such conjectural emendations; and many good authors have already too much suffered by it."
To change the text of an author where there is no internal evidence of corruption," says Canon Rawlinson, "merely on account of a chronological or historical difficulty, is contrary to all the principles of sound criticism."
The next King to this "Cyrus whom the Greeks call Artaxerxes" is "Darius the last King of Persia."He is mentioned in the following paragraph, and is described as a contemporary of Sanballat, the contemporary of Nehemiah on the one hand and Alexander the Great on the other.Josephus tells us that "about this time," Alexander the Great crossed the Hellespont, defeated the generals of Darius at Granicus (B.C. 334) and Issus (B.C. 333), took Tyre and Gaza (B.C. 332), and marched upon Jerusalem.
Jaddua the high priest was in an agony, but warned of God in a dream he went out to meet Alexander the Great as he reached Sapha, from which place there is a good view of Jerusalem and the Temple.When Alexander the Great saw the multitude in white garments, the priests in fine linen, and the high priest in purple and scarlet, with his mitre on his head, having the golden plate whereon the name of God was engraved, he fell down and adored the Name and saluted the high priest.With the date of this visit of Alexander to Jerusalem, in B.C. 332, Josephus connects the death of Sanballat.
The following reigns are all entirely omitted from Josephus:-
Darius II Nothus 423-404
Artaxerxes II Mnemon 404-358
Artaxerxes III Ochus 358-327
Arogus or Arses 337-335
This fact is not explained by Vossius and Dr. Hudson when they say Josephus was writing the history of the Jews, and only touched upon those Kings of Persia who had to do with the Jews.
As a matter of fact Josephus, or perhaps we should say his late revisers, represent Sanballat, the contemporary of Nehemiah in B.C. 445, as contemporary with Jaddua in B.C. 332, after an interval of 113 years, and transform the son of Joiada (Neh. 13:28) into his grandson.Modern advocates of the Ptolemaic dates endeavour to save the Chronology by inventing a second Sanballat.
A closer inspection of Josephus will show that, as in the case of the cuneiform Inscriptions, his works contain no authentic materials for any history of Persia for more than one or two generations beyond the end of the Old Testament Record, in the 34th year of Darius Hystaspes, B.C. 488. Josephus confirms the Daniel Chronology, which abridges the duration of the Persian Empire by 82 years.
His "Xerxes" is not the Xerxes of Ptolemy's Canon, but the Artaxerxes of Ezra 7 and Nehemiah, the Darius Hystaspes of Ptolemy's Canon.His "Artaxerxes" is not Artaxerxes Longimanus, and it is incorrect to say that, according to Josephus, Esther was married to Artaxerxes Longimanus. According to Josephus, the Artaxerxes who married Esther was simply Artaxerxes, and that was a name borne by several Persian monarchs, and certainly by Darius Hystaspes.
True he does say that this Artaxerxes who married Esther was the son of "Xerxes," but by "Xerxes" he means quite positively the Artaxerxes of Ezra 7 and Nehemiah, who is identified by modern scholars with Artaxerxes Longimanus, but who is really Darius Hystaspes.
According to Josephus, Darius Hystaspes is succeeded by "Xerxes." To him is attributed the whole of the events of Ezra 7-Nehemiah 13.This "Xerxes" is succeeded by "Artaxerxes."To his reign is attributed the whole of the events of the Book of Esther, and nothing but those events, and they occurred for the most part in one and the same year.Beyond this, Josephus gives us information of no other Persian Kings except the Darius who was slain by Alexander the Great.
The Old Testament Apocrypha.
The Books of the Old Testament Apocrypha preserve certain traditional identifications that were current in the 1st and 2nd Centuries B.C.
In 1 ESDRAS 3:1,2 the Ahasuerus of Esther is identified with Darius Hystaspes.
In TOBIT it is Shalmaneser, "the father of Sennacherib," who carries Israel into captivity (not Sargon as the Monuments testify).Before he died Tobias heard of the destruction of Nineveh which was taken by Nabuchodonosor (Nabopolassar) and Assuerus (Ahasuerus = Cyaxares).
In the REST OF ESTHER, "Ahasuerus" is called "Artaxerxes" throughout.
In BEL AND THE DRAGON we read that King Astyages (viz. Darius the Mede) was gathered to his fathers, and Cyrus of Persia received the Kingdom.
Greek Writers.
Our chief classical authorities for the period of the captivity and the return are Herodotus, Ctesias and Xenophon.
Herodotus (B.C. 484-425) is an excellent authority for the period of the great Persian war, B.C. 490-485.The accounts which he gives of earlier and remoter periods, accounts which he received on trust, are not always to be relied upon.He gives us an exquisite picture of the first four Persian monarchs.
(1) "Cyrus, the simple, hardy, vigorous mountain chief, endowed with vast ambition, and with great military genius, changing as his Empire changed into the kind and friendly paternal monarch, clement, witty, polite, familiar with his people; (2) Cambyses, the first form of the Eastern tyrant, inheriting his father's vigour and much of his talent, but violent, rash, headstrong, incapable of self-restraint, furious at opposition, not only cruel, but brutal; (3) Darius Hystaspes, the model Oriental prince, brave, sagacious, astute, great in the arts of both war and peace, the organizer and consolidator as well as the extender of the Empire; and (4) Xerxes, the second and inferior form of tyrant, weak and puerile as well as cruel and selfish, fickle, timid, licentious and luxurious" (Introduction to Rawlinson's Herodotus).
Herodotus' account of the earlier history of Assyria and Media, and his early history of Cyrus, cannot be regarded as authentic.His account of the taking of Babylon by Cyrus, (Herodotus i, 191) cannot be reconciled with the cylinder Inscription of Cyrus who says he took it "without fighting or battle."He appears to have inverted the order of the Kings of Media, Astyages and Cyaxares (Herodotus i, 73, 107, cp. Xenophon's Cyropaedia, Books i and viii).
We have no authentic data for ascertaining the truth of the matter, but the Table given in Vol. II, Chronological Tables, p. 54, probably exhibits the relation of the families and the order of the succession of the Kings of Babylonia, Media and Persia, so far as they can be ascertained by unravelling the tangled skein of contradictory testimony gathered from all available sources, including Herodotus, Xenophon, Ctesias, Berosus, Josephus, Abydenus, Syncellus, the cylinder Inscription of Cyrus, and the Behistun Inscription of Darius Hystaspes.
Instead of the succession of Herodotus (Deioces, Phraortes, Cyaxares Astyages), we adopt that of Xenophon, who makes Cyaxares (1) the son of Astyages I, (2) the brother of Mandane (Cyrus' mother), and (3) the father of Astyages II (Darius the Mede).Xenophon's order of succession is Deioces, Phraortes, Astyages I, Cyaxares, Astyages II (Darius the Mede), and this agrees best with Berosus, Josephus and the Books of Daniel, Tobit and Bel and the Dragon.Scholars find it hard to abandon so good an authority as Herodotus, but he must be rejected here.
Edouard Meyer unfortunately rejects the true statement of Herodotus that Cyrus was grandson of Astyages I, as legend (Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, article "Astyages").
The accounts of the birth of Cyrus are likewise irreconcilable and perhaps, to some extent, mythical.His entire history is involved and crowded with legends.Herodotus gives one tradition, but tells us that he knew of four others.According to one account, he is the son of Mandane the daughter of Astyages, exposed on the mountains, suckled by a dog, and educated as a shepherd (Justin, Charon of Lampsacus, AElian and Herodotus).In Herodotus' own account a woman, the wife of the shepherd, is substituted for the dog (Herodotus i, 95, 122).
The story as told by Ctesias makes Cyrus the son of a bandit.He enters the court of Astyages, becomes friendly with OEbares, who kills Astyages. The decisive battle is fought at Pasargadae (Nicolaus of Damascus, Strabo, Justin, Photius).
Xenophon's is an ideal account based upon personal knowledge of later descendants of the royal Persian family, but he preserves in his historical romance the true order of the succession of the Kings of Media (Xenophon Cyropaedia, Books i and viii).
The accounts of the death of Cyrus are just as contradictory as those of his birth and his life.He died fighting the Massagetae (Herodotus), the Derbices (Ctesias), the Dahae (Berosus), a peaceful death in his own bed (Xenophon).
We have, therefore, no original sources containing authentic data for the history of Cyrus in classic literature.
Cambyses invaded and conquered Egypt in the year B.C. 525.Cambyses had a brother called Tanaoxares (Xenophon), Smerdis (Herodotus), Mergis (Justin), Bardis (the Behistun Inscription), whom he put to death.
In B.C. 522 he was personated by Gomates who was placed on the throne by his brother Patizithes, whom Cambyses had left in control of the Government of Asia during his absence in Egypt.
These brothers were Magians, and are hence often referred to as the Magi. Pseudo-Smerdis is also called Gomates (Behistun Inscription), Spendidates (Ctesias) and Orapastes (Justin), but in Ezra 4:7-23 he is referred to under the name of Artaxerxes.
That Cambyses was the Ahasuerus of Ezra 4:6, and Pseudo-Smerdis the Artaxerxes of Ezra 4:7, is inferred from the fact that they are mentioned in that chapter as the Kings of Persia who reigned between Cyrus and Darius Hystaspes.The inference is confirmed by the use of the word "Kings" in Ezra 4:13,22 instead of "King," in reference to Pseudo-Smerdis and his brother, who was the power behind the throne and the real contriver of the whole plot."The royal power was possessed by the Magi Patizithes and his brother" (Herodotus iii, 65).
Darius was a great conqueror.He conquered Asia Minor, Europe, India and the Isles of the Sea.In B.C. 494 he sent an expedition against Athens under his son-in-law Mardonius, but Mardonius was defeated and forced to return (Herodotus, Book vii).In B.C. 490 another expedition was fitted out by Datis and Artaphernes, and was utterly routed in the famous battle of Marathon.Darius now prepared to head an expedition in person.
He had three sons by his first wife, born before he became King, and four others by Atossa the daughter of Cyrus.There was some dispute about the succession which was settled by Darius, who appointed his son Xerxes to succeed him (Herodotus, Book vi).These circumstances throw some light upon the reference to "the realm of the King and his sons" in Ezra 7:23, and corroborate the identification of the Artaxerxes of Ezra 7 and Nehemiah, with Darius Hystaspes.Darius died suddenly, just as the expedition was ready to set out, B.C. 485.
