DETERMINING THE YEARS OF THE KINGS OF PERSIA
Herodotus says that Cyrus ruled 29 years, his son Cambyses ruled 7 years and 5 months, the impostor of his brother Smerdys, the magician Gaumata ruled 7 months, and Darius ruled 36 years. He ended his book in Xerxes without given the ruling time of Xerxes. Other sources say that Xerxes (Xshayarsha, ruler of the heroes) ruled 21 years, and his son Artaxerxes ruled 41 years. In the following table is resumed their times
Ruling time of the Kings of Persia
|
Cyus |
Cambyses |
Gamauta |
Darius |
Xerxes |
Artaxerxes |
Darius |
Artaxerxes II |
Artaxerxes III |
Darius |
|
29 |
7&5 months |
7 months |
36 |
21 |
41 |
19 |
46* |
20 |
6 |
|
29 |
36&5months |
37 |
73 |
94 |
135 |
154 |
200 |
220 |
226 |
*Plutarch says that this Artaxerxes ruled 62 years and lived 94
In Persian, Cyrus means Sun. Xshayarsha means `ruling over heroes' .
|
Greek names |
Cyrus |
Cambyses |
Darius |
Xerxes |
Artaxerxes |
|
Persian names |
Kûrush |
Kabûjiya |
Dârayavaush |
Xshayârshâ |
Artaxshaçâ |
The Actual Hebraic, the Actual Septuagint, the Old Hebraic used by Josephus don't match some names::
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New Hebraic 5: And hired counsellers against them, to frustrate their purpose, all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia. Ezra 4:6: And in the reign of Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his reign, wrote they unto him an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem. 7: And in the days of Artaxerxes wrote Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of their companions, unto Artaxerxes king of Persia; and the writing of the letter was written in the Syrian tongue, and interpreted in the Syrian tongue. |
New Septuagint Ezra 4:5 And continued hiring persons against them, plotting to frustrate their counsel, all the days of Cyrus king of the Persians, and until the reign of Darius king of the Persians. 6 And in the reign of Assuerus, even in the beginning of his reign, they wrote a letter against the inhabitantes of Judah and Jerusalem 7 And in the days of Arthasastha, Tabel wrote peacefully to Mithradates and to the rest of his fellow servants: the tribute gatherer wrote to Arthasastha kings of the Persian a writing in the Syrian tongue |
Josephus' Old Hebraic Now as these men were corrupted by them with money, they sold the Cutheans their interest for rendering this building a slow and a careless work, for Cyrus, who was busy about other wars, knew nothing of all this; and it so happened, that when he had led his army against the Massagetae, he ended his life. (4) But when Cambyses, the son of Cyrus, had taken the kingdom, the governors in Syria, and Phoenicia, and in the countries of Amlnon, and Moab, and Samaria, wrote an epistle to Cambyses |
The name Arthasastha is very close to the persian Artaxshaçâ
The crazy behavior of Cambyses was recorded by Herodotus, and others, as Plato (Laws 695):
.... such as they were likely to become when reared with a rearing that "spared the rod." So when, at the death of Cyrus, his sons took over the kingdom, over-pampered and undisciplined as they were, first, the one killed the other, through annoyance at his being put on an equality with himself, and presently, being mad with drink and debauchery, he lost his own throne at the hands of the Medes, under the man then called the Eunuch, who despised the stupidity of Cambyses.
Without any doubt, the king treated in Ezra 4:7 is Cambyses. Unless that Cambyses was also called Artaxshaçâ, the alteration is clear both in the New Hebraic and in the New Septuagint, done many years after; since in the days of king Ptholomy that changed could not pass without been noticed.
