karnaim. It was a city that was situated in Bashan, which was in the eastern part of the Jordan River. This place was mentioned in the Book of Joshua and Genesis. When translated literally, Asteroth Karnaim means “Ashteroth of the Horns”. Moreover, Ashteroth was a fertility goddess from Canaan, and the horns were used as a symbol of the mountain peaks in the land. In Israel, several figurines of the goddess were discovered, and she was presented has having two horns. Hence, the goddess Astarte was commonly depicted as having horns or the crescent moon on her head.

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Abimelech King of Gerar

There is more than one Abimelech in the Bible, but he is most commonly referred to as the King of Gerar. He was in power when Abraham was traveling through Kadesh and Shur inside Philistine territory.

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As they entered Gerar, Abraham proclaimed his wife Sarah as his sister so that he would not be killed; after hearing this, King Abimelech had Sarah brought to his palace. But God came to him in a dream and told the king that Sarah was married and that he would die upon taking her. Standing up for himself Abimelech responded saying that he was innocent, had not laid a hand on her and had been informed that she was Abraham’s sibling not his wife. God allowed Abimelech to live upon returning Sarah to her husband.

abimelech
‘King Abimelech Restores Sarah to her Husband, Abraham, Flemish wool and silk tapestry by Frans Geubels, c. 1560-70, Dayton Art Institute’

First thing the next day Abimelech told his servants what he had dreamed and confronted Abraham for bringing ‘such great guilt upon his kingdom’. Abraham replied that he did not know there was any consideration for God here and that upon seeing his wife he would be killed to get her. He also condoned that he had not lied, ‘yet indeed she is my sister; she is the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife.’ (Genesis 20:12)  Sarah was let go and Abimelech bestowed gifts to Abraham as compensation, also allowing him to live wherever he wanted in his lands. Abraham then prayed for Abimelech and his family.

A long time passed with Abraham and Sarah dwelling in the Philistine land when Abimelech and Phicol confronted Abraham with a violent disagreement at a well. Abraham approached Abimelech because of his servant’s attacks and the loss of his well. Abimelech pretended not to have known of the occurrences. After Abraham had given the king sheep and oxen along with providing proof of his ownership of the well an agreement was reached and they called the location of the well Beersheba.

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Zebulun

In the Book of Genesis, Zebulun was the sixth son of Leah and Jacob. He was also the leader of the Tribe of Zebulun in Israel. Based on studies, his name was taken from “zbl”, which was a Northwest Semitic root, and it was commonly used in Ugaritic texts as a title given to the god Baal. He is located on the Bible Timeline Poster around 1704 BC.

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Zebulun
Map of Zebulun’s locations

Meaning Behind the Name

There are two etymologies or origins for Zebulun’s name, according to the Torah. The first etymology of his name was taken was zebed, or “gift”, as Leah considered the fact that having six sons was God’s gift to her. The name also originated from yizbeleni, which means “honor”. This means, Leah is hoping that she would soon obtain honor from Jacob for having given birth and raised six sons. Another etymology is possible for this name, based on the Book of Deuteronomy. The authors believed that the name has some relevance to the word zibhe, which means “sacrifice”. The basis for this etymology is the commercial activity that the tribe of Zebulun was familiar for. In particular, it pertained to the agreement that existed between some non-Israelites and the Tribe of Zebulun, at Mount Tabor. This agreement was called the zibhe-tzedek or “sacrifice to Tzedek”.

About the Tribe of Zebulun

The tribe was among one of the key figures in Israel’s early history. In fact, during the census that was held in the Sinai Desert, there were about 57,400 men in the Tribe of Zebulun. These men were also considered to be ready for battle because of the size and appearance of the Army. Eliab was the head of this army, and he ordered his men to encamp at the east portion of the Tabernacle, with Issachar and Judah. Also, Gaddiel was one of the spies who went to Canaan, as ordered by Moses. Gaddiel served as one of the representatives of Zebulun. Another census took place in Shittim, which was in Moab. This was after the slaying of 24,000 men, who were killed because of their crime. Based on the census, the Tribe of Zebulun already had 60,500 men fit for the war.