Xerxes resolved to prosecute the war with Greece.He crossed the Hellespont with an army of nearly two million men, supported by 1,200 ships of the line of battle, and was utterly discomfited at Thermopylae, Salamis and Platea, B.C. 480.
The remainder of the history of the Persian Empire is unknown, there being no authentic contemporary records until we reach the time of Alexander the Great.
Darius Hystaspes = Artaxerxes of Ezra 7 and Nehemiah.
We have now to prove that the identification of Darius Hystaspes with the Artaxerxes of Ezra 7 and Nehemiah is correct.Seven proofs are offered:-
1. The Continuity of the Narrative.
The Book of Ezra-Nehemiah is one Book, and the narrative is continuous throughout, except that in Ezra 3:10-13 we have an anticipatory reference to the laying of the foundation of the Temple, introduced by the word when, indicating that the foundation of the Temple was not laid then (in the 2nd, year of Cyrus), but as Haggai says, in the 2nd year of Darius (Hag. 2:10,15,18,20).Compare the following passages:-
The Continuity of the Ezra-Nehemiah Narrative.
Ezra 4:24. 2nd year of Darius Temple begun.
Ezra 6:15. 6th year of Darius Temple finished.
Ezra 7:8,9 7th year of Artaxerxes Ezra comes to Jerusalem.
Neh. 1:1 20th year of (Artaxerxes) Hanani's Report.
Neh. 2:1 20th year of Artaxerxes Nehemiah goes to Jerusalem.
Neh. 5:14; 13:6. 32nd year of Artaxerxes Nehemiah returns to Babylon.
The transition is made in Ezra 6:14 in which we are told that Artaxerxes was another name for Darius, "Darius even Artaxerxes."
2. The age of Ezra.
If the Artaxerxes of Ezra was Artaxerxes Longimanus (B.C. 464-424), then Ezra would be 128 years old when he came from Babylon in his 7th year (to be present at the dedication of the Temple).
For, as pointed out by Lumen in the Prince of Judah, Ezra was the brother of Jehozadak.
Genealogy of Jehozadak. I Chron. 6:3-15. Genealogy of Ezra. Ezra 7:1-5
1. Aaron Aaron.
2. Eleazar Eleazar.
3. Phinehas Phinehas.
4. Abishua Abishua.
5. Bukki Bukki.
6. Uzzi Uzzi.
7. Zerahiah Zerahiah.
8. Meraioth Meraioth.
9. Amariah I -
10. Ahitub I -
11. Zadok I -
12. Ahimaaz -
13. Azariah I -
14. Johanan -
15. Azariah II Azariah.
16. Amariah II Amariah.
17. Ahitub II Ahitub.
18. Zadok II Zadok.
19. Shallum Shallum.
20. Hilkiah Hilkiah.
21. Azariah III Azariah.
22. Seraiah Seraiah.
JEHOZADAK EZRA.
In Ezra 7 the genealogy is abridged, but it is sufficient for the purpose for which it is thus quoted.In 1 Chronicles it is given in full.Seraiah, the father of Jehozadak and Ezra, was slain by Nebuchadnezzar at Riblah in his 19th year, B.C. 586 (2 Kings 25:8,18-21).Therefore Ezra must have been born about or before B.C. 586.But the 7th year of Artaxerxes Longimanus was B.C. 458.Therefore, if the Artaxerxes of Ezra 7 was Artaxerxes Longimanus, Ezra must have been at least 128 years old when he came to Jerusalem in the 7th year of Artaxerxes Longimanus, and at least 141 when he walked in procession at the dedication of the wall with Nehemiah, in the 20th year of Artaxerxes Longimanus, which is absurd.
But the Artaxerxes of Ezra 7 is really Darius Hystaspes, whose 7th year was B.C. 515, in which year Ezra was (at least) 71 years old, and possibly more.
3. Twenty out of the thirty priests and Levites who returned with Zerubbabel in the 1st year of Cyrus, B.C. 536 (Neh. 12:1-9), signed the covenant with Nehemiah (Neh 10:2-10) in the 20th year of the Artaxerxes of Nehemiah. But the 20th year of Artaxerxes Longimanus was B.C. 445.Therefore, if the Artaxerxes of Nehemiah was Artaxerxes Longimanus, then twenty out of these thirty men were still alive 91 years after they came to Jerusalem, although they were all heads of their families then, which is absurd.But the Artaxerxes of Nehemiah was really Darius Hystaspes, and the interval between the return with Zerubbabel, B.C. 536, and the 20th year of Darius Hystaspes, B.C. 502, is only 34 years, during which time 10 of these 30 heads of families had died. See Vol. II, Chronological Tables, p. 53.
4. The Age of Nehemiah.
Nehemiah returned with Zerubbabel (B.C. 536), Ezra 2:2, Neh. 7:7.His name stands first on the list after Zerubbabel and Joshua.But the 32nd year of Artaxerxes Longimanus was B.C. 433.Therefore, if the Artaxerxes of Nehemiah was Artaxerxes Longimanus, Nehemiah must have been 103 years older when he returned to Babylon in the 32nd year of Artaxerxes Longimanus, than he was when he came to Jerusalem in the 1st year of Cyrus as one of the leaders of the people.But the Artaxerxes of Nehemiah is really Darius Hystaspes, and in the 32nd year of his reign (B.C. 490), Nehemiah was only 46 years older than he was when he came to Jerusalem with Zerubbabel in the 1st year of Cyrus.
5. The Artaxerxes of Nehemiah reigned 32 years.
Since the Artaxerxes of Ezra 7 and Nehemiah was not Artaxerxes Longimanus, and a fortiori not any Persian King who reigned after Artaxerxes Longimanus, he must have been Darius Hystaspes, for he reigned at least 32 years (Neh. 5:14, 13:6) which is what no other Persian King before Artaxerxes Longimanus except Darius Hystaspes did.
6. The Testimony of Josephus, the Old Testament Apocrypha, and the Jewish Tract, Sedar Olam.
Josephus identifies the Artaxerxes of Ezra 7 with a Persian King (whom he calls Xerxes) who reigned at least 28 years.This cannot be the Xerxes of Ptolemy's Canon, for he only reigned 21 years.It must be Darius Hystaspes, and Josephus (or his late editors) must be in error in describing him as the "Son of Darius" (Hystaspes).
In 1 ESDRAS the Ahasuerus of Esther is identified with Darius Hystaspes, and in the REST OF ESTHER Ahasuerus is called "Artaxerxes" throughout. Jewish Tradition, as represented in the Jewish Tract Sedar Olam, also identifies the Artaxerxes of Nehemiah with Darius Hystaspes.
7. Corroborative Evidences.
The mention of the "King's sons" in Ezra 7 corroborates the identification of the Artaxerxes of Ezra 7 with Darius Hystaspes, for he had several sons before he became King, who disputed the succession with his sons by his second wife Atossa, the daughter of Cyrus, one of whom Darius Hystaspes appointed to succeed him, viz. Xerxes.
The parenthetic sentence in Neh. 2:6, "the queen also sitting by him," is probably a reference to Esther, with whom Nehemiah may have had communications respecting the state of affairs at Jerusalem, and who may have encouraged him and influenced the King in his favour.But this King reigned at least 32 years (Neh. 13:6), and could not have been Xerxes, who only reigned 21 years, nor any other but Darius Hystaspes, who is frequently called both Artaxerxes and Ahasuerus in the Apocryphal literature and Josephus.
In Ezra 10:44 we read "All these had taken strange wives, and some of them had wives by whom they had children."This corroborates the identification of the Artaxerxes to whose 7th year the remark applies, with some King of Persia, who lived nearer to the time of the return under Zerubbabel than Artaxerxes Longimanus.
The genealogical lists given in Ezra and Nehemiah corroborate the identification of the Artaxerxes of Ezra 7, and Nehemiah with Darius Hystaspes. The contrary view necessitates the hypothesis of two Ezras, two Nehemiahs, two Mordecais, two Sanballats, and so on.
On all these grounds we regard the identification of the Artaxerxes of Ezra 7 and Nehemiah with Darius Hystaspes as correct.
Darius Hystaspes = Ahasuerus of Esther.
Finally, we have to prove that the Ahasuerus of Esther was also Darius Hystaspes.
The Book of Esther is an appendix containing the record of an episode which took place in the time of Ezra and Nehemiah.The narrative itself occupies the space of one year, the 12th year of Ahasuerus, but there are also brief introductory references to his 3rd, 6th and 7th years.It is not a continuation of the Book of Ezra-Nehemiah, but an illustration of the times in which Ezra and Nehemiah lived.
We identify the Ahasuerus of Esther with Darius Hystaspes, and we offer the following five proofs:-
1. The Age of Mordecai.
Scaliger first suggested the identification of the Ahasuerus of Esther with the Xerxes of Ptolemy's Canon, and in this he has been followed by modern scholars almost universally.But Mordecai "was carried away from Jerusalem with the captivity which had been carried away with Jeconiah King of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon carried away." B.C. 597 (Est. 2:5,6).It is only by a forced construction that this sentence can be applied to his great grandfather Kish.Mordecai was Ahasuerus' premier in the 12th year of his reign.Therefore, if Ahasuerus was Xerxes, in his 12th year, B.C. 474, Mordecai would be at least 123 years old, at which rate Esther also must have been "an aged beauty!"
2. Testimony of Josephus and the Old Testament Apocrypha.
Josephus tells the story of Esther at great length, but instead of speaking of Ahasuerus, it is "Artaxerxes" throughout.Now Artaxerxes was one of the names of Darius Hystaspes, as well as of several other Persian monarchs. True, Josephus speaks of this Artaxerxes as "Cyrus the son of Xerxes, whom the Greeks called Artaxerxes," but if the reference be to Artaxerxes Longimanus, that would raise the age of Mordecai to 143.
In 1 ESDRAS 3:1,2 the Ahasuerus of Esther is identified with Darius Hystaspes, and in the REST OF ESTHER he is called "Artaxerxes" throughout.
