Tag: bible

12 Powerful Women From the Bible
November 10, 2023
Nebuchadnezzar Statue: A Golden Image in King’s Dream
In the framework of the Bible and the Book of Daniel, the Nebuchadnezzar statue takes on religious and historical significance. Nebuchadnezzar II, the second Neo-Babylonian ruler (605–562 BC), had a dream in which he saw the image of a golden statue. He dreamed of a tall statue composed of four distinct metals: a golden head, silver chest and arms, bronze belly and thighs, and iron legs and feet. The Jewish prophet Daniel saw in this monument a foreshadowing of global politics.
The statue likely represents the Babylonian, Persian, Alexandrian, and Roman empires.
Some believe that the statue represents the Babylonian, Persian, Alexandrian, and Roman empires. Each metal stood in for a separate dynasty, with gold representing Nebuchadnezzar’s own empire and the other metals representing those that followed. The dream encapsulated the Persian historiographic view of successive global dominations and also offered hope to the Jews of their oppressors’ downfall by divine intervention.
The Meaning of Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream
©Malevus
Architecture, mathematics, and astronomy all reached new heights during the rule of this empire. Jerusalem was taken and the Jews were exiled as part of Nebuchadnezzar’s military victories.
A Golden Statue
Nebuchadnezzar (c. 642–562 BC) had several disturbing dreams in his second year as king. One of these dreams included a massive, magnificent statue of a man fashioned from a variety of metals. In this dream, a gigantic statue appeared with a golden head, silver chest and arms, bronze belly and thighs, iron legs, and iron and clay feet.
Nebuchadnezzar sought the advice of his magi to decipher the detailed meaning of his dream. The price of failure in doing so was certain death. While the magi were unable to explain it, Daniel, a Jewish prisoner in Babylon, was able to interpret the dream through an alleged divine revelation.
Its Meaning
This dream was a Persian historiographic iconography for the political outlook of the region at the time.
According to the Jewish prophet, various powerful countries were shown in the dream. The dream illustrated both the inevitable decline of even the most powerful earthly kingdoms and the ultimate triumph of God and the building of his eternal kingdom.
The statue’s golden head signified Nebuchadnezzar’s dominion, while the other metals stood for the other kingdoms that followed. This statue was the image of the Persian historiographic iconography of the time, which showed a worldview where a chain of dynasties dominated the globe in series.
The Falling Stone
©Malevus
Nebuchadnezzar’s dream also offered the Judeans some encouragement. According to that, God would ultimately smash their Greek oppressors, as symbolized by the statue’s crushing by a stone mountain, alluding to the narrative of the golden calf.
The stone that fell from the sky and smashed the statue in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream referred to a kingdom set up by God that will never be overthrown or handed to other people. In this tale, the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold were all crushed by one stone, which was cut from the mountain without the use of human hands.
According to the Bible, the stone that destroyed the Nebuchadnezzar statue grew into a mountain and covered the whole earth, representing the kingdom of God.
Appearance of the Statue
Materials
Nebuchadnezzar saw an enormous and terrifying statue. The statue included four distinct metals, each of which stood for a different bodily part:
- The statue’s head was crafted from pure gold.
- The chest and arms were made of silver.
- The belly and thighs were made of bronze.
- The legs were made of iron, and the feet were a combination of iron and clay.
Dimensions
The statue’s height was believed to be around 60 cubits or 90 feet (27.5 m), and its width was about 6 cubits or 9 feet (2.7 m). The statue was noteworthy since it represented the inevitable decline of even the most powerful empires on Earth.
Interpretation of the Metal Parts
The Nebuchadnezzar statue is divided into four sections, each of which represents one of four kingdoms:
1. Head of gold: The economic might of the Babylonian Empire (612–539 BC) and the divine hegemony of the Babylonian pantheon by Nebuchadnezzar are symbolized by the golden head.
2. Chest and arms of silver: They represent the conquering and replacing of Babylon by the Medo-Persian Empire (539–331 BC). The Persian and Median empires are symbolized by the silver chest.
3. Belly and thighs of bronze: They represent the Greek Empire (331–146 BC), which defeated the Persian Empire. The bronze belly and thighs stand in for the Greek state.
