16. Assyria Falls, Babylon Rises, and Josiah Reforms

Assyria fell to a combined assault by Nabopolassar of Babylon and Cyaxeres of Media, and with its fall the Babylonians began to dominate the region of Syria and Israel. During those years, Josiah of Judah attempted to restore proper worship of the God of Israel, but his brilliant career was cut short in battle with Necho II of Egypt. For more free resources, please visit www.brucegore.com

[@jamiemacleod3994]

You’re a born teacher. Your videos are informative and easy to listen too.

[@ruthwishart8645]

Re Caroline Bakers comment....you teach like you hate every moment of it .... l have been digently following these videos as lm doing a course on this subject... Mr Gore’s lectures are all delivered with humour and delightful insights yet full of information that isn’t overwhelming but delivered in a way that the information can be retained .... l’ve bought the accompanying book! ....he’s a delight to listen to!

[@addiemeier5168]

I love when I find intelligent brothers and sisters in Christ. Bless you!

[@FlawlessBreed]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/b3-TeItre7l4gac what you think wanna see more?

[@astcal]

Excellent session, loves the Sunday school message at the the end.

[@rhondag3117]

Amen! Just because I have a good motive doesn't mean that I should do x y or z. God's wisdom always needed

[@michaeladekunle3857]

This lecture series are real Christian theological studies made available for the public. I must say thank you to Prof Bruce Gore and his team as well as his family too. My wife noticed my interest and she said this is real Christian theological studies. I enjoy every lecture. At a time about 57 lectures were already done 5 years ago and may be another 66 coming up if each book of the Bible will be done within the coming weeks.

[@GoreBruce]

Thank you! I deeply appreciate your interest and encouragement! I'm trying to get as much done as I can before I die of old age!

[@tes767]

Excellent teaching--especially in the Sunday School lesson at the end. God spoke to me through this. I think I understand the Josiah narrative now. Blessings!

[@j.b.5420]

📖learning so much, thanks

[@jdixon920]

I don't know what that lady is talking about Mr. Gore, you look like you are having fun and I have fun watching you on the internet. I'm sure in person is a gas!!!

[@GoreBruce]

+Jayson Dixon Well, for the record, I'm having the time of my life, and my students are tolerating it reasonably well! Thanks for the feedback!

[@BlueSideUp77]

Excellent thought at the end.

[@VSP4591]

Well done and coherent. Congratulation.

[@peteryeng]

Thank you for the good history lesson. I beg to differ on your interpretation on why Josiah went to war against Neco. It is inconceivable that Josiah would try to help God's plan to preserve the Babylonians so they can defeat them in the future. It is more believable to think the reason to be that Neco was going to trample all over Judah on his way to the north, or worse, that Judah becomes the battle ground for the two powers. That is, he did his duty as any king would be expected to do, to defend the sovereign integrity of his country from Neco's tour de force.

[@GoreBruce]

Peter Eng Very good perspective!

[@WayneC.-jj2jd]

Maybe Josiah was happy to see the Babylonians destroy the Assyrians for good. By blocking the Egyptians, Josiah would hope the Assyrians didn't get the support they desparately needed.

[@vidapeters7677]

i learned something great that expanded my horizon thank you Mr. Gore the Bakers of this world like Hittites die to hate. thank you for your love to teach the hard subjects.

[@GoreBruce]

Thanks for your kind feedback!

[@mottgirl13]

One of the best . Thank you Dr Gore. I always truly enjoyed your lessons and bonus Sunday school lessons.

[@jayems332]

Thankyou very much for your teaching. Fascinating and so interestingly presented. I'm immensely grateful that I have access to it. Am now about to read through The Revelations now, before your next teaching.

[@GoreBruce]

jay Em Thanks for joining in!