3. Ahasuerus "reigned from India to Ethiopia, over 127 Provinces" (Est. 1:1).
Darius Hystaspes conquered India in B.C. 506.Herodotus says he "established 20 governments of the kind which the Persians call Satrapies, assigning to each its governor, and fixing the tribute which was to be paid him by the several nations " (iii, 89).These he proceeds to enumerate, a long list embracing nearly all the nations of the East - Asia Minor, Phoenicia Syria, Cyprus, Egypt, Libya, Cyrene, Susa, Babylon, Assyria, Media, Armenia, Parthia - these are all enumerated, with the amount of the tribute paid by each nation (iii, 90-94)."The Indians, who were more numerous than any other nation with which we are acquainted, paid a tribute exceeding that of any other people, to wit 360 talents of gold dust.This was the twentieth Satrapy" (iii, 95).
"The Ethiopians paid no settled tribute, but brought gifts to the King. Every third year the inhabitants of Egypt and Nubia brought 2 quarts of virgin gold, 200 logs of ebony, 5 Ethiopian boys, and 20 elephants' tusks" (iii, 97).
Darius the Mede set 120 Princes over his Kingdom (B.C. 538), Dan. 6:1.By the time of Darius Hystaspes (B.C. 521-485), the Empire had grown to 127 provinces, which he divided up into 20 Satrapies as stated above.
4. Ahasuerus "laid a tribute upon the land and upon the Isles of the Sea." (Est. 10:1).
After enumerating the 20 satrapies of the Empire and the amount of tribute paid by each satrapy, Herodotus concludes: "such was the revenue which Darius derived from Asia, and a small part of Libya.Later in his reign the sum was increased by the tribute of the Islands and of the nations of Europe as far as Thessaly" (Herodotus, Book iii, 96).
Thucydides says, "The Ionians had attained great prosperity when Cyrus and the Persians, having overthrown Croesus, and subdued the countries between them and the river Halys and the sea, made war against them and enslaved the cities of the mainland.Some time afterwards, Darius, strong in the possession of the Phoenician fleet, conquered the Islands also."
Herodotus (iii, 96), Thucydides (Book i), and Plato (Menexenus), all tell us that Darius Hystaspes subdued all the Islands of the AEgean sea, and Diodorus Siculus (Book xii) tells us that they were all lost again, by his son Xerxes, before the 12th year of his reign, (B.C. 474), which we can well believe after the humiliating defeat of his vast host of warriors by land and sea at Thermopylae, Salamis and Platea, B.C. 480.The later Kings of Persia held none of these Islands except Clazomene and Cyprus (Xenophon, Hellenica, Book v).This is conclusive, both for the identification of the Ahasuerus of Esther with Darius Hystaspes, and against his identification with Xerxes, or with any later occupant of the Persian throne.
5. The dates and the events recorded in Esther, fit in exactly with the dates and the events of the reign of Darius Hystaspes.
Ahasuerus made his feast in the third year of his reign (B.C. 519).Darius Hystaspes was occupied during the first two years of his reign in overthrowing Gomates and the other pretenders to the throne of Persia.Babylon revolted twice from Darius, once in the first year of his reign and again in the fourth. On this second occasion the siege was a tedious affair, lasting nearly 2 years (Herodotus iii, 151).This brings us down to the 6th year of Darius, and explains how it was that although Vashti was divorced in his third year, he was not married to Esther until his 7th year (Est. 1:3; 2:16).
The chief argument relied upon by those who identify the Ahasuerus of Esther with Xerxes, is the congruity of the character of Ahasuerus with that of Xerxes as depicted by Herodotus, and other classic writers.But there is nothing in the character of Ahasuerus which does not agree equally well with all that we know from classic literature of Darius Hystaspes; in fact the reference to the money matters, to the postal service, and above all the friendly disposition of Ahasuerus toward the Jews, agrees exactly with what we know of Darius the "huckster," the organizer of the Empire, and the "Darius even Artaxerxes " who issued the decrees of Ezra 6:6-12 and Ezra 7:12-26 for the rebuilding of the Temple, and the support of its services.The argument for the identification of Ahasuerus with Xerxes from the similarity between the old Persian name Khshayarsha, the Hebrew Achashverosh, and the Greek Xerxes, is of no force, for the word in any form, and however spelt, is simply the word "Shah," and might be applied to any monarch who sat upon the throne of Persia.
CONCLUSION.
CHAPTER XXVII.THE YEAR OF MESSIAH'S BIRTH ACCORDING TO THE PROPHECY OF DANIEL (AN. HOM. 4038).
"THE Epicureans are in error who cast providence out of human life, and do not believe that God takes care of the affairs of the world, nor that the universe is governed and continued in being by that blessed and immortal nature, but that the world is carried along of its own accord, without a ruler and a curator; which, were it destitute of a guide to conduct, as they imagine, it would be like ships without pilots, which we see drowned by the winds, or like chariots without drivers, which are overturned; so would the world be dashed to pieces by its being carried without a providence, and so perish and come to nought.Those men seem to me very much to err from the truth who determine that God exercises no providence over human affairs, for if it were the case that the world went on by mechanical necessity, we should not see all things come to pass according to the prophecy of Daniel."(Josephus, Antiquities, Book x, Chap. ii, 7).
We have now traced the dated events of the Old Testament step by step from the creation of Adam to the 1st year of Cyrus, and beyond it, to the end of the story of the return.Every step has been attested and proved. Every chasm has been bridged over.Every difficulty has been explained. Every problem has been solved.
The final test of truth is self-consistency.We have seen that every chronological statement in the Old Testament is consistent with every other chronological statement contained in it, consistent also with every chronological statement contained in the Cuneiform Inscriptions of Assyria, Babylonia and Persia.
This should give us confidence in using the Scripture Chronology, as a standard with which to compare and by which to judge, the accuracy of statements and inferences obtained from other sources.It should also give us a measure of confidence in the great chronological predictions of Scripture.
For the realm in which we live is a realm of order, and order is a proof of intelligence and foresight and purpose.
The purpose of God in creation and redemption is made known to us in a revelation, in the light of which we are able to interpret the history of the past, to read the meaning of the present, and to anticipate the will and purpose of God with regard to the future.
If we believe in the universal sovereignty of God, in any real sense at all, we must admit that He retains in His own hands, and controls by His own power, the destiny of men and nations.If this be true of events in general, it must be true of the supreme event of all history, the advent of the Messiah, and the redemption of the race wrought out by Him.
Our scheme of Chronology, so far as we have yet gone, is incomplete. It ends in a cul de sac.It leads us nowhere.There remains one great final gulf or chasm which must be bridged over if we are to complete the cycle and read the meaning of the parts in the light of the whole.
This is done for us in the great 9th chapter of Daniel, which enables us to recover the lost count of the years and to connect the present with all the facts and the events of the past, and with the great central event of all history, the redemption of the race through the incarnation of the Messiah.
The revelation of the precise time of the Messiah's death is made in the last four verses of Daniel 9.It is made in the words of the angel Gabriel, the only angel of his rank whose name is known to us, the angel who made to Mary, "highly favoured," the announcement of the approach of Messiah's birth, as he made to Daniel, "greatly beloved," the announcement of the time of His death.
The expression "for thou art greatly beloved," kiy hamuwdowt 'atah, is the exact equivalent of "thou art highly favoured," kecharitomeny.It is used three times to Daniel, and never to anyone else except Mary, and Gabriel is the only angel employed to make known to men the revelation of the mystery of redemption through the incarnation of the Son of God.
Considering the singular nature of the revelation vouchsafed, we ought not to be surprised when we find that it contains not only the announcement of a great event, but also of the very time when it was ordained of God to come to pass.
The occasion of the prophecy was something very extraordinary.It is dated in the 1st year of Darius the Mede, the year of the passing of the great Babylonian World Empire in B.C. 538, the inaugural year of the second great World Empire of the Medes and Persians.
Daniel had been studying the 25th and the 29th chapters of the Book of Jeremiah, and there he had read the words, "after 70 years I will cause you to return."From the 3rd year of Jehoiakim - the year in which Daniel was carried away into captivity, B.C. 605, to the 1st year of Darius B.C. 538, was a period of 68 years, inclusive reckoning.He knew, therefore, that he was standing on the threshold of the fulfilment of the prophecy.So he set his face unto the Lord God to seek by prayer and supplication to know His will.He prayed for Jerusalem, the city, the people, the holy mountain and the sanctuary that was desolate.And while he was speaking the answer came.
Seventy sevens - not weeks, for that suggests a period of 7 days, and the word used means simply a septad, a seven, the nature of the seven has to be discovered from the context.Here it is the seventy years of Jeremiah's prophecy, during which the Jews were to be in captivity, and the seventy sevens are therefore to be interpreted as years also.Seventy sevens are determined upon the holy city.God's dealings with the Jews and their city was to cover a period of 490 years.
"Know, therefore, and understand that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven sevens (49 years) and 62 sevens (434 years).The street shall be built again and the wall even in troublous times.And after the 62 sevens shall Messiah be cut off."Other events follow, and there is another seven years yet future to complete the whole period of God's dealings with His people in their own land, but the data we require for our Chronology are contained in the above words.From "the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem" to "the cutting off of the Messiah" is a period of 49+434 = 483 years.
The only point to be determined is the exact time at which the commandment went forth.
That commandment is unquestionably the proclamation of Cyrus in the 1st year of his sole reign, B.C. 536.This is proved conclusively from 2 Chron. 36:20-23.What Daniel had in his mind was the accomplishment of the 70 years' servitude in Babylon, and its termination by the issue of an edict by the King of Persia giving the Jews liberty to return.
"They were servants to him and his sons until the reign of the Kingdom of Persia," that is until the 1st of Cyrus, B.C. 536."To fulfil the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah until the land had enjoyed her sabbaths: for as long as she lay desolate she kept sabbath, to fulfil threescore and ten years.
"Now in the 1st year of Cyrus, King of Persia, that the word of the Lord spoken by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus, King of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his Kingdom, and put it in writing, saying, Thus saith Cyrus, King of Persia, The Lord God of heaven hath given me all the Kingdoms of the earth; and He bath charged me to build him a House at Jerusalem, which is in Judah."
The building of the Temple implies the building of the city and the wall. Cyrus obtained his knowledge of the "charge" to build a House from Is. 44:28- 45:13, which makes explicit what is implicit in the words of Cyrus. "Cyrus..... shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the Temple, Thy foundation shall be laid..... I have raised him (Cyrus) up in righteousness, and I will direct all his ways: he shall build my city, and he shall let go my captives."