4. Iron legs and iron feet mixed with clay: They represent the Roman Empire (27 BC–476 AD), which defeated the Greek Empire. Iron legs stand in for the once-mighty Roman Empire.
Compared to Other Ancient Statues
Colossus of Rhodes.
Here are some other ancient statues with similar purposes or meanings:
- Colossus of Rhodes: Chares of Lindos, in 280 BC, created the Colossus of Rhodes, a statue of the Greek sun God Helios, in the city of Rhodes on the Greek island of the same name. Its height was around 108 feet (33 meters).
- Ancient Greek sculptures: Early on in their creative development, the Greeks settled on the human figure as their primary focus, similar to the humanoid Nebuchadnezzar statue.
- Statues from the Early Dynastic Period: The Early Dynastic Period (c. 2900–c. 2350 BC) statues discovered in Mesopotamia on Level VII are from the late dynastic era. They depict a standing male worshiper and a standing female worshiper, which shows the traditional purpose of ancient statutes and the notion of worshipping.
- Statue of Zeus at Tarentum: Lysippos erected a bronze statue of Zeus at Tarentum that stood at 72 feet in height.
- Atlas statue at Sicily’s Temple of Zeus: The Temple of Zeus in Sicily includes almost 40 statues, including an eight-meter-tall Atlas monument that was constructed in the 5th century BC.
Parallels to the Nebuchadnezzar Statue in Other Cultures
There are parallels between the Nebuchadnezzar statue and other antique sculptures and buildings. The Bahman Yasht, a Persian holy scripture, has a schema similar to that shown in this golden statue, in which a tree with branches made of different metals represents the many dynasties that have held sway throughout history. This scripture received its present form in the 9th or 10th century AD, but it is believed to represent an ancient tradition of worldview.
The statue’s depiction of the rise and collapse of earthly kingdoms is reminiscent of the Hindu notion of the four yugas, or progressively immoral epochs of human history. Kali Yuga, which lasts for 432,000 years, is believed to have started in 3102 BC.
Ancient peoples thought similarly about how history repeats itself and about the development and collapse of great civilizations. To do that, the ancient peoples communicated their values and ideas to their communities through works of art and monumental structures, just like today.
Visions of Statues and Kingdoms in Ancient History
Although Nebuchadnezzar’s dream in the Book of Daniel is the only known instance of a monarch having a dream in which he sees a statue depicting the rise and fall of kingdoms, there are other examples of dreams, sculptures, and pictures playing important roles in ancient history.
1. Egyptian statues: Ancient Egyptians often portrayed their gods and pharaohs on sculptures. The ka, or vital energy, of the person depicted was believed to be stored inside these sculptures. They were not always seen in dreams, but when they were, they had great religious and political weight.
2. Godnapping in Mesopotamia: In ancient Mesopotamia, there was a phenomenon known as “godnapping,” in which the monarch of the victorious side would steal the gods (usually statues) of the losing side. The seizure of these idols represented a shift in authority since they were viewed as divine symbols.
3. Lions in ancient cultures: Lions of all kinds were a profound representation of Nebuchadnezzar. The lion has been a significant cultural icon for thousands of years in the region and it was a common motif for ancient sculptors to portray them in statues as a sign of authority and prestige.
These examples do not involve dreams of statues predicting the rise or fall of kingdoms, but they do show how dreams, monuments, and pictures have been utilized to transmit important political and religious messages throughout history.
Purpose of the Nebuchadnezzar Statue in Babylonian Tradition
Nebuchadnezzar’s dream statue had deep cultural significance in Babylonia. It was a metaphor for the global empire Nebuchadnezzar envisioned in which his own kingdom would be the only superpower. Because Nebuchadnezzar’s own kingdom was depicted by the golden head.
Statues in Babylonian civilization were used for both ceremonial and utilitarian reasons. They were often used to strike fear in the hearts of one’s opponents and flaunt the king’s riches and authority. One example is the 95-foot-tall golden statue commissioned by King Nebuchadnezzar II. To show his dominance, he ordered that whenever the music played, everyone must bow down and worship his golden statue.
