Twin Creek RV Resort, Gatlinburg, Tennessee
After some years, they will become allies. The daughter of the king of the South (Berenice) will go to the king of the North (Antiocus II Theos) to make an alliance, but she will not retain her power, and he and his power will not last. In those days she will be handed over, together with her royal escort and her father (Ptolemy II Philadelphus) and the one who supported her. ~ Daniel 11:6
Berenice, daughter of Ptolemy II Philadelphus (South)
Philadelphus ruled 285-246BC, as successor to his father Soter
- Berenice (the South) was married off to the king of the North in an attempt to form an alliance between the North and the South, aka the Ptolemies and Seleucids
Antiochus II Theos (the North), grandson of Nicator
- Theos ruled 261-246BC (he followed his father – not mentioned in scripture – Antiochus I Soter. (Antiochus I Soter married his stepmother and had his firstborn son killed on charges of rebellion. I was shocked by this, but have since learned that things like this seemed to be the way of the Ptolomies. Lots of incestual relationships and infanticide)
- Theos (whose name means “god”) organized an empire-wide cult to worship him
- Berenice and Theos married to form an alliance/cessation of war between the Ptolemies (South-Egypt) and Seleucids (North-Middle East)
- As part of the agreement, Theos was forced to dispense with his current wife, Laodice
- Theos’ former wife, Laodice (who also happened to be his half-sister and bore him children), wanted to be queen again. She conspired to have her ex-husband and his wife, Berenice, killed, along with their infant son. They were most likely poisoned.
- Berenice’s father, Philadelphus also died around the same time Bernice and Theos did, suffering from a “delicate constitution” – whatever that means??
Today, we went our separate ways until dinner time. Brad and Jeannine went to check out the arts and crafts area around Gatlinburg, and we went hiking. Cool, but beautiful day to be out and about.
This just doesn’t look too safe.
They removed the tailgate and sat it next to the golf cart.
They had it moved off the trail.
On the way back to the Jeep.
It wasn’t very exciting, so we turned around before too long.
Only a few bits of snow are left.
After we returned home, we were just sitting around waiting for dinnertime, when suddenly Blaine saw people running all over.
Bears!! A momma and cub! The guy who first spotted them swore there where two cubs, but we never saw a second one.
We arrived at Brad and Jeannine’s cabin to clear skies and a spectacular sunset!
After Jeannine’s yummy corn chowder, salad and bread, we played games – pool, air hockey and video games. Fun!
Tomorrow it’s going to rain all the live-long day, so we’re going to a museum. Should be interesting. That’s all I’m saying today. 😊