GLOSSARY OF NAMES USED IN ISAIAH SCRIPTURE STUDY Listed Alphabetically

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1 GLOSSARY OF NAMES USED IN ISAIAH SCRIPTURE STUDY Listed Alphabetically A Abdimilkutte, King Abram King of Sidon; beheaded in 677 when Assyrians captured and razed Sidon (REFERENCE: Lesson 8 under Isa.23:15-16) Original name of the patriarch Abraham before it was changed by God. It was promised to Abraham that he in his seed all the nations of the world would be blessed. Isaiah refers to this promise re: the nation of Israel. ( REFERENCE: Isa.19:24-25; 27:6; 29:9-10; 61:6) Ahaz, King ( BC) Son of King Jotham of Judah; became king at age 20 in 735 and reigned until 715 (REFERENCE: Isa.1:1; 7:1; Lesson 6 Intro; Lesson 7 Intro). In 734, King Rezin of Syria and King Pekah of Israel, hoping to force Judah into their anti-assyrian coalition, attacked Jerusalem, seeking to replace Ahaz with a Syrian of Aramean descent named Tabeel. Isaiah gave his first oracle to the young king in the same year (REFERENCE: Isa.7:1-2 & 17:1-2). Ahaz did not pay much attention to Isaiah s oracles; instead, he pursued what he thought was a pragmatic approach necessary to appease Assyria: 1) he sent bribes to Tiglath-Pileser III; 2) he emulated Assyrian worship by building a pagan altar in the Jerusalem temple; 3) he sacrificed one of his sons to a pagan diety to win favor (see Lesson 4 under Historical Background for Isaiah 8:5-18). Isaiah stressed faith in God as Israel s ultimate salvation; Ahaz s practical rejection of this and refusal to ask of God a sign demonstrated his hypocrisy (REFERENCE: Isa.10:20-21) Alexander the Great Democratized the occult practice of individual horoscopes in the late 4 th century (REFERENCE: Isa.13:10) Amaziah, King ( BC) Amos Amoz Anath Apso (Apsu) King of Judah ( BC). Upon his death in 769 BC, he was succeeded by his 16 year old son Uzziah ( BC) (See Lesson 1 Intro) Prophet who began his ministry around 760 BC (see Lesson 1 Intro). He prophesied against various nations (see Lesson 6 Intro). The father of Isaiah; his name means strength (REFERENCE: Isa.1:1, 2) Canaanite goddess; sister/wife of Baal (REFERENCE: Isa.27:1) Babylonian father god named in the Babylonian creation myth, the Enuma Elish (see Lesson 12 section A Series of Trial Speeches and under Isa.40:26; 44:9-10; 45:18; 47:13; 48:12-13). With goddess Tiamat, produced other dieties (gods of sun, wind, storm, etc.) that gave order to the world. Ultimately, Apso and Tiamat were killed by their other grandchildren gods (REFERENCE: Isa.40: 26,28 & Isa.44:9-10). 1

2 Artaxerxes I Asherim Persian king from BC; issued the order to Nehemiah that Jerusalem s walls, destroyed by the Babylonians in 587 BC, could be rebuilt (REFERENCE: Isa.60:10) Asherah was a Canaanite mother-goddess sometimes referred to in the OT (1 Kings 18:19; 2 Kings 23:4; 2 Chron.15:16). Images were made of that goddess to represent her. The Israelites were commanded to cut down (e.g.-ex.34:13) or burn (Deut.12:3) the asherim of the Cannanites and were likewise forbidden themselves to plan an Asherah of any kind of tree beside God s altar (Deut.16:21) (REFERENCE: Isa.27:9) Ashurbanipal, King ( BC) Assyrian king who succeeded his father, King Esarhaddon ( BC); completed conquest of Egypt and gave Assyria its greatest territorial extension (REFERENCE: Isa.19:3 / Lesson 7 Leading Up to the Egyptian Civil War section) Ashur-nadin-shumi, King ( BC) King of Babylon; son of Assyrian King Sennacherib ( BC). He was appointed king of Babylon in 699 BC to replace the rebellious previous King Bel-Ibni. In a subsequent Babylonian rebellion in 694 BC, Ashur-nadin-shumi was killed. (REFERENCE: Lesson 11 The Babylonian Embassy introductory material to Isa. Chapter 39) Astyages, King Asshur Athaliah B Baal Ba lu, King King of Media; his daughter, Princess Mandane, married King Cambyses of Persia and became the mother of Persian King Cyrus. At the time, the Persians were subject to the Medes. In 550 BC, however, Cyrus attacked his grandfather Astyages. Astyages' own troops revolted against him and handed him over to Cyrus in fetters. Cyrus then conquered Ecbatana, the Mede capital, with help from the Mede general, Harpagus, whom Astyages had wronged. (REFERENCE: Lesson 14 section entitled Oracle Concerning Cyrus the Persian ) The Assyrian god of war; a national god (REFERENCE: Lesson 6 Intro) Daughter of King Ahab ( BC) of the Northern Kingdom of Israel, she married King Jehoram ( BC) of the Southern Kingdom of Judah to form a N-S alliance. Her son Ahaziah died after one year as King and she began to reveal herself as that wicked woman (2 Chron. 24:7). To retain the power she had enjoyed as queenmother, she destroyed all the royal family (2 Kings 11:1), executing her husband s son (and multiple wives). She ruled until the restoration of the surviving boy prince to the throne and her own murder (2 Kings 11). The ancients did not accept women as rulers because kings and other leaders were generally expected to lead in war Certainly Israel s experience of women in leadership was not positive. (REFERENCE: Isa.3:12) A Canaanite god of fertility; son of the older creator god, Il Elyon; brother/husband of goddess Anath ; fought his brother Mot in order to take the throne of his father (REFERENCE: Isa. 14:12;17:11; 27:1; 46:1 / Lesson 6 Intro) King of Tyre; around 677 BC, he was set on the throne by Assyrian King Esarhaddon ( BC), who, bent on keeping the route open to attack Egypt, had conquered Tyre and executed the previous king, Abdi-milkitti. King Ba lu had rebelled against, but then submitted to King Esarhaddon; he paid heavy tribute plus back tribute, gave Esarhaddon his daughters, with dowries, and lost a number of surrounding towns to Assyrian ownership. (REFERENCE: Isa.23:15-16) 2

