Although the Old Testament begins the story of Israel with men who lived from the earliest history of the human race, the accounts of the events prior to Abraham are not amenable to historical investigation. Our survey here begins with the patriarch Abraham and concludes with the destruction of the Jewish commonwealth by the Romans in the Second Jewish Revolt of 132-135 AD, even though her story, as told in the Old Testament, actually comes to a close just prior to the rise of Alexander the Great. For ease of consideration we divide this story into eight periods:
1. The Patriarchal Era, c.2000-1400 BC.
2. The Exodus, Conquest & Settlement, c.1400-1000 BC.
3. The United Monarchy, c.1020-922 BC.
4. The Divided Monarchy, c.922-586 BC.
5. The Exile & Restoration, c.586-336 BC.
6. The Hellenistic Era, c. 336-168/7 BC.
7. The Hasmonean Era, 168/7-63 BC.
8. The Roman Era, 63 BC � 150 AD.
Note: The notations BC (Before Christ) and AD (Anno Domini or �in the year of our Lord�) are, of course, of Christian origin. Out of deference to other cultures, modern historians use BCE (�before the Common Era�) and CE (�Common Era�) for BC and AD respectively; the number does not change.
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Low Chai Hok
©Alberith, 2013