Writer’s Diary August 2020

Worked on the new store and a talk on “The Decline and Fall of Judah”.

Shipping with Sendle is only available for Australia. They do not offer international shipping from Croydon: too far out of the city. Looked at other options, but nothing suitable so far. The main problem is that COVID-19 has closed off the cheapest options with Australia Post. For example, sending anything to the USA requires a method that provides tracking or else the USA will reject it.

Uploaded the eBook and audiobook files. Spoke on the decline of Judah at our Bible Class and used the research to create an article about David for the newsletter.

Finally made the online store publicly visible and sent out the newsletter on Saturday, 8 August.

The last few months have been very busy, with the result that many things I had planned did not happen. There is a huge amount of work to do:

1. Marketing, etc.
1. Publicise BibleStories.online Shopify shop
2. Improve advertising on Google
3. Begin advertising through Ingram Spark and Amazon
4. Advertising through Shopify?
2. Publishing of “Fiction Favours the Facts – Book 3”:
1. Promotion, reviews, etc.
2. Compile eBook with Calibre
3. Generate paperback and cover
4. Publish eBook and paperback on Ingram Spark
5. Add Music to audiobook
6. Finalise audiobook
3. Publish “Terror on Every Side!” Volumes 2-4 in hardcover
4. Audio for “Terror on Every Side!” Volumes 3-4 from Chris
5. Writing “Daniel, Man of Light” and then put publishing proposal together
6. Writing “The King’s Armour-bearer”
7. Remove online shop from BibleTales.online and give links to BibleStories.online instead.
8. Add load balancer and extra servers to BibleTales.online

Daniel refers to Jeremiah’s prophecy that the exiles would spend 70 years in Babylon (Daniel 9:2). We have this prophecy recorded in two places in the book of Jeremiah: Jeremiah 25:11-12 and Jeremiah 29:10:

• Jeremiah 25:11-12 refers to the land being a ruin and a waste for 70 years and that Babylon and the Chaldeans would then be punished.
• Jeremiah 29:10 talks about bringing the exiles home after 70 years.

Daniel 9:2 speaks of the end of the desolations of Jerusalem after 70 years which seems to be a combination of the ideas of the two passages.

We can’t be sure, but this may suggest that Daniel had access to all the prophecies of Jeremiah.

Jeremiah 29:10, however, is in the middle of a letter from Jeremiah (Jeremiah 29:1-32) that was sent to “the surviving elders of the exiles, and to the priests, the prophets, and all the people, whom Nebuchadnezzar had taken into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon”. As one of the captives, Daniel would have fitted into at least one of those categories, but he may also have been known to fit into the category of “prophet” by that time.

The letter was probably sent shortly after Jeconiah was taken away in 597BC, maybe in about 596BC. At that time, 70 years would have seemed almost interminable to a young man in his early- or mid-twenties. However, he could easily have remembered it better if he was aware of, or witnessed the execution of two false prophets whom it named.

God’s judgement of the two (Ahab the son of Kolaiah and Zedekiah the son of Maaseiah) is explained in Jeremiah 29:23, but we are not told the reason why Nebuchadnezzar would execute them (Jeremiah 29:21).

Jeremiah stated that Nebuchadnezzar would execute them in front of the people by roasting them in the fire. Maybe they were executed in the same fiery furnace in which Nebuchadnezzar had tried to execute Daniel’s three friends (Daniel 3) about two or three years before.

I have been looking at Athaliah as part of writing a micro-tale. She is a horrible but fascinating woman: the only one named in the Bible as a “wicked woman”.

Bloodshed seemed to follow her around.

Jehoram the son and heir of King Jehoshaphat of Judah married Athaliah the daughter of Ahab (2 Kings 8:18; 2 Chronicles 21:6) and granddaughter of Omri (2 Kings 8:26), kings of Israel. We are not told anywhere that she was daughter of Jezebel, so probably she wasn’t (cf. 2 Kings 9:22), but we can’t be sure.

This took place at least 15 years before the death of Jehoshaphat – based on the fact that Ahaziah was 22 when he became king after the death of Jehoram who had reigned 8 years after Jehoshaphat’s death.

When Jehoshaphat died, his son Jehoram became king over Judah at the age of 32 and reigned for 8 years (2 Chronicles 21:5).

After becoming king, Jehoram killed all of his brothers (2 Chronicles 21:4). Was this Jehoram’s idea or was it at Athaliah’s urging?

