ABOUT THE BIBLE 3: Volume 3 : The Kings - Exile

The land of Israel has been at the crossroads of history for thousands of years. Its people have come and gone, over the years, for one reason or another. But its real fame comes from being the prime location of the book called today 'The Bible' by Christians. This book is made up of two sections, referred today as the 'Old Testament' and the 'New Testament'. The Old Testament draws on the Hebrew religious text and history. This section is used as the back story for what then follows. The New Testament is the story of Jesus and the founding of the Christian church in the eastern Mediterranean. In a series of volumes, this work attempts to put the bible into a historical context and make the text readable in a clear story format. It follows the development of Christianity from its origin into its final form as one of the primary religions in the world today. It is an easy reference for those interested, but it is not intended to replace anyone's much-loved version of 'The Bible'. This book deals with the period from 930BC and the split of Israel into two smaller kingdoms - The northern kingdom, still known as Israel, and the southern kingdom of Judah. Both capital cities were later put under siege by invading Assyrian forces. The northern kingdom was the first to fall in 723BC. In 586BC, Judah fell to Babylonian forces along with the destruction of Jerusalem and its temple. Both populations were taken into 'Exile'. Only Judah would be restored around its capital, Jerusalem, the City of David. Nicholas Dunning is an architect living in Cambridgeshire, England. For many years he has worked on leading development projects in this country.