Some years later Ezra was sent to Jerusalem:
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New Hebraic Ezra 7:1. Now after these things, in the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra the son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah,:7 And there went up some of the children of Israel, and of the priests, and the Levites, and the singers, and the porters, and the Nethinims, unto Jerusalem, in the seventh year of Artaxerxes the king. |
New Septuagint Ezra 7:1 Now after these things, in the reign of Arthasastha, king of the Persians, came up Ezra...7 and some of the children of Israel went up, and some of the priests, and of the Levites, and the singers, and the door-keepers, and the Nathanim, to Jerusalem, in the seventh year of the king |
Josephus' Old Hebraic Antiquities of the Jews 11, 5,1. Upon the death of Darius, Xerxes his son took the kingdom, who, as he inherited his father's kingdom, so did he inherit his piety towards God, and honor of him; for he did all things suitably to his father relating to Divine worship, and he was exceeding friendly to the Jews. Now about this time a son of Jeshua, whose name was Joacim, was the high priest. Moreover, there was now in Babylon a righteous man, and one that enjoyed a great reputation among the multitude. He was the principal priest of the people, and his name was Esdras. Antiquities 11,5,2 . So when they had finished their prayers, they removed from Euphrates on the twelfth day of the first month of the seventh year of the reign of Xerxes, and they came to Jerusalem on the fifth month of the same year |
The New Hebraic, the New Septuagint and the Old Hebraic used by Josephus coincide in the seven years and Ezra, but not in the kings In order to determine whether the king was Xerxer or his son we must review both the context of the Bible and the testimonies of historians:
Historians' testimonies say that the first purpose of Xerxes was to take revenge of the Greeks:
Herodotus, book 7.- And so Xerxes gathered together his host, ransacking every corner of the continent.
Reckoning from the recovery of Egypt,Xerxes spent four full years in collecting his host and making ready all things that were needful for his soldiers. It was not till the close of the fifth year that he set forth on his march, accompanied by a mighty multitude. For of all the armaments whereof any mention has reached us, this was by far the greatest; insomuch that no other expedition compared to this seems of any account, neither that which Darius undertook against the Scythians, nor the expedition of the Scythians (which the attack of Darius was designed to avenge), when they, being in pursuit of the Cimmerians, fell upon the Median territory, and subdued and held for a time almost the whole of Upper Asia; nor, again, that of the Atridae against Troy, of which we hear in story; nor that of the Mysians and Teucrians, which was still earlier, wherein these nations crossed the Bosphorus into Europe, and, after conquering all Thrace, pressed forward till they came to the Ionian Sea, while southward they reached as far as the river Peneus.
All these expeditions, and others, if such there were, are as nothing compared with this. For was there a nation in all Asia whichXerxes did not bring with him against Greece? Or was there a river, except those of unusual size, which sufficed for his troops to drink? One nation furnished ships; another was arrayed among the foot-soldiers; a third had to supply horses; a fourth, transports for the horse and men likewise for the transport service; a fifth, ships of war towards the bridges; a sixth, ships and provisions.
This highly inclined warrior king seems different to the one described by Josephus.
In the following reports, it seems that Xerxes didn't know much about the Jews
Josephus, Against Apion.- Cherilus also, a still ancienter writer, and a poet, (16) makes mention of our nation, and informs us that it came to the assistance of king Xerxes, in his expedition against Greece. For in his enumeration of all those nations, he last of all inserts ours among the rest, when he says," At the last there passed over a people, wonderful to be beheld; for they spake the Phoenician tongue with their mouths; they dwelt in the Solymean mountains, near a broad lake: their heads were sooty; they had round rasures on them; their heads and faces were like nasty horse-heads also, that had been hardened in the smoke." I think, therefore, that it is evident to every body that Cherilus means us, because the Solymean mountains are in our country, wherein we inhabit, as is also the lake called Asphaltitis; for this is a broader and larger lake than any other that is in Syria: and thus does Cherilus make mention of us. But now that not only the lowest sort of the Grecians, but those that are had in the greatest admiration for their philosophic improvements among them, did not only know the Jews, but when they lighted upon any of them, admired them also, it is easy for any one to know.
