Thematic Bible: Empire of


Thematic Bible



So Yahweh brought in upon them, the captains of the army that belonged to the king of Assyria, and they captured Manasseh with hooks, - and bound him captive with a pair of bronze fetters, and took him away to Babylon.

And, all Israel, registered themselves, and lo! they are written, in the Book of the Kings of Israel, and, Judah, was carried away captive to Babylon, for their faithlessness.

So he brought up against them the king of the Chaldeans, who slew their young men with the sword, in the house of their sanctuary, and had no compassion upon young man or virgin, elder or ancient,-all, delivered he into his hand. And, all the utensils of the house of God, both great and small, and the treasures of the house of Yahweh, and the treasures of the king and of his rulers, the whole, carried he to Babylon; and they burned the house of God, and threw down the wall of Jerusalem, - and, all the palaces thereof, burned they with fire, and, all the precious vessels thereof, he destroyed; read more.
and he exiled the remnant left from the sword, into Babylon, - where they became his and his sons, as servants, until the reign of the kingdom of Persia: to fulfil the word of God, by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had paid off her sabbaths, - all the days of her lying desolate, she kept sabbath, to fulfil seventy years.

and, then, the forces of the king of Babylon were besieging Jerusalem, - and, Jeremiah the prophet, had been shut up in the guard-court, which was in the house of the king of Judah;


O ruined daughter of Babylon, - how happy the man who shall repay thee thy dealing, wherewith thou didst deal with us! How happy the man who shall snatch away and dash thy children against the crag.

Prepare - for his sons - shambles. For the iniquity of their fathers, - They shall not rise nor possess the earth, Nor fill the face of the world with cities.

Thus saith Yahweh, Your Redeemer, The Holy One of Israel, - For your sakes, have I sent into Babylon, And will bring down as fugitives, all of them, - Even the Chaldeans, in the ships which cause them loud outcry. I - Yahweh, am Your Holy One, - The Creator of Israel, Your King. Thus, saith Yahweh, - Who setteth in the sea, a way, - And in the mighty waters, a path; read more.
Who bringeth forth Chariot and horse, Force and strength, Together, shall they he down They shall not arise, They are extinguished Like a wick, are they quenched!


So the beginning of his kingdom came to be Babel, and Erech, and Accad and Calneh, in the land of Shinar.

And it came to pass, in the days of Amraphel, king of Shinar, Arioch, king of Ellasar, - Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of Goim,

against Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of Goim, and Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar, - four kings against five.

And it came to pass as they brake away onwards, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar, and dwelt there.

And it shall come to pass in that day, That My Lord will again a second time set his hand, to possess himself of the remnant of his people, - who shall be left - from Assyria and from Egypt and from Pathros and from Ethiopia and from Elam and from Shinar and from Hamath and from the Coastlands of the sea;

and the Lord gave into his hand Jehoiakim king of Judah, and a part of the vessels of the house of God, and he brought them into the land of Shinar, into the house of his gods, - and, the vessels, brought he into the treasure-house of his gods.

And he said unto me, To build for it a house in the land of Shinar, - so shall it be ready, and they shall settle it there, upon its own base?


Then, coming forth out of the land of the Chaldeans, he dwelt in Haran; and, from thence, when his father was dead, he removed him into this land, in which, ye, now dwell;

And the king of Assyria brought men from Babylon, and from Cuthah, and from Avvah, and from Hamath, and from Sepharvaim, and caused them to dwell in the cities of Samaria, instead of the sons of Israel, - so they took possession of Samaria, and dwelt in the cities thereof.

And the king of Egypt came no more again out of his land, - for the king of Babylon had taken - from the ravine of Egypt, unto the river Euphrates, all that had belonged to the king of Egypt.

Therefore hath he said, - No more, again, do thou exult, Thou violated virgin daughter of Zidon, - To Cyprus, arise and pass over, Even there, shall one find thee no rest. Lo! the land of the Chaldeans, This is the people that was not, Assyria, founded it for the inhabitants of the desert, - They set up its siege-towers, They demolished its palaces Made it a ruin!