A raid on Jerusalem by Arabians and others killed or carried off all of the Jehoram’s sons except Ahaziah/Jehoahaz, the youngest (2 Chronicles 21:17; 22:1). The also took away Jehoram’s wives, but this obviously did not include Athaliah, or she was later returned. Maybe this incident gave her the idea of killing all of Ahaziah’s sons when he died about 3 years later.

Two years later, King Jehoram died “to no-one’s regret” (2 Chronicles 21:19) (including no regrets for Athaliah?)

Jehoram and Athaliah’s youngest son Ahaziah (also called Jehoahaz in 2 Chron 21:17) was made king over Judah by the people (2 Chronicles 22:1). If they hadn’t done that, would Athaliah have taken over?

Jehu anointed king in Ramoth Gilead (2 Kings 9:1) at the command of Elijah and Elisha (2 Kings 9:6-13) and immediately rebels against King Joram of Israel who was at Jezreel where he had gone to recover from wounds he had received fighting against King Hazael of Syria(2 Kings 9:15).

Ahaziah was 22 when he became king over Judah and ruled for 1 year (2 Chronicles 22:2). He went to visit Joram in Jezreel (2 Kings 9:16).

At the plot of land that Ahab had stolen from Naboth with Jezebel’s help, Jehu kills king Joram of Israel (the son of Ahab) (2 Kings 9:24).

The books of Kings and Chronicles then include two quite different descriptions of Ahaziah’s death:

When Ahaziah the king of Judah saw this [the death of Joram/Jehoram], he fled in the direction of Beth-haggan. And Jehu pursued him and said, “Shoot him also.” And they shot him [missing in Hebrew] in the chariot at the ascent of Gur, which is by Ibleam. And he fled to Megiddo and died there. 28 His servants carried him in a chariot to Jerusalem, and buried him in his tomb with his fathers in the city of David.
2 Kings 9:27-28

But it was ordained by God that the downfall of Ahaziah should come about through his going to visit Joram. For when he came there, he went out with Jehoram to meet Jehu the son of Nimshi, whom the Lord had anointed to destroy the house of Ahab. 8 And when Jehu was executing judgment on the house of Ahab, he met the princes of Judah and the sons of Ahaziah’s [older (2 Chron 21:17)] brothers, who attended Ahaziah, and he killed them. 9 He searched for Ahaziah, and he was captured while hiding in Samaria, and he was brought to Jehu and put to death. They buried him, for they said, “He is the grandson of Jehoshaphat, who sought the Lord with all his heart.” And the house of Ahaziah had no one able to rule the kingdom.
2 Chronicles 22:7-9

First we need to note two points of uncertainty:

1. the words “And they shot him” are missing from Hebrew, but found in Syriac/Vulgate (maybe LXX) and
2. “hiding in Samaria” may be referring to Samaria as an area (see 1 Kings 13:32; 21:1, 18; 2 Kings 17:26; Jeremiah 31:5; Hosea 8:5-6?; Amos 3:9; Obadiah 19), as is Jezreel. Megiddo could thus be included in “Samaria”.

If Samaria refers to an area, the events might be something like:

Ahaziah and Joram/Jehoram go out of Jezreel together, each in his own chariot. Joram is killed by Jehu on Naboth’s land that Ahab had stolen to use as a vegetable garden. Ahaziah flees towards “Beth-haggan” (which means “house of a [walled] garden” – maybe some walled part of the veggie patch in Jezreel, or a town of that name). Then we can offer a few options:

1. Ahaziah escapes Jezreel in his chariot heading south and Jehu gives orders for an ambush at the ascent of Gur, which is by Ibleam. Ahaziah does not follow the expected route and escapes northwest to Megiddo unhurt.
2. Ahaziah escapes Jezreel in his chariot heading south and Jehu gives orders to catch (or ambush) him at the ascent of Gur, which is by Ibleam. Ahaziah is shot there, but escapes northwest, wounded, to Megiddo.
3. Although Jehu believed that Ahaziah had escaped and would need to be pursued, Ahaziah is, nevertheless, shot in Naboth’s vineyard, but manages to escape, injured, to Megiddo.
4. Jehu must then have chased him to Megiddo (“in Samaria” as an area), caught him and executed him.

If Samaria is taken as the city instead of an area, then after Ahaziah first escaped near Jezreel, he must have gone south to Samaria via Beth-Haggan and Ibleam. After being found in Samaria, he must have escaped again in his chariot and hurried north to Megiddo where he was finally caught again, brought to Jehu in Megiddo and executed (2 Kings 9:24). I think that this explanation is less likely.