It is not difficult to trace the actions of Xerxes in his first seven years in the reign:
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486 |
Death of Darius, the Great King of Persia, who is succeeded by his son Xerxes Herodotus, VII, 2-4). |
|
485 |
Gelon becomes tyrant of Gela, in Sicily after the death of Hippocrates. He takes control of Syracuse and leaves Gela to his brother Hieron (( Herodotus, VII, 155-156). Taking advantage of the trouble following Hippocrates' death, Anaxilas, tyrant of Reggio, at the tip of Italy, takes control of Zancle, on the other side of the straight of Messina, which he had already unsuccessfully tried to control earlier, and install there Messenian settler that will give the city its new name of MessinaThucydides, VI, 4). Probable date of birth of Herodotus in Halicarnassus, in the south-west of Asia Minor. First comedy contest in Athens |
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484 |
Xerxes curbs a revolt in Egypt and starts making arrangements for a new invasion of Greece via the Hellespont and Thracia, with a joint army and navy, moving in parallel by land and by sea (Herodotus, VII, 5-25). Æschylus' first victory with his tragedies |
|
483 |
Themistocles convinces the Athenians to use the profit made by the city from the newly found silver mines of Laurion to build a war fleet, at the time to help in the war against Ægina (that fleet will turn out to play a major role in the building of the Athenian empire) ; he also starts improving the harbor of Piræus (Herodotus, VII, 144 ; Aristotle's Constitution of the Athenians, XXII, 7). |
|
482 |
Ostracism of Aristides , leaving room for Themistocles, his main rival. But Aristides will return to Athens along with all ostracized citizens less than two years later in the face of the peril caused by the Persian invasion (Aristotle's Constitution of the Athenians, XXII, 8). |
|
481 |
Aware of Xerxes plans of invasion, the Greek cities that are willing to fight gather in the Isthmus of Corinth behind Athens and Sparta and decide to set aside their quarrels, especially the war between and Ægina. Plans for the defense of Greece are drawn, locations for resistance (the pass of Thermopylæ on land and Cape Artemisium on sea) are chosen and the command in chief of the allies is attributed to Sparta (Herodotus, VII, 145 ; 172 ; 175-178). Envoys are sent to Argos (Herodotus, VII, 148-152Syracuse and Corcyra (Herodotus, VII, 153-168Crete (Herodotus, VII, 169-171), to seek assistance. According to Herodotus, Gelon, tyrant of Syracuse, was willing to provide huge assistance (200 ships, about 30.000 troops and cavalrymen, and wheat for the whole Greek army during the whole war) on condition that he be named commander in chief, but the Spartan and Athenian envoys declined the offer on such terms. |
|
480 |
Start of the second Persian war : Xerxes leads a huge Persian army and fleet (see Herodotus, VII, 59-100 and 184-187 for a description of this army) across the Hellespont (Herodotus, VII, 54-58) and through Thracia and doesn't encounter much resistance at first, but part of the fleet is destroyed by a tempest along the coasts of Thessaly (Herodotus, VII, 188-191).Going along with their plans, the Greek allies meet the Persian army at the pass of Thermopylæ, where the Spartan king Leonidas is defeated by the Persians (Herodotus, VII, 196-239), while the fleets meet at Cape Artemisium, where neither fleet gets the advantage (Herodotus, VIII, 1-22). As a result, the road is clear for Xerxes to invade Boeotia and Attica while the Peloponnesians retreat, having decided to block the Isthmus of Corinth to save at least Peloponnese (Herodotus, VIII, 71-72). Yet Athens convinces the allies to leave the fleet in the Island of Salamis, a few miles away from Piræus, Athens' harbor (Herodotus, VIII, 40-48). The Persian army invades Attica and takes Athens, most of its inhabitants having fled in the islands of Salamis and Ægina, or across the Saronic Gulf in the Peloponnesian city of Troezen, the birthplace of Theseus. The Persians set fire to the Acropolis (Herodotus, VIII, 50-53). But, despite the growing danger, Themistocles convinces the allies to keep the Greek fleet in Salamis (Herodotus, VIII, 56-64), and induces by ruse (see Herodotus, VIII, 74-76) the Persian fleet to wage battle on his chosen ground, between the island of Salamis and the mainland, in a place too narrow for it to properly maneuver. As a result, the Persians are defeated and their fleet totally