3 Bel-Ibni, King Bel King of Babylon; In 700 BC he rebelled against Assyrian King Sennacherib but died, so in 699, Sennacherib appointed his son, Ashur-nadin-shumi as the king of Babylon. (REFERENCE: Lesson 11 The Babylonian Embassy introductory material to Isa. Chapter 39) Name or title of the principal Babylonian diety, Marduk. When Marduk became the chief god of Babylon in the 2 nd millennium, he was given the additional name of Bel. It was the idol of this god whom Daniel and his companions were commanded to worship (Bel and the Dragon) (REFERENCE: Isa.46:1,2,3,4 Bakenrenef, Pharaoh C The second and last king of Egypt s 24 th Dynasty; may be referred to in Isa.14:29 as a broken rod. In 715 BC (the same year that Hezekiah became King of Judah) he died. An Ethiopian named Shabaka, wiped out any contenders from the 24th Dynasty and went to Memphis to establish the Twenty-fifth Dynasty (REFERENCE: Isa.14:29 / Lesson 7 Intro; Lesson 9 Introductory material to Isa. Chapter 30) Cambyses, King King of Persia, father of future King Cyrus; he married Princess Mandane, whose father was King Astyages of Media. (REFERENCE: Lesson 14 section Oracle Concerning Cyrus the Persian ; Lesson 19 Historical Background section) Cambyses II, King Chemosh Chronos Croesus, King King of Persia, after King Cyrus; During a revolt in Persia, he feared defeat and committed suicide in 522 BC (REFERENCE: Lesson 19 Historical Background section) A chief god of Moab. The sacrifice of children as a burnt-offering was part of his worship (2 Kings 3:27). Solomon erected a high place for Chemosh in Jerusalem (1 Kings 11:7) but Josiah destroyed this (2 Kings 23:13) (REFERENCE: Lesson 6 Intro) Greek god; commonly thought of as Father Time ; Son of Zeus (REFERENCE: Isa.46;1) King of Lydia (in western Asia Minor); in 549 BC he declared war against Persian King Cyrus, with Egypt, Babylon, and Sparta joining him as allies. In 546 BC, Cyrus defeated King Croesus at Pteria and appointed a Lydian named Pactyes as the governor of Sardis, the capital city of Lydia. Croesus was captured and taken to Ecbatana, the capital city of the Medes. He was treated as an honored prisoner and at times acted as a counselor. (REFERENCE: Isa.45:1; 49:1 / Lesson 14 Oracle Concerning Cyrus the Persian section) Cyrus, King ( BC) Persian King who took power in 559 BC; son of King Cambyses of Persia and Princess Mandane, daughter of King Astyages of Media. Cyrus coming was foretold by Isaiah. He was called the Lord s anointed with power to ungird the loins of kings (Isa.45:1) and referred to as a bird of prey from the east (Isa.46:11). The Jews were in exile in Babylon as Cyrus was sweeping through the nations in conquest. In 550 BC he attacked his grandfather Astyages, taking the Mede s capital of Ecbatana. In 546 BC, he defeated King Croesus of Lydia at Peteria. By the late 540 s he had nearly completed his conquest of the Babylonian Empire. In October of 539 BC he took the capital city of Babylon and in the spring of 538 BC, issued a decree that allowed the captive Jews to return to their homeland and begin construction on a new Temple. In the final analysis, Cyrus was God s chosen instrument to 3

4 D free his people from bondage. The fact that he was a Gentile was a shock and amazement to many, but God defended his choice through the mouth of Isaiah, commending him for his moral quality of being correct, honest, and good (REFERENCE: Isa.45:13) (See references under Isa. 8:16; 41:2-5, 14, 25-26; 44:28; 45:1,2-3,4,13,14; 46:11; 49:1 / Lesson 14 Idol Makers & Oracle Concerning Cyrus the Persian sections; Lesson 17 History of Departure from Babylon section) Darius I, King ( BC) David, King King of Persia; he was King Cambyses II s spear-bearer. After Cambyses committed suicide in 522 BC Darius left the territory of Israel to Persia to successfully take control of the empire by 520, the year Zerubbabel started working to finish the Temple. (REFERENCE: Lesson 19 Historical Background section) The second and greatest King of a united Israel whose kingdom is referred to extensively in Isaiah s writings as a template for present hope and future glory. The renewal of the Davidic Kingship becomes a great theme of salvation throughout Isaiah. As Jerusalem faces the Assyrian threat, Isaiah promises that God will defend Jerusalem for the sake of David (Isa.37:33-35); Israel should trust the Lord in the same way that David did as he faced the Philistines (Isa.28:21); Israel s hope in exile is the promise of a glorious Kingdom that will be brought about by a servant a promised messiah from the line of David, a Prince of Peace (Isa.9:6) who will unite Israel again and rule