The prophecy was not falsified.The people did return, the city was built, their enemies accused them, no doubt with perfect truth, of building what they called "the rebellious and the bad city," and of setting up the walls and joining the foundations thereof (Ezra 4:12).The people dwelt in "ceiled houses" (Hag. 1:4).Tatnai visited Jerusalem and asked them "Who hath commanded you to build this House and to make up this wall?" (Ezra 5:3).Ezra returned to Jerusalem before Nehemiah received permission to return to Jerusalem to build the city, and he thanked God because the house of God was set up, the desolations were repaired, and a wall was given in Jerusalem as early as the 7th year of Darius Hystaspes, otherwise Artaxerxes (Ezra 9:9).
This is the simple, the obvious, and indeed the only possible interpretation of the prophecy.The words were spoken in the 1st year of Darius, B.C. 538, of a city then lying in ruins.The "street" was the broad, empty space where the houses were formerly built, the area enclosed by the circumventing wall. The wall was the enclosing and protecting defence of the city.Both were to be built again, even in troublous times.
"The commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem" was a commandment to build the houses and the wall, to re-people the city and to rebuild the Sanctuary.
The one great event, and the only one in the history of the Jews which corresponds with the prophecy, is the return of the 42,360 exiles under Zerubbabel and Joshua, the rebuilding of the city and the Sanctuary, and the securing of the safety of the same by the erection of the protecting wall.
None of the Chronologers have been able to adopt this interpretation, because, although they have seen its truth, they have been unable to shake off the tyranny of the Ptolemaic system of Chronology.
Thus, Prideaux says, "Jerusalem was rebuilt by virtue of the decree granted by Cyrus in the first year of his reign, and if the words of the prophecy "to restore and to build Jerusalem" are to be understood in a literal sense, they can be understood of no other restoring and building of that city than that which was accomplished by virtue of that decree, and the computation of the 70 weeks must begin from the granting and going forth thereof."(Why not?)
"But if the computation be begun so high, the 490 years of the said 70 weeks cannot come low enough to reach any of those events which are predicted by this prophecy."
He therefore rejects this interpretation of the prophecy, "because if the 490 years begin from the decree of Cyrus they cannot, by a great many years, reach the events predicted by this prophecy, and therefore none who understand this prophecy to relate either to the cutting off or the coming of the Messiah do begin from hence, for according to this computation no Chronology can ever reconcile these years to either the coming or the cutting off of the Messiah."
Benjamin Marshall follows in the same strain and makes the following calculation
7 x 7 =49 years.
62 X 7 = 434 years
Total483 years
But Cyrus' commandment was issued B.C. 536, and these 483 years bring us only to B.C. 53.Marshall places the death of Christ A.D. 33, and this makes the interval 86 years too long.If he had placed the death of Christ at A.D. 29 instead of A.D. 33, the interval would have been 82 years, which is just the exact number by which the Ptolemaic Chronology errs from the truth.
What Marshall and Prideaux say in effect is just this.Since the Messiah was not cut off till 82 years after the date expressed in the prophecy, reckoning from the going forth of the commandment of Cyrus according to the infallible Chronology of Ptolemy's Canon, therefore, the going forth of the commandment of Cyrus was not the event which the prophecy contemplated, and we must seek some other point to reckon from.
The truth is, it is not the starting point of the reckoning, but the Ptolemaic Chronology which is in error, and that by the space of just 82 years.
Other Chronologers take the same view with regard to the abandonment of the Decree of Cyrus, B.C. 536, as the starting point of the reckoning, but they disagree upon the choice of an alternative starting point.
Altogether four decrees are mentioned in the Books of Ezra and Nehemiah, each of which has found its advocates, except the Decree of Cyrus, which is the one to which the prophecy does really refer.These are:-
The four Decrees, one of which must be identified with "the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem " (Dan. 9:25).
1.The decree of Cyrus to build the Temple.
1st Cyrus to the Crucifixion = 536+32 = 568 years.
2. The decree of Darius to complete the Temple.
2nd Darius to the Crucifixion = 520+32 = 552 years.
3. The decree of Artaxerxes to endow the Temple.
7th Artaxerxes to the Crucifixion = 458+32 = 490 years.
4. The decree of Artaxerxes to build the city and the wall.
20th Artaxerxes to the Crucifixion = 445+33 = 478 years = 483 Chaldean years of 360 days each.
The decree of Darius is that given in the 2nd, 3rd, or 4th years of Darius, Ezra 4:24; 6:1-12.It is rejected on the same ground as that of Cyrus - incompatibility with the received Ptolemaic Chronology.
Dr. Prideaux says - "The seventy weeks of this prophecy could not have their beginning from this decree, for the same reason that they could not begin from the decree of Cyrus, that is, because the 490 years, reckoning from the granting of this decree, cannot reach the chief events which are by this prophecy predicted to fall within the compass of them, that is, the coming and the cutting off of the Messiah."
Marshall calculates - Darius' decree was issued in his 2nd year, B.C. 520, and these 483 years bring us only to B.C. 37.
The decree of the 7th year of Artaxerxes is advocated by Dr. Prideaux. His starting point is the 7th year of Artaxerxes Longimanus = B.C. 458.His terminus is the death of Christ, which he puts at A.D. 33.He divides the 490 years as follows:-
Marshall's Interpretation of Daniel 9:24-27.
7 x 7 =49 years to the reconstitution of the Jewish church and state in Jerusalem.
62 x 7 = 434 years to the first appearance of the Messiah in his forerunner, John the Baptist.
1 x 7 = 7 years, viz. 3 1/2 year' ministry of John the Baptist and
3 1/2 years' ministry of Jesus Christ.
Total Seventy sevens, or 490 years.
According to Marshall, Artaxerxes' decree was issued in his 7th year - B.C. 458, and from this point, 483 years brings us to A.D. 21.
In all three cases the starting point is too early.It does not reach down to the date of the death of Christ, though Prideaux stretches the time by taking the word "after" to mean not immediately after, but some little time after the 62 sevens, "shall Messiah be cut off."
The decree of the 20th year of Artaxerxes is advocated by Petavius, Ussher, Lloyd, Marshall, and most present day students of Daniel's prophecy.
As the first three decrees all fall short of the assumed date of our Lord's death, A.D. 33, so this one falls beyond it.Accordingly, various expedients are adopted for computing the years in such a way as to make them fit the prophecy.
Petavius begins with the 20th of Artaxerxes, B.C. 454 (instead of B.C. 445), and so gets rid of 9 years by assuming that Artaxerxes began to reign as Co-Rex with his father Xerxes at that date.His excuse for this is the fact of the flight of Themistocles to the court of Artaxerxes Longimanus, which is dated by Thucydides and Charon of Lampsacus B.C. 471.
Ussher takes the same view, only he makes Xerxes die after a reign of 12 years instead of 21, and gives Artaxerxes Longimanus 50 years instead of 41.To get back 4 of these 9 years, both Ussher and Petavius assume that Christ's death, A.D. 33, took place in the middle or the last week of 7 years - hence they reckon 69 1/2 x 7 = 486 1/2, or say 487 years from B.C. 454 to A.D. 33.
Lloyd adopts another expedient for getting rid of the superfluous 5 years over and above the 478 contained in the period from the 20th of Artaxerxes, B.C. 445, to the death of Christ, A.D. 33.He reckons that the 483 years of Daniel are Chaldean years of 360 days each, and as 69 ordinary Julian years of 365 1/4 days are equal to 70 Chaldean years of 360 days, Daniel's 483 Chaldean years = nearly 477 ordinary Julian years.Thus he gets rid of 6 years.Then he is one short.To get this back he explains that the 483 years of 360 days end May 18th, A.D. 32, and Christ's death took place, the following Passover.
Marshall agrees with Lloyd in all respects except that he applies the first 7 X 7 = 49 years to the period of the building of Jerusalem, whilst Lloyd applies it to the term of the continuance of prophecy, which accordingly ends with Malachi, 445 - 49 = 397 (inclusive reckoning); hence the date B.C. 397 in the A.V. margin of Malachi 1:1.
Ussher, Lloyd, Marshall.This represents the orthodox succession of Bible Chronologers.Ussher laid the foundation of Bible Chronology in his Annals of the Old and New Testaments.Lloyd adopted these with a few alterations, printed them for the first time in the margin of the A.V. in Lloyd' Bible, A.D. 1701, and explained them(1) in his Tables at the end of his Bible; (2) in his Chronological Tables, printed but never published (to be seen in the British Museum), and (3) in some private papers given to the world by his chaplain, Benjamin Marshall, in his Chronological Tables with an Appendix to Table 3, and the whole of Table 4, by Lloyd, Bishop ofWorcester, published 1713.Bishop Lloyd published An Exposition of the Prophecy of Seventy Weeks, and Benjamin Marshall A Chronological Treatise on the Seventy Weeks of Daniel.These, with Prideaux's Historical Connection of the Old and new Testaments, are the standard works on the orthodox system of Bible Chronology.They all assume the infallibility of Ptolemy's Canon, and bend their interpretation of the Chronology of the Old Testament to make it agree therewith.
The Miraculous Element in the Book of Daniel.
The extraordinary character of the Book of Daniel, and in particular the dated prophecy of Daniel 9, is accounted for by the wonder and the marvel of its theme.God is here revealing to men the central purpose, and the final goal, of human history, the redemption of the race through the incarnation and the death of His own beloved Son.
This involves a survey of the whole field of human history and a clear and convincing proof of the fact that God Himself is a real factor, and not merely a factor, but the supreme, the inclusive, the controlling factor.Who, whilst He gives men perfect freedom of choice and will, always within limits, nevertheless Himself determines what those limits shall be, how long, how deep and how broad the stream of time shall flow, bearing upon its bosom the ships of the nations with their cargo of human affairs.
The world-wide survey of human history all down the stream of time is seen in Nebuchadnezzar's dream of the great image, and in Daniel's complementary vision of the four beasts, where the rise and fall of the Babylonian, the Medo-Persian, the Greek and the Roman Empires are in full view.The more immediate contest between Persia and Greece is depicted in Daniel's vision of the ram and the he-goat, whilst further down the stream of time, the revelation of "the Scripture of Truth" presents us with the story of the conflict between Syria and Egypt, the persecution of Antiochus Epiphanes, and the appearance on the horizon of the mighty Empire of Rome.