The statue in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream was both a made-up prophetic sign and a representation of Babylonian culture at large.
Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon and His Empire
An important ancient civilization, the Babylonian Empire (1894–539 BC) is also known as the Neo-Babylonian Empire and it was located in Mesopotamia, which is now modern-day Iraq.
During his reign from 605 to 562 BC, Nebuchadnezzar II established himself as the empire’s greatest ruler. He took over for his father, the first Neo-Babylonian Empire’s creator, Nabopolassar. Nebuchadnezzar II, or Nebuchadnezzar the Great, is often considered to have been the greatest ruler of the Babylonian Empire.
In addition to his impact on Jewish history, Nebuchadnezzar II is known for his military power and his capital city of Babylon. In 605 BC, he defeated an Egyptian army headed by Pharaoh Necho II in the Battle of Carchemish and helped the Medo-Babylonian conquest of the Assyrian Empire.
October 28, 2023
Tower of Babel’s Height: Why It Was 200 to 300 Feet Tall
October 26, 2023
How Did King Solomon Die? Sources and Theories
Solomon (r. c. 970–931 BC), the last king of a unified Israel, reigned for 40 years before dying of natural causes at age 60 or around. Josephus, a priest and historian of the Hebrews, claims that Solomon reigned for eighty years and died at ninety-four. But scholars who mainly look at 1 Kings 11 verse 42, believe that Solomon governed Israel for 40 years. How King Solomon died is not explained in the Bible, suggesting it was due to natural causes from old age. Almost all other royal deaths attributed to other causes have some explanation in the Bible. Scholars also believe that King Solomon died peacefully since no other references in the book say otherwise.
-> See also: Was King Solomon Black?
He Became King at an Early Age
It was at least seven years after David became king that Solomon was born in Jerusalem. David first ruled for seven years from the city of Hebron and Solomon was born in what would later become David’s capital, Jerusalem. He became king at the early age of 20.
Since Solomon’s death was not the result of an assassination or any known ailment, it is often accepted that he passed away due to old age. Even though he was allegedly the “wisest man” to have ever lived, some signs point to his being unpopular, if not outright despised, as a king.
According to Biblical tradition, Solomon’s wives and concubines caused him to abandon his faithfulness in old age. He reportedly had 700 wives and 300 concubines. Solomon also allegedly committed sins against the Israelite people by erecting altars to the false gods, namely Chemosh and Moloch. His devotion to the God of Israel had purportedly waned after marrying foreign women who worshiped different gods.
King Solomon’s pagan practices. King Solomon, with many ladies at his side, kneels before an altar of burning incense within the temple.
-> See also: Shulamite: Solomon’s Bride, Her Origin and Meaning
Solomon Probably Died in His Sleep
Therefore, according to most religious scholars, Solomon must have lived unhappy for the rest of his life and died unhappy despite his wealth. However, this is wishful thinking and there is no concrete evidence for this anywhere in the religious books. Solomon probably died in his sleep from old age, like most of his fathers did, including David.
Solomon’s father King David, after a long and healthy life, passed away at the age of 70. The Bible never cites any other ailments David had in his old age except the lack of heat his body could not generate (1 Kings 1:1). Upon his death, David “rested with his fathers, and was buried in the City of David.” (1 Kings 2:10). When he died in c. 931 BC, Solomon was also laid to rest in the City of David.
When King Solomon died, his son, Rehoboam, took over as king at the age of 41 (1 Kings 14:21-31), but ten of Israel’s tribes refused to recognize him as ruler and instead established the Kingdom of Israel under Jeroboam to the north, while Rehoboam ruled over the smaller Kingdom of Judah. After that, there was never any hope of reuniting the two kingdoms.
-> King Solomon’s Net Worth: How Rich Was the King of Israel?
Solomon’s Death in Islam
According to the Qur’an, Solomon died while leaning on his staff, but the jinns working under him only realized that he had died when a woodworm ate his staff and Solomon’s dead body fell to the ground. According to Islamic legend, Solomon died when he was in charge of building the Temple in Jerusalem.