in righteousness over their enemies. (REFERENCE: Isa.5:1; 9:7; 11:1,2,3-4,14; 16:3-5,6; 22:21-22; 28:21; 33:6; 37:33-35; 43:27; 44:28; 54:3,4,5 / Lesson 13 Introduction; Lesson 5 Introduction to Isaiah chapter 11) E Eliakim Ethbaal, King A member of Jerusalem's royal court, who, along with Shebna, was one of the three Judahite officials who met with the Assyrian Rabshakeh (Akkadian for "chief cupbearer," an important royal official) for negotiations during the revolt of BC (Is. 36:2-3; 2 Kings 18:17-18). Eliakim succeeded Shebna as King Hezekiah s prime minister, taking authentic care of the people without rashly advising King Hezekiah to join alliances foolishly as Shebna had. In addition to having the king's authority and to serving the people well, Eliakim will bring honor to his father's house, in contrast to the shame that Shebna brought down on himself. As prime minister, Eliakim receives the key of the house of David, a reference that appears in Jesus designation of St. Peter as the head of His Church. (REFERENCE: Isa.22:20, 21-22) King of Ashkelon; he was set up as King by conquering Assyrian King Sennacherib after the former King, Luli, had fled. [For greater context, see entries Hezekiah, King ; Shebitku, Pharaoh ; Luli, King ] (REFERENCE: Isa.36:1-2 / Lesson 8 Oracle against Tyre & Sidon section preceding Isa. Chapter 23) Esarhaddon, King ( BC) Younger brother of King Sennacherib ( BC) of Assyria; became King after Sennacherib s 2 eldest sons assassinated him in 681 BC. He began the conquest of Egypt, taking the capital city of Memphis in 671, along with many royal prisoners. His son, King Ashurbanipal ( BC), completed the conquest of Egypt (REFERENCE: Isa.7:19; 19:4; 23:15-16; 37:37-38 & Lesson 7 section Leading Up to the Egyptian Civil War). 4

5 Ezekiel G Gideon Gobryas H Haddad Haggai Harpagus A major prophet during the time of the Exile who prophesied, roughly, between BC. He belonged to priestly circles of influence and brought a message of condemnation for Israel s sins as well as a promise of renewal. His famous vision of the dry bones (Ez.37:1-14) spoke hope to a dead and chastened Israel languishing in exile; it also introduced a new understanding that would develop re: the resurrection from the dead. Ezekiel also drew on the marital relationship (Ez. 16 & 20) to emphasize the faithful love of God and the covenantal nature of Israel s relationship to him. (REFERENCE: Isa.25:1; 26:19; 32:1; 42:14; 45:22; 48:11,16; 51:11; 53:12; 54:5-6) Gideon was the 5 th judge in Israel in the period after the Children of Israel entered and settled in the Promised Land under Joshua. He ruled the people for 40 years as judge, leading God s people to victory over the Midianites. His radical example of faith in the face of overwhelming odds (see Judges 6-8) finds reference in Isaiah as a model of victory for the Jewish people facing the overwhelming strength of the Assyrians and Babylonians. (REFERENCE: Isa.9:4; 10:26 / Lesson 13 Introduction) Governor of Gutium; led Cyrus troops into Babylon on October 13, 539 without having to fight the inhabitants. ( REFERENCE: Lesson 17 History of the Departure to Babylon section) A chief Syrian god, the storm-god; name means The Thunderer (REFERENCE: Lesson 6 Intro) Prophet at the time of the return of the Jewish exiles from Babylon; at his insistence, the new Temple was completed BC. (REFERENCE: Isa.66:1-2 / Lesson 19 Historical Background section) Mede general serving under King Astyages of Media, who was the grandfather of King Cyrus of Persia. Harpagus had been wronged by Astyages. So, when Cyrus attacked King Astyages in 550 BC, Harpagus was instrumental in turning Astyages over to him in fetters. He helped Cyrus in his conquest of Asia Minor. ( REFERENCE: Lesson 14 section entitled Oracle Concerning Cyrus the Persian ) Herod the Great Herodotus The Temple built by the Jews after the exile ( BC) was a disappointment to some in contrast the glorious Temple that had been destroyed in 586 BC. It was not until 19 BC that Herod the Great would build a magnificent Temple that would replace this less-impressive, post-exilic building. (REFERENCE: Isa.60:13) A 5 th Century Greek historian who coined the phrase Egypt is the gift of the Nile (REFERENCE: Isa.19:5-10) Hezekiah, King ( BC) Son of King Ahaz ( BC) of Judah. Hezekiah became king at a time when the Assyrians under Sargon II were threatening the entire region. Most recently (during the reign of King Ahaz), they had conquered the northern kingdom of Israel, destroying its capital, Samaria, in 722 BC. Hezekiah built the city walls of Jerusalem to enclose and shelter the refugees fleeing from Sargon s devastation. Seeking to present a united front against Assyria, he 5

