Amazing Trip Through the Bible – Page 7 – Amazing Bible Timeline with World History

Posted on October 1, 2014October 4, 2017 by Amy — 4 Comments

Shamgar, Judge

The name Shamgar is of Hebrew origin, which means “sword”. It is also the name mentioned twice in the Book of Judges. For instance, in Judges 3:31 of the New International Version Bible, it was indicated that Shamgar was the son of Anath. He was also the same man who successfully struck down and defeated 600 Philistines using an ox goad as a weapon. Moreover, this man handled saving Israel at one point in his life. He can be found on the Biblical Timeline starting at 1354 BC.

In the Bible

Judge Shamgar, in the Book of Judges, was a great man who was able to drive away the Philistines and prevent them from invading the Israelite regions. Using an ox goad, he was able to slaughter 600 foreign invaders in the region. Another occasion where Shamgar was mentioned was in the Song of Deborah. In the scriptures, this man was presented as one of the previous rulers of the land. He ruled at a time where the roads in his land were abandoned, and there was barely any progress in the village life.

He was able to slaughter 600 foreign invaders in the region

In the first accounts on Shamgar, there was no introduction given nor any conclusion and reference to the period that he ruled the land. There were also a few other ancient manuscripts were brief narrations on the life of Shamgar were presented after the story of Samson instead of being mentioned right after the narrative on Ehud. According to scholars, this is a more logical and more original location of Shamgar’s story in the scriptures.

Who is Shamgar?

The brave acts of Shamgar as presented in the scriptures had some similarities to what Shammah did, the courageous son of Agee. In the books of Samuel, Shammah was presented as “one of the Three”, which was a group of warriors during the time of King David. Based on scholars, the similar person was presented in this part of the Bible, and that the text was only moved from the Book of Judges and into the current location in the Song of Deborah.

There were also claims among scholars that the person was originally Shammah, yet he was only influenced by the man named Shamgar in the accounts presented in the Song of Deborah. Furthermore, in another instance that Shamgar was mentioned in the Bible, this associated the man with the collapse and difficulty in the life of the Israelites. Hence, there were speculations by scholars that Shamgar was a foreigner who handled the low period of the Israelites instead of being a great ruler.

It is also worth noting that Shamgar was believed to be a Hittite, and that his name might be similar to the one who was associated with Sangara, who was the Hittite ruler of Carchemish. Other accounts on Shamgar pointed out that the terms “son of Anath”, which was often linked with his name, was only a royal title. Some scholars also assume that he may also be Sisera’s father. However, further studies need to be carried out to determine the actual roles of this person in the scriptures.

References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shamgar
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Judges%203:31
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/slacktivist/2011/10/07/bible-stories-shamgar/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shamgar#mediaviewer/File:Speculum_Darmstadt_2505_31r_Sangor.jpg
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Swords_in_art#mediaviewer/File:Design_for_a_Swordsmith%27s_Sign,_by_Hans_Holbein_the_Younger.jpg

Posted on September 30, 2014October 4, 2017 by Amy — Leave a comment

Shamshi-Adad I

Shamshi was an Amorite, who lived around 1809-1766 BC where he can be found on the Bible Timeline Poster. His name is translated to be ‘my sun is the god Adad’. He was a king who ruled over the ancient Near East of Assyria and Northern areas around Mesopotamia. His kingdom was frequently spoken of as Upper Mesopotamia. Shamshi’s father was Ila-kabkabu king over the borders of Mari (north Syria). When his father passed away, one of Shamshi’s brothers took reign causing Shamshi-Adad to create his own kingdom from the ground up. He started at the Akkadian Empire in Shekhna (north/east Syria) which had been left deserted for many years. It was established as his capital, and the name was changed to Shubat-Enlil which is today’s Tell Leilan.

Following that Shamshi tried to conquer Ekallatum in Syria by the left shore of the Tigris against King Naram-Suen. Shamshi-Adad was defeated and had to retreat south to the city-state of Babylon which was created and governed by associated Amorites. Ultimately he came when Erishum II ruled and victoriously disposed the King of Assyria, bringing that dynasty to a close. This enabled him to govern Assyria, a growing nation that had established and prosperous trading settlements in Anatolia. His oldest son Ishme-Dagan I was set as ruler over Ekallatum and as he proclaimed himself king, Shamshi-Adad tried to strengthen his place as ruler by linking his heritage to Ushpia (21^st century BC Assyrian King).