In Islam, Solomon was a prophet of God who had the power to communicate with jinn and animals. Muslims further assert that he was a devout monotheist who justly ruled over the entire Israelite nation, received a level of kingship accorded to no one before or since, and obeyed God’s every command. As a result, they believe that he will spend eternity in Jannah (Paradise).
Was Solomon Actually Shalmaneser III?
The biblical King Solomon might be an invented figure. According to this theory, King Solomon is based on Shalmaneser III, who was “appropriated” by subsequent biblical writers. Shalmaneser III was the king of Assyria from 859 to 824 BC when he himself also died peacefully of natural causes in his temple at Kalhu, his capital city. Shalmaneser III passed away in his newly built Assur Temple, which was made of cedar and gold and dedicated to the national god Assur (Ashur).
The Neo-Assyrian monarch Shalmaneser III reigned right after the death of his father Ashurnasirpal II. According to this interpretation, the mythical conquests and empire-building of Shalmaneser III, who lived to the south of Assyria, served as inspiration for the biblical narratives of King Solomon’s reign.
Was Solomon a Despised King Before His Death?
There were few significant battles under Solomon’s rule, and the kingdom generally prospered throughout his time in office. The writers of the Bible remember this time fondly since it was a time of relative calm and security. But Solomon’s rule was not problem-free. He took several foreign wives, and this is precisely the kind of thing against which Moses warned Israel in Deuteronomy 7:1-4. After that, Solomon’s commitment to the Israelite God allegedly waned.
This happened when Solomon was an elderly man. The remainder of 1 Kings 11 is an account of God’s intensifying punishment of Solomon for his idolatry and the resulting devastation it brought upon Israel.
Taxes, tribute, and commerce seem to have generated vast earnings for Solomon, who became wealthier than any other monarch in history. He married hundreds of royal brides and concubines from throughout the world because of his passion for exotic women. His military expansion and riches might be regarded as safeguarding the future of his people, and his neighbors expected him to seal covenant deals with them by marrying a royal woman of the reigning dynasty as evidence of his sincerity.
But God had a different take on what motivated Solomon. In the Biblical story, Solomon’s frequent marriages to foreign women drew him away from God, who had warned the Israelites not to adopt the practices of the surrounding cultures. Solomon’s alleged fall from grace began at his late age and he was probably a despised king before dying in his sleep from natural causes due to his advanced age of 60 or so.
Where Was King Solomon Buried?
After ruling for 40 years from the age of 20 or around, King Solomon was laid to rest at the City of David in Jerusalem. However, owing to a lack of proof and historical documents, the precise site of his grave is unknown. Many people believe his grave lies near the Temple Mount. Others name the location of this supposedly massive tomb as “Mount Zion” in the Atlas Mountains in Northwest Africa, Jerusalem.
However, no concrete archeological evidence has been uncovered to support any of these proposed locations for his grave. A tomb for King Solomon was presumedly built around the 10th century BC, albeit without any historical proof.
October 18, 2023
How Old Was Solomon When He Became King?
October 18, 2023
Eleazar: Story of a Priest in the Hebrew Bible
- Eleazar succeeded his father Aaron as the Jewish people’s second High Priest.
- He played crucial roles in Jewish ceremonies, offerings, and decisions within the priesthood.
- Eleazar, alongside Joshua, helped divide the promised land among the Israelite tribes.
- His lineage continued through his son Phinehas and ensured priestly succession.
According to the Hebrew Bible and the Old Testament of the Christian Bible, Eleazar (Hebrew: אֶלְעָזָר, Elʽazar, meaning “God (El) has helped”) was a priest from the tribe of Levi and the second High Priest of the Jewish people, succeeding his father Aaron. Eleazar was Moses’ nephew. Elisheba, a member of the Judahite tribe and the sister of Nahshon, was Eleazar’s mother. Nadab and Abihu were his older brothers, while Ithamar was the name of his youngest sibling. On Mount Sinai, Eleazar and his brothers joined their father in being anointed as priests. Eleazar, Aaron’s son, married one of Putiel’s daughters and had a son, Phinehas, who succeeded his father as High Priest.
The Israelites’ wilderness journey is believed to have taken place around the 13th century BCE. Eleazar’s involvement as the high priest and his role in the allocation of territories in the Promised Land occurred during this period.
