SBL - Biblical Encyclopedia

1 primary work

Israel in the Persian Period

by Erhard S Gerstenberger

Published 14 October 2011

Against the backdrop of the history and intellectual world of Persia, Gerstenberger describes the Persian period (539-331 B.C.E.) in the history of Israel, which saw both the creation of biblical literature (historical, prophetic, and poetic writings, especially the Psalms) and important theological developments (e.g., the shape and characteristics of the Jewish community, monotheism, and new means of shaping one's world).