Nebuchadnezzar the king, made an image of gold, the height thereof, sixty cubits, the breadth thereof, six cubits, - he set it up in the valley of Dura, in the province of Babylon.


Then Rehum holder of judicial authority, and Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their associates, - the Dinaites and the Apharsathchites, the Tarpelites, the Apharsites, the Archevites, the Babylonians, the Shushanchites, the Dehaites, the Elamites; and the rest of the peoples, whom the great and noble Osnappar hath exiled, and set in the city of Samaria, - and the rest Beyond the River, and so forth:

Howbeit the nations severally were making their own gods, - and did put them in the houses of the high places, which, the Samaritans, had made, each several nation, in their cities wherein, they, were dwelling. So then, the men of Babylon, made Succoth-benoth, and, the men of Cuth, made Nergal, and, the men of Hamath, made Ashima: and, the Avvites, made Nibhaz and Tartak, and, the Sepharvites, did consume their sons in the fire, to Adrammelech and Anammelech gods of Sepharvaim. read more.
Thus became they reverers of Yahweh, - and yet made for themselves, from the whole compass of them, priests of high places, who became offerers for them in the house of the high places.


Ye, therefore, write concerning the Jews as may seem good in your own eyes, in the name of the king, and seal it with the kings signet-ring, - for a writing which hath been written in the king's name, and sealed with the king's signet-ring, none can reverse.

Then said the king unto the wise men having knowledge of the times, - for, so, was the manner of the king before all having knowledge of law and judgment; and, near unto him, were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, Memucan, - the seven rulers of Persia and Media, who used to behold the face of the king, who sat first, in the kingdom - According to law, what ought to be done, with Queen Vashti, - for that she hath not performed the command of King Ahasuerus, through the eunuchs? read more.
Then said Memucan before the king and the rulers, Not against the king alone, hath Vashti the queen acted perversely, - but against all the rulers, and against all the peoples, who are in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus. For the report of the queen, will go forth, unto all women, so putting contempt upon their lords, in their eyes, - when it is reported to them, King Ahasuerus, commanded Vashti the queen to be brought in before him, but she came not. And, this day, shall the ladies of Persia and Media, who have heard the report of the queen, tell it, unto all the lords of the king, - with enough of contempt and wrath. If, unto the king, it seem good, let there go forth a royal declaration from before him, and let it be written among the laws of Persia and Media, so that it shall not pass away, - That Vashti, is not to come in, before King Ahasuerus, and, her royal estate, let the king give unto her neighbour, who is better than she.

Now, O king! wilt thou establish the interdict, and sign the writing, that it may not be changed - according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which may not be abolished,

Then, the king, when he heard, the matter, was sorely displeased with himself, and, upon Daniel, set his heart, to deliver him, - and, until the going in of the sun, was striving to rescue him.

And there was brought a certain stone, and laid upon the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet-ring, and with the signet-ring of his nobles, that nothing might be changed, as to Daniel.


Thou, O king, art the king of kings, - for, the God of the heavens, hath given unto thee, the kingship, the might, the power and the dignity; and, wheresoever the sons of men do dwell, the wild beasts of the field and the birds of the heavens, hath he given into thy hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all. Thou, art the head of gold.

It was pleasing before Darius, that he should set up over the kingdom, a hundred and twenty satraps, - that they should be over all the kingdom;

Nebuchadnezzar the king, unto all the peoples, the races and the tongues who are dwelling in all the earth, Let, your prosperity, abound!


And it came to pass, in the days of Ahasuerus, - the same, Ahasuerus that reigned from India even unto Ethiopia, a hundred and twenty-seven provinces:

Then were called the kings scribes at that time - in the third month, the same, is the month Siwan, on the twenty-third thereof, and it was written according to all that Mordecai commanded unto the Jews, and unto the satraps and pashas and rulers of the provinces, which are from India even unto Ethiopia, a hundred and twenty-seven provinces, every province according to the writing thereof, and every people according to their tongue, - and unto the Jews, according to their writing, and according to their tongue;

and he sent letters unto all the Jews, throughout the hundred and twenty-seven provinces of the kingdom of Ahasuerus, - words of peace and stability:


And all the kings of the North, the near and the far every man with his brother, and all the kingdoms of the earth which are on the face of the ground; And the king of Sheshach, shall drink, after them.

