ZEDEKIAH'S DAUGHTERS 584 BC THE PROPHET JEREMIAH TAKES JEREMIAH'S DAUGHTERS TO EGYPT The daughters of King Zedekiah of Judah, enabled the royal line of inheritance to be carried forward through the female line because it was an Israel law that women were entitled to inheritance if there was no male surviving heir to the estates of both the royal family and the general populace. It seems that King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon overlooked this fact when he murdered the last surviving King of Judah - Zedekiah. Jeremiah 43.1-7 records the circumstances under which Zedekiah's daughters left Jerusalem. Also, in Jeremiah 41.1, the following record is given: Now it came to pass in the seventh (sacred) month (being the first civil month of the new civil year) that Ishmael ... came unto Gedaliah ... and there they did eat bread together ... Then arose Ishmael ... and smote Gedaliah ... And (v. 10) Ishmael carried away captive all the residue of the people that were in Mizpah, even the KING'S DAUGHTERS. These Royal Princesses were named "Scota" and "Tamar Tephi". Verses 11-14 of this 41st chapter of Jeremiah speak of one "Johanan" who rescued those captured by Ishmael and brought them to an habitation near Bethlehem, "to go to enter into EGYPT, because of the Chaldeans; for they were afraid of them" - verses 17-18. By their subsequent entry into Egypt they deliberately disobeyed the Word of the Lord which had come through Jeremiah that they should on no account go into the land of Egypt (Jeremiah 42.19), and were to remain in Palestine and not fear the Babylonians (Jeremiah 42.7-12). "So Johanan ... obeyed not the voice of the Lord ... but took all the remnant of Judah .. and the KING'S DAUGHTERS ... and Jeremiah the prophet, and Baruch (Jeremiah's scribe) ... So came they into the land of EGYPT (either late in the year or early in the following year) for they obeyed not the voice of the Lord: thus came they even to TAHPANHES." Jeremiah 43.1-7. Writing in his book "The History of Egypt" Sir Flinders Petrie says :"To this day Tahpanhes or Defneh is called 'the Fort of the Jew's Daughter'." In 582 BC, the now-known Coronation Stone of England "Jacob's Pillar" reached Ireland (Ulster) via a shipwrecked vessel at Carrickfergus. The Irish called it "Lia Fail" (Stone wonderful). Apparently there are ancient Irish records that tell of a ship of the "Iberian Danaan" becoming wrecked at Carrickfergus off the north east coast of Ireland. They also state that in this ship there was not only a Royal Princess, but also a man referred to as "Ollamh Fodhla" meaning Holy Seer or Prophet accompanied by his servant "Bruch"; and that this shipwrecked party had in their possession an historic stone called "LIA FAIL" meaning Stone Wonderful which they very highly treasured. The records conclude with an account of the marriage between the Royal Princess and "Eochaidh" the Heremon or King of Ireland, giving the Princess's name as "Tamar Tephi" meaning Palm Beautiful , an appropriate name for the one destined to fulfil Ezekiel's prophecy of the Tender Twig (Ezekiel chapter 17). Ezekiel also prophesied that the famous Pillar Stone, was to be "overturned three times" (Ezekiel 21.27), and was not be overturned again until He comes (Jesus Christ). OVERTURN 1 The taking of the stone from Jerusalem to Ireland was the first overturning of this stone, when Jeremiah and company carried the Royal Seed of Zedekiah to Ireland with them. OVERTURN 2 The throne remained in Ireland for over a thousand years until it was removed to Scotland in 503 AD. There it remained for about 800 years until it was removed again OVERTURN 3 To England in 1296 AD. Here it has remained for amost 700 years as a living witness to the faithfulness of God's years as a living witness to the faithfulness of God's unconditional covenant with His servant David that the throne would endure for ever until He (Jesus Christ) returns whose right it is. OVERTURN 4 ?? In this last decade of the twentieth century (a few years short of 6000 years after the formation of Adam) the stone was removed from Westminster Abbey in London, to Scotland for "safekeeping"? What does this mean in the light of Ezekiel's prophecy? Has the stone been overturned a fourth time? Or is it genuinely being kept in a "safe place" ready to handover to Jesus Christ, whose right it is? Returning to our main theme, the royal records state that Ollamh Fodhla preceded King Cimboath of Ulster by 230 years. The latter is generally accepted as having died in the year 353 BC; thus 230 years earlier gives a date of 583-582 BC. Eochaidh's genealogy can be traced historically. He was descended from the patriarch Judah, but through the Zara line, which entered Ireland at a very early date. Thus although the Throne was brought from Jerusalem to Ireland by Tamar Tephi who was a female, nevertheless the male seed to propogate the kingly line was also of ancient Judahite stock, descended not from the broken kingdom of Judah, but from "Judah" the patriarch himself, according to God's promise (Genesis 49.10). Thus Tamar Tephi obeyed the injunction to marry into "the tribe of her father" (Numbers 36.6). Travellers to Western Ireland who visit Loch Erne, a most picturesque inland lock with 365 small islands, may visit Devenish Island to see that tradition has always stated to be the prophet Jeremiah's burial place or tomb, carved out of solid rock. And those visiting county Meath, north of Dublin, may see Tara, the spot where Queen Tamar Tephi was interred. It is most probable that the Mergech or barrow, beneath which her remains lie, will reveal much valuable evidence when it is eventually excavated (if ever). It was her special request that the great chest brought by her to Ireland shoudl be buried beside her; and it has been suggested that this may contain Baruch's two documents of evidence mentioned in Jeremiah 32.13-15, one sealed and the other unsealed, which were to be put "in an earthen vessel, that they may continue many days". Possibly it may also contain the missing regalia of Judah, and even further sacred treasures from ancient Israel! Who knows? It is worthy of note, however, that over-ruling Providence has permitted the excavation of every other barrow in the district except the barrow of Queen Tamar Tephi! Was "Ollamh Fodhla" the prophet Jeremiah? Was Tamar Tephi Zedekiah's daughter, royal heiress to the throne of David? God has an established law of inheritance recorded in the Old Testament in Numbers 27.8 "If a man die, and have no son, then ye shall cause his inheritance (the throne in this case) to pass unto his DAUGHTER". See also Joshua 17.6
