Skip to main content Accessibility help

We use cookies to distinguish you from other users and to provide you with a better experience on our websites. Close this message to accept cookies or find out how to manage your cookie settings.

Close cookie message
×
Hostname: page-component-7479d7b7d-fwgfc Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-07-11T20:59:00.102Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

10 - Jewish religious life in the Persian period

from THE PERSIAN PERIOD

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 March 2008

By
Morton Smith
Edited by
W. D. Davies  and
Louis Finkelstein
Morton Smith
Affiliation:
Columbia University, New York
Get access

Summary

The ‘Persian period’ – roughly, the two centuries from Cyrus ‘capture of Babylon in 539 to Alexander’s capture of Tyre in 332 b.c.e. – presents us with such variety in what may loosely be called ‘Jewish religious life’ that it raises the question, what is meant by ‘Jewish’? The adjective derives from the noun ‘Jews’, Yehudim in Hebrew, Yehudin in Aramaic. For these terms there is on the one hand the territorial definition, ‘residents of Judea’, implied, for example, by the reference to the Persian ‘governor of Judea’ as ‘governor of the Jews’ (Ezra 6: 7, purportedly quoting a letter of Darius I); on the other hand, the ethnic ‘descendants of Judeans’, the members of the Persian garrison in Elephantine, settled there for well over a century, still called themselves Yehudin although they had intermarried with Egyptians and worshipped a number of deities besides Yahweh. A third definition is implied by the uses in Ezra 4: 12; 5: 4–5, which equate ‘the Jews’ with the exiles returned from Babylonia, excluding the population left in Palestine. These Jews worship only ‘the God of heaven and earth’ (that is, Yahweh), and explain their history in terms reminiscent of Deuteronomy (Ezra 5:11). Other documents suggest other definitions – for example, Nehemiah's apology (notably 5: 1, 17) refers to ‘the Jews’ as if they were a privileged class in Jerusalem. If more texts were preserved we should probably have yet more variety.

Type
Chapter
Information
The Cambridge History of Judaism , pp. 219 - 278
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 1984