[@andrewsapia]

***** The Scythians are the deported Israelites They just appear North of The Caucuses within 50 years of the Israelites disappearing south of the Caucuses. Read 2nd Esdras, they say they decide not to return to Palestine but instead to go through the headwaters of the Euphrates (which takes you north of the Caucuses) heading for a place called Arsureth. Exactly where the Scythian/Celts Appear. Read the Scottish Declaration of Independence. The Scotts come from Scythia. Scythe, Scooth, Booth, Scoothians, Succoth, wanderers, temporary dwellings, tents. The feast of booths, of sucuth, scooths scyths. The Black Obolisk, Jehu, what are the Israelites called? Beth Kumri, Omri, House of Omri, Kumri, Cymry, Cimmerians. Do you really believe it's a coincidence that these very people who make their westward trek over a few centuries before Messiah, that these very people just happen to become the "Christian" nations, and collectively the nations of Northwest Europe completely fulfill the Abrahamic Covenantal Promises. Stars, Sand, Posses the Gates of their enemies. Read what God Promised Sarah when she chuckled, Kings of Peoples (that's plural) i.e. multiple kings, simultaneously ruling over a commonwealth of nations. The great atheist Ingersoll became an atheist because he read what God Promised Abraham and said the Jews haven't even come close to fulfilling it. In fact he said the British stole it from them.

[@str.77]

Nonsense from start to finish, andrew sapia...

[@mightyeagle51]

andrew sapia You propose Angloisraeliism. A fictitious claim. Israel has nothing to do with Israel. The Cimmerians are not related to the house of Omry, not omri. Look at the table of nations in Genesis we are told Gomer are the decendants of Jpheth, not Shem. Gomer, or Cimmerians are pronounced GIMRI. or as the Welsh call themselves Gymry.

[@TheAngelin2000]

this make sense , good job

[@FlawlessBreed]

So important kzbin.info/www/bejne/q3K9Z3isbseohKM

[@Vetforlife]

This was monumental. Neberkenezer providentially saves the good Hebrews from destruction on his way back home. Then comes back to Jerusalem to utterly destroy the wicked. Almost like the story of Joseph and his brothers.

[@eddieedwards2403]

My plan

[@kevinmarcusjackson194]

Josiah died because the prophecy said that he would rest in peace and not see the destruction of Judah, so when Necho was on way to fight the LORD harden Josiah's heart contrary to what Necho advised, "this fight is not for you Josiah".

[@masibongemyeki5266]

Well researched presentation, can you provide the reference of that prophet where God was going to use Babylonians as the instruments of discipline in that region 👏👏, the prophet that made Josiah to prevent Necho from going to save the Assyrians.

[@GoreBruce]

The prophet is Jeremiah, whose dominant theme in his entire book is warning about coming judgment under the Babylonians. I am surmising that Josiah inferred from the message of Jeremiah that he should resist the Egyptian attempt to defeat the Babylonians, but I have no specific text to substantiate that theory. It is simply my attempt to account for Josiah's ill-conceived plan.

[@simongiles9749]

Ah, I get the comment about Saracus at around 5:00, but then I only watched the previous video yesterday! He was the one rumoured to be a transvestite, and this was the number one fact your Year Nines remembered.

[@lcutler75]

gr8 vid..thnx 4 posting & i agree w yer theory of y josiah went 2 battle w necho 2 xcept i thot neb dawg took jeconiah 2 babylon..not jehoiakim

[@GoreBruce]

Both were taken by Nebuchadnezzar to Babylon. Jehoiakim was taken earlier (along with Daniel and companions) and was later reinstated to Jerusalem's throne. Jechoachin (Jeconiah) was taken later and held in prison until freed by Evil-Merodach, successor to Nebuchadnezzar.

[@lcutler75]

thnx 4 replyin im tryin 2 make sense of the dates given by babylonian chronicles n certain authors then correlating it 2 the kjv bible but they dont mesh up w zedekiah in the book of jeremiah would u plz point me in the rite direction of online resources that will hav bonafide dates pertaining 2 this era?

[@addiemeier5168]

Where do you teach? I want to come!

[@GoreBruce]

I'd love to have you drop by! First Presbyterian Church, Spokane.

[@SuperGogetem]

In what year approximately does Nimrod found Babylon?

[@masada2828]

Nimrod is the grandson of Ham so, not long after the Flood (Flood was 2450 BC).

[@jodiebarker197]

Hello Bruce, I am currently studying a history module and extremely far behind from personal issues. Is there any chance I could leave my email to ask some questions with regards to gobbets and essay questions on Jeremiah 26-45.

[@GoreBruce]

Of course. Contact me at [e-mail].

[@natiteshe1108]

bro i've been reading & studying Jeremiah this times & would you please share me what you've learned & what fascinating stuff you've got from the book? i've finished reading the book & i myself is being fascinated by it still each time i find new things in it.. would you share me some of yours

[@laythadrian5705]

Did anyone understand the Saracus joke?

