Babylonian Times
Baruch the Scribe
Shemaya the Nehelamite
Shemaya the Nehelamite
After immigrating to Egypt following the destruction of Jerusalem, Jeremiah's former scribe authored most of Genesis
His stories are about what happened before, during and after the destruction of Jerusalem
Written: 580-560 BCE
Where: Egypt
Greatest Works: The Garden of Eden, Cain and Abel, the Flood, most patriarch stories, and Joseph
Traits: all-time great, emotional, tender
Scholarly Name: most of the "E+J sources" of Genesis
Shemaya the Nehelamite
Shemaya the Nehelamite
Shemaya the Nehelamite
In the early Babylonian captivity, Shemaya wrote populist Exodus stories that will be canonized only 500 years later
His stories are about a populist perspective of the tensions between Hebrew workers and their priests
Written: 597-587 BCE
Where: Babylonia
Greatest Works (in Exodus): The Golden Calf and Stone Tablets, Baby Moses, Moses the Judge
Traits: clever, witty, class-conscious
Scholarly Name: the "E source" of Exodus, first chapters of "Second Isaiah"
Ezekiel
Shemaya the Nehelamite
Ezekiel
During the Babylonian captivity, before and after the destruction of Jerusalem, Ezekiel authored much of Exodus
His stories are about his personal experience being shunned by the Hebrew people in Babylonia
Written: 593-570 BCE
Where: Babylonia
Greatest Works (in Exodus): Burning Bush, Moses pleads to let his people go, the Plagues (original), Wilderness stories
Traits: anxious, desperate, copywriter
Scholarly Name: Most of the "J source" of Exodus
Persian Times
Yeshua the High Priest
Yeshua the High Priest
Yeshua the High Priest
The High Priest during the Return to Zion, and the first High Priest of the rebuilt temple. Formulated a new covenant
His stories are about the glorious return to their homeland
Written: in 538-510 BCE,
Where: in Persia and Judea
Greatest Works (in Exodus): the agricultural rules of Passover, worship rules of holidays
Traits: religious leader of Return to Zion
Scholarly Name: parts of the religious holiday rules in Exodus
The Poet Priest
Yeshua the High Priest
Yeshua the High Priest
When Cyrus conquers Babylonia and frees the Hebrews, the Hebrews see it as salvation brought on by Yahweh
His stories are about the glorious return to their homeland
Written: in 538 BCE
Where: in Persia and Judea
Greatest Works (in Exodus and more): the Pillars of Cloud and Fire, a second version of the plagues, Isaiah 52
Traits: joyous, elated, euphoric
Scholarly Name: Parts of "Third Isaiah"
Ezra the Priest-Scribe
Yeshua the High Priest
Ezra the Priest-Scribe
In Persia, 100 years after the Return, Ezra wrote, edited and issued the first biblical canon, focusing on the covenant with God
His stories are about a unified Hebrew theology
Written: around 470 BCE,
Where: in Persia and Judea
Greatest Works: editing of the Pentateuch, the Creation Story, Genesis doublet stories, biblical lineages
Traits: meticulous, obsessive, ideologue
Scholarly Name: parts of the "P source" of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers
Hellenistic Times
Alexandrian Hebrew writers
Alexandrian Hebrew writers
Alexandrian Hebrew writers
Writers from the Hebrew community in Alexadria produced folk stories that are now in the books of Judges and Samuel
Their stories are about celebrating their heritage and culture, Hellenistic-Hebrew-style
When: around 280 BCE
Where: Hellenistic Egypt
Greatest Works: Samson, many parts of the books of Samuel
Traits: light-hearted, absurdist, sitcom-ey
Scholarly Name: none
The Maccabean Poet
Alexandrian Hebrew writers
Alexandrian Hebrew writers
The poet writes about the grief felt by many over their dead sons during the celebrations of Hebrew independence
His stories are about the grief of many Hebrew parents who lost their boys during the war
When: 140 BCE
Where: Judea
Greatest Works: The Plague of the Firstborn, Psalms 119
Traits: tragic, Hellenized, bitter
Scholarly Name: none
Maccabean Editors
Alexandrian Hebrew writers
Maccabean Zealot Clerics
Once the Hebrews gain independence, the Maccabees have Pharisee scribes issue an expanded revised Bible
Their stories are about turning the Bible from elitist to populist
When: around 140 BCE
Where: Jerusalem
Greatest Works: editing Exodus, rearranging biblical stories along a single chronological timeline, additions to books of Samuel and Kings
Traits: revolutionary, reformer, expert editor
Scholarly Name: Parts of "J source" of Exodus (with newer Hebrew)
Maccabean Zealot Clerics
Maccabean Zealot Clerics
Maccabean Zealot Clerics
After the war, the original priests were deposed and replaced by zealot clerics who relentlessly persecuted the priests
Their stories are about making all priestly traditions illegal
When: around 140 BCE
Where: Jerusalem
Greatest Work: nationalistic Passover rules, half of the Ten Commandments
Traits: zealot, power-hungry, xenophobic
Scholarly Name: Parts of "P source" of Exodus (worship rules and harsh laws)
Judges of the Sanhedrin
Maccabean Zealot Clerics
Judges of the Sanhedrin
The new Hebrew Supreme Court publishes long lists of laws to bring back law, order, and equality after the civil war
Their stories are about protecting the poor and needy and higher taxes on the wealthy
When: around 140 BCE
Where: Jerusalem
Greatest Works: Half of the Ten Commandments, the civil laws of Exodus
Traits: reformers, populists, tough on crime
Scholarly Name: Parts of "E source" of Exodus (ch.21 to 23)
Reinstated Priests
Maccabean Zealot Clerics
Judges of the Sanhedrin
Once the Maccabean leader John Horkinus reinstates the priests, they make last-minute changes to the canon
Their stories are about minimizing damage from populist editing
When: around 120 BCE
Where: Jerusalem
Greatest Works: Moses murders thousands of Hebrews, Shemaya prevents civil war
Traits: bitter, subtle, precise
Scholarly Name: Unidentified
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