6 Hosea allied himself with Moab, Philistia (King Iamani of Ashdod) and Egypt (Pharaoh Shabaka) in 713 BC. In 705 BC, Sargon II died, but his son Sennacherib continued to press the attack on Judah and surrounding countries. Hezekiah allied himself anew with the then-ruler of Egypt, Pharaoh Shebitku. Isaiah was critical of Hezekiah for this alliance, which as predicted soon proved to be futile. Sennacherib invaded Jerusalem in 701 BC. Though the city was not destroyed and Hezekiah remained king, he paid tribute (taken from the Temple decorations) to the overpowering Assyrians. Isaiah was written during the first years of Hezekiah s reign. Later in his reign, he is recorded to have been afflicted with a deadly illness that is ultimately healed (see Isa.38) (REFERENCE: Isa. 1:1; 7:17; 10:16; 14:32; 17:4-6; 18:1-3; 21:1-2, 10; 22:8-9, 15-16; 29:14; 32:1; 38:1-20 / Lesson 6 (Intro); Lesson 7 (Intro); Lesson 9 (Intro to Isa. Chapter 30); Lesson 11 (Intro) Prophet; began ministry around 750 BC (REFERENCE: Lesson 1 Intro) Hoshea, King ( BC) Last king of the northern kingdom of Israel before the Assyrians destroyed the capital city of Samaria in 722 BC. He had assumed power in 732 BC by assassinating the former King Pekah. This he did in order to appease Assyrian King Tiglath-pileser III, to whom he paid tribute. (REFERENCE: Isa. 17:3 & Lesson 4 Introductory material to Isaiah chapter 9) Humbanigash, King The King of Elam (located in the south of modern Iran); helped the Chaldean King Merodach-Baladan II take Babylon away from the Assyrians in a war in BC. (REFERENCE: Isa.21:1-2) I Iamani, King Il Elyon King of Ashdod (Philistia). In 713 BC he started a revolt against Assyrian King Sargon II. [For broader context, see entry on Hezekiah (REFERENCE: Isa.14:28,31 & Lesson 7 Intro) A Canaanite god; the father of Baal and Mot (REFERENCE: Isa.14:13) J Jehoiachin, King (597) King of Judah for a very short time; taken captive to Babylon and released from prison there in 561 BC to return to Jerusalem. His grandson Zerubbabel returned to Jerusalem from captivity in 522 BC, and began work on rebuilding the Jewish Temple (REFERENCE: Lesson 11 Introduction & Lesson 19 Historical Background section ) Jereboam ben Nebat, King (c BC) The first King of Israel; he rebelled against King Solomon s foolish son, Rehoboam, and started the division between the Northern Kingdom of Israel vs. the Southern Kingdom of Judah. Essentially, the Northern Kingdom rejected the lineage of David, from which Isaiah prophesied that the Messiah would come to once again unite Israel. (REFERENCE: Isa. 7:17; 9:7) 6

7 Jeremiah Jerome, Saint Jeshurun Jesse Jezebel K Kingu A prophet whose ministry spanned the reigns of the last five kings of Judah, beginning in the 13 th year of the reign of Josiah in 626 BC and ending with the destruction of Jerusalem in 587 BC. His message of impending judgment against many countries was very unpopular and caused him much persecution. (REFERENCE: Isa.48:15; 50:4,5-6 / Lesson 6 Intro; Lesson 15 Intro) In Isa.44:12, the fallen king is called "Day Star," a translation of a Hebrew word whose root means "to shine," and "son of Dawn," which St. Jerome translated into his Vulgate as Lucifer, "light bearer." (REFERENCE: Isa.44:12) Jeshurun is a name for Israel found elsewhere only in poetic texts in Deut. 32:15; 33:5, 26). The root may be jashar, meaning to be upright." (REFERENCE: Isa.44:1-2) The father of King David in the OT, therefore, the root or stump from which the Davidic kingdom will spring. Especially in Isaiah 11:1-11 is this image used as a messianic note of hope that the destruction of the nation still conceals within it the hope of future life and hope. (REFERENCE: Isa.6:11; 11:1-11) Daughter of Ethbaal, King of Tyre and Sidon, she was married to King Ahab ( BC) of the Northern Kingdom of Israel. She was a strong, domineering character, self-willed and forceful. She killed the Lord s prophets and promoted Baal worship (1 Kings 18:4,13;19:1-3; 21:5-25). The ancients did not accept women as rulers because kings and other leaders were generally expected to lead in war Certainly Israel s experience of women in leadership was not positive. (REFERENCE: Isa.3:12) A monster created by the Babylonian sea water mother goddess Tiamat. Kingu and Tiamat were both defeated by the god Marduk who was one of Tiamat s grandchildren (REFERENCE: Isa.51:9-10) Jotham, King ( BC) L Leviathan Luli, King Son of King Uzziah ( BC) of Judah; was co-regent with father from BC (due to his leprosy) and sole ruler from BC (REFERENCE: Isa.1:1,2; 7:1 / Lesson 1 Intro) Transliteration of a Hebrew word which occurs in only five OT passages; indicates some form of aquatic monster, the crooked serpent ; sometimes referred to as Shalyat (meaning accursed ) or Lotan (the Ugaritic form of Leviathan). The Lord's battle against Leviathan is in Psalm 74:14 and St. Michael and his angels defeat the dragon and his angels in Revelation 12:9 (REFERENCE: Isa.27:1) King of Tyre and Sidon (Phoenicia or Lebanon) during the reign of King Hezekiah ( BC) of Judah. In 705 BC King Lulu was part of an anti-assyrian coalition that included Judah (Hezekiah), Egypt (Pharaoh Shebitku) and King Sidka of Ashkelon. In 701 BC, his was the first country to fall to Assyrian King Sennacherib. Luli fled to Cyprus and a new king, Ethbaal, was set in his place by conquering King Sennacherib [For greater context, see entries 7

