David Solomon’s Jewish History lecture examines the Second Temple Period (Bayit Sheini), which spans from approximately the year -500 (or 500 BCE) to the theoretical year 0 (3260 to 3760 in the traditional Hebraic calendar).
#93 The Twelve Minor Prophets (4)
David Solomon examines the prophets who lived during the period after Israel’s return to Zion, following the Babylonian exile, namely:
- Hagai
- Zechariah
- Malachi.
With their unique post-exilic messages, these three prophets addressed the concerns of a population grappling with rebuilding Jerusalem after generations away. Some of the ideas expressed in their powerful prophetic books include:
- the need to rebuild the leadership of Israel
- the importance of building a new temple in Jerusalem
- a call to do teshuva
- rebuilding oneself through dialogue with God
- the failure of previous generations
- creating righteous leadership
- ecstatic visions
- the implications of changing geopolitical realities
- false prophecy
- the end of the prophetic epoch.
David closely examines key passages of these biblical texts, explaining their meaning and the implications of their messages.
As always, he places the prophets, their lives, and their words in historical context. He also emphasises the lasting importance of their ideas for the Jewish people as a nation and for us all as individuals.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:28:10 — 85.0MB)
#47 Two Temples (part 3)
A Podcast on Tanach (Hebrew Bible) and Jewish History
When the Persian King Cyrus the Great sponsored a Jewish return to the Land of Israel to rebuild a temple in Jerusalem he launched an era in Jewish History known as the Second Temple Period. In this podcast episode, David explores the first four centuries of the Second Temple Period. Beginning with the return from exile in Babylonia, he charts a historical path through Alexander’s conquest, examining the consequences of Hellenism on Jewish life. David then discusses the extraordinary rise of the Hasmonean Dynasty, its ultimate decay, and final disastrous consequences.