Mari

Shamshi’s next focus was a city called Mari that had a caravan route from Anatolia to Mesopotamia. The ruler of Mari (Iakhdunlim) was murdered by his servants that could have been following Shamshi-Adad’s directions. Shamshi then grabbed his chance and placed himself over Mari. The original heir to the throne Zimri-Lim was obligated to escape and traveled to Aleppo (ancient Yamkhad). Shamshi then promoted his next son Yasmah-Adad as ruler over Mari so Shamshi could go back to Shubat-Enlil.

Sovereignty

With the contribution of Mari, Shamshi-Adad had power over a vast kingdom, which consisted of all of Upper Mesopotamia. Shamshi then announced himself as ‘King of All’ a name established by Sargon of Akkad. Predictably Shamshi-Adad’s success focused much jealously from the nearby nations and all through his rule Shamshi and his sons were made to defend their kingdom. Ishme-Dagan appeared to be a capable governor, however his sibling Yasmah-Adad looks to show someone of little strength and conviction; his unhappy parent was often complaining about it: ‘You are a child, not a man, have you no beard on your chin?’ – ‘While here your brother is victorious, down there you lie about among women’. Shamshi-Adad excelled at keeping matters in order and maintained a strict hold on every subject of the state ranging from high policy to choosing officials and sending out supplies. His movements were carefully laid out, and his men were taught all the common strategies of ‘siege craft’ like surrounding ramparts and battering rams. He frequently used spies and ‘propaganda’ to obtain victory.

shamshi-adad_zimri — ‘Tablet of King Zimri-Lim of Mari, ca. 1780 BC, Louvre Museum.’

‘Tablet of King Zimri-Lim of Mari, ca. 1780 BC, Louvre Museum.’

Shamshi-Adad was always working on making his realm stronger, however after his death the nation began to fall apart. The kingdom was missing the structure and was in a weak location. When everyone discovered that Shamshi had passed away, his previous enemies went out immediately to take the kingdom from his successors. Yasmah-Adad was quickly exiled from Mari by Zimri-Lim, and the remaining kingdom was slowly taken from Ishme-Dagan and Mut-Ashkur and put in the hands of a different Amorite King, Hammurabi of Babylon.

References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shamshi-Adad_I
http://ancienthistory.about.com/od/leadersns/g/060609ShamshiAdad.htm
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Wall_painting_Sacrifice_ordinator_AO19825_mp3h9087.jpg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mari,_Syria#mediaviewer/File:MariZiggurat.jpg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mari,_Syria#mediaviewer/File:Tablet_Zimri-Lim_Louvre_AO20161.jpg

Posted on September 29, 2014October 4, 2017 by Amy — 22 Comments

Thutmose II History – Was He the Pharoah at the Exodus

Thutmose II is a name that means “Born of Thoth”. He was noted as the fourth ruler of Egypt during the 18th dynasty. He also built some monuments and led two other campaigns. Other than that, he did little during his reign as he was largely influenced by Hatshepsut, his wife. Thutmose II reigned during 1493 to 1479 BC, which is where he can be located on the Bible Timeline Poster. His body was found in the Deir el-Bahri Cache, and now can be viewed in Cairo’s Egyptian Museum.

Background Thutmose II was considered as the lesser son of Thutmose I because his mother was a minor named Mutnofret. However, he was married to Hatshepsut, who was the royal half-sister of Thutmose II, which helped maintain his kingship in the land. He was also able to end several rebellions held in Nubia, and he led an army that defeated nomadic groups of the Bedouins. However, these campaigns were only headed by the generals of the king and not by Thutmose II. Hence, this proved that he was indeed a minor even though he was pharaoh.

Thutmose II and Hatshepsut There were archaeologists who claimed that Hatshepsut was indeed the actual force behind Thutmose II during the time of his rule. The evidence behind this claim included the similarities in the foreign and domestic policies that were implemented under his kingship. Moreover, there were various relief scenes made from the Karmak gateway, and these presented the reign of Thutmose II along with his wife.

