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 Most people don't realize that at one point in history, the Jews had two functioning temples existing at the same time. In a strange twist, the second temple built hundreds of miles away, confirmed the rebuilding of the temple and city of Jerusalem by Ezra and Nehemiah.
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In the late 1800s, ancient papyri showed up in Middle East antiquities markets that intrigued archaeologists. Written in Aramaic, the Jewish documents referred to a temple, but incredibly it was not the temple in Jerusalem but a second one built hundreds of miles away in Egypt.
Archaeologists were finally able to track down these papyri to their source on Elephantine Island located in the middle of the Nile River. Egypt's dry climate slows the deterioration of papyri and further work at the site uncovered dozens more including divorce documents, legal documents and letters.
The papyri were extensively dated and often included both Jewish and Egyptian calendar references. From the documents, the Jews mentioned they were on the island when the Persians defeated the Egyptians in 525 BC, but had probably been on the island for a few years already.
From these writings, it was determined a group of Jews had ended up on Elephantine Island and developed a religious community complete with a functioning temple. The colony clearly defined themselves as Jews -- versus Samaritans who were of mixed of descent.
Most of the papyri were written between 500 and 400 BC during the Persian occupation of Egypt and this coincided with the Jews return to Israel after their exile in captivity. The Israelites were dragged off into Babylonian captivity after the fall of Jerusalem in 586 BC. However, when the Persians defeated the Babylonians in 539 BC, they allowed the Jews to eventually return to Israel.
The Elephantine group was contemporaries of both Ezra who initiated the rebuilding of the Jewish temple in Jerusalem and Nehemiah who returned to build the city walls. These events took place around 450 BC.
Where did the Elephantine Jews come from?
There are a couple of theories. Some suggest they were descendants of Jewish soldiers/mercenaries sent by King Manasseh in about 780 BC to help the Egyptians against the Assyrians.
However, it's most probable they were descendants of Jews who fled to Egypt after Jerusalem fell to Babylon in 586 BC. With the Babylonian army marching on Israel a number of Jews took refuge in the surrounding nations such as Moab and Ammon (Jeremiah 40:11).
But the book of Jeremiah also discusses in detail a group of Israelites who fled to Egypt. After defeating Jerusalem, Nebuchadnezzar set up an interim government under a man named Gedaliah. Jeremiah, who had been imprisoned by the former Jewish King was released and stayed with Gedaliah.
Gedaliah was looked upon as a traitor and was assassinated by a renegade Jewish group (Jer 41:1-18), who then fearing repercussions decided to flee to Egypt. Prior to leaving, they approached Jeremiah for a word on their situation (42:1-3). Jeremiah prophesied they should remain in Babylon and God would give them peace and use them to rebuild Israel (vss 9-12). Jeremiah also prophesied if they left, these Jews would begin worshiping Egyptian gods (vss 13-22).
But they rejected the prophet's word and left but interestingly kidnapped Jeremiah and forcibly took him along (43:6-7). The group settled in the region of Tahpanhes (43:7) and lower Egypt (44:1) and as prophesied took on many of the religious practices of the Egyptians in order to fit in (44:3, 8), including sacrifices to a female deity -- the queen of heaven (44:18).
Many suspect that a remnant of this group eventually made their way to the isolated Elephantine to avoid Egyptian persecution.
The Elephantine temple
The Elephantine group built a temple, and it appears that theirs was up and running long before Ezra rebuilt the temple in Jerusalem. One inscription suggests the temple was in existence prior to the fall of Egypt to the Persians in 525 BC putting its construction nearly a century earlier than the temple rebuild by Ezra.
The Elephantine temple featured an altar on which sacrifices and burnt offerings were made to Jehovah -- referred to as "yahu." However, their worship was not totally pure and included worship of other gods such as Herem bethel and Anath-bethel which they also called Anath-yahu. Since Yahu was the term they used for Jehovah, this latter name was apparently an effort to make this foreign god seem Jehovah-like.
Though isolated and benefiting from the Persian occupation, the Elephantine community was not completely immune to conflicts with Egyptians on the island. The letters spoke of ongoing friction with Egyptians associated with a temple dedicated to the ram-headed deity Khnum.
Egyptians generally abhorred the Jewish practice of animal sacrifice as bulls and in this case rams were considered gods. Jewish sacrifices may have been the source of tension between the two groups. In fact, it has been suggested the Jews incorporated foreign deities into their worship to appease the other island inhabitants.
But it wasn't enough. In 410 BC, the priests of Khnum orchestrated a riot destroying the Jewish temple. Though the individuals involved in the destruction were eventually punished by the Persians, the Jews were unable to come up with the necessary cash to rebuild the temple.
This is what prompted a series of letters between Elephantine and Jerusalem. By this time, the Elephantine group was well aware of the restoration that had taken place in Jerusalem, so they wrote a letter to the High Priest in Jerusalem, Johanan, requesting financial assistance. From their letter, it was obvious the Elephantines did not think their temple was in any way conflicting with the main temple in Jerusalem.
However, this opinion was not shared by those in Jerusalem. Johanan did not even reply to their letter. Undaunted by this rejection, three years later (407 BC), the colony sent two letters -- one to Bagoas who was the governor of Judah and the second to Delaiah and Shelemiah, the sons of Sanballat the former governor of Samaria.
This second letter exposed the political friction that had developed in the area with the arrival of Nehemiah and Ezra to Jerusalem.