In the Book of Numbers, Elizaphan was appointed as the representative Zebulun during the division that existed in the Promised Land. There was another account of the tribe when it was mentioned in the Song of Deborah. According to the text, the tribe was described as courageous men who spared their lives in the Merom region. They were also praised for their bravery, and that they led the entire army to a battle. In the Book of Chronicles, there were at least 50,000 brave men from the Tribe of Zebulun, who all followed David to make him as the king. These men also brought along a good supply of meat and beverages to feast and be merry about the leadership of the newly appointed ruler. Eventually, the tribe’s territory was seized by the Assyrians. Thus, the Tribe of Zebulun was in exile, and that signaled the end of this mighty tribe in history.

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Dan and Naphtali, sons of Jacob

Dan and Naphtali were the sons of Bilhah, Rachel’s maidservant. When Rachel was barren during all the years that her sister Leah, co-wife of Jacob, had borne four children, she decided to give Bilhah to Jacob to act as a surrogate mother for her. You can read the account of Rachel’s jealousy and her subsequent decision to use Bilhah as her surrogate in chapter 30 of the Book of Genesis. They are listed on the Biblical Timeline around 1704 B.C.

There was a continual competition between Rachel and Leah to win the affections of their husband, Jacob. Though Rachel was his favorite and first chosen wife, Leah was Jacob’s first wife and produced the majority of his children. During this period, bearing children was the manner in which the women tried to win the favor of their husband.

Dan and Naphtali were both considered minor, or less important, Bible characters. However, both eventually became leaders of one of the very famous twelve tribes of Israel.

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Jacob meets Rachel

Dan

The name Dan means “judgment” and Rachel used this name because she felt that God had vindicated her for the injustice of her inability to have children while her sister Leah had already produced four sons for their husband, Jacob. Dan was Jacob’s fifth son.

Genesis 46:23 tells us that Dan had one son named Hushim. As with all of his sons, Israel pronounced a final blessing over Dan in Genesis 49:17. “Dan will be a serpent by the roadside, a viper along the path that bites the horse’s heels so that its rider tumbles backward.”

Naphtali

Naphtali was son number six to Jacob, son number two of Bilhah, and the founder of the tribe of Naphtali. The first mention of Naphtali in the Bible is in Genesis 30:8. The name Naphtali means “my struggle” and again reflects on Rachel’s struggle with her sister over the affections of their husband.

According to Genesis 46, verse 24, Naphtali had four sons named Jahziel, Guni, Jezer, and Shillem. When Jacob, also known as Israel, pronounced a blessing over each of his sons before he died this was what he said about Naphtali: “Naphtali is a doe set free that bears beautiful fawns.” (Genesis 49:21)

Dan and Naphtali traveled with their brothers to Egypt during a severe famine to find food. They were eventually reunited with their long lost brother Joseph that the brothers had played an important role in causing to be separated from the rest of the family. The journey led to events that caused Jacob and all of the tribes of Israel to settle in Egypt as can be seen in detail in chapter 47 of the Book of Genesis.

Elsewhere in the World

During this time, the following events at various locations around the world are recorded:

  • The Middle Kingdom of Egypt reestablished prosperity and stability. This brought about art, literature, and building projects reappearing on the Egyptian scene. Military and political security, agricultural and mineral wealth, and religion all flourished during this period.
  • Hittites take over the area now covered by Turkey. The Hittites were considered members of the Bronze Age, but forerunners of the Iron Age.
  • Bronze to Iron Age – During this period making items of bronze seemed to be migrating into the Iron Age. The manufacture of artifacts from iron was noted. Iron became a very valuable commodity and was used to produce goods.
  • In Greece – In Greece, the Middle Helladic Period was in full swing. During this time, settlements drew closer together and gravitated toward hilltops. During this period, rectilinear pottery was being influenced into curvilinear by the Minoans.
  • China – The first Chinese dynasty known as the Xia migrated into the Shang Dynasty around the 18th century.
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Aaron, Biblical Figure

The male name Aaron is of Hebrew origin, and its meaning is “mountain of strength”. From the Hebrew “har-on” or it could be of Egyptian origin. The Biblical Timeline indicates that Aaron was born in 1574 B.C.

