20 divinely ordained.7 John Hill adds that the invasion by the Babylonians, the destruction of buildings including the temple and the deportations of some of Judah’s inhabitants all need to be understood against the background of the national theology.8 In addition, Nebuchadnezzar politically conquered Judah by carrying King Jehoiakim off to Babylon in chains and put a new king which is Jehoiakim’s uncle Mattaniah, who was given the new name Zedekiah.9 King Jehoiakim surrendered to the Babylonians, together with his family, his servants, court officials, and “the elite of the land”. They were deported to Babylon, along with soldiers and skilled workers.10 In the process of applying his idea, Zedekiah changes his mind. Lain Provan, V. Philip and Tremper Longman state that Zedekiah broke his covenant to Nebuchadnezzar as he knew that Babylonian rule in Hatti land was weak, and he believed that Egypt was strong enough to opposite the Babylonian army and to help the rebellious states.11 Unfortunately, the Egyptian army could not handle the power of the Babylonian siege. The result is Judah fell in 587 or 586 after two years, will all supply of food exhausted.12 The chaotic events in Judah were not finished because Nebuchadnezzar continued to destroy the city, executed and exiled many of Judah’s leading citizens to Babylon and demolished prominent buildings such as temples and palaces.13 Moreover, the most devastating moment for the people of Judah was when they lost the temple of their God.14 The destruction of the temple many to be killed and some were deported to Babylonian portrayed the miserable situation of the People of Judah. Babylonian exile seems an image of suffering and the end of life. Ralph Klein defines Babylonian exile as links to death, deportation, destruction, slavery, loss of God’s presence and devastation because of political issues.15 The significance of the Babylonian Exile for the formation of the Biblical text retPuernoepdle tofroJemrutshaeleBmabinyl5o3n8ianBCEEximleawdehoa bBiigblecotnetxrti.bution to the formation of the 16 Donald Harman states that o re n l e igi o o f us the e p li r t o e min h e a n ve t ph a eno h m om en o a ge i n s is t e h d e perspective on Yahwists, they have a monotheism of belief in God and are strong ifnaitphr. eserving their religious source and 17 The religious elite brought the 12 Lain Provan, V. Philips Long, Tremper Longman III, A Biblical History of Israel, 382. 11 Lain Provan, V. Philips Long, Tremper Longman III, A Biblical History of Israel, 382. 16 Donald Harman Akenson, Surpasiing Wonder The Invention of The Bible and The Talmuds (New York: Harcourt Brace & Company, 1998), 64. 13 Lain Provan, V. Philips Long, Tremper Longman III, A Biblical History of Israel, 382. 17 Donald Harman Akenson, Surpasiing Wonder The Invention of The Bible and The Talmuds, 64. 15 Lain Provan, V. Philips Long, Tremper Longman III, A Biblical History of Israel, 385. 14 Lain Provan, V. Philips Long, Tremper Longman III, A Biblical History of Israel, 383. 10 John Hill, Constructing Exile The Emergence of A Biblical Paradigm, 11. 7 John Hill, Constructing Exile The Emergence of A Biblical Paradigm, 10 8 John Hill, Constructing Exile The Emergence of A Biblical Paradigm, 10. 9 Lain Provan, V. Philips Long, Tremper Longman III, A Biblical History of Israel, 381.
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