Daniel 11:1-2 and the Persians

 

Daniel said in Daniel 11:2 that since he is standing in the time of Darius the Mede, thus before the arrival of Cyrus in 538, that after this king Darius, there will be three more kings. These three kings would be Cyrus, Cambyses and Darius I. The fourth one, Daniel said, namely, Xerxes, would be richer than all. By his strength through his riches he shall stir up all against the realm of Greece. This came true in history since the problems with the Greek started really in the days of Xerxes. This was the king who married Esther. Artaxerxes I use to buy the peace with the Greeks by giving a lot of money and supplies to the opposition of the Greeks, and thus control them in that way. Ezra and Nehemiah came under king Artaxerxes I who was also called Longimanus by the Greeks. If one looks at the relief on his tomb of this king, he really seems to have had a long right hand. In years 7 with Ezra and 20 with Nehemiah as well as year 32 again Nehemiah, Artaxerxes I is also very important for the history of Persia. The phenomenal date for the kickstart of the 2300 years prophecy was in the 7th year of Artaxerxes I.

Plutarch said that "Artaxerxes seemed gentler in everything and naturally milder in his impulses."

94 years old, Artaxerxes at the end became very well-affectioned to his cupbearers and Nehemiah must have been one of them being called in year 32 of his reign. Plutarch said that Artaxerxes I was of nature "so fickle and insecure". He had 360 concubines. His mother out of jealousy poisoned his wife. He was effimate in nature (Plutarch 24.5). Plutarch felt that effimate natures originate due to ignoble nature under the sway of evil doctrines, rather than secularism. When he became old, his sons sought to rival parties against him for the throne. He married his daughter and his mother approved of it. Artaxerxes I was rich but not strong, says Plutarch. The Greeks were angry with the Persians and sought an opportunity to get rid of their control. Artaxerxes I was soft on wrongs, says Plutarch. He was eccentric and different than what protocol demands. He gave his coat as a gift to a servant because it was torn, forbidden of course, and the servant put it on, also forbidden, with an array of woman’s jewelry. Everyone was angry but the king said it is fine.

 

설명: Persian Empire

 

H. Englander, Problems of Chronology in the Persian Period of Jewish History. Journal of Jewish Lore and Philosophy Vol. 1, No. 1 (January 1919), pp. 83-103.