[@unclespeller6568]

I have a vague memory of reading once a saying by some archeologist, who said something like "I explored (the Near East?) with a (trowel? pickaxe?) in one hand and a Bible in the other." Can Bruce Gore or someone else tell me who said that? Was it Austin Henry Layard? Howard Carter?

[@GoreBruce]

It may have been Albright, but I'm also not sure. Thanks for the feedback!

[@masada2828]

Dr David Rohl.

[@jdaze1]

When did Nebe chadnezzer take utensils from the temple. That's the most important part!!!!!

[@GoreBruce]

That point covered in other presentations. The utensils were taken by the Babylonian king in 586 with the fall of Jerusalem. See the closing chapters of Jeremiah, 2 Kings, 2 Chronicles, and earlier lectures in this series. Thanks for your interest!

[@jdaze1]

Bruce Gore Thanks for your reply. However, that's not what I've read elsewhere. King Johochim supposedly gave Neb. Some temple articles on his return from Egypt back to Babylon to show his support or alliegence. The rest of the temple artifacts were taken during the fall in 586-7. I'll try to find my source and attach it shortly. I was just trying to confirm the date of 608 bc or 607 bc. Thanks.

[@hankkhan5844]

@@jdaze1 the answer to that he took items from the temple in 605, 597, and 587/586 along with the total destruction of the temple

[@FlawlessBreed]

@@hankkhan5844 nope but here you go if it's for truth www.evernote.com/shard/s421/sh/ade58d1a-eb61-4f88-a9f2-7a53c9fe3ec5/3ed1e80895d5f2dd06b17a8bea6b062e www.evernote.com/shard/s421/sh/3cfb9b2a-25ce-4ca2-8704-f7714b1c7817/396f90a3ead2c915b16aa7fc0b1f1cc7 www.evernote.com/shard/s421/sh/50c569ca-bda6-47aa-bb62-2192375fa829/8e59fac5c7dda1a1002d7f9091d3d5b2

[@prof.dr.4224]

Some of the Aryans after leaving India, entered Babylon, Assyria and Egypt. They are called Panis in Rig Veda. Most of them settled in Asia Minor (Historians History of the World, 1902). Rig Veda mentioned them as great navigators using Satarika Nau (a ship with 100 oars). Original people of Assyria were not Semitic. Before 4000 BC, Southern Babylon was the original home of the Sumerians from India and Northern Babylon originally came from central Asia. Modern name Mesopotamia came from the original Madhya Vedi, according to the Historians History of the World (Vol 1 and 2, 1902). One of the most famous King of Babylon was Asur Bani Pal, a pure Sanskrit name. Both Hittite and Mitranis used to speak Indo-European language. Their gods were Vedic gods. HR Hall, curator of the British Museum wrote (Hall, 1939), “The ethnic type of the Sumerians so strongly marked in their statues and relief was as different from those of the races which surround them as was their language from those of the Semites; they were decidedly Indian in type. The face type of the average Indian of today is no doubt much the same as that of his race ancestors thousands of years ago. And it is by no means improbable that the Sumerians were an Indian race. It was in the Indian home, perhaps the Indus valley; we suppose for them, that their culture developed. There their writings may have invented and progressed from a purely pictorial to a simplified and abbreviated from which afterwards in Babylonia took on its peculiar cuneiform appearance owing to its being written with a square ended stylus on soft-clay. There is little doubt that India must have been one of earliest centres of human civilization and it seems natural to suppose that the strange un-Semitic people who came from the East to civilise the West were of Indian origin, especially when we see with our eyes how very Indian the Sumerians were in type”. There were linguistic and ethnic resemblance between the Sumerians and the Dravidians, people from South India. Both Rig Veda and Mahabharata mentioned the Deva-Asura war, which lasted 32 years in which Devas, the Aryans of North India, driven other tribes. In both Harappa and Babylon an unknown script was discovered, demonstrating close connection between the Indus valley and Babylon. Woolley in Ur found a similar seal with a very early cuneiform inscription (Woolley, 1929). Indus culture is older than Sumerian and Egyptian culture (Hall, 1939, 1928). According to the Puranas, the Sumerians were driven out by Rudra to shores of the western sea. The two brothers Vritra and Bala, with their Aryan followers settled in ancient Persia and Mesopotamia respectively. The Panis, allies of the Asuras, were also ousted and they settled down on the shore of the Levant sea, according to the Puranas. Mazumdar (1917) thought it was in 2800 BC but according to the latest research it can be before 9000 BC. Their capital was Tyre. Indra led the Aryans to Apa, modern Afghanistan. Vritra made a treaty with Indra and founded his capital in Babylon. However, according to Rig Veda, Indra broke that treaty and killed Varitra. Indra then went to East Europe and killed sons of Varashika of the Vrichivat clan ( Rig Veda, V, VI, 27, 5). Thus, Russia, East Europe, Greece, West Asia, Mesopotamia, Persia, Afghanistan and India were filled by these Aryans. German historian A.H.L Heeren, Professor of History in the University of Gottingen believed in the Indian origin of the Egyptian civilization. According to him, in the Historians History of the World, vol1, p, p198, and p200 and in the History of Ancient Civilizations, published from the Gottingen University in 1799, skulls of the ancient Egyptians and ancient Indians have close resemblance. It might mean that the Egyptians had one day been emigrants from India. Egyptians were divided into castes similar to India. The early Aryan name of Egypt was Ekantina, a country that worship one supreme being in the very ancient time. According to James Todd (1920), “ …from ancient Ethiopia, Egypt had her civilized institutions and that the Ethiopians were of Indian origin”. Homer also called the Indians as eastern Ethiopians (Mazumdar, 1917, p1). Recently Max Plank Institute in Jena and the University of Tubingen examined the 3500 years old mummies from Egypt and found out the DNA of the ancient Egyptians are not related to the people of Sub-Saharan Africa but are related to ancient people of Anatolia, who were originally from India (edition.cnn.com/2017/06/22/health/ancient-egypt-mummy-dna). ( This is quoted from our forthcoming book,'Ethics, Morality and Business' to be published by Palgrave-Macmillan.

