Persian History Period
Ezra the scribe, and Nehemiah, the layman, sought to strengthen the Palestinian Jewish community
The Jews fared well under Persian rule. Cyrus had given them permission to return to Jerusalem and rebuild their Tabernacle and, although they met opposition from the inhabitants of Palestine, it was dedicated during the reign of Darius the Great. Ezrah-(Ezra) the scribe, and NechemYah-(Nehemiah), the layman, sought to strengthen the Palestinian Jewish community and encourage their loyalty to the Law of YAHWEH. For about a century and a half after NechemYah's time the Persian Empire exercised control over Judea and the Jews were permitted to observe their religious institutions without interference. Judea was ruled by High Kohen- (Priests) who were responsible to the Persian government, a fact which insured the Jews a large measure of autonomy. At the same time, however, it was made a political office of the ke hunnah- (priesthood) and sowed the seeds of future trouble. Contests for the office of High Kohen were marked by jealousy, intrigue, and even murder. Johanan, son of Joiada NechemYah- 2:22, is reported to have slain his brother Joshua within the Tabernacle precincts.
Johanan was succeeded as High Kohen by his brother Jaddua, whose brother Manasseh, according to Josephus, married the daughter of Sanballat, governor of Samaria. It was at this time that a Samaritan Tabernacle was built on Mount Gerizim which, rather than Zion, was regarded as sacred by the Samaritan community. The sanctuary on Mount Gerizim was destroyed by the Hasmonaean ruler John Hyrcanus (134-104 B.C.) but the mount itself continues to this day to be regarded as sacred by the Samaritans. The woman of Samaria wished to dispute with Yahshua concerning the merits of the rival holy places, but the Saviour chose to emphasize the spiritual attitude of the worshiper rather than the place of worship (cf. Yochanan (John) 4:20) . The Sanballat of Josephus cannot have been the same individual as the man of the same name mentioned by NechemYah- 4:1 . Josephus does, however , appear to reflect a valid tradition for a tabernacle: seems definitely to have been built on Mount Gerizim about this time.
Persia's failure to conquer Greece encouraged subject peoples to seek their independence. Egypt was constantly attempting to throw off the Persian yoke and Judea, geographically between the two powers could not escape involvement. During the reign of Artaxerxes III ( Ochus) many Jews were implicated in a revolt against Persia. When it failed, the Persians deported them to Babylonia and the southern shores of the Caspian Sea.
Jews had long been in Egypt. Following the murder of Gedaliah, the prophet YeremYah- (Jeremiah) was forced to join a group of refugees who sought asylum at Tahpanhes in the eastern Delta YeremYah- 43:4-13, and other Judeans doubtless found their way to Egypt to avoid capture by Nebuchadnezzar. Migration continued during the Persian Period, and by the fifth century before MESSIYAH a Jewish colony of mercenary soldiers was located at Elephantine Island, near modern Aswan, at the First Cataract of the Nile. Contrary to the Mosaic Law, these colonists built a Tabernacle for themselves, and they combined their devotion to YAHWEH of their fathers with pagan elements. The Elephantine Jews had correspondence with the Samaritans as well as the Judeans.