Thutmose II and His Period of Reign

There were some debates whether Thutmose II was indeed the king of Egypt during the period of Exodus. For instance, there were researchers who claimed that Thutmose II reigned for 13 years, although newer scholars believed he only ruled for 3 to 4 years. Because of a lack in the number of monuments and scarabs made under Thutmose II.

thutmose_II_exodus — ‘Aakheperenre, the praenomen of Thutmose II, Temple of Hatshepsut, Luxor.’

‘Aakheperenre, the praenomen of Thutmose II, Temple of Hatshepsut, Luxor.’

In Exodus 4:19, God commanded Moses to go back to Egypt as all the men who wanted to kill him were already dead. The ruler of the land at that time was believed to Thutmose II, who was also referred to as Gardiner. Historians considered him as a weak and lesser king, and he was greatly dominated by his wife Hatshepsut during his reign.

Based on the chronology of Pharaohs that ruled Egypt, it appeared that Thutmose II was the only possible candidate to have been the leader during the time of Exodus. For instance, there were claims that his body was recovered after his supposed drowning in the Red Sea. Although in Exodus 14:30, it was mentioned that the people of Israel discovered that the Egyptians died upon the seashore.

However, there are some uncertainties with the identities of the Egyptian Royal mummies and their time of rule. This was caused by the re-interment and re-labelling made during the 21st dynasty. Hence, there are still divided beliefs when it comes to the actual year of the reign of Thutmose II, or if he was indeed the actual Pharaoh that ruled during the Exodus narrated in the Bible.

References:
http://www.bible.ca/archeology/bible-archeology-exodus-date-1440bc.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thutmose_II
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hatshepsut#mediaviewer/File:Hatshepsut.jpg

Posted on September 28, 2014October 4, 2017 by Amy — 1 Comment

Hercules

Known as a great hero in classical mythology, his name is of Greek origin that meant “in Hera’s service”. He was the son of Greek god Zeus and Alcmene, a mortal. Hercules is known for his enormous strength and his great adventures. He can be found on the Bible Timeline Chart around 1300 BC.

Background

The Romans decided to adapt this heroic Greek icon in their myths and literary pieces, as well as in the art. However, in popular culture and Western literature, the name Heracles was used less often than the name Hercules. This divine hero was also famous as a figure with contradictory traits.

There were several versions of the life and adventures of Hercules. However, it remained constant in various storytellers that the father of Hercules was Zeus, who was also the supreme god. Although he was mighty and powerful, he was not quite a good husband to Hera, who was his wife and the queen of the gods. In fact, Zeus fell for a lovely mortal named Alcmene, and the two had a son.

When Hera learned about this, she became enraged and was determined to harm the unborn child. Nevertheless, Alcmene was able to protect the child and gave birth to a boy whom she named as Herakles. This name meant “the glorious gift of Hera”. The queen of the gods became even angrier upon learning this, and she decided to send snakes into the child’s crib to kill him. However, Hercules was amazingly strong even as a baby, and he was able to strangle and kill the snakes even before they could hurt him.

This did not stop Hera from scheming ways to make Hercules’ life miserable. After all, she wanted Zeus to pay back for his mistakes and infidel ways. She was also angry at the fact that she lacked much power to stop Zeus from having a child with another woman.

Strength of Hercules

Heracles grew up to be a strong and great warrior. He also married Megara, and they were blessed with two children. Unfortunately, Hera continued to make Hercules suffer by killing his children and his wife. Devastated by his misfortunes, Hercules consulted Apollo for advice on how to free himself from these punishments from Hera. Apollo told Hercules to perform tasks that would cleanse him from his mistakes. Hence, he obediently performed 10 labors, which were eventually increased to a total of 12.

Afterwards, Apollo ordered Hercules to go to Tiryns, which was led by a ruthless ruler named Eurystheus. In myths, Eurystheus was a harsh and brutal king, and Hercules expected to receive much punishment from the king. Also, Hercules was tasked to serve the king for 12 years as he performed each of the 12 labors.

Upon completion of his tasks, he was able to fulfill his deepest dreams. Apollo told Hercules that he would become immortal. This means, he was spared from death, and that he would become like one of the gods who enjoyed eternal life and great powers throughout his life.