[@rayhoefs8620]

+Bruce Gore Concerning the Sunday School Lesson, I would argue that the Church uses the same "Josiah Reasoning" when it concerns many actions we corporately take as the Body of Christ, namely the exchanging of the commemoration and celebration of YHWH's appointed times and Holy days for the appointed times and unholy days of the pagans (Christmas and Easter). YHWH is very particular about how he wants His people to worship Him, and Jesus also affirmed this example by keeping and becoming the manifestation of these commanded times: Death on Passover, Burial on Unleavened bread, Rising from the grave on First Fruits, the Holy Spirit coming down on Shavuot/Pentecost which is the same day YHWH brought the Law to Moses on Sinai. The Bible is full of teachings on being careful not to mix the seed of this world with the seed of the Kingdom. To do so is considered wicked, whether it be doing the wrong thing for the right reason (Christmas because Jesus is the reason for the season) or if it's doing the right thing for the wrong reason (pharisees putting ash on their faces and looking sad when they fast so they will be seen as pious). I encourage us all to forsake mixing the seed and to only plant the seds of the Kingdom! As Always, Blessings and Peace to you! Thanks for another teaching.

[@kennick7]

You are right, we must not let ourselves become carnal like the world. But if you want to celebrate Passover, Purim, Feast of Tabernacle, go right on. But Christians are able to celebrate Jesus whenever, on Easter, Hanukkah (Jesus is the Light), Passover, Christmas. Let Christians be in oneness with each other, as brothers, coming together at the center which must be Jesus Messiah/Christ my LORD who loves church either way. Christians let us show everyone on this planet that Christ is the only true religion, the only true Way, the only true Light, that us moths fly to alike.

[@rayhoefs8620]

How do you support that position with when both old and new testaments instruct children of the covenant, believers, to divorce themselves from paganism. See the council of Jerusalem in Acts, see Galatians where Paul instructs them not to turn back to their "weak and beggerly elements" of their former lives, which included idolatrous feasts and pagan holy days, see almost all of the old testament.

[@kennick7]

See the book of Hebrews, the conclusion to Leviticus, also Jeremiah. Also, the verse in Galatians out of context, it instructs Christians to live by faith not by law. The whole New Testament is a new wineskin therefore, let us live in the new. As Christians let us live by faith, for the righteous shall live by faith, like Abraham. All Christians have the same covenant as Abraham, therefore as Abraham let us live by a full faith. You wanna celebrate Hanukkah or Passover, right on. You wanna celebrate Easter, right on, let us focus on the weightier things of the law. Any Christian who sees this please pray that all Christians live by faith with love, with the grace given to every believer. So that we may grow in grace.