destroyed (Herodotus, VIII, 83-96 ; for a vivid depiction of the battle, see also ÆschylusPersians, 272-510). Aristides, recalled earlier from banishment in view of the danger, takes an active part in the battle (Herodotus, VIII, 79-81 and 95). As a result of this defeat of his army, Xerxes returns to Asia, leaving behind part of what remains of it under the command of Mardonius (Herodotus, VIII, 97-107. Themistocles is not followed when he wants to send an expedition destroy the bridges over the Hellespont to cut Xerxes's retreat (Herodotus, VIII, 108-110). At about the same time, Gelon, tyrant of Syracuse , allied with Theron, tyrant of Acragas, defeats the Carthaginians of Amilcar at Himera in Sicily (Herodotus, VII, 165-167). Approximate date of birth of Euripides in Salamis (some say he was born the very day of the naval victory) |
Most of the historians say that Xerxes ruled 20 or 21 years, but the Xerxes mentioned by Josephus ruled al least 28 years:
Antiquities of the Jews 11,5,8...He also went about the compass of the city by night, being never discouraged, neither about the work itself, nor about his own diet and sleep, for he made no use of those things for his pleasure, but out of necessity. And this trouble he underwent for two years and four months; for in so long a time was the wall built, in the twenty-eighth year of the reign of Xerxes, in the ninth month
Historic and archaeological data show that Arthaxerxes, son of Xerxes, ruled more than 30 years, as Nehemiah recorded:
Nehemiah 5:14Moreover from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year even unto the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes the king, that is, twelve years, I and my brethren have not eaten the bread of the governor.
The Catholic Historian Eusebio says that this king was Artaxerxes. The king that sent Nehemiah was the same that sent Ezra, since he says
:Ezra 6:14And the elders of the Jews builded, and they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they builded, and finished it, according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the commandment of Cyrus, and Darius1, and Artaxerxes2 king of Persia.
Ezra mentions two commandments and two unique kings after Cyrus that confirm the initial commandment given to Cyrus:
Isaiah 44:28
That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built1; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid2.Isaiah 45:1
Thus saith the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him; and I will loose the loins of kings, to open before him the two leaved gates; and the gates shall not be shut;Isaiah 45:13I have raised him up in righteousness, and I will direct all his ways: he shall build my city, and he shall let go my captives3, not for price nor reward, saith the LORD of hosts
Josephus says that the initial commandment given by Cyrus included the three things mentioned by Isaiah:
Antiquities 11, 1,3Cyrus also sent an epistle to the governors that were in Syria, the contents whereof here follow:
"King Cyrus To Sisinnes And Sathrabuzanes Sendeth Greeting.
"I have given leave to as many of the Jews that dwell in my country as please to return to their own country1, and to rebuild their city2, and to build the temple of God3 at Jerusalem on the same place where it was before. I have also sent my treasurer Mithridates, and Zorobabel, the governor of the Jews..."
Ezra called Ahasuerus the king that came after Darius
Ezra 4:4Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and troubled them in building,
5: And hired counsellers against them, to frustrate their purpose, all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia.
6: And in the reign ofAhasuerus, in the beginning of his reign, wrote they unto him an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.
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All the days of Cyrus |
Cambyses 1, Gaumata2 |
Darius 3 |
In the reign of Ahasuerus 4 |
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The order is given, the foundations are set |
The enemies stop the jobs |
Continue stopped |
Confirms the order of Cyrus |
The works are stopped again |
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10 |
20 |
30 |
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8 years |
7 years working |
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Daniel was an adviser of kings of Babylon, of Darius the Medes, and almost a year under Cyrus:
Daniel 6:28: So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.