References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hercules
http://ancienthistory.about.com/od/hercules/a/Hercules.htm
http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/Herakles/bio.html

Posted on September 27, 2014October 4, 2017 by Amy — 1 Comment

Syria, Biblical Nation

Today’s Syria is much smaller than the Syria of Ancient times ‘Greater Syria’. It was an expanse just on the East side of the Mediterranean. Surrounded by the Arabian Desert and the Taurus Mountain range as such it was loved and hated at the same time as an intersection for both trade and war. In conjunction Greater, Syria had many different peoples and beliefs. All through history it has been the focus of diverse languages academically and confrontationally from the Middle East to the West. Syria can be found on the Bible Timeline around 1954 BC.

The name was originated from the Greeks and Romans and most likely linked to the Babylonian ‘suri’. Arabs first spoke of Syria and an undetermined area around it as ‘Sham’ meaning ‘northern region,’ ‘the north’, ‘Syria’, or ‘Damascus’. The first known city in the area was Ebla (by today’s Idib, northern Syria). It established itself by trading along the Mesopotamian regions (Sumer, Assyria, Akkad along with the Hurrian and Hattian civilizations to the northwest of Asia Minor). There are also gifts from Pharaohs discovered from dig sites to suggest contact with Egypt as well. Along with that is on of the first dated writings from Syria as a trading arrangement with Vizier Ibrium from Elba and a mysterious nation Abarsal in 2300 BC. Today’s link to the Eblaite language is East Semitic also related to the Akkadian dialect.

syria,biblical — ‘Ancient city of Palmyra.’

Syria was taken over by the Persians sometime around 500 BC, then by the Greeks in 333 BC, the Romans in 64 AD. There they built a castle in Palmyra where it still has remains. Muslim Arabs took over Damascus in 635 AD, and the start of 1095, Syria was the focus of the Crusades, but the Christians were beaten back. The Turkish Ottoman Empire invaded in 1516 and reigned for four hundred years till 1920 with the close of World War I as the French took over Syria and Lebanon.

There is much more history involved with Syria here a brief list of events:

BC –

3000 Semites inhabited Syria
2400 Mesopotamian city in Nagar grew very strong
2100 Amorites traveled out of Arabian Peninsula and built several small regions
1500 Arameans influenced the Syrian dialect
1200 Syria was conquered by the Persians
332 Alexander the Great took over
300 – 64 the capital of Syria was Antioch
274 – 271 Ptolemy’s beat Antiochus I, Seleucid king that was attempting to enlarge hold on Syria and Anatolia
64 Pompey beat Seleucid Antiochus XIII and made Syria Roman governed

AD-

117 Hadrian ruled
262-266 Syria was once again under Roman rule
266 King Odenathus Roman monarch was killed; Zenobia Septimia, his wife, took over
270 Zenobia of Syria announced herself as the Queen of the East, fought nearby Roman cities and took over Egypt
636 Battle of Yamuk, Islamic troops, beat Byzantine army and took Syria
661 Umayyad Caliphate reign was started with Muawiva ibn Abi Sufyan
1098 & 1110 First Crusaders invaded Mara in Syria then Saida
1174-1183 Nureddin monarch of Syria passed away, Ayyubids took over and created structure and expansion
1202 Huge earthquake 30,000 deaths
1250 Egyptian Mamlukes conquered the majority of Syria
1300 Syria fought off the last of the Crusaders
1492 Jews traveled to Syria after being chased out of Spain
1496 Battle of Mari Dabik, Turks defeated Syria and started Ottoman Empire
1831 Egypt took over Syria and Joran
1840 Britain and Austria pushed Egypt out
1860 more than 25,000 Christians were martyred in Damascus – France deployed 5,000 men to Syria to end killings
1869 Suez Canal was built and took a lot of Syria’s trade advantage

For more of Syrian’s Timeline click here: http://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/asia/syria/sytimeln.htm

References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Syria
http://www.ancient.eu/syria/
http://ancienthistory.about.com/od/syria/qt/110607Syria.htm
http://www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/History/Syria-history.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syria
http://www.everyculture.com/Sa-Th/Syria.html
http://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/asia/syria/sytimeln.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syria#mediaviewer/File:Flag_of_Syria.svg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syria#mediaviewer/File:Temple_of_Bel,_Palmyra_15.jpg

Posted on September 26, 2014October 4, 2017 by Amy — Leave a comment

Abraham in the Land of Abimelech

The mighty King of Gerar, who was named Abimelech, had an important role in the life of Abraham. Their interaction is shown on the Bible Timeline Poster around 1854 BC. It all started when Abraham and Sarah set foot upon the king’s land. Abimelech was kind enough to give Abraham rights to graze his cattle to any place in the land that he wanted. Unfortunately, there was a dispute that existed between the two, which mainly started when Abraham decided to dig a well only to be seized by one of the king’s servants.