[@rayhoefs8620]

The quote from Galatians is not out of context. Paul lays out exactly what the purpose of his letter to the Galatians is about in the first chapter and proceeds to defend following the Law of God rather than the law of men. If he didn't defend following the Law of God, then he'd be failing the Deuteronomy 13 test of a false prophet. I've not advocated for Christians to keep Hanukkah, even though its apparent that Jesus may have kept it. I simply encourage all believers to walk as Jesus walked: Keep the Holy days given, do not mix paganism with the Laws of God, love Jesus by keeping His commandments, hunger and thirst for righteousness, etc. The focus of our lives should be to glorify God through obedience to His Word, every jot and tittle.

[@stevenjohnfoster8785]

Another legend says, however, that the gardens were created by Shamuramat Queen (Semiramis), during its short five-year reign. Although historically inaccurate, this theory was apparently more common among those given the name by which the gardens are famous to this day. Some researchers even believe that hanging gardens are nothing more than fiction, since their existence has not been found sufficiently reliable historical documents.

[@duaneswab3420]

A minor point that always bothered me: why do we refer to Daniel (God is my judge) and not Belteshazzar (Bel protect the king) whereas we always refer to Hananiah (God is graciius) as Shadrach (command of Aku), Mishael (God is asked for) as Meshach (Aku is asked for), and Azariah (God is my help) as A ed ego (slave of Nebo)? I understand why once they became Satraps in Babylon one might refer to them by their Babylonian names, but why in a book written for the Hebrew people would they choose to exalt Babylonian gods like Aku (the moon god) or Nebo (god of wisdom) rather Jehovah and not Daniel.

[@GoreBruce]

Good question for which I have no ready answer.

[@Achill101]

@23:03 you claim that Necho II won the (first) battle at Carchemish. I don't think that is correct. There was only one battle at Carchemish, at 605 BC, which Babylon won (as you correctly said). In 609 BC, after Necho had killed Josiah, Necho laid siege to the Babylonians at Harran but couldn't conquer it. Then in 605 BC, Nebuchadnezzar defeated Necho and the rest of the Assyrian forces at Carchemish. Necho retreated to the south, the Assyrian forces dispersed, and Assyria was never mentioned again as active force in any sources we have found. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Carchemish

[@GoreBruce]

The Babylonians defeated Necho at the Battle of Carchemish in 605. The earlier skirmish succeeded in driving the Babylonians (under crown prince Nebuchadnezzar) away from Carchemish, which is why he returned in 605 to retake Carchemish.

[@Achill101]

@@GoreBruce - thank you for your fast reply. I googled for a second earlier battle of Carchemish but got no hits. The (failed) siege of Haran by Necho II before the 605 Carchemish battle turned up, but no earlier skirmishes. Could you give us your source for the earlier skirmishes at Carchemish?

[@GoreBruce]

@@Achill101 Joan Oates, Babylon (Thames and Hudson), p. 128. www.amazon.com/Babylon-Ancient-Peoples-Places/dp/0500020957/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1SQ97M7L26H83&keywords=joan+oates+babylon&qid=1636202769&sprefix=joan+oates%2Caps%2C1260&sr=8-1

[@user-cp1qz5ki2v]

Cross dresser! That's my pop quiz answer

[@thomasraywood679]

If 586 BC was the eleventh regnal year of Zedekiah, his first regnal year was 596 BC in an obviously inclusive count. This makes the eleventh regnal year of Jehoiakim 597 BC, as is well taken to be the case, and makes his first regnal year 607 BC, also in an inclusive count. Thus the final year of reign for Josiah would be 608 BC. The Babylonian Chronicles make it very certain that Necho's first northern campaign commenced early in the seventeenth year of Nabopolassar, 609 BC. In order for the biblical record to be correct as far as reign lengths go for Judahite kings, Josiah must have lived at least past the first day of Nisan 608 BC, in which case not possibly did Josiah die at Megiddo one year prior. By teaching that Josiah died prior to Nisan 608 BC, you're placing his 31st year of reign in 609 BC. This explains why you are dating his eighteenth regnal year to 622 BC. But this leaves 608 BC unaccounted for when it comes to regnal reckoning. Jehoahaz acceded the throne at the death of his father, and reigned three months. His accession year is necessarily the last year of his father's reign, credited to his father as his 31st year. You are dating that to 609 BC. And that leaves 608 BC unaccounted for. If the brief reign of Jehoahaz would have crossed over into at least the month of Nisan 608 BC before his being replaced by his brother Jehoiakim, yes, by traditional Judahite regnal metric Jehoahaz would have been credited with 608 BC as one full year of reign. But the biblical authors do not credit him with one year of reign. What is more, the death of Josiah would need to have occurred no earlier than Tebeth 609 BC even for that attribution to be possible. Since the archaeological record does not place Necho in Judah that late in the year, but places him instead at Haran from June/July to August/September 609 BC (and thus "at Megiddo" no later than the spring of that year), how do you reconcile these things in your mind, other than to conclude that the battlefield death-by-Necho-at-Megiddo narrative is an invented one? And to which Judahite king are you crediting 608 BC as a year of reign in order to call 609 BC the death year of Josiah?