How hath Sheshach, been captured! How hath the praise of all the earth linen seized! How hath Babylon become an astonishment among the nations!


In the first month - the same, was the month Nisan, in the twelfth year of king Ahasuerus, was Pur cast - the same, is the Lot, before Haman, from day to day, and from month to month, - and the lot fell on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the same, is the month Adar. Then said Haman unto King Ahasuerus, There is a certain people, scattered abroad and dispersed among the peoples, throughout all the provinces of thy kingdom, - whose laws, are diverse from every people, and, the laws of the king, they observe not, for the king, therefore, it is not fit, to suffer them. If, unto the king, it seem good, let it be written, to destroy them, - and, ten thousand talents of silver, will I weigh out upon the hands of them who are doing the business, to bring it into the treasuries of the king. read more.
So then the king took his signet-ring from off his hand, and gave it unto Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the adversary of the Jews; and the king said unto Haman, The silver, is granted thee, - and the people, to do with them, as may seem good in thine eyes. Then were called the scribes of the king, in the first month, on the thirteenth day therein, and it was written according to all that Haman commanded unto the satraps of the king, and unto the pashas, who were over every province, and unto the rulers of every people, every province according to the writing thereof, and every people according to the tongue thereof, - in the name of King Ahasuerus, was it written, and sealed with the signet- ring of the king. Then were sent letters, by the hand of the runners, into all the provinces of the king, To destroy, to slay and to cause to perish all Jews, both young and old, little ones and women, in one day, on the thirteenth of the twelfth month, the same, is the month Adar, - and the spoil of them to be a prey. A copy of the writing, to be delivered as an edict throughout every province, was published to all the peoples, - that they should be ready against this day. The runners, went forth, urged on by the word of the king, and, the edict, was given in Shusan the palace, - and, the king and Haman, sat down to drink, but, the city of Shusan, was perplexed.


And the king of Assyria came up throughout all the land, - yea he came up to Samaria, and besieged it three years. In the ninth year of Hoshea, did the king of Assyria capture Samaria, and carried Israel away captive to Assyria, - and settled them in Halah, and in Habor by the river of Gozan, and the mountains of Media. And thus it came to pass that Israel sinned against Yahweh their God, who brought them up out of the land of Egypt, from under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt, - yea they did reverence to other gods; read more.
and walked in the statutes of the nations, whom Yahweh had dispossessed from before the sons of Israel, - and in the statutes of the kings of Israel, which they had made. And the sons of Israel did, secretly, things which were not right, against Yahweh their God, - and built for themselves high places in all their cities, from the watchmen's tower, to the fortified city. And they set up for themselves pillars and Sacred Stems, upon every high hill, and under every green tree; and burned incense there, in all the high places, like the nations whom Yahweh drave out from before them, - and did things that were wicked, so as to provoke Yahweh to anger; and they served the manufactured gods, as to which Yahweh had said to them, Ye shall not do this thing. And Yahweh testified against Israel and against Judah, through all his prophets - every one who had a vision, saying - Turn ye from your wicked ways, and keep my commandments, my statutes, according to all the law which I commanded your fathers; and which I sent unto you through my servants the prophets. Howbeit they hearkened not, - but stiffened their neck, like the neck of their fathers, who trusted not in Yahweh their God; but rejected his statutes, and his covenant, which he solemnised with their fathers, and his testimonies wherewith he testified against them, - and followed vanity, and became vain, and followed the nations that were round about them, as to whom Yahweh charged them, so that they should not do like them. But they forsook all the commandments of Yahweh their God, and made for themselves something molten - two calves, and made a Sacred Stem, and bowed themselves down to all the army of the heavens, and served Baal; and made their sons and their daughters pass through the fire, and used divinations and enchantments, and sold themselves to do the thing that was wicked in the eyes of Yahweh, provoking him to wrath. So Yahweh shewed himself exceeding angry with Israel, and removed them from his presence, - there was none left, save the tribe of Judah, alone. Even Judah, kept not the commandments of Yahweh their God, - but walked in the statutes of Israel, which they had made. So Yahweh rejected all the seed of Israel, and humiliated them, and delivered them into the hand of spoilers, - until he had cast them out from his presence; for he rent Israel away from the house of David, and they made Jeroboam son of Nebat, king, - and Jeroboam thrust away Israel from following Yahweh, and caused them to commit a great sin. And the sons of Israel walked in all the sins of Jeroboam which he had committed, - they turned not away therefrom; until that Yahweh removed Israel from his presence, according as he spake through all his servants the prophets, - and so Israel was driven away from off their own soil, to Assyria, until this day. And the king of Assyria brought men from Babylon, and from Cuthah, and from Avvah, and from Hamath, and from Sepharvaim, and caused them to dwell in the cities of Samaria, instead of the sons of Israel, - so they took possession of Samaria, and dwelt in the cities thereof.