Aaron was the son of Jochebed and Amram of the tribe of Levi; older brother of Moses and younger brother of Miriam; predecessor and founder of the Israelite priesthood. He was married to Elisheva, daughter of Aminadav, sister of Nahshon, with whom he had four sons, Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.

Because Moses may have suffered from a nervous stuttering condition, God had Aaron accompany him to serve as his spokesman before both Pharaoh and the Hebrew nation. Many times the Bible indicates that Moses and Aaron are seen really as a pair of leaders. God had anointed Aaron to employ the staff given by Him, and it was he who cast the staff to the ground where it turned into a serpent before Pharaoh’s eyes. Quite a few of the ten plagues were brought about by Aaron brandishing the staff. Aaron’s role did a lesson, however, during the actual Exodus.

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Together with Hur, Aaron supported Moses’ arms during the battle with the Amalekites, on the journey to Sinai. While Moses’ hands were raised to God, the Israelites advanced into the battle, however when they dropped they began to lose. Israel eventually won the battle.

Aaron,Biblical_figure
Worship of the Gold Calf

When Moses ascended Mount Sinai, it was Aaron and Hur together again who were left behind in charge of the people. The Hebrew people, becoming restless during Moses’ 40-day absence up on the mountain, beseeched Aaron to make them an observable God so they could worship it. Aaron, who should have known better, collected gold from the people, and melted it down to create a calf that the Israelites immediately began to dance lewdly around and worship as an idol. When Moses came down from the mountain, he was furious. Although the Hebrew people were punished,  Aaron was let off with an admonishment.

Later, Aaron participated with Miriam in questioning Moses’ authority, suggesting that they too had been granted divine revelation. Once again, it seems as though Aaron escaped punishment, whereas Miriam was stricken with leprosy; although she recovered after only a week.

Aaron’s station of importance was officially established when God ordered Moses to consecrate him and his sons as priests. They were anointed and consecrated by Moses, and thereafter, Aaron, assisted by his sons Eleazar and Ithamar, officiated at Moses’ side. However, Aaron’s other two sons, Nadab, and Abihu, who were also anointed as priests, were killed by divine fire for making an offering that had not been commanded:

“And Aaron held his peace.” Leviticus 10:3 KJV

Imagine that. Flames devoured two of his sons, and Aaron, believing it was God’s righteous judgment, spoke not a word. Faithful silence in the face of personal tragedy. God’s ways are not our ways. To obey is better than to sacrifice, and these two sons, who should have known better, as priests, were not sacrificing in an obedient manner.

Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.
1 Samuel 15:22

During the uprising of Korah and his followers, Aaron stood by Moses. When the mutineers had been divinely punished, the Israelites accused Moses and Aaron of murdering God‘s people. The virulent disease, brought about by God in retribution for these atrocious accusations, was only halted when Aaron offered incense to conciliate God.

Along with Moses and Miriam, Aaron was not allowed to enter the Promised Land. Aaron died up on Mount Hor, near the border of Edom, aged 123, which, according to Biblical timelines would have been 1451 B.C. His priestly robes were transferred to his son Eleazar as a sign of succession. He was buried on the mountain, and according to Bible timelines, the people mourned his passing for 30 days.

Important World Leaders and Events During This Time

    • Egypt is the undisputed world power during this time.
    • Egyptian bondage and oppression increase, especially towards the Hebrew people.
    • This period saw the beginning of the Hurrian conquests.
    • Hittite King Mursilis I fought the Hurrians on the upper Euphrates River.

