According to the Bible, several tribes lived in the area of Judea – including the tribes of Judah, Benjamin, Dan, Simeon, and part of the tribe of Ephraim. These tribes differed in terms of size and location. Let’s take a closer look at the different communities that inhabited Judea.
The tribe of Shimon: Jacob was unhappy with the tribe of Shimon. In anger, Shimon and his brother Levi attacked the Shamites who defiled their sister Dinah. Because of this, their father Jacob cursed their communities. This effect is evident in the smallness of Shimoun tribe. In contrast, this people bordered the powerful tribe of Judah.
Tribe of Judah: Jesus himself was from the tribe of Judah. In the book of Genesis, Jacob predicts a bright future for this people. Genesis 49:8-10 says: “Judah, your brothers will praise you… Your father’s sons will worship you… Like a lion that lies in wait and sleeps… The rod will not depart from Judah [ As long as] the obedience of the nations belongs to him.” These verses emphasize the great power and praise of the people of Judah.
The Tribe of Dan: On the other hand, Jacob referred to the tribe of Dan as a serpent. Although this people was promised a fertile land, they disturbed the peace of a peaceful tribe to get their inheritance. The tribe of Dan also began to worship false idols, and the name of this group is omitted from among the tribes mentioned in Revelation in the New Testament (Book of Revelation).
The tribe of Benjamin: Despite being small, the tribe of Benjamin adopted a warrior spirit. In Genesis 49:27, Jacob declares this people to be “a ravenous wolf; In the morning he devours the prey, in the evening he divides the spoil. It should be noted that the apostle Paul was from this tribe and proved that those who are dedicated to Christ, regardless of where they come from, can have a significant impact on him.
The tribe of Ephraim: Finally, the tribe of Ephraim along with the tribe originated from the tribe of Joseph. Ephraim and Minsha were the sons of Joseph whom Jacob adopted. Before his death, Jacob blessed his descendants and put Ephraim first, even though he was younger. As a result, the tribe of Ephraim became larger than his brother’s territory.
According to the Bible, when were the Israelite tribes separated?
The Israelite tribes were separated shortly after the death of King Solomon. Solomon inherited the land of Israel after the death of his father, King David. At first he followed the ways of God, but he was drawn to love many women. Although polygamy was common in that culture, God did not prescribe it any more than the Israelites intermarried with the nations around them. 1 Kings 11:2 says, “They were of the nations of which the Lord had said to the Israelites, ‘You shall not marry them, for they will surely turn your hearts after their gods.'” However, Solomon clung to them lovingly.
Suleiman had 700 wives and 300 concubines. These women, with their false gods, led his heart to the wrath of God. In 1 Kings 11:11, God tells Solomon: “Then God said to Solomon, “Since this is your attitude and you have not kept my covenant and my commandments that I commanded you, I will certainly take the kingdom from you and I will give it to one of your subordinates.” Out of respect for Solomon’s father, David, God decided to keep the kingdom intact during his lifetime. But his son Rehoboam was not so lucky.
After the death of Solomon, Rehoboam became the king. The people were upset with the forced hard work that his father asked them to do and asked the new ruler to lighten the load. Rehoboam refused, and the larger northern area was separated from the smaller southern area. Jeroboam, the prophesied king, ruled over Israel, and Rehoboam remained in the smaller land of Judah.
When did the Israelites settle in Judea again?
The Israelites turned away from God and started worshiping false idols. Because of this, they faced oppression and exile. After years of inappropriate and destructive kings, Josiah encouraged the people to return to God and follow His ways. Unfortunately, he died in battle, leaving his son, Jehoahaz, in charge of affairs. However, Jehoahaz lasted only three miserable months as king. After him, Jehoiakim succeeded him, and during his reign, the Babylonians attacked Judah.
Jehoiakim’s son, Jehoiachin, became king after his father’s death. At this time, the Babylonians besieged Jerusalem and later captured Jehoiachin. They looted the temple and exiled Jerusalem.
The kings of Judah continued to rule with hypocrisy and greed. The prophet Jeremiah called the people to return to God, but they did not listen. Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, besieged Jerusalem one day. Famine spread. Zedekiah, the king at the time, wanted Jeremiah to ask God for help. But instead, people had to feel the consequences of their sins. Jeremiah 21:10 says: “I am determined to bring evil to this city and not good,” declares the Lord.
It will be handed over to the king of Babylon and he will destroy it with fire.
Jerusalem fell and Judah was captured, but all hope was not lost. Ezekiel 36:33 says: “This is what the Almighty says: On the day that I cleanse you from all your sins, I will rebuild your cities and the ruins will be rebuilt.”
Babylon’s rule was temporary. A few kings later, the Babylonians fell to the Persians in 539 BC. King Cyrus, the new ruler, issued a decree: the Jewish exiles should return to Jerusalem. About 70 years after the first exile of the people, their journey home began.
What happened to Judea at the time of Jesus?
At the time of Jesus, the Romans ruled Judea. Archelaus ruled Judea from 4 BC to 6 AD. The Romans were not satisfied with his rule and removed him from power, which led to the rise of other leaders. One of these famous governors was Pontius Pilate, who ruled from 26 AD to 36 AD, including the time of Jesus’ crucifixion.
After the arrest of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, the high priests and Jewish elders conspired to kill him. They brought him to Pontius Pilate, the ruler of Judea at the time. Pilate asked Jesus if he was the King of the Jews. In Matthew 27:11, Jesus replied: “You say so yourself”. Pilate told him the other accusations that the people had brought against him, but Jesus remained silent.
Later in the feast, it was customary for Pilate to release a prisoner. Pilate asked the crowd who they would rather be freed – the notorious criminal Barabbas or Jesus. The crowd asked Pilate to release Barabbas, even though Jesus had committed no sin. Instead, the people cried out for Jesus to be crucified. Pilate didn’t want to be responsible for sentencing Jesus, but when he saw the crowd starting to riot, he sent him to be crucified anyway.
What happened to Judea after the time of Jesus?
After the time of Jesus, Judea was ruled by various Roman rulers. A Jewish historian named Josephus Flavius speaks of the wrong practices of the Roman rulers. This caused the revolt of the Jewish people between 66 and 73 or 74 AD. The Romans were unwilling to tolerate rebellion in Palestine, which was an important trading center. They sent Vespasian and his son Titus, who later became emperor, to suppress the people, and they did it brutally. Jerusalem and its temple were destroyed. The Jewish people made another attempt at an unsuccessful uprising, but were exiled from those areas.
Today in the article : What Is Judea in the Bible? We reviewed useful information about the Bible and the way of Jesus. If you wish, you can view other articles of Ali Vahidi about Christianity