Eleazar’s Task
Eleazar served as a priest in a number of capacities for the Israelites while they traveled through the desert on their way to Canaan. Even though grieving was banned for the Israelites in this situation, he and his brother Ithamar resumed their responsibilities as priests immediately after their brothers Nadab and Abihu were killed by the retribution of God’s fire. Because God’s anointing oil was on them, they were confined to the front of the Tent of Meeting (Tabernacle).
In their first worship ceremony, they botched the sin sacrifice by letting the male goat burn to ash instead of being eaten in the Most Holy Place. Moses rebuked them for it, but their father Aaron eventually settled them down.
Eleazar took charge of the Levites guarding the sacred objects while on the road. Before the camp could move, Joshua, his father Aaron, and his brother Ithamar had to enter the Holy Tent to prepare the Ark of the Covenant for travel by removing the veil, wrapping it with a covering of dolphin skin, and placing it on a fabric that was dark purple.
Moses and Joshua before the Ark of the Covenant (by James Tissot, c. 1900)
In addition, a dark purple cloth and the serving dishes, utensils, and pitchers were to be laid out on the showbread table. It was intended to showcase the Presence’s bread. They then place a crimson fabric on top, a covering made of dolphin skin, and the poles of the Ark. The light source, its lamps, wick trimmers, trays, and oil containers were to be covered with a dark purple fabric.
The Kohathites were to come and transport the sacred furniture and all the holy artifacts once Aaron and his sons had completed covering them, just before the camp moved away; however, no Kohathite was to touch the holy things under penalty of death. Eleazar was also in charge of the regular grain sacrifice, the aromatic incense, and the anointing oil. Everything in the Tabernacle, from the furnishings to the holy items, was under his purview.
A Rebellion Against Moses
Eleazar was tasked with retrieving the censers from the flames and having them hammered into sheets to overlay the altar as a memorial for the Israelites after Korah, son of Izhar, son of Kohath (Kehath), son of Levi, and his followers rebelled against Moses and were swallowed by the earth while 250 of his followers were consumed by fire from God while holding their censers.
Eleazar was given a spotless, young red heifer that had never been yoked in order to use in the ceremonial cleaning water. The heifer was to be killed in front of him, away from the camp. Eleazar was then tasked with sprinkling the blood of the sacrifice seven times toward the entrance of the Tent of Meeting. After that, everything about the heifer—including its hide, meat, blood, and intestines—was to be burned in front of his eyes. Tossing cedar wood, hyssop, and scarlet wool upon the ablaze cow was Eleazar’s assignment.
Then he could enter the camp after washing his garments and bathing himself with water, but he remained ceremonially unclean until dark. A ceremonially clean man was responsible for collecting the heifer’s ashes and placing them in a clean location outside of camp. The Israelite community was obligated to save these items for use in the sacrificial water, which was used to atone for sins.
The Death of Aaron
Moses was told to take Aaron and Eleazar to Mount Hor as Aaron lay dying. Aaron died on the mountainside after Moses took his clothes and placed them on Eleazar. After that, Moses and Eleazar came down the mountain.
Moses and Eleazar were tasked with taking a headcount of all the Israelites who were at least 20 years old and physically able to serve in the military on the plains of Moab between the Jordan River and Jericho.
Eleazar helped Moses judge disputes, including the dispute between Zelophehad’s daughters.
The Urim and Thummim were used by Eleazar, the priest, to discern God’s will when Joshua, son of Nun, was anointed to replace Moses. Joshua would stand before Eleazar and Eleazar would utilize the Urim to ascertain God’s will for Joshua.
The Israelite army returned to the camp on the plains of Moab by the Jordan near Jericho with prisoners, booty, and prizes following their victory against the Midianites.
Eleazar, the priest, then addressed the troops that had set out for war, saying,
This is what is required by the Lord’s command that Moses gave you: ‘The gold, silver, bronze, iron, tin, and lead—everything that can withstand fire—must be put through the fire, and then it will be clean. But it must also be purified with the water of cleansing. And whatever cannot withstand fire must be put through that water. On the seventh day, wash your clothes, and you will be clean. Then you may come into the camp.