8 M Hezekiah and Shebitku ] (REFERENCE: Isa.29:14; 33:9; 36:1-2 / Lesson 8 Introduction & Woe against Tyre & Sidon section) Mahershalalhashbaz Son of Isaiah; God instructed Isaiah to give him this name, meaning one who hastens to spoil, is speedy to prey. Along with his other brother Shearjashub, Isaiah s children were used as prophetic signs from the Lord. This name describes how Assyria will attack Syria, Damascus and Israel quickly in order to take much spoils of war. (REFERENCE: 8:1, 2-4, 18) Manasseh, King ( BC) Son of King Hezekiah ( BC) of Judah. In 697 BC at age 12, he reigned as a co-regent with his father for 10 years, then 45 years as sole ruler of Judah. His was an extremely wicked reign and he was the worst [king] in Judah s history. The fact that Isaiah does not mention his name in the list of Kings under whom he prophesied leads to the conclusion that Isaiah s prophetic ministry was finished by that time (REFERENCE: Isa.1:1; 11:1) Mandane, Princess Marduk The daughter of King Astyages of Media; she married King Cambyses of Persia and became the mother of King Cyrus. [See greater detail under Astyages, King entry) (REFERENCE: Lesson 14 section entitled Oracle Concerning Cyrus the Persian ) King of the Babylonian gods, the center of life. According to the creation myth Enuma Elish, Marduk defeated his grandmother Tiamat and from her corpse formed the earth and the sky. Powerful though he was, he had no authority in other countries unless his worshippers conquered them. Thus, Babylonian aggression promoted the worship of Marduk. [Also see entry for Bel ] (REFERENCE: Isa.40:18, 21-24; 45:18; 51:9-10 / Lesson 6 (Intro); Lesson 12 A Series of Trial Speeches section) Marduk-apal-ippine II, King ( BC) See entry for Merodach-Baladan II. Marduk-zakir-shum II, King Chaldean King of the Babylon; in 703, he took Babylon from King Sennacherib of Assyria and reigned as its king for a month, followed by Merodach-Baladan II. [For greater detail, see entry on Merodach-Baladan II ] (REFERENCE: Lesson 11 The Babylonian Embassy section introducing Isaiah chapter 39) Merodach-Baladan II, King ( BC) Mesha, King King of Babylon ( BC); also known as Marduk-apal-ippine II. In 721 Merodach-Baladan II, a Chaldean, became the king of Babylon and revolted successfully against Assyria. However, in 711 the Assyrian king Sargon conquered Babylon from the Chaldeans and returned it to the native Babylonians. Then in 703, a Chaldean named Marduk-zakir-shum II, took Babylon from King Sennacherib of Assyria and reigned as its king for a month, followed by Merodach-Baladan II, who ruled for nine months. King Sennacherib of Assyria defeated him on the plains of Kish and forced him to flee into the swamps to save his life. (REFERENCE: Isa.21:1-2; 39:1-2 / Lesson 11 Introductory material to Isaiah chapter 39) The King of Moab. The towns of Dibon 20 miles north of Kir and Nebo had been conquered from Israel by King Mesha of Moab around BC. Also, around 840 BC, he produced an inscribed stone known as the Mesha Stele which has great importance for understanding the complex relationship between Israel and Moab. The stone is the most extensive inscription ever recovered that refers to the kingdom of Israel and bears the earliest certain 8

9 Molech Mot extra-biblical references to the Israelite God Yahweh and the House of David. (REFERENCE: Isa.15:2-4 & material immediately preceding Isa.16:13) A Canaanite god to whom children were offered as human sacrifice. The law of Moses demanded the death of anyone who offered his child to Molech or as a sacrifice (Lev.18:20; 20:2-5) (REFERENCE: Isa.57:9-10) A Canaanite god whose name means Death ; his brother Baal fought him in order to take the throne of his father Il Elyon (REFERENCE: Isa. 14:13) Mushezib-Marduk, King N A Chaldean who, succeeded King Nergal-ushezib in 692 BC. He badly beat Assyrian King Sennacherib in battle in 691 BC. But, in 689, Sennacherib put down the revolt and sacked the city of Babylon. From this point on Sennacherib ruled Babylon, as did his son, Esarhaddon (REFERENCE: Lesson 11 The Babylonian Embassy section introducing Isaiah Chapter 39) Nabonidus, King ( BC) Nabopolassar King of Babylon at the time of Assyrian King Cyrus. In 550 BC, Cyrus was attacking the Kingdom of the Medes, headed by his grandfather, King Astyages. Fearing the Medes, Nabonidus supported Cyrus in the conflict. Eventually, however, Assyrian aggression shifted toward Babylon. In a desperate attempt to secure divine protection for his kingdom, Nabonidus brought idols in from surrounding towns to protect it. Ultimately, it was a futile exercise. Cyrus captured Babylon in October, 539 BC. Nabonidus was in a neighboring city at the time the city was taken and tried to hide. But, he was captured within 1 week after trying to return to Babylon in disguise. (REFERENCE: Isa.44:11; 45:1; 52:4-6 / Lesson 14 Idol Makers & Oracle Concerning Cyrus the Persian sections; Lesson 17 History of Departure from Babylon section) A Chaldean general who led a rebellion against the Assyrians in 626 BC. This led to the establishment of the Neo- Babylonian Empire that with the help of the Medes eventually defeated the Assyrians and left their capital, Ninevah, in total ruins in 609 BC (REFERENCE: Isa.13:19-22) Nabu-ukin-zer, KIng King of Babylon. In 729 the Assyrian king Tiglath-Pileser invaded and captured Babylon, killed King Nabu-ukin-zer, and called himself the "king of Babylon," out of Assyrian respect for Babylon as the source of Assyrian culture. [Read greater context under