In his days, came up Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, - and Jehoiakim became his servant three years, then turned he and rebelled against him. And Yahweh sent against him troops of Chaldeans, and troops of Syrians, and troops of Moabites, and troops of the sons of Ammon, yea he sent them against Judah, to destroy him, - according to the word of Yahweh, which he spake through his servants the prophets. Surely, it was, because of the anger of Yahweh, that this came upon Judah, to remove them from his presence, - for the sins of Manasseh, according to all that he had done: read more.
moreover also, for the innocent blood that he had shed, so that he had filled Jerusalem with innocent blood, - which Yahweh was not willing to pardon. Now, the rest of the story of Jehoiakim, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah? So Jehoiakim slept with his fathers, - and, Jehoiachin his son, reigned, in his stead. And the king of Egypt came no more again out of his land, - for the king of Babylon had taken - from the ravine of Egypt, unto the river Euphrates, all that had belonged to the king of Egypt. Eighteen years old, was Jehoiachin when he began to reign, and, three months, reigned he in Jerusalem, - and, his mother's name, was Nehushta daughter of Elnathan, of Jerusalem. And he did the thing that was wicked in the eyes of Yahweh, - according to all that, his father, had done. At that time, came up the servants of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, unto Jerusalem, - and the city came into the siege. And Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came against the city, and his servants were about to besiege it. Then came out Jehoiachin king of Judah, unto the king of Babylon, he and his mother, and his servants, and his generals, and his courtiers, - and the king of Babylon took him, in the eighth year of his reign. And he carried forth from thence, all the treasures of the house of Yahweh, and the treasures of the house of the king, - and he cut off all the fittings of gold, which Solomon king of Israel had made in the temple of Yahweh, according to all that, Yahweh, had spoken. And he carried away all Jerusalem, and all the generals, and all the mighty men of valour, ten thousand becoming captives, and all the artificers and the smiths, - none remained save the poorest of the people of the land. And he carried away captive Jehoiachin, to Babylon, - and, the king's mother, and the king's wives, and his courtiers, and the nobles of the land, took he away captive, from Jerusalem to Babylon. And, all the men of might - seven thousand, and artificers and smiths - a thousand, all who were valiant and ready to make war, the king of Babylon brought them captive to Babylon.


Against the land of Merathaim, go thou up against her, And against the inhabitants of Pekod, - Lay waste and devote to destruction after them Declareth Yahweh, And do according to all which I have commanded thee.


And the king of Egypt came no more again out of his land, - for the king of Babylon had taken - from the ravine of Egypt, unto the river Euphrates, all that had belonged to the king of Egypt.


So the beginning of his kingdom came to be Babel, and Erech, and Accad and Calneh, in the land of Shinar.