Daniel 1:21: And Daniel continued even untothe first year of king Cyrus.
He kept begging to God for his holy city and for his people:
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Under Darius |
Daniel 9:3: And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplication, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes: |
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Under Cyrus |
10:1 In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia a thing was revealed unto Daniel, whose name was called Belteshazzar; and the thing was true, but the time appointed was long: and he understood the thing, and had understanding of the vision. 2-In those days I Daniel was mourning three full weeks. 3: I ate no pleasant bread, neither came flesh nor wine in my mouth, neither did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled. |
A divine messenger revealed to him the truth:
Daniel 11: 2 And now will I shew thee the truth. Behold,there shall stand up yet three kings in Persia; and the fourth shall be far richer than they all: and by his strength through his riches he shall stir up all against the realm of Grecia.
Cyrus was in the present time of Daniel. The four kings mentioned are for future time of Cyrus. "There shall stand up yet" is future to days of Daniel. This fourth king is Xerxes, nicely described by Herodotus in his seven book. In the following site are marked in red ALL those nations that Xerxes stirred up against Grecia:
http://www.geocities.com/Vienna/Opera/1624/daniel11_2.html
(Without any doubt, this Xerxes is the same Ahassuerus mentioned by Ezra)
After Xerxes, came his son Artaxerxes, which Plutarch says that had his right hand longer than the other.
The first Artaxerxes, among all the kings of Persia the most remarkable for a gentle and noble spirit, was surnamed theLong-handed, his right hand being longer than his left, and was the son of Xerxes.
Artaxerxes, the son of Xerxes was friend of the Jews, from the beginning, getting married to a young woman Jew. In the book Esther, Josephus' Old Hebraic Bible and the New Septuagint name this king Artaxerxes, while the New Hebraic calls him Ahasuerus:
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Antiquities of the Jews, 11, 6, 5. Now there was one Haman, the son of Amedatha, by birth an Amalekite, that used to go in to the king; and the foreigners and Persians worshipped him, as Artaxerxes had commanded that such honor should be paid to him; but Mordecai was so wise, and so observant of his own country's laws, that he would not worship the man |
New Septuagint.- And it came to after these things in the days of Artaxerxes (This Arthaxerxes ruled over a hundred and twenty seven province from India) |
New Hebraic.- 1: Now it came to pass in the days of Ahasuerus, (this is Ahasuerus which reigned, from India even unto Ethiopia, over an hundred and seven and twenty provinces:) |
Evidently, this name Ahasuerus was changed lately
The New Septuagint and the New Hebraic say that Nehemiah went to Jerusalem in the twentieth year of Arthaxerxes; but Josephus' Old Hebraic mentions twentieth fifth:
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Septuagint Nehemiah 2:1 And it came to pass in the month of Nissan of the twentieth year of king Arthasastha that the wine was before me: and I took the wine, and gave it to the king: and was not other before him. |
New Hebraic Nehemiah 2:1 And it came to pass in the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes the king, that wine was before him: and I took up the wine, and gave it unto the king. Now I had not been before time sad in his presence. |
Old Hebraic Antiquities 11,5,7 . Now when he was come to Babylon, and had taken with him many of his countrymen, who voluntarily followed him, he came to Jerusalem in the twenty and fifth year of the reign of Xerxes |
Josephus says that the work was finished almost three years later:
Antiquities 11,5, 8...He also went about the compass of the city by night, being never discouraged, neither about the work itself, nor about his own diet and sleep, for he made no use of those things for his pleasure, but out of necessity. And this trouble he underwent for two years and four months; (14) for in so long a time was the wall built, in the twenty-eighth year of the reign of Xerxes, in the ninth month. Now when the walls were finished, Nehemiah and the multitude offered sacrifices to God for the building of them, and they continued in feasting eight days.