Ahaziah’s body was then taken to Jerusalem for burial (2 Kings 9:28).

The sons of Ahaziah’s older brothers (see 2 Chronicles 22:8) who attended him were also killed. These older brothers would have been killed in the raid made by the Arabians.

Jehu also kills Jezebel (Joram’s mother) (2 Kings 9:30-37).

When Athaliah hears that her son Ahaziah was dead, she kills all of his sons and makes herself “king” (2 Kings 11:1-3).

Athaliah rules for 6 years.

Jehosheba/Jehoshabeath, the daughter of Jehoram (2 Chronicles 22:11) and thus at least a half sister of Ahaziah, saved one son: Joash, her nephew, and looked after him. She may have been older than Ahaziah who was about 23 when he died, but couldn’t have been much older than about 25 or 26. Was she a daughter of Athaliah or of another wife of Jehoram’s?

Jehosheba was married to Jehoiada the High Priest who died at 130 at some time during the subsequent 40 year reign of Joash. If he died 30 years into the reign of Joash, Jehoiada would have been about 100 years old when Joash became king, and Jehosheba would have been about 32 at the most at that time. Quite a large age difference between a man and his wife – it could even have been greater than the difference between Jacob and Rachel.

Jehoiada and Jehosheba looked after Joash for 6 years before he is made king at age 7 and subsequently reigned for 40 years.

In the transition, Athaliah is executed, thus ending the trail of bloodshed she brought from Israel to Judah.
We need to clarify one last question about Athaliah. We are told that the sons of Athaliah (“that wicked woman”) had broken into the temple and taken items from the temple to use in worshipping Baal (2 Chronicles 24:7). Who are these – teenage or older – sons? Presumably not King Ahaziah?

Two options:

1. We know that all of Jehoram’s sons except Ahaziah had been killed 2 years before Jehoram died, and that when Ahaziah was made king he was still spoken of as the youngest son. So if these are Jehoram’s sons, they must have broken into the temple before the 6th year of Jehoram and then been killed during the invasion of the Arabians.
2. Maybe these sons were conceived with some other father, possibly from an earlier marriage, before Athaliah married Jehoram. Alternatively, maybe they came from one or more adulterous relationships rather than her husband. “That wicked woman” would be appropriate.

So Athaliah was probably involved in the following unpleasant things:

1. 1. After becoming king, her husband Jehoram killed all of his brothers (2 Chronicles 21:4). Was this Jehoram’s idea or was it at Athaliah’s urging?
2. 2. Eight years later, when King Jehoram died “to no-one’s regret” (2 Chronicles 21:19), did Athaliah have any regrets?
3. 3. The people made Jehoram’s and Athaliah’s youngest son Ahaziah king over Judah (2 Chronicles 22:1). If they hadn’t done so, would Athaliah have taken over instead?
4. 4. One year later, when Athaliah hears that her son Ahaziah was dead, she kills all of his sons (or thinks that she has) and makes herself “king” (2 Kings 11:1-3).
5. 5. The sons of Athaliah (“that wicked woman”) broke into the temple and took items from the temple to use in worshipping Baal (2 Chronicles 24:7). Were these illegitimate sons?

How old were Jehoram and Athaliah when they were married? We don’t know, but we have a few small pieces of information to work with.

Jehoram was 32 when he began to reign and reigned 8 years, so he was 40 years old when he died. At that time, his youngest son, Ahaziah was 22 years old, so Jehoram would have been about 18 when Ahaziah was born. If there were 3 older sons, this would require Athaliah to have 4 pregnancies, taking at least 3 1/2 years. Jehoram, therefore, could not have been older than about 14 1/2 when he was married and was probably younger, maybe 12 or 13.

In our society, this would be considered far too young, but there are other kings of Judah where the ages given suggest that they were also very young.

Two examples:

• Josiah died at 39 and at that time, his oldest son Eliakim/Jehoiakim was 25 years old. Thus Josiah was about 14 when Jehoiakim was born.
• Jehoiakim was 36 when he died (2 Kings 23:36; 2 Chronicles 36:5) and at that time, his son Jeconiah/Jehoiachin who succeeded him was 18 years old (2 Kings 24:8-10; cf 2 Chronicles 36:9), so Jehoiakim was probably 18 when Jeconiah was born.

See also diary entry for Tuesday, 8 September 2020.

In Jeremiah 25:1 we are told that the 4th year of Jehoiakim was the 1st year of Nebuchadnezzar.