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Abel, F.Histoire de la Palestine. 2 vols. Paris, 1952.Google Scholar
Aharoni, Y. ‘Excavations at Ramath Rahel'’ Israel Exploration Journal, 6 (1956).Google Scholar
Aharoni, Y. ‘The Excavations at Tel Arad’, Israel Exploration Journal, 17 (1967).Google Scholar
Aharoni, Y. ‘Trial Excavation in the “Solar Shrine” at Lachish’, Israel Exploration Journal, 18 (1968).Google Scholar
Aimé-Giron, N. , ‘Adversaria Semitica’, Bulletin de P institut français d'archéologie orientale, (1939)Google Scholar
Aimé-Giron, N. ‘Adversaria Semitica nos. 113–121’, Bulletin de l’institut français d'archéologie orientale, 38 (1939).Google Scholar
Aimé-Giron, N. ‘Adversaria Semitica’, Bulletin de l’institut français d'archéologie orientale, 38 (1939).Google Scholar
Aimé-Giron, N. ‘Trois ostraca araméens d'Élephantine ’’ Annales du Service des Antiquités de l'Egypte, 26 (1926).Google Scholar
Aimé-Giron, N.Textes Araméens d'Égypte. Cairo, 1931.Google Scholar
Albright, W. F.Archaeology and the Religion of Israel. 4th edn. Baltimore, 1956.Google Scholar
Avigad, N. ‘A Group of Hebrew Seals’, Eretz-Israel 9 (1969) (in Hebrew). Hebrew section.Google Scholar
Avigad, N. ‘Bullae and Seals from a Post-Exilic Judean Archive’, Qedem, 4. Jerusalem, 1976.Google Scholar
Avigad, N. ‘Seals of the Exiles’, Israel Exploration Journal, 15 (1965).Google Scholar
Bailey, M. , 'Levitical Legend from the Persian Period', Journal of Biblical Literature, 46 (1927)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bentzen, A. ‘Priesterschaft und Laien in der jüdischen Gemeinde des fünften Jahrhun-derts,’ Archiv für Orientforschung, 6 (1930–1931).Google Scholar
Bickerman, E.Four Strange Books of the Bible. New York, 1967.Google Scholar
Borger, R. ‘Anath-Bethel’, Vetus Testamentum, 7 (1957).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Braun, M.History and Romance in Graeco-Oriental Literature. Oxford, 1938.Google Scholar
Bresciani, E. ‘Le lettere aramaiche di Hermopoli’, Memorie, Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei, Scienze morali v111.x11.5; Atti, 363 (1966), nos. i–iv.Google Scholar
Bresciani, E. ‘Papiri aramaici egiziani…di Padova’, Rivista degli studi orientali 35 (1960).Google Scholar
Bull, R. ‘The Excavations of Tel er-Ras’, Biblical Archaeologist, 31 (1968).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Carmel, , , Hermon , and de Vaux, Tabor: R. , Ancient Israel, tr. J. McHugh (London, 1961)Google Scholar
Cook, S.The Religion of Ancient Palestine in the Light of Archaeology. The Schweich Lectures, 1925. London, 1930.Google Scholar
Cowley, A.Aramaic Papyri. Oxford, 1923.Google Scholar
Cross, F. M. Jr. ‘Judean Stamps’, Eretz-Israel, 9 (1969).Google Scholar
Cross, F. M. Jr. ‘Papyri of the Fourth Century B.C. from Dâliyeh’, in New Directions in Biblical Archaeology, ed. Freedman, D. N. and Greenfield, J. C. . London, 1969; New York, 1971.Google Scholar
Cross, F. M. Jr. ‘Papyri of the Fourth Century B.C. from Daliyeh’, in New Directions in Biblical Archaeology, ed. Freedman, D. N. and Greenfield, J. C. . Garden City, New York, 1969.Google Scholar
Cross, F. M. Jr. ‘Postscript’, Bulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research, 193 (1969).Google Scholar
Daiches, S. , The Jews in Babylonia in the Time of Ezra and Nehemiah, Jews'College Publications, no. 2 (London, 1910)Google Scholar
Daiches, S.The Jews in Babylonia in the Time of Ezra and Nchemiah. Jews’ College Publications, no. 2. London, 1910.Google Scholar
Daiches, S.The Jews in Babylonia in the Time of Ezra and Nehemiah according to Babylonian Inscriptions, Jews’ College Publications, no. 2. London, 1910.Google Scholar
Diringer, D.Le iscrizioni antico-ebraiche palestinese. Pubblicazioni della R. U. degli Studi di Firenze, Facoltà di Lett, e Filos. 3rd series, 2. Florence, 1934.Google Scholar
Donner, H. , and Röllig, W.Kanaanäische und aramäische Inschriften. Wiesbaden, 1962.Google Scholar
Dupont-Sommer, A. , ‘Sabbat et parascève à Eléphantine’, Mémoires présentés à P Académie des inscriptions et belles-lettres (1950)Google Scholar
Dupont-Sommer, A. ‘L'ostracon araméen du Sabbat’, Semitica, 2 (1949).Google Scholar
Dupont-Sommer, A. ‘Maison de Yahvé et vêtements sacrés à Élephantine’, Journal Asiatique, 235 (1946–1947).Google Scholar
Dupont-Sommer, A. ‘Sabbat et parascève à Élephantine’, Mémoires présenters à l’Académie des inscriptions et belles-lettres (1950).Google Scholar