[@GoreBruce]

Food for thought. Thanks!

[@thomasraywood679]

@@GoreBruce I didn't expect you had ready answers, but hope looms large. At least you're not doing this: kzbin.info/www/bejne/rZ7SdI2JqMimndU

[@str.77]

Ahem, Necho actually lost at Carcemish...

[@GoreBruce]

st r He certainly did lose the famous Battle of Carchemish, 605 b.c.

[@gilgalbiblewheel6313]

Maybe Josiah wanted to force to turn away God's wrath against Jerusalem but failed by his death, nevertheless he was forgiven by God. Are there any records on how Nineveh fell? How accurate is Nahum? Was Huzzab a Hebrew word or the name of an Assyrian queen or ruler?

[@GoreBruce]

The fall of Nineveh is covered by Herodotus. Nahum was very accurate, apparently writing some 30 years before the event. Hazzab is traditionally regarded as the queen of Nineveh at the time when Nahum delivered his prophecy, but that point is disputed.

[@gilgalbiblewheel6313]

Bruce Gore I’m doing a study comparing the 12th book of the 1st cycle of the Biblewheel with the 12th book of the 2nd cycle of 22 books per cycle and there are a lot of spiritual implications in common. Adding to that there is Exodus 34 (12+22) and Deuteronomy 12 which have strong links throughout these books. Titus on the other hand is the 12th epistle and is linked to ordaining elders, linked to Elijah leaving Elisha behind to ordain two kings and guiding several kings, from Jehoram to Jehoash the kings of Israel.

[@davidnoone3254]

Not sure Kassites were Aryans.

[@antonipeters2333]

Somehow along the development of this historical narrative, the Israelites (Israel and Judah) have morphed into "the Jews." How is this possible before the Babylonian captivity, in which the two lower tribes (Judah and Benjamin) are forcibly removed from their land? During this time, the former Land of Judah became inhabited largely by Edom, as well as by remnants of former Canaanite-related peoples. These people were not of the seed of Jacob, and their only claim to being of the "seed of Abraham" is through Esau, whom God hated. So in that time, the Land of Judah became know as Judea, and it's inhabitants were considered "Jews." [[Once Babylon fell and the former inhabitants of the Land of Judah (Judah-ites) were freed and allowed to return home, they found their land occupied by alien people. These people who had taken over their former lands and properties did not practice the same beliefs and customs and so few decided to remain. Most followed migrations to various parts of Europe, north, west, and east, and also some to the south.]] Now the inhabitants of this land, who were then commonly referred to as the Jews, were not one people, but were largely under the influence of a Babylonian priesthood, who ritualized the worship their god and encouraged the sacrifice of innocent animals to supposedly atone for their transgressions/sins. Although monotheistic, it is hard to ascertain how much of the actual Canon they observed. This priesthood, while claiming to be carrying out God's laws were actually practicing the "Traditions of the Elders." as it has come to be known. These are "man's laws" as opposed to being God's Law. In time this (false) priesthood, teaching mostly from the Babylonian Talmud and not the Torah, morphed into different religious groups. These include Sadducee, Pharisees, and the writers/chroniclers of the time (scribes), who were used to spread the former's doctrines. This priesthood eventually became associated or allied with Herod in the ruling of Judea under Roman sponsorship (pharisees).

[@freespirit315]

your students might pick up the lesson if you didn't teach like your hating every minute of it.

[@GoreBruce]

+Caroline Baker Thank you. I'll keep that in mind!

[@masada2828]

Ignorant comment.