entry Tiglath-Pileser III, King ] (REFERENCE: Lesson 11 The Babylonian Embassy section introducing Isaiah chapter 39) Nebuchadnezzar, KIng ( BC) Nebo King of Babylon at the time of Jerusalem s fall in 586 BC. At that time, Nebuchadnezzar entered the city, removed all the valuable vessels from the Temple and forced the Jews into miserable exile. In contrast to their forsaken state, Nebuchadnezzar's palace included the "Hanging Gardens," one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. In 538 BC, after Persian King Cyrus had defeated Babylon, he issued an order for the Temple at Jerusalem to be rebuilt. It was to be paid for by the royal treasury and the sacred vessels that Nebuchadnezzar had removed from the Temple were to be returned (Ezra 1:8; 6:3-5, 13-16). (REFERENCE: Isa.52:11-12; 54:11-12 / Lesson 17 History of the Departure from Babylon section) Chief god of the Chaldeans and son of the Babylonian god, Marduk (REFERENCE: Isa.46:1,2,3,4) 9

10 Necho I, King Nehemiah Appointed King of Lower Egypt in 668 BC by Assyrian King Ashurbanipal. In 664 BC, he was killed by Tantamani, the cousin of Pharaoh Taharqa, who returned to re-conquer Egypt after Taharqa s death. ( REFERENCE: Lesson 7 Leading up to the Egyptian Civil War ) With orders from Persian King Artexerxes I ( BC) to rebuild Jerusalem's wall, Nehemiah arrived in Jerusalem 444 BC to begin work (REFERENCE: Isa.58:12; 60:10) Nergal-ushezib, King P Pactyes A Chaldean who, in 693 BC became king of Babylon for a year. (REFERENCE: Lesson 11 The Babylonian Embassy section introducing Isaiah Chapter 39) A native of Lydia (in western Asia Minor); in 546 BC, Cyrus appointed him as the governor of the capital city of Sardis after King Croesus had been defeated and deposed. However, not long afterward, Pactyes, the Lydian governor of Sardis, revolted. At Croesus' advice, Cyrus sent an army to capture Pactyes but spare the people of Sardis. Pactyes fled Sardis, but was captured. [See entry on Croesus, King for more detail] (REFERENCE: Lesson 14 Oracle Concerning Cyrus the Persian section) Pekah, King ( BC) King of the northern kingdom of Israel from BC; the son of Remaliah. He was the second to the last king of Israel before the destruction of Samaria in 722 BC at the hands of the Assyrians. In 734 BC, he joined forces with King Rezin of Syria to attack King Ahaz of Judah. The hope was to replace Ahaz with a Syrian named Tabeel, who would theoretically lead Judah to join their anti-assyrian coalition. The plan failed and King Pekah ultimately gave up resistance to the invading Assyrians, leaving Syria without allies. In 732 BC, Hoshea took the throne of Israel by assassinating King Pekah in order to appease the king of Assyria, Tiglath-pileser III. (REFERENCE: Isa. 7:2,3,4,7; 8:5-6; 17:1-2, 3 / Lesson 4 section on Messianic Hope before Chapter 9) Psamtik/Psammetichus I, King R Rabshakeh Rahab Son of King Necho I (Egypt); his father had been defeated and killed by Tantamani in 664 BC. With Assyrian support, Psamtik became king of Sais in Egypt and in the following year (663 BC) the Assyrians returned to defeat Tantamani at Memphis and Thebes. Karnak, the largest and most sacred temple in Egypt was pillaged. The world was shocked. ( REFERENCE: Lesson 7 Leading up to the Egyptian Civil War section) An important royal official in the Assyrian government; not a personal name but an office (eg. Secretary of State) Akkadian for "chief cupbearer." The Rabshakeh appears in important negotiations, especially during the meeting with King Hezekiah s representatives during the revolt from BC (Is. 36:2-3; 2 Kings 18:17-18). [See entries Shebna and Eliakim ] ( REFERENCE: Isa.22:20; 36:1-2, 5-10, 11, 12-13, 18-20; 37:1, 2-4, 8-9, / Lesson 8 Intro to Oracles for Shebna and Eliakim section) The name of a monster at the beginning of creation whom God took control of the seas and calmed its waves (Ps. 89:9-10). Frequently, it is used to identify Egypt, for instance in Psalm 87:4 & Isaiah 30:7. In Isa.51:9-10, Isaiah links the defeat of the monster at creation with the defeat of Egypt as a model of the defeat of Babylon, whose 10

11 mother goddess was Tiamat, the salt water, who created a monster named Kingu, both of whom were defeated by the god Marduk. Isaiah is claiming that the Lord God defeats the forces of chaos in the past, present and future by his mighty arm. (REFERENCE: Isa.30:7; 51:9-10) Rehoboam, King (c BC) Rezin, King S The son of King Solomon; he was the last King of a united Israel. After the revolt of Jeroboam ben Nebat divided the kingdom, Rehoboam became the first king of the Southern Kingdom of Judah. Our study text refers to him thus: justice and righteousness were absent in Solomon s foolish son, Rehoboam, at the time of the division of the two kingdoms of Israel and Judah. (REFERENCE: Isa.7:17; 9:7) King of Damascus, Syria. In 734 BC, he joined forces with King Pekah of Israel to attack King Ahaz of Judah. The hope was to replace Ahaz with a Syrian named Tabeel, who would theoretically lead Judah to join their anti- Assyrian coalition. By 732 BC, the Assyrians, under Tiglath-Pileser III, had defeated Syria and executed King Rezin. (REFERENCE: Isa. 7:2, 15-16; 8:5-6; 17:1-2) Sargon II, King ( BC) Assyrian