Instructing Moses, God said,
You and Eleazar, the priest, and the family heads of the community are to count all the people and animals that were captured. Divide the spoils equally between the soldiers who took part in the battle and the rest of the community. From the soldiers who fought in the battle, set apart as tribute for the Lord one out of every five hundred, whether people, cattle, donkeys, or sheep. Take this tribute from their half share and give it to Eleazar the priest as the Lord’s part. From the Israelites’ half, select one out of every fifty, whether people, cattle, donkeys, sheep, or other animals. Give them to the Levites, who are responsible for the care of the Lord’s tabernacle.
Following God’s instructions, Moses and Eleazar, the priest, acted accordingly. Following the troops’ looting, there were 675,000 sheep, 72,000 cattle, 61,000 donkeys, and 32,000 women who had never been sexually active.
Eleazar’s Death
After the Israelites reached the land of Canaan, the Lord gave Moses’ successors, Joshua and Eleazar, the priest, the responsibility of dividing up the country as an inheritance for the various Israelite tribes. At the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, Eleazar the priest, Joshua, son of Nun, and the chiefs of the tribal families settled the inheritance for each tribe after Joshua had completed battling for the country of Canaan. The land partition was finalized at this point.
Eleazar was involved in the casting of lots to determine the allocation of the territories of the Promised Land (Canaan) to each Jewish tribe, ensuring that the allocation was done in accordance with God’s guidance.
Eleazar, Aaron’s son, passed away, and he was laid to rest among the hills of Ephraim, on a hill that had been granted to his son Phinehas. This spot probably lies in the Samaria neighborhood known as Awarta. The Israeli government restricts Jewish pilgrims to a single night’s stay around the 5th of the Jewish calendar month of Shevat (January–February).
Families of Priests
Zadok of Eleazar and Ahimelech of Ithamar were the two priests who helped David establish order among the priesthood. It seems that there were more family heads (chiefs) among Eleazar’s offspring than among Ithamar’s. Therefore, they separated them as follows: 16 family heads for Eleazar’s offspring and 8 family heads for Ithamar’s.
Since there were “holy leaders” and “leaders appointed by God” among both the descendants of Eleazar and the descendants of Ithamar, they distributed them fairly through random selection. In the presence of the king, the authorities, Zadok the priest, Ahimelech son of Abiathar, and the chiefs of the priestly and Levitical families, the Levite Shemaiah son of Nethaneel entered their names. Eleazar lost one tribe, and then the same happened to Ithamar.
The rotation order for these 24 groups was determined randomly, and it looked like this:
1. Jehoiarib; 2. Jedaiah; 3. Harim; 4. Seorim; 5. Malchijah; 6. Miyyamin; 7. Hakkoz; 8. Abijah; 9. Jeshua; 10. Shecaniah; 11. Eliashib; 12. Jakim; 13. Huppah; 14. Jeshbab; 15. Bilhah; 16. Immer; 17. Hezir; 18. Happizzez; 19. Pethahiah; 20. Ezekiel; 21. Jachin; 22. Gamul; 23. Delaiah; 24. Maaziah.
Genealogy of Eleazar
Phinehas was Eleazar’s only son with his wife, who was a daughter of Putiel.
The descendants of Eleazar, in chronological order:
Phinehas, Abishua, Bukki, Uzzi, Zerahiah, Meraioth, Amariah, Ahitub, Zadok, Ahimaaz, Azariah, Johanan, and Azariah.
Azariah
In Solomon’s Temple in Jerusalem, Azariah, son of Johanan, worked as a priest.
From Amariah to Ahitub to Zadok to Shallum to Hilkiah to Azariah to Seraiah to Jehozadak is the family tree of Azariah.
Seraiah
When the people of Judah and Jerusalem were carried into exile by Nebuchadnezzar, Jehozadak son of Seraiah was among those who were captured.
Ezra
Ezra son of Seraiah son of Azariah son of Hilkiah son of Shallum son of Zadok son of Ahitub son of Meraioth son of Zerahiah son of Uzzi son of Bukki son of Abishua son of Phinehas son of Eleazar son of Aaron, the chief priest, was among the first to return from exile.