But all this is but a prelude to the coming of the Son of Man and the establishment of the Kingdom of Cod.
So, too, the stories of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego in the fiery furnace, and Daniel in the den of lions, are meant to convey the lesson that in the hands of God all material forces are frangible and ductile.Events are produced by causes which appear to be utterly inadequate to account for them, because God is moving in the midst of them, directing, controlling, protecting and subordinating all the forces of nature, and co-ordinating the obedient and the refractory wills of men to the attainment of His own ends.
Thus we are led to see that we are in the hands of One Who is ever cherishing and ever executing a purpose of holy love, and Who has His way with us, not we our way with Him.
From this point of view the element of the extraordinary, the miraculous, the supernatural, which bulks so largely in the Book of Daniel, is seen to be quite consonant with the theme of the Book, producing an atmosphere in which the impressive revelation of the universal sovereignty and the immediate and miraculous, as well as the mediate and continuous, activity of God, is brought home to intellect and conscience, to heart and will.
The marvel of the prediction of the exact date of the Messiah's birth is made all the more easy of belief, because all the leading events of human history, all down the stream of time, are touched upon as the vision grows, and when at last the Messiah does appear He attests the prophetic character of the Book which contains the vision, and accompanies His exposition of the prophecy with the impressive counsel, "Whoso readeth, let him understand" (Matt. 24:15).
We complete our Chronology of the Old Testament as follows:-
BIBLE DATES.
From the Return to the Messiah.
According to the Hebrew Text of the Old Testament.
3589. 1st year of Cyrus' sole Kingship (see Chapter 24).
482. Add 482 years to the crucifixion.
From 1st year of Cyrus to cutting off of Messiah = 483 years, Dan.9:25.
7 x7 =49
62 x7 = 434
483
1Deduct 1 for inclusive reckoning.
482
4071. Messiah cut off.Date of the crucifixion of Christ.
33. Deduct 33 years to date of actual birth of Christ.
Jesus was about 30 years old when He began His ministry (Luke 32:3).
His ministry lasted about 3 years.
1st Passover at which He began His ministry John 2:23.
2nd PassoverJohn 5:1.
3rd PassoverJohn 6:4.
4th Passover at which He was crucified. John 12:1.
4038. Date of the actual birth of our Lord - Dec. 25th, B.C. 5 (see Andrews' Life of our Lord).
4. Add 4 years to the end of B.C. 1 and the commencement of the Christian Era, Anno Domini.
4042. AN. HOM.= B.C. 1; and AN. HOM. 1 = B.C. 4042, according to the Chronology of the Old Testament.
N.B. According to the received Ptolemaic Chronology, AN. HOM. 1 = 4124, a difference of 82 years.
The Messiah did appear at the appointed season, and was cut off 483 years after the going forth of the commandment of Cyrus to restore and to build Jerusalem in the 1st year of his sole reign, B.C. 536.
The Chronology of the Jews is indicated in the tenets of the Herodians, who knew that the time for the appearance of the Messiah was at hand, and who, in consonance with their gross and worldly conception of His Kingdom, regarded Herod himself, the builder of the Temple, as the Messiah (Epiphanius, Panarian,The Drugchest, a Refutation of all Heresies.Tertullian, De praescriptione haereticorum).
They correctly reckoned the seventy sevens from the reign of Cyrus, and found that the term of the 490 years was approaching its completion in the time of Herod, in whose days the Messiah was born.But when the true Messiah was rejected, and the time for His coming had gone by, they corrupted their Chronology and shortened the duration of the Kingdom of Persia, so as to be able to apply the prophecy to Theudas and Judas of Galilee (Acts 5:36,37), and at length to Bar Cochab, and thus the count of the years was lost, until it was falsely restored by the heathen astrologer Ptolemy.
The wise men from the East were expecting the Messiah at this time, and their interpretation of the appearance of the star in the East may have been assisted by a knowledge through Daniel, or through some other member of the Jewish faith, who instructed them in the prophecies respecting the Star that was to come out of Jacob (Numb. 24:17), and the time of its appearance toward the end of Daniel's 70 weeks.
The general expectation of the Jews was that the Messiah was now at hand; the time for His appearance had come.Hence the Jews sent priests and Levites to John the Baptist to ask him, Who art thou?"And he confessed and denied not, but confessed I am not the Messiah" (John 1:19,20). Many of those who heard him and saw his works said "This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world" (John 6:14; 7:40).John the Baptist understood the Chronology of Daniel's prophecy, and made it one of the bases of his appeal, "Repent ye, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand" (Matt. 3:2).Later on, when he heard in prison of the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples and said unto Him, "Art thou He that should come, or do we look for another?" (Matt. 11:3).
But the most definite and specific statement of the interval between the going forth of the commandment, and the appearance of the Messiah, is given in the opening message of Jesus Himself, in which He strikes the three great bell notes of the Gospel (Mark 1:15).
"The time is fulfilled
The Kingdom of God is at hand:
Repent ye and believe the good news."
There is a most minute and exact correspondence between the other prophecies of Daniel and their fulfilment.Compare, for example, the prophecy of the four great Kings of Persia (Dan. 11:2), and the appearance of Cyrus, Cambyses, Darius and Xerxes; the vision of the ram and the he-goat (Dan. 8), and its fulfilment in the conquest of Asia by Alexander the Great; the prophecy of the mighty King (Dan. 11:3) and the appearance of Alexander the Great; the prophecy of the conflict between the King of the North and the King of the South (Dan. 11:115-19), and the wars between the Seleucids of Syria and the Ptolemys of Egypt; the prophecy of the rise of the vile person (Dan. 11:21), and the persecution of Antiochus Epiphanes; the prophecy of his checkmate by the arrival of ships of Chittim (Dan 11:30) and the banner of Rome flung round the infant Ptolemy; and then the closing vision of the time of trouble such as never was, seen through the haze that envelops the distant hills that fringe the borderland of eternity, where many of them that sleep in the dust awake, "some to everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting contempt" (Dan. 12:2.)
The perversion of this ancient prophecy into a vaticinium post eventum et ex eventu originated in the attack of Porphyry the deadly enemy of the Christian faith.It has sent its ringing echoes of unbelief all down the ages, and it is heard in our midst to-day, but those whose insight into the ways of God is clear and keen, and whose touch with God is close and sure, will see in these prophecies and their fulfilment a confirmation of their faith in the incorruptible integrity of the word of God.
The cutting off of the Messiah, at the precise moment at which it was foretold, has become the pivot of the world's history, and His birth the central epoch of its Chronology.
"Here I stand."Athanasius contra mundum.The received Chronology is false.The Chronology of the Old Testament is true.
CHAPTER XXVIII.COMPARATIVE CHRONOLOGY.
The Year of Messiah's Birth according to the Canon of Ptolemy, AN. HOM. 4120.
CLAUDIUS PTOLEMAEUS, the originator of the Ptolemaic astronomy, superseded by the Copernican System, A.D. 1530, when Nicolas Copernicus (1473-1543) published his great epoch-making work, De Orbium Revolutionibus, flourished at Alexandria in Egypt in the 2nd Century A.D.He was both a learned man and a great man.He gripped the phenomena of the heavens, and welded them into such a comprehensive system, that the Ptolemaic astronomy maintained its hold on the mind of Europe for a period of 14 Centuries, in spite of the fact that the Copernican astronomy, which makes the sun the centre of the solar system, was taught in its essentials by Pythagoras (B.C. 582-C. 500), who explained the motions of the heavenly bodies in his Harmony of the Spheres some 600 years before Ptolemy was born.
The Ptolemaic Astronomy has gone.But the Ptolemaic Chronology remains. And since the actual count of the years of the Persian period, between Darius Hystaspes and Alexander the Great, has been lost, no one will ever be able to replace the erroneous Chronology of Ptolemy, by producing a positive Chronology of the period in harmony with the truth, unless the gap should be filled by the discovery of ancient Monuments of this period in the East.
One reason why Ptolemy's Canon has maintained its hold upon the modern mind is because there is no other system which bridges the gulf of time from the 8th Century B.C. to the 2nd Century A.D.All other systems fail at the same point.For the later Persian period Ptolemy is the only witness, his Canon the only strand connecting the events of antiquity with those of modern times.
His Canon exists in three forms.The genuine original is found in Theon, Ptolemy's successor in the chair of astronomy at Alexandria.Two other lists of reigns, based on Ptolemy's Canon, are preserved by Syncellus (A.D.792), the one called The Astronomical Canon, the otherThe Ecclesiastical Canon.In these the names and dates are corrected, interpolated and modified in such a way as to present, in tabular form, the chronological opinions of Syncellus.
Another reason for the high esteem in which Ptolemy's Canon is held is the quasi-infallibility which is attached to a mathematical demonstration, and which has been transferred by Ptolemy's readers to all the inferences and conclusions embodied in his Canon.
Ptolemy's method of determining dates is the astronomical method of the calculation of eclipses.He also had access to the information contained in Berosus, (B.C. 356-323).He based his Chronology upon the calculations of Eratosthenes (b. B.C. 276) and Apollodorus (2nd Century B.C.), and he had before him all the information contained in Diodorus Siculus (fl. A.D. 8), and all the literature of Greece and Rome and Alexandria.
The main thing to note is the fact that he is not an original authority, not a witness recording contemporary events, still less is he a standard by which to correct other witnesses.He is a late compiler, living in the 2nd Century A.D., and constructing a scheme of Chronology covering nearly 1,000 years, from B.C. 747 to A.D. 137.
Prideaux puts the authority of Ptolemy's Canon above that of every other human writer.He says:-
"Ptolemy's Canon being fixed by the eclipses, the truth of it may at any time be demonstrated by astronomical calculations, and no one hath ever calculated those eclipses but hath found them fall in the times where placed; and, therefore, this being the surest guide which we have in Chronology, and it being also verified by its agreement everywhere with the Holy Scripture, it is not for the authority of any other human writer whatsoever to be receded from."
Lloyd and Marshall speak of it in similar terms.Halma regards it as "the most precious monument of antiquity."
