The End of History and the Last King
eBook - PDF

The End of History and the Last King

Achaemenid Ideology and Community Identity in Ezra-Nehemiah

  1. 288 pages
  2. English
  3. PDF
  4. Available on iOS & Android
eBook - PDF

The End of History and the Last King

Achaemenid Ideology and Community Identity in Ezra-Nehemiah

About this book

This book examines community identity in the post-exilic temple community in Ezra-Nehemiah, and explores the possible influences that the Achaemenids, the ruling Persian dynasty, might have had on its construction. In the book, David Janzen reads Ezra-Nehemiah in dialogue with the Achaemenids' Old Persian inscriptions, as well as with other media the dynasty used, such as reliefs, seals, coins, architecture, and imperial parks. In addition, he discusses the cultural and religious background of Achaemenid thought, especially its intersections with Zoroastrian beliefs. Ezra-Nehemiah, Janzen argues, accepts Achaemenid claims for the necessity and beneficence of their hegemony. The result is that Ezra-Nehemiah, like the imperial ideology it mimics, claims that divine and royal wills are entirely aligned. Ezra-Nehemiah reflects the Achaemenid assertion that the peoples they have colonized are incapable of living in peace and happiness without the Persian rule that God established to benefit humanity, and that the dynasty rewards the peoples who do what they desire, since that reflects divine desire. The final chapter of the book argues that Ezra-Nehemiah was produced by an elite group within the Persian-period temple assembly, and shows that Ezra-Nehemiah's pro-Achaemenid worldview was not widely accepted within that community.

Frequently asked questions

Yes, you can cancel anytime from the Subscription tab in your account settings on the Perlego website. Your subscription will stay active until the end of your current billing period. Learn how to cancel your subscription.
No, books cannot be downloaded as external files, such as PDFs, for use outside of Perlego. However, you can download books within the Perlego app for offline reading on mobile or tablet. Learn more here.
Perlego offers two plans: Essential and Complete
  • Essential is ideal for learners and professionals who enjoy exploring a wide range of subjects. Access the Essential Library with 800,000+ trusted titles and best-sellers across business, personal growth, and the humanities. Includes unlimited reading time and Standard Read Aloud voice.
  • Complete: Perfect for advanced learners and researchers needing full, unrestricted access. Unlock 1.4M+ books across hundreds of subjects, including academic and specialized titles. The Complete Plan also includes advanced features like Premium Read Aloud and Research Assistant.
Both plans are available with monthly, semester, or annual billing cycles.
We are an online textbook subscription service, where you can get access to an entire online library for less than the price of a single book per month. With over 1 million books across 1000+ topics, weā€™ve got you covered! Learn more here.
Look out for the read-aloud symbol on your next book to see if you can listen to it. The read-aloud tool reads text aloud for you, highlighting the text as it is being read. You can pause it, speed it up and slow it down. Learn more here.
Yes! You can use the Perlego app on both iOS or Android devices to read anytime, anywhere ā€” even offline. Perfect for commutes or when youā€™re on the go.
Please note we cannot support devices running on iOS 13 and Android 7 or earlier. Learn more about using the app.
Yes, you can access The End of History and the Last King by David Janzen in PDF and/or ePUB format, as well as other popular books in Theology & Religion & Biblical Commentary. We have over one million books available in our catalogue for you to explore.

Information

Publisher
T&T Clark
Year
2021
Print ISBN
9780567698001
eBook ISBN
9780567698025
Edition
1
Topic
Theology & Religion
Subtopic
Biblical Commentary

Table of contents

  1. Cover
  2. Title
  3. Copyright
  4. Contents
  5. List of Abbreviations
  6. Chapter 1 Introduction: Community Identity, Achaemenid Ideology, and the Composition of Ezraā€“Nehemiah
  7. Chapter 2 Community Identity in Ezraā€“Nehemiah
  8. Chapter 3 The Beneficent King in Achaemenid Ideology and in Ezraā€“Nehemiah
  9. Chapter 4 The King, God, and Torture
  10. Chapter 5 Empire and Ideology in Persian-Period Judah
  11. Chapter 6 Conclusion: The Struggle over Community Identity in the Persian Period
  12. Bibliography
  13. Index of References
  14. Index of Authors