Dupont-Sommer, A. ‘Un ostracon araméen inédit’, in Hebrew and Semitic Studies Presented to Godfrey Rolles Driver, ed. Thomas, D. W. and McHardy, W. D. . Oxford, 1963.Google Scholar
Eissfeldt, O.Einleitung in das Alte Testament, 3rd edn. Tübingen, 1964.Google Scholar
Eissfeldt, O.Einleitung in das Alte Testament. 3rd edn. Tübingen, 1964. (English translation: The Old Testament: An Introduction, by Ackroyd, P. R. . New York, 1965.)Google Scholar
Fohrer, G.Introduction to the Old Testament. Trans. Green, D. . Nashville, 1968.Google Scholar
Frye, R.The Heritage of Persia. Cleveland, 1963.Google Scholar
Galling, K.Die Bücher der Chronik, Esra, Nehemia. Das Alte Testament Deutsch 12. Göttingen, 1954.Google Scholar
Gershevitch, I.The Avestan hymn to Mithra. University of Cambridge Oriental Publications 4. Cambridge, 1959; repr. 1964.Google Scholar
Ginzberg, L.The Legends of the Jews, vols, iv and vi. Philadelphia, 1909–1946.Google Scholar
Gordis, R.The Book of God and Man. Chicago, 1966.Google Scholar
Grelot, P.Documents araméens d'Egypte. Paris, 1972.Google Scholar
Gunneweg, A.Leviten und Priester, Forschungen zur Religion und Literatur des Alten und Neuen Testaments 89. Göttingen, 1965.Google Scholar
Hayes, H. J. and Miller, J. M.Israelite and Judaean History. Philadelphia/London, 1977.Google Scholar
Hebrew, as Hattarbut hehomrit shel Eres Yisra'el bitequfah happarsit (Jerusalem, 1973).Google Scholar
Hill, G. F.Catalogue of the Greek Coins of Palestine. Catalogue of the Greek Coins in the British Museum. Vol. 27. London, 1914; repr. Bologna, 1965.Google Scholar
Hölscher, G. ‘Levi’, Realencyklopädie fur protestantische Theologie und Kirche, 12, 2 (1925), 2185.Google Scholar
Kienle, H. , Der Gott auf dem Flügelrad (Wiesbaden, 1975) (Gottinger Orientforschungen R. vi, Bd. 7), an amazingly full, fair, and judicious presentation of the conflicting theories.Google Scholar
Kindler, A. ‘Silver Coins Bearing the Name of Judea from the Early Hellenistic Period’, Israel Exploration Journal, 24 (1974).Google Scholar
Kippenberg, H.Garizim und Synagoge, Religionsgeschichtliche Versuche und Vorarbeiten 30. Berlin, 1971.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Koch, K.Die Priesterschrift von Exodus 25 bis Leviticus 16. Göttingen, 1959.Google Scholar
Kraeling, E. , The Brooklyn Museum Aramaic Papyri (New Haven, 1953)Google Scholar
Kraeling, E. G.The Brooklyn Museum Aramaic Papyri: New Documents of the Fifth Century B.C. from the Jewish Colony at Elephantine. New Haven, 1953.Google Scholar
Kraeling, E.The Brooklyn Museum Aramaic Papyri. New Haven, 1953.Google Scholar
Levine, B. ‘Later Sources on the Netînîm ’, Orient and Occident, Gordon Festschrift, C. , ed. Hoffner, H. . Neukirchen-Vluyn, 1973.Google Scholar
Levine, B. ‘The Netînîm ’, Journal of Biblical Literature, 82 (1963).Google Scholar
Lidzbarski, M. , Ephemeris füer semitische Epigraphik (Giessen, 1902-1915), vol. 11Google Scholar
Lidzbarski, M.Ephemeris für semitische Epigraphik. 3 vols. Giessen, 1902–1915.Google Scholar
Lods, A.Histoire de la littérature hebraique etjuive. Paris, 1950.Google Scholar
mer, F. Bö , Utitersuchmgen ¨ber die Religion der Sklaven in Griechenland und Rom. Teil II: Die sogenannte sakrale Freilassung, (Abhandlungen der Akademie der Wissenschaften Mainz, phil.-hist. klasse 1960), no. 1.Google Scholar
Mildenberg, L. ‘Yehud: A Preliminary Study of the Provincial Coinage of Judea’, Essays in Honor of M. Thompson. Wetteren, 1979.Google Scholar
Milik, J. ‘La patrie de Tobie’, Revue biblique, 73 (1966).Google Scholar
Morgenstern, J. ‘Supplementary Studies in the Calendars of Ancient Israel’, Hebrew Union College Annual, 10 (1935).Google Scholar
Moscati, S.L'Epigrafia ebraica antica 1935–1950, Biblica et orientalia, 15. Rome, 1951.Google Scholar
Mowinckel, S. ‘Erwägungen zum chronistischen Geschichtswerk’, Theiligische Literaturzeitung, 85 (1960).Google Scholar
Naveh, J. ‘An Aramaic Ostracon from Ashdod’, Ashdod II–III, Atiqot, 9–10 (1971).Google Scholar
Naveh, J. ‘An Aramaic Ostracon from Ashdod’, in Dothan, M. , AshdodII–III, Atiqot, English Series 9–10. Jerusalem, 1971.Google Scholar
Naveh, J. ‘The Aramaic Ostraca from Tel Beer Sheba (Seasons 1971-1976)’, Tel Aviv, 6 (1979).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Nock, author , Conversion (Oxford, 1933)Google Scholar
Nock, A.Conversion. Oxford, 1933.Google Scholar
Parker, R. A. and Dubberstein, H.Babylonian Chronology 625 B.C.–A.D. 75. New York, 1956.Google Scholar
Parker, R. and Dubberstein, W.Babylonian Chronology, 626 B.C.–A.D. 75. Brown University Studies XIX. Providence, 1956.Google Scholar