An examination of the table of eclipses, gathered from the works of Ptolemy by M. Halma, shows that whilst there are eclipses recorded in the 1st and 2nd years of Merodach-baladan (Mar. 19, 720, Mar. 8, 719 and Sep. 1, 719), the 5th year of Nabopolassar (Apl. 22, 600), the 7th of Cambyses (July 16, 522), and the 20th and 31st years of Darius Hystaspes (Nov. 19, 501 and Ap. 25, 490), as soon as we reach this point, at which the narrative of the Old Testament closes, and the late Persian period begins, there is from the 31st year of Darius to the Archonship of Phanostratus, no eclipse whatever on record, and consequently no astronomical data by which to fix the duration of the reigns of the Kings of the later Persian period.
Apart from three eclipses recorded by the Chaldees on Dec. 23, 381, and June 18, 380, in the Archonship of Phanostratus, and on Dec. 10, 380, in the Archonship of Evander, there is not a single eclipse on record from the 31st year of Darius to the death of Alexander the Great.
Ptolemy's Canon is compiled from Chaldean records in which eclipses of the moon alone are registered, the Chaldean astronomers not being able to calculate the eclipses of the sun.
So that for the construction of that part of Ptolemy's Canon which covers the interval of 109 years between B.C. 490 and 381, eclipses are entirely wanting, and Ptolemy has to fall back upon the same materials as other Chronologers.At the very point at which the Old Testament, the Apocryphal literature, Josephus, the classics, the Cuneiform Inscriptions of Persia and the tablets of Babylonia all fail, Ptolemy fails also.These 82 years are years that never existed except in the constructive imagination of the Chronologer. They are years in which the sun never set, and on which the light never shone.
Of course, if one could be quite sure of the exact date of an eclipse, like the Eclipse of Thales, and could identify it with an event like the Battle of Halys, such an eclipse would measure the lapse of time between that event and the present day, and also between that event and every other event connected with it by a chain of continuous, contemporary historical records.
But the date of the Eclipse of Thales and the Battle of Halys is quite unknown to us.All that we know of it is what we are told in Herodotus, Book i, Chap. 74, where he says:-
"War broke out between Cyaxares the Mede and Alyattes the Lydian, and continued for five years with various success.In the course of it the Medes gained many victories over the Lydians, and the Lydians also gained many victories over the Medes.A combat took place in the 6th year, in the course of which, just as the battle was growing warm, day was in a sudden changed into night.This event had been foretold by Thales the Milesian, who forewarned the Ionians of it, fixing for it the very year in which it actually took place."
The date of this eclipse as fixed by Volney was B.C. 625. Clinton made it B.C. 603.Ideler said no eclipse fulfilled the conditions except that of B.C. 610.Later still, Mr. Hind and Prof. Airy brought it down to B.C. 585. The Eclipse of Thales has been placed in 607 (Calvisius), 603 (Costard, Montucla and Kennedy), 601 (Ussher), 597 (Petavius, Marsham, Bouhier and Larcher), and 585 (Pliny, Scaliger, Newton, Ferguson, Vignoles and Jackson).George Rawlinson concludes a paragraph on the subject by saying, "It may be doubted whether astronomical science has yet attained to such exactness with respect to the line of solar eclipses as to justify the adoption of its results as the basis of a chronological system.All astronomical calculations are uncertain since they assume the uniformity of the moon's motion which is a very doubtful point, and since Professor Airy made his calculations for Mr. Bosanquet, which brought the date of the Eclipse of Thales down to B.C. 585, certain irregularities in the moon's movements have been discovered."
In any case, since there are never less than 2 eclipses in any year, usually 4, and sometimes as many as 7, and since an eclipse repeats itself more or less completely every 18 years and a few days, and much more completely every 54 years and a month, there will always be an eclipse available within a reasonable number of years with which to identify any recorded eclipse, the date of which we desire to fix; apart from which, it is a perfect paradox to contemplate the fixing of the current of the history of the entire world by the motions of the moon, the very type and symbol of instability.
The method of astronomical calculation is, therefore, by no means an infallible guide to Chronology, but even if it were an infallible guide, Ptolemy could make no use of it, for he had no recorded eclipses to work the method with, during the later Persian period, the only part of his Chronology which is in dispute.
We have seen that the received Chronology and the received dating of the Books of Ezra and Nehemiah, which identifies the Artaxerxes of Ezra 7 and Nehemiah with Artaxerxes Longimanus, lands us in the absurdity of making the leading men of the period live to an impossible age,
Ezra, 141 in the 20th year of Artaxerxes Longimanus.
Nehemiah, 103 years older in the 32nd year of Artaxerxes Longimanus than when he returned to Jerusalem in the 1st year of Cyrus.
Mordecai 123 in the 12th year of Xerxes.
Now, if the great and improbable age of these Biblical characters is due simply to an error in the Chronology of the period, it will follow that other men, belonging to profane history, but living in the same period, will also be represented as living to a similarly great and improbable age, and if such aged men are found in the history of the period, it will be a confirmation of the fact that some error has found its ways into the received Chronology.
The Kings will be represented as reigning for an extraordinary number of years, or fictitious Kings will be invented, the Jewish high priests will bold office for very long periods, and some men mentioned by the same name at great intervals apart will appear to be too old to be identical, and will be split up into two, an earlier and a later, both bearing the same name and title, and appearing in many respects as if they were one and the same person.
And this is exactly what we find.First, take the case of Josephus.Here we have Sanballat old enough to be Pekah of Samaria in the 20th year of Artaxerxes Longimanus, B.C. 445, and still living when Alexander besieges Gaza, B.C. 332, at the age of 113 plus however old be was when he opposed Nehemiah in B.C. 445, at the building of the wall, when he was Governor of Samaria. The alternative is to split him up and say there were two Sanballats.
Again, during this period, the Jewish high priests hold office for long terms, and the contemporary Kings appear to have unusually long reigns.Thus:-
Darius I 36
Xerxes 21
Artaxerxes 41
Darius II 19
Artaxerxes II 46
Artaxerxes III 21
Average 30.
KINGS OF MACEDON.
AEropas 26
Alectus 29
Amyntas I 50
Alexander 43
Perdiccas II 41
Archelaus 14
Amyntas I1 19
Alorites 4
Perdiccas III 6
Philip 24
Alexander the Great 12
Average 25.
KINGS OF SPARTA.
Agasicles 41
Ariston 38
Demaratus 35
Leotychides 22
Archidamus II 42
Agis II 30
Agesilaus II 36
Archidamus III 23
Agis III 8
Eudamidas I 33
Average 30.
The following aged men are mentioned in the history of Greece for this period:-
The following have very long productive periods or floruits.
Plato (comic poet) 63 years Scholiast apud Plutarch.
Parmenides 68 years Laertius.
Gorgias (ambassador) 79 years Suidas with Pausanias.
Antiphanes (comic poet) 71 years Suidas with Athaenaeus.
Aristophanes (comic poet) 53 years Internal evidence.
Aristophon (ambassador) 63 years Demosthenes.
The following contradictions, variations or discrepancies, emerge between the Chronology of Ptolemy's Canon and other sources for this period:-
B.C. 480.Birth of Euripides (Plutarch, Eratosthenes).
But the Parian Marble says B.C. 485.
B.C. 475.Cimon took Scyros (Plutarch).
Bentley alters the date to B.C. 469, as "otherwise it would be 7 years before the oracle would be obeyed."
B.C. 471.Flight of Themistocles, who had been banished from Athens, to the Persian court of King Artaxerxes Longimanus (Thucydides, Charon of Lampsacus).
But, according to Ptolemy's Canon, Artaxerxes did not come to the throne till 7 years after this, in B.C. 464.
B.C. 464.Charon of Lampsacus (born B.C. 554) still writing history.Creuzer rejects the date of his birth, "because it would make him 90 years old."
B.C. 439 Pindar completes his 80th year (Scholiast apud Thomas Magister).
But Thomas Magister makes him 66 and Suidas 65.
B.C. 424.Death of Artaxerxes Longimanus, who reigned 40 years (Thucydides Diodorus), 41 including the odd months of Xerxes II and Sogdianus (Ptolemy's Canon), 42 (Ctesias).
B.C. 404 Artaxerxes II Mnemon reigned 40 years (Eusebius, Alexandrine Chronicle), 42 years (Clement of Alexandria), 43 years (Diodorus), 46 years (Ptolemy's Canon), 62 years (Plutarch).The cuneiform tablets say he began to reign B.C. 395, which, according to A. H. Sayce, gives Darius II Nothus 29 years instead of 19 as in Ptolemy's Canon.
B.C. 358 Artaxerxes III Ochus (Ptolemy's Canon), B.C. 361 (Diodorus). Reigned 21 years (Ptolemy's Canon), 23 (Diodorus).
B.C. 356.Death of Alexander of Pherae (Diodorus).But his death is mentioned by Xenophon, who died 3 years before.
B.C. 340.Aristophanes floruit B.C. 403, i.e. 63 years before this date, and was ambassador B.C. 411, i.e. 71 years before this.Clinton Says, "the consideration of dates proves that he was not the same man," and that the text of Demosthenes, who gives the facts, must be corrupt."
From these facts it will be seen that the testimony of Ptolemy's Canon is contradicted at various points by many competent witnesses.The facts also suggest the possibility that the extraordinary ages and long floruits of many distinguished men, may be due to an error, by which the Chronology of the period may have been unduly extended some 50 or 60 years.
Clinton says, "The government of Pisistratus at Athens (B.C. 560) is marked as being the first date in Grecian history from which an unbroken series of dates can be deduced in regular succession," and he gives a list of the Archons of Athens which practically fills each year of the whole period.
It is not denied that such a list was compiled by the early Chronologers of Greece about 100 years after the death of Alexander the Great, but it is affirmed that they were not derived from authentic contemporary sources.
Respecting the period in question, the later Persian Empire, from Xerxes to Alexander the Great, Clinton says, "From B.C. 480 to B.C. 303 we have an unbroken series (of Archons) by the combined assistance of Diodorus, A.D. 8, and Dionysius of Halicarnassus, B.C. 70 - 6."But these are not contemporary witnesses. They are late compilers, constructing a scheme of Chronology, dependent upon the conjectural results of Eratosthenes (B.C. 276) and Apollodorus (2nd century B.C.).