The author of the Book of Ezra, Ezra, came back from exile in Babylon. He was a scribe well-versed in the Ten Commandments that Moses had received from the Lord, Israel’s God. Because the Lord his God was with him, the king granted all his requests.
Jehozadak
Jehozadak son of Seraiah, the High Priest, also went into exile in Babylonia; therefore, he may have been a sibling.
- After the Temple was rebuilt, subsequent High Priests also traced their ancestry back to Eleazar,
  - beginning with Joshua son of Jehozadak (ca. 515–490 BC).
  - Joshua’s son Joiakim, around 470–490 B.C.
  - Joiakim’s son Eliashib, 470–433 B.C.
  - Sometime between 433 and 410 B.C.E., Joiada, son of Eliashib, was expelled from the Temple by Nehemiah because one of his sons had married the daughter of Sanballat the Horonite.
  - Jonathan, son of Joiada, c. 410–371 B.C.E.,
  - Jaddua son of Jonathan, sometime 373–320 BC, during Alexander the Great‘s rule. Some people referred to him as Simeon the Just.
Phinehas son of Eleazar held the rank of High Priest in the household. However, during the reign of High Priest Eli, it was passed on to the family of Ithamar for reasons that aren’t totally known. According to Samaritan accounts, the descendants of Ithamar and Pinehas son of Eleazar fought among themselves and eventually split into two camps on Mount Gerizim, close to Bethel: those who followed High Priest Eli and those who did not.
The Ithamar family, descended from Eli the High Priest, held the post of High Priest until Abiathar, the fourth descendant of Eli, was removed from office by King Solomon, who then reinstated Zadok of the Eleazar family. This was the fulfillment of predictions regarding Eli’s family that had been spoken via the prophet Samuel.
According to the same Samaritan account, the line of High Priests descended from Phinehas was broken with the passing of the 112th High Priest, Shlomyah ben Pinhas, in 1624 AD. As a result, Ithamar’s kin once again assumed the role. Elazar ben Tsedaka ben Yitzhaq served as Samaritan High Priest in 2009.
Eleazar in Christianity
The Eastern Orthodox Church celebrates Eleazar on September 2, while the Armenian Apostolic Church honors him as a Holy Father on July 30. However, the Old Testament Bible mentions more than one person with the name Eleazar:
- It is thought that the Ark of the Covenant was protected by Eleazar son of Abinadab.
- Eleazar, son of Dodo, was a powerful soldier in King David’s army. His name is sometimes translated as Elhanan.
- One of those entrusted with the sacred items brought to Jerusalem from Babylonia was Eleazar son of Phinehas.
- In the genealogy of Jesus Christ contained in the Gospel of Matthew, Eleazar son of Eliud is included. Joseph was Jesus’ adoptive father.
October 9, 2023
Three Wise Men: The Biblical Characters and Their Origin
On January 6, religious Christians celebrate the day the Three Wise Men came to pay their respects to the Christ Child in Bethlehem. The Bible says that the men, sometimes known as the Biblical Magi or Three Kings, visited the infant Jesus with gifts. What kind of kings, if any, did they really play? And were there really three of them?
Origin of the Biblical Magi
This may disappoint the coral singers of the Epiphany, but the Bible says nothing about the number of the kings. The Greek word “magoi” (which is where the English word “magi” comes from) is the source for Matthew’s use of the term “wise men from the east” to describe the travelers who followed the star to Bethlehem to find the infant Jesus. According to the Gospel of Matthew, it was Roman Jewish King Herod the Great (b. 20 BC) who sent the wise men.
The Greek word “magoi” means a practitioner of magic, including even astrology. The word was used for the well-read and cultured men of the day, for whom stargazing or alchemy represented a scientific showdown with the cosmos. Therefore, “wise men,” as later translated by Martin Luther, was a better wording than the magi. The whole theme was that the foreign aristocracy was visiting the infant Jesus.
Popular in Christmas myths and rituals all across the globe, the Three Wise Men are generally shown as aged, wise men in traditional Christian art. It is often held that the three wise men story symbolized the three major faiths of the time—Judaism, Christianity, and Islam—and that the presents they brought Jesus signified his three main functions as king, priest, and sacrifice, at least for the Christian scholars.