Ÿ The Cretan palaces at Knossos and other centers flourish despite disasters.
Ÿ The city of Mycenae, located in the northeast Peloponnesus, comes to dominate the rest of Achaea, giving its name to Mycenaean civilization.
Ÿ Cecrops I builds or rebuilds Athens following the great flood of Deucalion and the end of the Golden age. He becomes the first of several Kings of Athens whose life account is considered part of Greek mythology.
Ÿ Cecrops I, legendary King of Athens, dies after a reign of 50 years. Having survived his son, he is succeeded by Cranaus.
Ÿ Egypt started to conquer Nubia and the Levant.
Ÿ The element Mercury has been discovered in Egyptian tombs dating from this period.
Ÿ Settlers from Crete, Greece move to Miletus, Turkey.
Ÿ There is evidence of the Mayan civilization developing in Belize.
Ÿ The Phoenicians develop an alphabet.
Ÿ King Cheng Tang of Shang of China, the first ruler of Shang Dynasty ruled China for 29 years beginning in 1600 B.C.
Ÿ The Edomites lived south of the Dead Sea and blocked the passage of the Israelites to travel through their territory on their way north.
Ÿ The rise of Assyrian power begins to be established.
Ÿ The Kassites rose to political power in Babylon.
Ÿ The Hyksos kingdom was centered in the eastern Nile Delta and Middle Egypt.
Ÿ In Greece, there was a group of people known as “The Pelasgi,” who lived in the region of the Aegean Sea before the coming of the Greeks.
Ÿ The historical, recognizable beginnings of Persia took place in this era.
Ÿ The ancient Chinese art of astronomy is recorded.
Ÿ China is recognized as implementing the first old-age pension plans.
Ÿ Lyrical poetry begins among the ancient Greeks, usually accompanied by a lyre or other stringed instrument.

Main Bible Characters

Ÿ Aaron, the older brother of Moses, was the first high priest of Israel.
Ÿ Moses, the younger brother of Aaron.
Ÿ Jochebed and Amram, the parents of Aaron, Moses, and Miriam.
Ÿ Miriam, the older sister of Aaron.
Ÿ Elisheba, wife of Aaron, mother of their four sons
Ÿ Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, the four sons of Aaron and Elisheba
Ÿ Hur was a leader of Israel during the wandering years in the desert. He, along with Aaron was left in charge of the people while Moses went up on Mount Sinai. Possible husband of Miriam.

Main Bible References

Exodus 4:14, 27-31; 5:1, 4, 20; 6:13, 20, 23, 25-27; 7:1-2, 6-10, 12, 19-20; 8:5-6, 8,12, 16-17, 25; 9:8, 27; 10:3,8, 16; 11:10; 12:1, 28, 31,43, 50; 15:20; 16:2, 6, 9-10,33-34; 17:10,12; 18:12; 19:24; 24:1, 9,14; 27:21; 28:1-4, 12, 29-30, 35, 38, 40-41, 43; 29:4-5,9-10, 15, 19-21, 24, 26-29,32, 35, 44; 30: 7-8, 10, 19,30; 31:10; 32:1-3, 5, 21-22, 25, 35; 34:30-31; 35:19; 38:21; 39:1, 27, 41; 40:12-13, 31

Leviticus 1:5, 7-8, 11; 2:2-3, 10; 3:2, 5, 8, 13; 6:9, 14, 16, 18, 20, 25; 7:10, 31, 33-35; 8:2, 6, 12-14, 18, 22-24,27, 30-31, 36; 9:1-2, 7-9, 12, 18, 21-23; 10:1, 3-4, 6, 8, 12, 16, 19; 11:1, 13:1-2; 14:33; 15:1; 16:1-3, 6, 8-9, 11, 21, 23; 17:2, 21:1, 17, 21, 24; 22:2,4, 18; 24:3, 9

Numbers 1:3, 17, 44; 2:1; 3:1-4, 6, 9-10, 32, 38-39, 48, 51; 4:1, 5, 15-17, 19, 27-28, 33-34, 37, 41, 45-46; 6:23; 7:8; 8:2-3, 11, 13, 19-22; 9:6; 10:8; 12:1, 4-5, 10-11; 13:26; 14:2, 5,26; 15:33; 16:3, 11, 16-18, 20, 37, 40-43, 46-47, 50; 17:3, 6, 8, 10; 18:1, 8, 20,28; 19:1; 20:2,6, 8, 10, 12,23-26, 28-29; 25:7, 11; 26:1,9, 59-60, 64; 27:13; 33:1,38-39.