The celebrated Parian marble was purchased by Mr. William Petty for Thomas, Earl of Arundel, in the year A.D. 1624.It was brought to England and placed in the gardens of Arundel House, Strand, A.D. 1627.It appears to have been found in the Island of Paros.The Chronicle is engraved on a marble slab 3ft. 7 by 2ft. 7 and 5 inches thick.It gives the principal events of Greek history from its legendary beginnings to the year B.C. 264, in which it was executed. It gives the date of the reign of Cecrops, the flood of Deucalion, the trial between the gods Mars and Neptune, the planting of corn by Ceres, the floruits of Hesiod and Homer, the reign of Cyrus, Darius (Marathon) and Xerxes (Thermopylae), the dates of the poets AEschylus, Sophocles and Euripides.
Touching the late Persian period, the only Kings of Persia which it mentions after Xerxes are (1) The brother of Cyrus the younger (Artaxerxes Mnemon), who died B.C. 357, and (2) his son Artaxerxes III Ochus.This is remarkable in itself, hut when compared with (1) the history of this period in Josephus and (2) the tenor of the Jewish and Persian tradition of the Chronology of this period, it suggests very forcibly that the Chronology of the latter part of the Persian period from Xerxes to Alexander the Great has been exaggerated, and that the 5 Kings who fill this period:-
Artaxerxes I 41 years.
Darius II 19 years
Artaxerxes II 46 years
Artaxerxes III 21 years
Darius III 4 years
were perhaps in fact only 2 or 3 multiplied into five in order to fill the gap made by the artificial enlargement of the Chronology by some 82 years more or less.
The marble gives the dates of the Annual Archons for the following years:-
It will be seen that only 15 Archons are given for the period of 134 years from the death of Xerxes, B.C. 465 to the 1st year of Alexander the Great.
The gaps were filled in by Dionysius of Halicarnassus, and Diodorus, who flourished some 300 years afterwards.
Clinton accepts the testimony of Diodorus for this period, although elsewhere he truly points out that Diodorus is not an independent witness, but merely a reproducer of the approximate computations of the conjectural Chronologers Eratosthenes and Apollodorus.
The truth is, there are no authentic records of the late Persian period in existence.The method of measuring time by means of Olympiads was not adopted till more than 60 years after the death of Alexander the Great.It was not used in the Parian Chronicle.A Chronology was framed by Eratosthenes and Apollodorus, and all the known facts of past history were made to fit into it.Hence discrimination is needed to enable us to separate what is really certain from what is mere matter of opinion and conjecture.
The period of the later Persian Empire from Xerxes to Alexander the Great, is the great gap or blank in the Chronology of the world's history. For this period Thucydides is our only authority.
Herodotus is the historian of the Persian war which ended B.C. 479. Thucydides is the historian of the Peloponnesian war, which commenced B.C. 432.
The history of the interval between B.C. 479 and B.C. 432 has never been written.
"I have gone out of my way," says Thucydides, "to speak of this period, because the writers who have preceded me treat either of Hellenic affairs previous to the Persian invasion or of that invasion itself.The intervening portion of history has been omitted by all of them, with the exception of Hellanicus, and he, where he has touched upon it, in his Attic history, is very brief and inaccurate in his Chronology."
The one event which Thucydides does mention in his brief and hurried summary of this unwritten period, is the flight of Themistocles, and just here, at the very point which he does touch the Chronology of the period, he is in flat contradiction to Ptolemy's Canon.Writing of the year B.C. 471, Thucydides says, Themistocles had been ostracised and was living at Argos. Lacedaemonians and Athenians sent officers to arrest him.He fled to the Corcyreans.They conveyed him to the neighbouring continent.The officers constantly enquired in which direction he had gone, and pursued him everywhere.He stopped at the house of Admetus the King of the Molossians, who protected him and would not give him up to his pursuers, though they pressed him do so.And as Themistocles wanted to go to the King (of Persia), Admetus sent him on foot across the country to the sea at Pydna (which was in the Kingdom of Alexander).There he found a merchant vessel sailing to Ionia, in which he embarked.It was driven by a storm to Naxos, but at length he arrived at Ephesus.Themistocles then went up the country with one of the Persians who dwelt on the coast, and sent a letter to Artaxerxes the son of Xerxes, who had just succeeded to the throne.
According to Ptolemy's Canon, Artaxerxes the son of Xerxes is Artaxerxes Longimanus.In 471 Xerxes was in the 15th year of his reign, and he reigned 21 years, after which Artabanus reigned 7 months, and Artaxerxes Longimanus, who was now, on the arrival of Themistocles, only a boy of 14, did not come to the throne till 7 years later, in B.C. 464.
The case then stands thus.For the period from Xerxes to Alexander the Great we have no authentic contemporary record of the Chronology of the Persian Kings.The only strand that continues the Chronology throughout this period is Ptolemy's Canon, a late compilation put together 600 or 700 years after the events it tabulates, the absence of authentic data being made good by the estimates of the early Chronologers, who planned the scheme of the Chronology, and filled in the intervals as best they could, using where necessary what Clinton calls, "the method of conjecture."
Thucydides, the most accurate and reliable of all the early writers on the subject, gives a brief summary of the leading events of a period, the history of which has never been written (except by Hellanicus, whose Chronology is inaccurate), and mentions one dated event which happened in the year B.C. 471.This event is dated in Ptolemy's Canon 7 years later than the time at which it occurred.
No blame attaches to Ptolemy for this.He did the best he could with the materials at his disposal.But real blame does attach to the modern scholar, who refuses to recognise a proved error, and continues to regard as an infallible chronological guide, a table of reigns, which, as regards this part of the Persian period, is incapable of verification, suspect as to its source and false in its facts.
The reconstruction of the true Chronology of the late Persian and the Creek period, from the close of the Old Testament Records, B.C. 488, to the Christian Era, does not come within the scope of the present work.It must be left over for investigation by other workers in this department.It is enough for our purpose that the received Ptolemaic Chronology of this period has been shown to be false and cannot therefore be resorted to as a court of final appeal, nor ever regarded as a trustworthy witness against the historical data, testimony, evidence or proof, of the Chronology of the Old Testament.
PTOLEMAIC DATES.
From the Return to the Messiah.
According to Clinton and modern Chronologers generally.
AN. HOM.
3589 = 1st year of Cyrus' sole Kingship (see Chapter 24).
535. Add 535 years to B.C. 1. (B.C. 536 -535 = B.C. 1.
4124 = B.C. 1; and AN. HOM. 1 = B.C. 4124.
Clinton's dates are based on Ptolemy's Canon.
Ptolemy's Canon is based on the conjectural Greek Chronology of Eratosthenes, the father of Chronology.
The Chronology of Eratosthenes is based, not upon historical data, testimony, evidence or proof, but upon his own subjective estimate of the probable length of the reigns, generations and successions of Kings, Ephors and Priestesses in early Greek history.
In any case it is only an approximate and an uncertain estimate.
According to the prophecy of Daniel it is 82 years longer than the truth.
According to Ptolemy AN. HOM. 1 = B.C. 4124
According to DanielAN. HOM. 1 = B.C. 4042
A difference of82 years.
The present year of the world (A.D. 1913) is,
According to Ptolemy 4124+1913 = 6037.
According to Daniel4042+1913 = 5955.
Yet 45 years. and the sixth millennium of the world's history will be fulfilled, and the seventh millennium ushered in.
"Surely I come quickly, Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus." - Rev. 22:20.
THE ROMANCE OF BIBLE CHRONOLOGY
An Exposition of the Meaning, and a Demonstration of the Truth, of every Chronological Statement contained in the Hebrew Text of the Old Testament.
VOLUMEII. CHRONOLOGICAL TABLES
Page
3 I. Bible Dates.The Patriarchs.Genesis 1 - Exodus 12
From the Creation to the Exodus (AN. HOM. 1-2513).
Scale, 10 years each line - 500 years each page.
9 II. Bible Dates.The Theocracy, the Monarchy and the Period of Gentile Dominion
From the Exodus to the end of the Old Testament Records (AN. HOM. 2513-3637).
Scale, 1 year each line- 50 years each page.
36 III. Ptolemaic Dates or the Received Chronology of the History of the Jews under Persia, Greece and Rome
From the close of the Old Testament Records to the Crucifixion of our Lord (B.C. 487-A.D. 30).
Scale, 1 year each line - 50 years each page.
48 IV.The Twelve Judges and the Usurper King Abimelech
49 V. The 300 years of Jephthah (from Heshbon), the 450 years of Paul (from Cushan), and the 480 years of 1 Kings 6:1 (from the Exodus)
50 VI.The Kings of Judah - Rehoboam to Zedekiah - 19 Kings, 1 Queen and 1 Interregnum
51 VII.The Kings of Israel - Jeroboam to Hoshea - 19 Kings and 2 Interregnums
52 VIII. The Major and Minor Prophets
53 IX. Chronology of the Books of Ezra and Nehemiah
54 X.Kings of Babylon, Media and Persia, B.C. 711-465
55 XI. Contemporary Kings of Judah, Israel, Assyria, Babylon and Egypt, to illustrate the Assyrian Cuneiform Inscriptions, B.C. 1000-600.
56 XII.Leading Bible Dates in the Old Testament
EXPLANATORY NOTES.
1. AN. HOM. = Anno Hominis = The year of the Era of Man, reckoning from the year of the Creation of Adam onward.
2. B.C. The year of the Era before Christ, reckoning from the year B.C. 1 backward.
3. Bible Dates = The years of the dated events of the Old Testament according to the testimony of the Hebrew Text.
4. Ptolemaic Dates = The years of the dated events of past history, according to the Received Chronology, based on Ptolemy's Canon.
5. In Tables I and II, the Ptolemaic Dates are, in the opinion of the Author, 82 years higher than the truth, the real equivalent for the year AN. HOM. 1 being, not B.C. 4124 as given in Table I, but B.C. 4042.
6. In Table III, the Ptolemaic dates do not represent the view of the Author.
For the period between the Old and the New Testament Records they represent the Received Chronology adopted by Clinton and modern Chronologers generally.
For the period of the New Testament Records they represent the Chronology adopted by Andrews in his Life of our Lord.
7.The Author does not determine the date of the birth of our Lord, but he regards the Crucifixion or the Cutting off of the Messiah as having taken place, in accordance with the prophecy of Daniel, 483 years after "the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem" in the first year of Cyrus, AN. H0M. 3589. Hence the Bible Date for the Crucifixion will be the year AN. HOM. 4071, and if our Lord began His ministry at the age of 30 and was crucified at the age of 33, the Bible Date for the birth of our Lord will be the year AN. HOM. 4038.
