“Xerxes was the son of Darius I and Atossa, daughter of Cyrus; he was the first son born to Darius after his accession to the throne. Xerxes was designated heir apparent by his father in preference to his elder brother Artabazanes. When his father died, in 486 BC, Xerxes was about 35 years old and had already governed Babylonia for a dozen years.” (source)
This brings us to his son, Artaxerxes I who ruled over the Israelites. Amestris, the queen rejected by Xerxes, appears to be the mother of Artaxerxes I.
Artaxerxes I, born in 518 B.C. succeeded Xerxes I in August 465 B.C. at fifty-three years of age. Artaxerxes I was the fifth King of Kings of the Achaemenid Empire, ruling from 465 to 424 BC.[5]
When Artaxerxes I took power, he introduced a new Persian strategy of weakening the Athenians by funding their enemies in Greece. This indirectly caused the Athenians to move the treasury of the Delian League from the island of Delos to the Athenian acropolis. This funding practice inevitably prompted renewed fighting in 450 BC, where the Greeks attacked at the Battle of Cyprus. (source)
After all of these kings, kings, and more kings, coupled with wars, wars, and rumors of wars, Artaxerxes I was now a central character of the Biblical Book of Ezra, appearing also in the Book of Nehemiah.
Artaxerxes I, son of Xerxes I, was a central character of the Biblical Book of Ezra, appearing also in the Book of Nehemiah. Click to discover more. #Nehemiah #OldTestament Click To TweetEzra was a priest and scribe at Susa who was sent by Artaxerxes I, along with a significant number of Jewish families, to Jerusalem in order to standardize the Law of Moses. Yes, the Persians wanted the Law of Moses to be established in Israel.
Nehemiah was a high official at Artaxerxes I‘s court, said to be his cupbearer – and so confidante – who was distressed that Jerusalem’s walls were in ruin and the city was left with no defenses.
Artaxerxes I appointed Nehemiah Governor of Judea and sent him to personally oversee the rebuilding of the walls. Because he was in this position of intimate daily connection with Artaxerxes I, even tasting his every drink before it crossed the king’s lips, Nehemiah could ask for a favor, and it would be granted. And so, he did. Next week we’ll examine that request.
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Melinda, I love how you take the time to set up the historical context of these Bible passages. doing so helps us read the passage with a contextual understanding similar to what the ancient readers would have possessed.
Thank you for adding this comment, Ava. It’s so important! Context is incredibly important when making interpretation. How could we understand any of this and why it’s happening if we have no idea of the context? The when, the where, the why, the who, and the how help us to understand what’s going on.
Thanks, Melinda, for providing this timeline for us to follow in our studies. God bless!
Chronology is helpful in recalling all of these events. I hope it helps, Nancy!
Once again, I learn so must history and Biblical context from your post. Thanks for your dedication to teach us.
Thank you for your kind words, Yvonne. I have also benefited from your posts inspired by your father’s seminary notes.
I’m learning so much from you. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and the details from Scripture. Have a blessed day!
Thanks for your kind words. I love sharing what I’m learning as I go.
So informative! I always learn so much about the history! Complicated Kings and more kings! So interesting to learn that Nehemiah was the trusted cupbearer before being sent to Jerusalem!
The history of this period of Israel is fascinating, because there’s so much for us to learn from their mistakes that transfer to our own lives. Are we being true to the Lord? Do we truly love Him? His own people turned away from him to worship idols. That led to all of this discipline. Thanks for commenting, Mom!
You break these stories down so well. They are easily understood by us all. What strikes me is at the end when you pointed out how close they were… Nehemiah tased his every drink before it passed the king’s lips. God puts us in places and in relationships for reasons, I am certain!
A great point, Jessica! God indeed does put us in the relationships He has ordained for us to bring about the Lord’s purposes. We definitely see that here.
Melinda, thanks for helping us understand the back story surrounding some of our favorite biblical stories. I remember a Bible study on Nehemiah with his role of cupbearer to the king. Yet, you always take this to the next level. Looking forward to the next post.
Thank you for your kind words, Karen. I love digging into this period of history and how it impacted the Jewish people.