Kingdom of David: The Saga of the Israelites, Ep. 1 "Kingdom of David: By the Rivers of Babylon"

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In 586 B.C., the Babylonians lead almost all that remains of the tribe of Judah - the Israelites - to exile in Babylon. Only a few generations earlier, the northern tribes of the Israelites were taken into exile and vanished forever. Now the Judeans, too, seem destined to disappear. They ... fight back, however, by writing a book. Using Judean stories from the past to explain present disastrous situations, the book becomes the earliest edition of the most influential work in history: the Bible. This episode introduces the early and profoundly influential figures of Judaism: Abraham, who is the first to recognize the concept of one God; Moses, who receives the Ten Commandments from God; and David, whose sins teach the Israelites that no one is above the law of God.
  • Runtime: 56 minutes
  • Original air date: May 14, 2003
  • Network: PBS
 
  
 
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  Episode   Original Air Date
Synopsis
       Price  
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1. Kingdom of David: By the Rivers of Babylon
  May 14, 2003
In 586 B.C., the Babylonians lead almost all that remains of the tribe of Judah - the Israelites - to exile in Babylon. Only a few generations earlier, the northern tribes of the Israelites were taken into exile and vanished forever. Now the Judeans, too, seem destined to disappear. They fight back, however, by writing a book. Using Judean stories from the past to explain present disastrous situations, the book becomes the earliest edition of the most influential work in history: the Bible. This episode introduces the early and profoundly influential figures of Judaism: Abraham, who is the first to recognize the concept of one God; Moses, who receives the Ten Commandments from God; and David, whose sins teach the Israelites that no one is above the law of God.
 
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2. Kingdom of David: The Book & the Sword
  May 14, 2003
In 458 B.C., a scribe named Ezra arrives in Jerusalem from Babylon. He gathers the mostly illiterate Judeans together in a square and reads the Bible to them. In the years that follow, the study of the Bible not only becomes an essential part of Jewish life, it prepares the Jews to face a mortal threat to their survival. In 330 B.C., Alexander the Great sweeps into the Middle East. In his wake comes Greek culture, the allure of which convinces many to abandon their ancestral ways. But when the Greek king Antiochus the Madman forbids the practice of Judaism, Judah the Maccabee leads the Jews in an epic fight to defend their religious freedom. In 160 B.C, the Maccabees succeed in driving out the Greeks and establish what would prove to be the last independent Jewish kingdom.
 
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3. Kingdom of David: The End of Days
  May 21, 2003
In 63 B.C., the Roman General Pompeii leads his legions into the land of Judea. It is the beginning of a clash of cultures between Rome and the Jews that would grow into one of the most brutal conflicts in history. It also pits Jew against Jew, as many of the different factions of Judaism, such as the Zealots and the Essenes, clash over the interpretation of the true will of God as revealed in the Bible. Terrorism, political assassination, starvation, and crucifixion dominate the landscape. The period ends with the Roman sack of Jerusalem and the destruction of the Temple in 70 A.D. Out of the ashes will rise two new religions: rabbinical Judaism and Christianity.
 
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4. Kingdom of David: The Gifts of the Jews
  May 21, 2003
With the destruction of the Temple, the Romans have destroyed the only place on earth, according to Biblical Law, where Jews can worship God. The Judaism of priests and sacrifices is lost forever, and rabbis struggle to reinvent the religion of Moses and David. They are forced to work during a period of incredible bloodshed and turmoil. In 132 A.D. Jewish zealots rise against Rome's legions in the Bar Kochba rebellion, forcing them to withdraw from the region. The Romans return with a vast army and slaughter nearly 600,000 Jews. They change the name of the region from Judea to Palestine and ban all Jews from Jerusalem. Desperate to start new lives, many Jews flee to distant lands, only to face another challenge - a breakaway form of Judaism called Christianity. As it rises to political power, Christianity becomes deeply anti-Semitic. But Judaism survives - and in doing so, preserves for all its unique gifts, including the rights of the individual and the rule of law - gifts that will change the Western world forever.
 
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Episode 1, "Kingdom of David: By the Rivers of Babylon"
Synopsis: In 586 B.C., the Babylonians lead almost all that remains of the tribe of Judah - the Israelites - to exile in Babylon. Only a few generations earlier, the northern tribes of the Israelites were taken into exile and vanished forever. Now the Judeans, too, seem destined to disappear. They fight back, however, by writing a book. Using Judean stories from the past to explain present disastrous situations, the book becomes the earliest edition of the most influential work in history: the Bible. This episode introduces the early and profoundly influential figures of Judaism: Abraham, who is the first to recognize the concept of one God; Moses, who receives the Ten Commandments from God; and David, whose sins teach the Israelites that no one is above the law of God.
Original air date: May 14, 2003
Runtime: 56 minutes
ASIN: B002R9NINS
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #90,563 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
EMPIRES Season 3
Synopsis: Outstanding stories of some of history's greatest dynasties.
Season year: 2003
Network: PBS
ASIN: B002R9NIPQ
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2.7 out of 5 stars (3 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars fantastic, August 30, 2011
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This review is from: Kingdom of David: The Saga of the Israelites (Amazon Instant Video)
this isn't available for some reason on the PBS website as are most of the other empires series. happy amazon had it. i learned so much!
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1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars Disapointing Subjectiveness, January 27, 2012
This review is from: Kingdom of David: The Saga of the Israelites (Amazon Instant Video)
This piece did have some viable history and good dating on Jerusalem. Disappointing on the numerous subjective points. Obviously the people that put his together are atheists. When Moses freed Israel from Egypt and wondered through the desert it was not the desert that supported the people it was God. Moses wrote the Pentateuch not scribes in exile.
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2 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars Total crap - a complete waste of time., October 16, 2011
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This review is from: Kingdom of David: The Saga of the Israelites (Amazon Instant Video)
This video is the worst and most boring kind of hogwash. Religious inaccuracy and propaganda is unrelenting and ridiculous throughout. Made for no one over the age of 3 years, its historical veracity is non-existent. On a scale of 1-5, this film is a negative number. A complete waste of time. Amazon should dump this turkey.
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