King from BC; grandson of King Tiglath-Pileser III ( BC). In 722 BC, his father, King Shalmaneser V ( BC) took the city of Samaria, but Sargon would take credit for it, since he returned to further destroy the country in 720 BC after destroying Hamath, a city in northern Syria who had rebelled against him. Sargon took 27,290 inhabitants of Samaria captive and then settled the people of Hamath in Samaria. Sargon s territorial expansion was resisted in 713 BC by the coalition of King Hezekiah of Judah, King Iamani of Ashdod, and Pharaoh Shabaka of Egypt [read greater detail under Hezekiah entry]. In 711 BC, Sargon conquered Babylon from the Chaldeans. He died in 705 BC (REFERENCE: Isa.10:9; 17:3,4-6; 21:1-2; 28:2-4; 29:2-3 / Lesson 7 Intro; Lesson 9 Intro; Lesson 11 Introductory material to Isa. Chapter 39) Sennacherib, King ( BC) Assyrian king during the time of King Hezekiah ( BC) of Judah, who experienced much devastation at his hand. With a massive army, he invaded Judah between BC, entering Jerusalem in 701 BC. A plague decimated his army at that time (2 Kings 19:35) and he withdrew from the city, sparing it complete destruction and leaving Hezekiah as king. However, this victory for Jerusalem was more of a moral victory than anything. In Isaiah 22, the prophet Isaiah criticizes the city s inappropriate celebration at the Assyrian army s withdrawal, for, as a matter of actual fact, Sennacherib had taken 46 cities and forts in Judah, captured 200,150 prisoners and increased Judah s tribute. Sennacherib also defeated Phoenicia, Edom, and Egypt. In 689 BC he sacked the city of Babylon. In 681, Sennacherib was assassinated by his 2 older sons. He was succeeded as king by his younger brother, Esarhaddon ( BC) (REFERENCE: Isa.1:7-8; 7:17; 8:9-10; 21:11-2; 21:16-17; Chapter 23 Intro; 28:15; 28:21; 29:14; 29:17; 37:22-29; 37:33-35; 37:36-38; Chapter 39 intro & Introductions to Lessons 9 & 11) Shabaka, Pharaoh An Ethiopian man who founded the 25 th Dynasty of Egypt after the death of Pharaoh Bakenrenef in 715 BC. In 713 BC, he joined King Iamani of Ashod and King Hezekiah of Judah in revolt against Assyrian King Sargon II. [For greater context, see Hezekiah entry] (REFERENCE: 18:1-3; 21:1-2 / Lesson 7 Introduction; Lesson 9 (Introductory material to Isa. Chapter 30)) Shalmaneser V, King ( BC) Assyrian King from BC; son of King Tiglath-Pileser III ( BC). In 722 BC, he took the city of Samaria, but his son, King Sargon II ( BC) returned in 720 BC to, as it were, finish the job. [For greater detail, see Hezekiah & Sargon II entries] (REFERENCE: Isa.10:9) 11

12 Sha- nabushu Shearjashub Army General under Assyrian King Esarhaddon ( BC). In 669 BC, he led an army into lower Egypt to quell a rebellion incited by the Ethiopians. ( REFERENCE: Lesson 7 Leading up to the Egyptian Civil War section) Son of Isaiah; his name means a remnant will return, a message pertinent for the survivors of Assyrian war of BC [also see entry Mahershalalhashbaz ] (REFERENCE: Isa.7:4; 8:18; 10:20-21) Shebitku, Pharaoh Shebna Sheshbazzar Sidka, KIng The second ruler of the Ethiopian 25 th Dynasty of Egypt, founded by Shabaka. When Assyrian King Sargon II died in 705 BC he was succeeded by his son Sennacherib ( ). At that time Shebitku sent ambassadors to Judah to persuade Hezekiah to join a revolt which also included King Luli of Tyre and Sidon against the Assyrians. Isaiah would proclaim woe against those who trusted in Pharaoh Shebitku s revolt. [For greater context, see Hezekiah entry] [REFERENCE: 18:1-3; 22:11; 28:15; 29:14; 37:8-9 / Lesson 8 [Introductory material to Isaiah chapter 23]; Lesson 9 Main Introduction & introductory material to Isaiah chapter 30) Shebna was a member of Jerusalem's royal court. Being over King Hezekiah s household, Shebna was something of the equivalent of prime minister. He was instrumental in convincing Hezekiah to join the rebellion against Assyria from BC. He was one of the three Judahite officials who met with the Assyrian Rabshakeh (Akkadian for "chief cupbearer," an important royal official) for negotiations during the revolt (Is. 36:2-3; 2 Kings 18:17-18). Isaiah confronted Shebna for selfishly pursuing his own interests (ie. preparing his own tomb) even as the nation faced the looming threat of Assyrian invasion brought about by his own counsel to King Hezekiah. Shebna will be replaced as prime minister by Eliakim, who will serve the office honorably. (REFERENCE: Isa.22:15,16,17 / Lesson 8 Intro to Oracles for Shebna and Eliakim section) An exile in Babylon, he was released and returned to Jerusalem in the spring of 537 BC. In September/October 537, rebuilt the altar and re-instituted Jewish sacrifice according to the Law of Moses. This was the beginning of what would become known as the Feast of Booths. The foundation for the new Temple was laid in 536 BC and by 516 BC it was completed. (REFERENCE: Isa.26:21; 52:9-10 / Lesson 17 History of Return section; Lesson 19 Historical Background section) King of Ashkelon, an important coastal city of the Philistines. King Sidka was part of an anti-assyrian coalition that was crushed by Assyrian King Sennacherib in 701 BC. [For greater detail, see entries for Luli, King, Shebitku, Pharaoh and Hezekiah, King ] (REFERENCE: Isa.29:14; 36:1-2) Solomon, King (c ) The third king of a united Israel; the son of King David and Bathsheba (2 Sam.12:24); reigned circa BC. The reign of his son Rehoboam ( BC see Isa.9:7) described in our study text as foolish marked the point at which Israel divided into a Northern Kingdom, headed by King Jereboam ben Nebat (c ) and a Southern Kingdom under Rehoboam. Pertinent to this study of the Book of Isaiah A) Solomon built in Jerusalem a storage place for weapons (called House of the Forest ) that was used when the Assyrians invaded Jerusalem in 701 (see Isa.22:8-9); B) Proverbs 25 is described as the proverbs of Solomon which the men of Hezekiah King of Judah copied. This contained a number of wisdom sayings about the role of the king that influenced many (including the prophets) after him (seeisa.32:1); C) Solomon constructed a magnificent Temple in Jerusalem (also known as the First Temple), which was destroyed in 587 BC by Babylonian King Nebuchanezzar II (see Isa.66:1-2) 12

13 T Tabeel A Syrian of Aramean descent. In 734, King Rezin of Syria and King Pekah of Israel attacked Jerusalem, hoping to overthrow King Ahaz and replace him with Tabeel (REFERENCE: Isa.7:2 & 17:1-2) Taharqa, Pharaoh AKA Tirhakah Tantamani Tiamat Third and last ruler of the Ethiopian 25 th Dynasty of Egypt, founded by Shabaka; he was the son (New Bible Dictionary says young and inexperienced brother ) of Pharaoh Shebitku. Along with King Luli (Tyre & Sidon) and King Sidka (Ashekelon), he led an army against Assyrian King Sennacherib ( BC) in 702 BC and was defeated in an open field battle. He took refuge in the town of Lachish (which Sennacherib destroyed) then retreated to Egypt. There was a second revolt against Sennacherib in 690 BC which King Hezekiah of Judah was persuaded to join. After Shebitku s death, Taharqa became the last ruler of the 25 th Dynasty of Egypt. He died in 664 BC (REFERENCE: Isa.29:14; 36:1-2; 37:8-9 / Lesson 7 Leading Up to the Egyptian Civil War section) Cousin of Pharaoh Taharqa, who appointed him heir to the throne of Napata, in Ethiopia in 665 BC. After Taharqa s death in 664 BC, Tantamani re-conquered Egypt and killed Necho I ( REFERENCE: Lesson 7 Leading up to the Egyptian Civil War ) Babylonian mother goddess identified as the salt water. According to the creation account of the Enuma Elish, she mated with the god Apso to produce other dieties who were identified with the basic elements that give order to the world (ie. gods of sun, wind, storm, etc.). Tiamat created a monster named Kingu. Ultimately, Tiamat s grandchildren, chief among whom was Marduk, formed an army to attack and defeat their sea water grandmother and Kingu. Tiamat s corpse was cut in two parts lengthwise the top portion becoming the sky and the bottom becoming the earth. (REFERENCE: Isa.40:26, 28; 44:9-10, 24; 45:18; 48:12-13; 51:9-10) Tiglath-Pileser III, King ( BC) Assyrian King active during the reigns of 3 kings of Judah: Uzziah ( BC), Jotham ( BC) and Ahaz ( BC). Between BC, Tiglath-Pileser attacked the nations west of Syria Phoenicia, Philistia, and the coastal towns between. In response to his aggression, King Rezin of Syria & King Pekah of Israel formed an anti-assyrian alliance and tried to overthrow King Ahaz in order to broaden participation in their alliance. The overthrow attempt failed. Ahaz paid tribute to Tiglath-Pileser to bribe him to attack Syria and Israel (2 Kings 16:7). Ultimately, King Pekah gave up resistance. This left Syria isolated and in 732 BC Tiglath-Pileser defeated Damascus. Then, despite the fact that both Jerusalem and Samaria had tried to make peace with him, he invaded Israel, making 2/3 of it an Assyrian province and leaving the remaining 1/3 with Samaria as its capital. At that time, Hoshea assassinated King Pekah and made himself King of Israel, although Tiglath-Pileser claims to have set him on the throne. In 729, Tiglath-Pileser invaded and captured Babylon, killing King Nabu-ukin-zer and called himself the King of Babylon out of respect for Babylon as the source of Assyrian culture. (REFERENCE: Isa.5:26; 7:7,8,13; 8:5-18 (introductory material); 10:7, 9, 20-21; 17:1-2, 3 / Lesson 4 (Intro to Isa. Chapter 9); Lesson 11 (Intro to Isa. Chapter 39)) Tirhakah, Pharaoh See Taharqa, Pharaoh 13

14 U Uriah Isaiah enlisted Uriah and Zechariah as two witnesses to his written word (REFERENCE: Isa.8:2-4) Uzziah, King ( BC) Z Zechariah Zerubbabel Zeus Son of King Amaziah ( BC) of Judah. In 769, he took the throne at the age of 16. Around 750 BC, at the age of 35, he became a leper. His son Jotham was co-regent with him until his death in 743. Uzziah was assessed a good king at a prosperous time, but his failing was neglecting to remove the high places of illicit sacrifice and worship (REFERENCE: Isa.5:29-30 / Lesson 1 Intro; Lesson 3 Intro) Isaiah enlisted Uriah and Zechariah as two witnesses to his written word (REFERENCE: Isa.8:2-4) The grandson of Judah's King Jehoiachin (597). In 522 BC, Zerubbabel returned from Babylon to Jerusalem with other exiles. By 520, he had started working to finish the Temple. (REFERENCE: Lesson 19 Historical Background section ) Greek god; father of Chronos ( Father Time ) (REFERENCE: Isa.46;1) 14