However, Abimelech was clearly unaware of this dispute. The king only heard of Abraham’s complaint, and this led to an agreement that was first presented by Abraham. This situation was resolved by giving Abraham full rights of ownership to the well, and this also entitled him to proceed to his business activities in the land.

The Life of Abraham in the Land of Abimelech

For a number of times, Abraham was often forced to give up most things that he originally owned. In fact, he was commanded by God to leave his homeland in pursuit of the promised land that Abraham was not completely aware of. Although he had doubts and fears about departing, he allowed himself to put his trust on God as he left his native land.

Yet, the situation that occurred with the well showed that Abraham was dedicated to securing what he believed was his own property. This only proved how Abraham was indeed a committed, responsible and hard working person who only wanted to live life in a fair manner. He also believed in the importance of making good use of legal protections for any property that he had.

abraham_with_Abimelech — During his stay in Canaan, Abraham lived by shepherding.

During his stay in Canaan, Abraham lived by shepherding. Thus, a good access to water is key for this business to thrive. Instead of allowing his livelihood and family to suffer, he fought for his rights and was able to succeed by doing so. This is a sign of Abraham’s love and concern for others instead of merely focusing on what he wanted for himself.

The Lesson We Learn from Abraham

Just like Abraham, it is only right that anyone who is involved in responsibilities where they need to protect others should think beyond their own needs. It is true that us humans are tasked to be the stewards of God’s creations, which means we should do our best to be responsible for everything under our care. With this in mind, every decision should not only remain on who is right, but it is important to take into account how each decision could affect other people’s welfare.

Although, in this story, Abimelech had every reason to be upset with Abraham, he even rewarded him in the end. For instance, he brought Abraham male and female slaves, as well as some cattle. Sarah was also returned to Abraham, and he was able to live a more comfortable life in this land. Indeed, the life of Abraham turned out for the best all because of his wisdom and ability to make the right decisions for the common good.

References:
http://www.ligonier.org/learn/devotionals/abimelech-and-abraham/
http://www.keyway.ca/htm2013/20130809.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abraham#mediaviewer/File:PikiWiki_Israel_11347_Abrams_well.jpg

Posted on September 25, 2014October 4, 2017 by Amy — 1 Comment

Abraham in the Land of Canaanites

Abraham was faced with several temptations throughout his life, yet he was able to fight all of these to prove his immense love for God. One of his greatest challenges was when he was ordered to leave his homeland. This is listed on the Bible Timeline Chart around 1954 BC. It was a test of Abraham’s faith in God, although he had some fears about departing from his own land. In fact, he presented to God his worries, particularly the concept of leaving his father. However, God reassured Abraham and told him not to have any thoughts about what other people might think of him.

Abraham in the Land of Canaanites

So, Abraham obeyed God’s orders and left Haran. He travelled to a distant place called Canaan, and he had faith that throughout his journey, God’s blessings remained with him. The thought that God once told him that he will be the father of a great nation stayed on his mind, and this gave him a sense of comfort each time he started to have doubts about his decision of leaving his native land.

abraham_bible — ‘The Vision of the Lord Directing Abram to Count the Stars’

‘The Vision of the Lord Directing Abram to Count the Stars’

God promised Abraham that he will be blessed and that he will soon become a great man whom people will look upon. Among all of these promises by God, he held on to the thought that he indeed would be a blessing to all. In fact, it did happen that anyone who came across Abraham was surely blessed. It was his presence that brought wonderful blessings to the people he met, just as God has promised to him.

While Abraham was full of questions upon knowing that he was to leave his homeland, he tried to push aside his worries and anxieties. God had not told him initially where he was to go, and Abraham only went onward to trust the Lord and his plans. All God said was he would reveal himself to that land where Abraham was supposed to travel, and eventually, it appeared that this place was Canaan – the promised land.

Upon Reaching Canaan

When Abraham arrived in Canaan, he was still unsure that it was the land that God promised to become his own. Yet, Abraham was filled with great joy upon setting foot to this land. He even noticed that a number of people were devoted to cultivating the land and making it richer. Thus, he prayed that this land, even if only a portion of it, would soon become his own.