Pfeiffer, R. H.Introduction to the Old Testament. New York, 1948.Google Scholar
Pope, M.Job. 3rd edn. New York, 1974.Google Scholar
Porten, B. , Archives from Elephantine (Berkeley, 1968)Google Scholar
Porten, B.Archives from Elephantine. Berkeley, 1968.Google Scholar
Porten, B. and Greenfield, J. C.Jews of Elephantine, Aramaeans of Syene: 50 Aramaic Texts from Egypt. Jerusalem, 1974.Google Scholar
Rad, G. . ‘Die levitische Predigt in den Büchern der Chronik’, Festschrift Otto Procksch. Leipzig, 1934.Google Scholar
Rad, G. . Das Geschichtsbild des chronistischen Werkes, Beiträge zur Wissenschaft vom Alten und Neuen Testament 4, 3. Stuttgart, 1930.Google Scholar
Rad, G. . Die Priester schrift im Hexateuch, Beiträge zur Wissenschaft vom Alten und Neuen Testament 4, 13. Berlin, 1934.Google Scholar
Rahmani, L. , ‘Silver Coins of the Fourth Century B.C. from Tel Gamma’, Israel Exploration Journal, 21 (1971).Google Scholar
Redford, D. , A Study of the Biblical Story of Joseph, VTSup 20 (Leiden, 1970).Google Scholar
Ringgren, H.Das Hohe Lied, Das Alte Testament Deutsch 16, 2. Göttingen, 1958.Google Scholar
Rosenthal, F. (ed.). An Aramaic Handbook I.i. Porta Linguarum Orientalium, N.S. 10. Wiesbaden, 1967.Google Scholar
Rudolph, W.Chronikbücher, Handbuch zum Alten Testament 1, 21. Tübingen, 1955.Google Scholar
Rudolph, W.Esra und Nehemia, Handbuch zum Alten Testament 1, 20. Tübingen, 1949.Google Scholar
Sachau, E.Aramäische Papyrus und Ostraka aus Elephantine. Leipzig, 1911.Google Scholar
Safrai, S. , Pilgrimage in the Time of the Second Temple (Jerusalem, 1965; in Hebrew).Google Scholar
Safrai, S.Pilgrimage in the Time of the Second Temple (in Hebrew). Jerusalem, 1965.Google Scholar
Sellers, O.The Citadel of Beth Zur. Philadelphia, 1933.Google Scholar
Smith, M. , ‘The Common Theology of the Ancient Near East’, Journal of Biblical Literature, (1952)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Smith, M. , Palestinian Parties and Politics (New York, 1971)Google Scholar
Smith, M. ‘On the Wine God in Palestine’, in Salo Wittmayer Baron Jubilee Volume, 3 vols., vol. 2. Jerusalem, 1975 (title page ‘1974’, but see corrigenda).Google Scholar
Smith, M. ‘The Common Theology of the Ancient Near East’, Journal of Biblical Literature, 71 (1952).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Smith, M.Palestinian Parties and Politics that Shaped the Old Testament. New York London, 1971.Google Scholar
Stern, E. , The Material Culture of Palastine in the Persian Period, Part I (Jerusalem, 1968)Google Scholar
Stern, E.Hattarbut hehomrit shel Eres Yisra'el hitequfah happarsit. Jerusalem, 1973.Google Scholar
Stern, E.The Material Culture of Palestine in the Persian Period. Jerusalem, 1968.Google Scholar
Stern, M. ‘Matmon shel Slamiyot’, Eretz-Israel, 12 (1975).Google Scholar
Stern, M.Greek and Latin Authors on Jews and Judaism. I. From Herodotus to Plutarch. Jerusalem, 1974.Google Scholar
Tcherikover, V. and Fuks, A. (eds.). Corpus Papyrorum Judaicarum. 3 vols. Cambridge, Mass..
Teixidor, J. , ‘Bulletin d'épigraphie sémitique’, Syria, (1971)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Teixidor, J. ‘Bulletin d'épigraphie sémitique’, Syria 48 (1971).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tigay, J. , ‘Notes on the Development of the Jewish week’, Eretz-Israel 14 (Ginsberg Volume, 1978).Google Scholar
Tufnell, O.Lachish III. 2 vols. Oxford, 1953.Google Scholar
Vattioni, F. ‘I sigilli ebraici II,’ Augustinianum, 11 (1971).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Vattioni, F. ‘I sigilli ebraici’, Biblica, 50 (1969).Google Scholar
Vaux, R. . Ancient Israel. Trans. McHugh, J. . London, 1961.Google Scholar
Vogelstein, H.Der Kampf zwischen Priestern und Leviten. Stettin, 1889.Google Scholar
Volkmann, H. , ‘Ptolemaios IV’, Realencyklopädie für protestantische Theologie und Kirche, 23.2 (1959)Google Scholar
Wanke, G.Die Zionstheologie der Korachiten in ihrem traditionsgeschichtlichen Zusammenhang, Beihefte zur Zeitschrift für die alttestamentliche Wissenschaft, 97. Berlin, 1966.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wettstein, J. , Novum Testamentum Graecum (Amsterdam, 1751, 2 vols.), on Rom. 12:I, citing Isocrates and many others.Google Scholar

Save book to Kindle

To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure coreplatform@cambridge.org is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.

Available formats
×

Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

Available formats
×