In Daniel 1:1 we are told that Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon attacked Jerusalem in the 3rd year of Jehoiakim.

It is believed that Judah and Babylon used two different methods for reckoning the years of a king. In Judah, it is believed that the first year would start when the reign started, although there may have been some connection with the start of the calendar year, either the religious calendar (starting in March/April) or a suggested civil year starting in September/October. Some examples where different years seem to be used are:

1. in the reign of Hezekiah who opened the temple in the first month of the first year of his reign. Either, by coincidence, he began to reign at exactly the start of the religious year, or he became king at some time in the 12 months before that and the religious calendar is being used yet without it being considered as the start of his second year. Possibly the religious calendar is used for dates, but a civil calendar is used for the year boundaries. It’s hard to know, but this could easily cause some strange confusion where the 7th to 12th months could come before the 1st month in the same year of a king.
2. we are told about the Passover being kept in the 18th year of the reign of Josiah. We are also told about many things that occurred beforehand that could not have fitted into the 14 days before the Passover began in the 1st month of the religious calendar. It seem reasonable to conclude that the 18th year referred to does not start in the 1st month of the religious calendar. That leaves two other possibilities as reference points: a civil year or the day of his accession. If a civil year is the reference point, this would be the same as the example from Hezekiah’s reign.

Unfortunately, I can’t yet have any confidence in any conclusions about this. Let’s go further then.

If Josiah died in April 609 and Jehoahaz reigned for 3 months, then Jehoiakim could have begun to reign some time after mid-July 609BC. History suggests that Nebuchadnezzar defeated Egypt and Assyria at the battle of Carchemish in August/September 605BC and then attacked Judah immediately afterwards.

If Nebuchadnezzar’s attack on Jerusalem was in Jehoiakim’s 3rd/4th year depending on whether the Judean method or the Babylonian methods of counting are used, let’s look at what each calculation would give.

Babylonian reckoning

Sept/Oct 605 was probably the third year in Babylonian reckoning based on the fact that it is used in Daniel 1 where Daniel is based in Babylon for most of his life.

Mar/Apr 608 to Mar/Apr 607 Accession year
Mar/Apr 607 to Mar/Apr 606 1st year
Mar/Apr 606 to Mar/Apr 605 2nd year
Mar/Apr 605 to Mar/Apr 604 3rd year

Sept/Oct 605 is in the middle of the third year only if Jehoiakim was made king sometime between Mar/Apr 608 and Mar/Apr 607, a period roughly one to two years after Josiah’s death. This may be the case, but it seems more likely that he would have been made king 3-6 months earlier.

Judean reckoning

Sept/Oct 605 was the fourth year in Judean reckoning. If the year is counted in religious years, this would be:

Mar/Apr 608 to Mar/Apr 607 1st year
Mar/Apr 607 to Mar/Apr 605 2nd year
Mar/Apr 606 to Mar/Apr 605 3rd year
Mar/Apr 605 to Mar/Apr 604 4th year

Note that this only works if Jehoiakim began to reign after March/Apr 608, about one year after the death of Josiah. This may be the case, but it seems more likely that he would have been made king 3-6 months earlier.

If the year is counted in civil years, this would be:

Sept/Oct 609 to Sept/Oct 608 1st year
Sept/Oct 608 to Sept/Oct 607 2nd year
Sept/Oct 607 to Sept/Oct 606 3rd year
Sept/Oct 606 to Sept/Oct 605 4th year
Sept/Oct 605 is at the very end of the 4th year if counted in this way.

After looking at these options, maybe the most likely is that Jehoiakim was only made king by Neco at the start of the new religious year in Mar/Apr 608BC. I’m not really sure.

Finishing part of a story about Athaliah which raises two questions.
We are told that Ahaziah became king at two different times: the eleventh year of Joram king of Israel (2 Kings 9:29) and the twelfth year of Joram (2 Kings 8:25). As the health of his father Jehoram deteriorated (which took two years from start to end), it is likely that Ahaziah took over as king, at least informally. Presumably that is what is meant by starting in the 11th year. After his father died, he was made king formally and this was presumably in the 12th year of Joram.

It seems that King Joash kills Zechariah, the son of Jehoiada just before the end of his 40 year reign. He could have been the son of an earlier marriage (and therefore up to 100 years older than Joash) or he could have been the son of Jehoiada and Jehosheba who could have been up to 10 years older than Joash or possibly younger than Joash.

Maybe Joash would be more likely to kill Zechariah if Zechariah was younger than Joash?