It was right at the moment when God told Abraham that this land was his when he began rejoicing and thanking the Lord for his blessings. Overwhelmed with happiness, Abraham decided to set an altar to show his reverence and gratitude to God. He also raised a few other altars in some places including Hebron and Ai, with the hopes that these places of worship would bring good tidings to the people of each land.

As Abraham lived in this new land, he was able to live in harmony with himself and the people around him. He continued to become a blessing to others, and God continued to reward him for his great love and trust to his commands.

References:
http://classiclit.about.com/library/bl-etexts/lginzberg/bl-lginzberg-legends-1-5k.htm

http://www.keyway.ca/htm2012/20120618.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abraham#mediaviewer/File:Moln%C3%A1r_%C3%81brah%C3%A1m_kik%C3%B6lt%C3%B6z%C3%A9se_1850.jpg http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abraham#mediaviewer/File:Schnorr_von_Carolsfeld_Bibel_in_Bildern_1860_024.png

Posted on September 24, 2014October 4, 2017 by Amy — Leave a comment

Kemuel

In the Bible, Kemuel is referred to as Nahor’s son, who was also the father of Aram. As for the meaning behind this name, Kemuel means “raised of God”, as it was evident in several instances throughout his life. He can be found on the Bible Timeline around 1854 BC.

Possible Meaning of the Name

There are various assumptions about the meaning behind the name Kemuel. For instance, it is believed that this name means ‘Congregation of God’, which was proposed by Gesenius. However, there are also some people who referred to this name as “standing grain”. Or somewhat similar to the concept of the human harvest, which was synonymous with the grains of God as in the Book of Matthew.

On the other hand, the Hebrews considered this name as more aptly interpreted as the rising of God. This means, God is always in defense of his people, and that there is an existing campaign against evil.

Kemuel in the Bible

The name Kemuel was not frequently mentioned in the Bible. However, he had some relevance to the story of Abraham. Perhaps, it will be of help to go back to the story of Abraham, specifically the part where he was commanded by God to sacrifice his son and offer him as a burnt offering.

When God ordered Abraham to do this, the latter did his best to follow exactly what the Lord wanted him to accomplish. Thus, he woke up early the next day, and he traveled to the place God told him to go, along with his two slaves and Isaac.

Abraham prepared the altar where he would offer his son to God. Then, he ordered his slaves to stay with the donkeys, so he and Isaac could proceed to the altar for the offering. As they approached the site, Isaac asked Abraham where the animal to be offered to God was. Abraham only answered that God would provide the offering, and that all they needed was to go to the site where the altar was located.

The moment Abraham started to lift his hand to kill his own son, an angel of God spoke to him and stopped him from proceeding to slaughter Isaac. Then, God spoke and told Abraham that now he has proven his love, and there is no need to sacrifice his son. In a moment, a ram appeared, and Abraham caught the animal to serve it as an offering to the Lord.

From that moment, Abraham called the place as “The Lord will Provide”, all because of the situation where God provided him a better offering instead of sacrificing his son’s life.

For the second time, the angel of God spoke from heaven and told Abraham that he would be blessed with numerous descendants. This was all because of his obedience and great love for God. Moreover, he and his young men traveled to Beersheba, where Abraham lived.

The angel also told Abraham that Milcah, who was living with Nahor, has given birth to some children. These were Uz (the first-born), Buz, and Kemuel (Aram’s father). There were also Hazo, Chesed, Jidlaph, Bethuel, and Pildash, which were all the eight children of Milcah.

References:
http://biblehub.com/esv/genesis/22.htm
http://www.studylight.org/bible/hcs/genesis/22-21.html

Posted on September 23, 2014October 4, 2017 by Amy — 2 Comments

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.

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.

References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Issachar

http://www.biblestudytools.com/dictionary/issachar/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tribe_of_Issachar#mediaviewer/File:12_Tribes_of_Israel_Map.svg

Posted on September 22, 2014October 4, 2017 by Amy — 2 Comments

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.

‘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).

References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biblical_Elam
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elam
http://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/hbd/view.cgi?n=1758
http://www.sheknows.com/baby-names/name/elam
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elam#mediaviewer/File:Persepolis_24.11.2009_11-12-14.jpg