Deuteronomy 9:20; 10:6; 32:50.

Joshua 21:4, 10, 13, 19; 24:5, 33

Micah 6:4

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Rachel, Biblical Figure

Rachel was most well-known as the favorite wife of Jacob. She can be found on the Bible Timeline Poster around 1704 B.C. Rachel is also the younger sister of Leah, Jacob’s first wife, and Jacob’s first cousin. Her father is Laban, the brother of Rebekah. Rebekah is Jacob’s mother. Rachel is also the mother of Joseph and Benjamin, Jacob’s two youngest sons.

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Rachel Met Jacob In Chapter 29 of Genesis, Rachel met Jacob while watering her father’s sheep for she was a shepherdess. After Jacob introduced himself and revealed his relationship with Rachel’s family, Rachel reported his arrival to her father. Rachel was reportedly very beautiful (Genesis 29:17). While Jacob was staying with Laban, he fell in love with Rachel, according to Genesis 29:18. Because of this intense love, Jacob agreed to work for seven years for Laban in return for Rachel’s hand in marriage.

Rachel_and_Jacob
Racheal and Jacob

Jacob discovered the morning after the wedding night that he had been deceived. He had been married to and spent the night with Leah rather than Rachel (Genesis 29: 25). Laban’s excuse was that his people’s tradition is to marry the oldest off first. Jacob was assured that he could have Rachel as his wife as well after his marriage week to Leah was completed for another seven years of labor. Jacob agreed and was then married to Rachel a week later. Rachel’s Barrenness Rachel remained barren while:

    • Rachel’s sister Leah produced four sons for Jacob
    • Rachel’s jealousy of her sister’s ability to produce children for Jacob caused her to give her servant Bilhah to Jacob to have children for her. Bilhah bore two sons to Jacob.
    • The conflict between Leah and Rachel caused Leah to give her servant Zilpah to Jacob to have two more sons when she realized that she was no longer having children herself.
    • Leah had two more sons and a daughter.

Rachel’s Final Days Finally, after many years Rachel bore Jacob two sons, Joseph, was mentioned in Genesis 30:22-24. Joseph was Jacob’s favorite son (Genesis 37:3). Though Rachel bore Jacob a second son, Benjamin, she also died during his birth.

Rachel_dies
Rachel dies

You can read in Genesis, chapter 31, that after Joseph’s birth, Jacob took his family and left the area of Haran for his homeland of Canaan without announcing his departure to Laban expecting trouble from Laban. Upon leaving, Rachel stole her father’s false gods and hid them under her mattress. Laban soon caught up with them and demanded his gods. Jacob, not knowing that Rachel had them, permitted her father to search. Jacob pronounced a curse of death upon anyone that had them. Laban did not find them as Rachel was exempted from the search as she claimed to be unable to rise from her mattress because of her period.

However, it was not long after this occurrence that Jacob’s curse came true when Rachel died during the birth of Benjamin as revealed in Genesis 35:18. Genesis 35:19-20 tells us that Rachel died and was buried on the way to Bethlehem. Jacob set a pillar over her tomb that is still said to mark Rachel’s grave.

Elsewhere in the World

During this time on the Bible World History Chart the following events at various locations around the world are recorded:

  • Middle Kingdom of Egypt reestablished prosperity and stability. This brought about art, literature and building projects reappearing on the Egyptian scene. Military and political security, agricultural and mineral wealth, and religion all flourished during this period.
  • Hittites take over the area now covered by Turkey. The Hittites were considered members of the Bronze Age, but forerunners of the Iron Age.
  • Bronze to Iron Age – During this period making items of bronze seemed to be migrating into the Iron Age. The manufacture of artifacts from iron was noted. Iron became a very valuable commodity and was used to produce goods.
  • In Greece – In Greece, the Middle Helladic Period was in full swing. During this time, settlements drew closer together and gravitated toward hilltops. During this period rectilinear pottery was being influenced into curvilinear by the Minoans.
  • China – The first Chinese dynasty known as the Xia migrated into the Shang Dynasty around the 18th century.