The holy messenger told to Daniel that the walls would be the last thing restored:
9:1In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of the seed of the Medes, which was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans; 2: In the first year of his reign I Daniel understood by books the number of the years, whereof the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem. 3: And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplication, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes:.....
18: O my God, incline thine ear, and hear; open thine eyes, and behold our desolations, and the city which is called by thy name: for we do not present our supplications before thee for our righteousnesses, but for thy great mercies.
25 Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again,and the wall, even in troublous times.
The Septuagint, neither the New Hebraic mention when the wall was finished, both jump from the self defense to Nehemiah's "I had built the wall"
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New Septuagint Nehemiah 4:21 so, we continued laboring at the work: and half of them held the spears from the rising of the morning until the stars appeared. And at that time I said to people, Lodge ye every man with his servant in the midst of Jerusalem and let the night be a watch-time to you, and the day a work-time. And I was there, and the watchmen behind me, and there was not man of us that put off his garment
6:1 Now it come to pass, When Sanaballat, and Tobias, and Gesan the Arabian, and the rest of our enemies, heard that I had built the walls, and was no opening left therein; (but hitherto I had not set up the doors on the gates). |
New Hebraic Nehemiah 4:21 So we laboured in the work: and half of them held the spears from the rising of the morning till the stars appeared. Likewise at the same time said I unto the people, Let every one with his servant lodge within Jerusalem, that in the night they may be a guard to us, and labour on the day. So neither I, nor my brethren, nor my servants, nor the men of the guard which followed me, none of us put off our clothes, saving that every one put them off for washing.
6:1: Now it came to pass, when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and Geshem the Arabian, and the rest of our enemies, heard that I had builded the wall, and that there was no breach left therein; (though at that time I had not set up the doors upon the gates;) |
The time mentioned by New Hebraic and the New Septuagint doesn't indicate the time when the wall was finished:
Nehemiah 5:14Moreover from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year even unto the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes the king, that is, twelve years, I and my brethren have not eaten the bread of the governor
Certainly, twelve years seem to be many years, since the foundation and some portions of the wall were there, some others only need to be repaired; beside there were a huge number of people working on it. The enemies, far from stop the works, forced the Jews to work harder and extra hours. Therefore, the two years and four months mentioned by Josephus are not out of that context; at least, according to Josephus' own words, that what Josephus read in the Old Hebraic Bible:
since that time; and how firmly we have given credit to these books of our own nation is evident by what we do; for during so many ages as have already passed,no one has been so bold as either to add any thing to them, to take any thing from them, or to make any change in them; but it is become natural to all Jews immediately, and from their very birth, to esteem these books to contain Divine doctrines, and to persist in them, and, if occasion be willingly to die for them.
So, these words of Josephus are faithful witnesses of Jeremiah 8:8:
THE LYING PEN OF THE SCRIBES CHANGED THE LAW OF GOD INTO LIE
What years must we take the twentieth or the twentieth fifth?
Determining the years that two the building of the Zerubabel-Hageo, we have a clear idea:
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New Hebraic & New Septuagint Ezra 6:15 And this house was finished on the third day of the month Adar, which was in the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king. |
Old Hebraic Bible Antiquities 11,4,7 .... So they forwarded the sacred works, and assisted the elders of the Jews, and the princes of the Sanhedrim; and the structure of the temple was with great diligence brought to a conclusion, by the prophecies of Haggai and Zechariah, according to God's commands, and by the injunctions of Cyrus and Darius the kings. Now the temple was built in seven years' time. And in the ninth year of the reign of Darius, on the twenty-third day of the twelfth month, which is by us called Adar, |
Josephus' Old Hebraic Bible had written: "in the
ninth year of the reign of Darius", which means that from Cyrus to its culmination passed:29+8+9=46 years !
Which was the knowledge of the Jewish in the days of the king Herod:
John 2:20 Then said the Jews,Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days?