Before Nehemiah arrived, Sanballat, a gentile, was governor of Israel. However, Nehemiah -- who was a cup bearer for the Persian King -- not only received permission to rebuild Jerusalem's wall, but was also named Governor of Judah (Neh 5:14; 10:1). This severely undermined Sanballat's power base in the region.
Sanballat -- outraged by this new upstart -- quickly created an alliance with Tobias another regional governor to stop the wall construction. This conflict would brew in the background for years.
With the Jewish High Priest unwilling to help, the Elephantine Jews turned to Sanballat and his heirs and as well Bagoas. In their letter, they said:
"Now our forefathers built this temple in the fortress of Elephantine back in the days of the Kingdom of Egypt, and who Cambyses came to Egypt he found it built. They (the Persians) knocked down all the temples of the gods of Egypt, but no one did damage to this temple."
This was done to show the Elephantine group -- similar to Nehemiah and Ezra and who both received aid in rebuilding the walls and temple respectively-- had the favor of the Persians.
In this second letter, the Elephantine group also made a significant concession. They promised to no longer make animal sacrifices at the temple, limiting their sacrifices to just meal, drink and incense offerings.
This would not only appease the local Egyptians, but as well reduce the simmering conflict with the Jewish High Priest in Jerusalem. It might even reduce any chance of offending the Persians who were not involved in animal sacrifices either.
Both Bagoas and the sons of Sanballat replied favorably -- perhaps just to spite the ruling Jews -- and said the Elephantine community should approach Arsames, the Persian satrap for assistance.
Their appeal was successful. They received funding and the temple was rebuilt and still standing in 402 BC.
What happened to the colony at Elephantine?
The last dated letter is 399 BC. It was apparent that the group was generally favored by the Persians who were generous to Jews throughout their empire.
When the Egyptians were finally able to throw off the Persian yoke, they turned against the Jews who had benefited from their relationship with the Persians. This seems to have taken place under the rule of the Egyptian Pharaoh Nephrites 1. In all likely hood, with no more Persian protection, the group probably fled the island.
The significance of Elephantine
The Elephantine letters provide significant, independent verification of the books of Ezra and Nehemiah as they independently confirm the existence of a number of key players. This has proven hard to swallow for most Liberals who have written off the books as little more than fabrications.
1. The papyri mention Sanballat
The Elephantine letters mention Sanballat one of the major bad guys in the Nehemiah account. As noted earlier, he along with Tobias strongly resisted Nehemiah's efforts to rebuild the Jerusalem walls.
One letter stated, "Also the whole matter we have set forth in a letter in our name to Delaiaha and Shelemiah the sons of Sanballat governor of the Samaria."
By the time they wrote this letter Sanballat was either dead or very old, but it was apparent his family still had significant power in the region.
This reference also helps us understand the conflict brewing between Nehemiah and the Sanballat/Tobias alliance.
Sanballat, by his name was a Babylonian, yet his children's names according to the Elephantine texts were both Jewish suggesting that he may have married a Jewish woman. It also confirms a reference in Nehemiah that Sanballat's daughter had married into the Jewish High Priest's family (13:28). Tobias, a gentile, also had a son with Jewish name Jehonan (6:18) suggesting he had similar marital connections to the Jewish community.
This explains why Nehemiah was initially so secretive about the rebuilding the walls, going out in the middle of the night to inspect them (Nehemiah 2:12). He did not know at this point who he could trust, even within the Jewish community.
2. Reference to Nehemiah's brother
The Elephantine texts also refer to a man named Hananiah, a Jew, who was regulating Jewish affairs in Jerusalem under the Persians. We know from the book of Nehemiah, that Nehemiah had a brother named Hananiah who was in charge of affairs in Jerusalem (7:2). This is probably the same individual.
In fact, Hananiah is mentioned in a letter to the Elephantine community, where Jerusalem gave instructions on how they were to observe the Passover. The letter was given authority by stating it was handed down via the Persian Satrap Arsames and Hananiah.
3. Reference to Johanan the High Priest
The Elephantine letters also refer to the High Priest by name as Johanan. In fact, he was the grandson of Eliashib, the High Priest in Nehemiah's day (see Nehemiah 3:1; 12:10-12; 12:22). Since, the High Priest's position was hereditary and was passed down through the family through the sons; we are now witnessing the grandson sitting as Israel's High Priest. (AHOI 391).
This is probably the same Johanan whose chamber Ezra went to after confronting the priests about their marriage to non-Jewish women (Ezra 10:6). [Note this would suggest that Ezra rebuilt the temple after Nehemiah had rebuilt the city walls.]
The Ark of the Covenant
Over the years, there has been much speculation on the mysterious disappearance of the Jewish Ark of the Covenant. After Jerusalem fell to Babylon in 586 BC, the list of temple booty hauled away by the Babylonians did not include the Ark of the Covenant. (Read:
There have been reports of the Ark of the Covenant being located at a monastery in Ethiopia. Though the Ethiopians claim to have the ark, no one has been allowed to see it. Some have speculated if the Ethiopians do have the ark, in fact it may have come from the Jewish temple on Elephantine.
Though there was no mention of the ark in the Elephantine papyri, the fact they would so boldly build a temple, suggest construction of an Ark is not unreasonable leading some to suggest that the Ark of the Covenant may in fact be the one from the Elephantine Temple.
References:
Archaeology and Bible History by Dr. Joseph Free (Scripture Press: Wheaton, ILL)
A History of Israel by John Bright (Westminster John Knox Press: Louisville, KY)
Elephantine Papyri (Wikipedia encyclopedia)
Used by Permission © Dean Smith
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