How Many Magi Were There?
The Magi following the Bethlehem Star.
The idea that there should have been three magi is just an assumption with no historical value. The Biblical Magi brought three gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. However, any number of individuals could deliver these three gifts. That is why some of the oldest murals about the Biblical Magi depict two men, while others have four. Only in the Middle Ages do the Biblical Magi become “three kings” or “three wise men.” One of the wise men had a dark complexion, and his name was Balthazar; his two companions’ names were Caspar and Melchior.
It’s not certain whether the Three Wise Men ever existed. Many Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) prophecies were used by Matthew to support the claim that Jesus was the promised Messiah. The story of the Three Wise Men from the East reads like a patchwork of many prophecies. The noblemen later became the focal point of Medieval Nativity scenes. Balthazar, the dark-skinned member of the pair, became a fan favorite and continues to be featured in dark skin as he was supposed to be of African origin.
The Bones of the Magi
Cologne Cathedral, Shrine of the Three Magi, created around 1181-1230 by the goldsmith Nicholas of Verdun. (Image: Beckstet, Wikimedia Commons)
You may not need to go back in time if you want to pay a visit to the Three Wise Men. Christians believe that their remains are housed in the Shrine of the Three Kings, a golden shrine located in Cologne Cathedral in Germany. The Shrine of the Three Magi created around 1181-1230 by the goldsmith Nicholas of Verdun.
The remains were one of the Middle Ages’ most priceless artifacts of cultural significance. The Milan Cathedral was the first location where the bones were stored. The artifact was a war booty given to Rainald von Dassel, Archbishop of Cologne, by Frederick Barbarossa after the latter’s 1162 conquest of the city.
Three men of varying ages were determined to be the source of the bones when they were inspected in 1864 by an anatomist in Bonn. At first glance, this seems meaningless. But the bones are still among the oldest authentic Christian artifacts since they were found on a piece of 2nd-century Syrian fabric, indicating that they were treasured as relics at an early date anyway.
The Chalking-The-Door Tradition
Chalking the door is a religious tradition for Biblical Magi. (Bill Barber, CC BY-NC 2.0 DEED)
Whether or not the Three Wise Men existed, the mythology still motivates hundreds of kids every year to dress up as nobles and chant their way around neighborhoods in search of donations for charity. The year and the initials of the wise men are chalked into the doors on the Fest of Epiphany on January 6 as follows: 20*C+M+B+23 (for 2023).
In time, Christians also interpreted these initials to mean “Christus Mansionem Benedicat” in Latin, or “Christ, bless this house. This “chalking the door” tradition was also a Scottish way of telling renters they had to leave, until recently.
-> See also: Christmas in Scotland: Traditions and Celebrations
Origin of Epiphany
Today, one of Christianity’s earliest celebrations—Epiphany—is encapsulated in a tradition that has its roots in legend: God incarnates as Jesus Christ. Epiphany has its roots in the early Christians’ celebration of Christmas, which was more interested in the metaphor of light than the romanticism of a manger.
It’s possible that the first Christians appropriated and reinterpreted this feast from various religions and also the Roman Emperor Cult. Because the church in the Roman Empire accepted the popular celebration of the unconquered sun god (“Sol Invictus”) and its symbolism as Christmas on December 25.
Even though January 6 is not as significant a Christian holiday as Christmas or Easter, it is nonetheless observed as a holiday in various countries, from Argentina, Bulgaria, and Egypt to the United States or Finland.
For a long time, January 6, the day of Epiphany, was a major celebration day. Until the middle of the 20th century, the first day of school usually began later than January 6th after the winter break in western countries. Since the public was aware that Christmas celebrations often continued until at least January 6.
Bibliography
1. Nigel Pennick (2015). “Pagan Magic of the Northern Tradition: Customs, Rites, and Ceremonies.” Inner Traditions – Bear & Company.
2. “An Epiphany Blessing of Homes and Chalking the Door”. Discipleship Ministries. 2007.
3. Essick Amber, John Inscore (2011). “Distinctive Traditions of Epiphany” (PDF). 2016.
December 23, 2022