TABLE I.
BIBLE DATES.
The Patriarchs: Genesis I - Exodus XII.
From the Creation of Adam to the Exodus.
AN. HOM. 1-2513.
Scale: 10 years each line; 500 years each page.
BIBLE DECADES (A.H.) BIBLE DATES (A.H.). PTOLEMAIC DATES (B.C.) EVENTS. HISTORICAL DATA, TESTIMONY, EVIDENCE OR PROOF.
10 1 4124 Adam created Gen. 5:1-2 "God created man in the likeness of God." Male and female created He them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created."
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
110
120
130 130 3995 Seth born Gen. 5:3 "Adam lived 130 years, and begat a son in his own likeness, after his image; and called his name Seth."
140
150
160
170
180
190
200
210
220
230 235 3890 Enos born Gen. 5:6 "Seth lived 105 years, and begat Enos."
240
250
260
270
280
290
300
310
320 325 3800 Cainan born Gen. 5:9 "Enos lived 90 years, and begat Cainan (Heb. Kenan)."
330
340
350
360
370
380
390 395 3730 Mahalaleel born Gen. 5:12 "Cainan lived 70 years, and begat Mahalaleel."
400
410
420
430
440
450
460 460 3665 Jared horn Gen. 5:15 "Mahalaleel lived 65 years, and begat Jared."
470
480
490
500
510
520
530
540
550
560
570
580
590
600
610
620 622 3503 Enoch born Gen. 5:18 "Jared lived 162 years, and he begat Enoch."
630
640
650
660
670
680 687 3438 Methuselah born Gen. 5:21 "Enoch lived 65 years, and begat Methuselah."
690
700
710
720
730
740
750
760
770
780
790
800
810
820
830
840
850
860
870 874 3251 Lamech born Gen. 5:25 "Methuselah lived 187 years, and begat Lamech."
880
890
900
910
920
930 930 3195 Adam died Gen. 5:5 "All the days that Adam lived were 930 years."
940
950
960
970
980 987 3138 Enoch translated Gen. 5:23 "All the days of Enoch were 365 years."
990
1000
1010
1020
1030
1040 1042 3083 Seth died Gen. 5:8 "All the days of Seth were 912 years."
1050 1056 3069 Noah born Gen. 5:28 "Lamech lived 182 years, and begat a son" (Noah).
1060
1070
1080
1090
1100
1110
1120
1130
1140 1140 2985 Enos died Gen. 5:11 "All the days of Enos were 905 years."
1150
1160
1170
1180
1190
1200
1210
1220
1230 1235 2890 Cainan died Gen. 5:14 "All the days of Cainan were 910 years."
1240
1250
1260
1270
1280
1290 1290 2835 Mahalaleel died Gen. 5:17 "All the days of Mahalaleel were 895 years."
1300
1310
1320
1330
1340
1350
1360
1370
1380
1390
1400
1410
1420 1422 2703 Jared died Gen. 5:20 "All the days of Jared were 962 years."
1430
1440
1450
1460
1470
1480
1490
1500
1510
1520
1530 1536 2589 Beginning of the 120 years Grace Gen. 6:3 "My Spirit shall not always strive with man... yet his days shall be 120 years."
1540
1550 1556 2569 Japheth born Gen. 5:32; 10:21 Noah begat Japheth - the Elder.
1550 1557 2568 Ham born Gen. 5:32 Noah begat Ham - always mentioned between the other two.
1550 1558 2567 Shem born Gen. 5:32; 7:6 Noah begat Shem (See Vol.1, Chapter 5).
1560
1570
1580
1590
1600
1610
1620
1630
1640
1650 1651 2474 Lamech died Gen. 5:31 "All the days of Lamech were 777 years."
1650 1656 2469 Methuselah died (The Flood) Gen. 5:27 "All the days of Methuselah were 969 years."Gen. 7:6 Noah was 600 years old at the Flood.
1650 1658 2467 Arphaxad born Gen. 11:10 "Shem was 100, and begat Arphaxad, 2 years after the Flood."
1660
1670
1680
1690 1693 2432 Salah born Gen. 11:12 "Arphaxad lived 35 years, and begat Salah."
1700
1710
1720 1723 2402 Eber born Gen. 11:14 "Salah lived 30 years, and begat Eber."
1730
1740
1750 1757 2368 Peleg born Gen. 11:16 "Eber lived 34 years, and begat Peleg."
1760
1770
1780 1787 2338 Reu born Gen. 11:18 "Peleg lived 30 years, and begat Reu."
1790
1800
1810 1819 2306 Serug born Gen. 11:20 Reu lived 32 years, and begat Serug."
1820
1830
1840 1849 2276 Nahor born Gen. 11:22 "Serug lived 30 years, and begat Nahor."
1850
1860
1870 1878 2247 Terah born Gen. 11:24 "Nahor lived 29 years, and begat Terah."
1880
1890
1900
1910
1920
1930
1940
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990 1996 2129 Peleg died Gen. 11:18-19 Peleg lived 30+209=239 years.
1990 1997 2128 Nahor died Gen. 11:24-25 Nahor lived 29+119 = 148 years.
2000 2006 2119 Noah died Gen. 9:29 All the days of Noah were 950 years.
2000 2008 2117 Abram born Gen. 11:26-32; 12:4; Acts 7:4 (See Vol. 1, Chapter 8).
2010
2020 2026 2099 Reu died Gen. 11:20-21 Reu lived 32+207 = 239 years.
2030
2040 2049 2076 Serug died Gen. 11:22-23 Serug lived 30 +200 =230 years.
2050
2060
2070
2080 2083 2042 Terah died Gen. 11:32 "And the days of Terah were 205 years."
2080 2083 2042 2nd Call of Abram Gen. 11:32; 12:1; Acts 7:4 Abram 75.Beginning of 430 years. of Ex. 12:40-41; Gal. 3:17 (See. Vol.1, Chap. 10)
2090 2093 2032 Abram married Hagar. Gen. 16:3-16 Sarah gave Hagar to Abram to be his wife.
2090 2094 2031 Ishmael born Gen. 16:16 Abram was 86 years old when Hagar bare Ishmael."
2090 2096 2029 Arphaxad died Gen. 11:12-13 Arphaxad lived 35+403 = 438 years.
2100 2107 2018 Covenant of Circumcision Gen. 17:1-25 Abraham 99.Ishmael 13.Gen. 18,19 Sodom and Gomorrah destroyed.
2100 2108 2017 Isaac bore Gen. 21:5 Abraham 100.Gen. 17:17 Sarah 90.
2110 2113 2012 Isaac weaned and Ishmael cast out Gen. 21:8-12; Gal. 4:30 Beginning of the 400 years of Gen. 15:13; Acts 7:6 (See. Vol. I, Chap. 10).
2120 2126 1999 Salah died Gen. 11:14,15 Salah lived 30+403 = 433 years.
2130
2140 2141 1980 Sarah died Gen. 23:1; 17:17; 21:5 Abraham 187, Sarah 127, Isaac 37.
2140 2148 1977 Isaac married Rebekah Gen. 25:20 "Isaac was 40 years old when he took Rebekah to wife."
2150 2158 1967 Shem died Gen. 11:10,11 Shem lived 100+500 = 600 years.
2160 2168 1957 Esau and Jacob born Gen. 25:25=26 Abraham 160, Isaac 60, when Rebekah bare Esau and Jacob.
2170
2180 2183 1942 Abraham died Gen. 25:7-8 Abraham 175, Isaac 75, Jacob 15.
2180 2187 1938 Eber died Gen. 11:16,17 Eber lived 34+430 = 464 years.
2190
2200 2208 1917 Esau married Gen. 26:34 Esau, aged 40, married two Hittite wives, Judith and Bashemath.
2210
2220
2230 2231 1894 Ishmael died Gen. 25:17 "These are the years of the life of Ishmael, 137 years."
2240 2245 1880 Jacob left home for Padan Aram Gen. 41:46-47; 45:6; 47:9; 30:25 Jacob aged 77 (See Vol. 1, Chap. 10).
2250 2252 1873 Jacob married Leah and Rachel Gen. 29:21-30 Jacob married both his wives at the same time (See Vol. I, Chap. 10).
2250 2259 1866 Joseph born Gen. 30:25 Jacob aged 91 (See Vol. I, Chap. 10).
2260 2265 1860 Jacob returned to Canaan Gen. 31:41 Jacob aged 97, Joseph 6 (See Vol. I, Chap. 10).
2270 2276 1849 Joseph sold into Egypt Gen. 37:2-36 Joseph at age of 17, or soon after, is sold into Egypt.
2280 2287 1838 Butler and Baker's dream Gen. 40-41:1 Joseph, aged 28, interprets Butler and Baker's dreams.
2280 2288 1837 Isaac died Gen. 35:28 The days of Isaac were 180 years, Jacob 120, Joseph 29.
2280 2289 1836 Pharaoh's dream Gen. 41:46 Joseph was 30 when he stood before Pharaoh at the beginning of the 7 years' Plenty.
2290 2296 1829 End of the 7 years' Plenty Gen. 41:47 Joseph aged 37 at the end of the 7 years' Plenty.
2290 2298 1827 Jacob went down into Egypt Gen. 45:6; 47:9 Age 130, Joseph 39 in the second year of the 7 years' Famine.
2300
2310 2315 1810 Jacob died Gen. 47:28 Jacob died aged 147, Joseph now 56.
2320
2330
2340
2350
2360 2369 1756 Joseph died Gen. 50:26 Joseph died aged 110.
2370
2380
2390
2400
2410
2420
2430 2433 1692 Moses born Ex. 12:40,41; 2:23; 7:7 Acts 7:29,30; Ex. 2:11-15; Acts 7:23-29 (See. Vol. 1, Chap. 11).
2440
2450
2460
2470 2473 1652 Moses' flight to Midian Ex. 2:11-15; Acts 7:23-29; Moses fled from Egypt to Midian at age of 40.
2470 2475 1650 Caleb born Num. 10:11,12; 13:17-20; Josh. 14:7-10 (See Vol. I, Chap. 15).
2480
2490
2500 [AN. HOM. 2513 = B.C. 1612 = The Exodus.]
TABLE II.
BIBLE DATES.
The Theocracy, the Monarchy, and the Period of Gentile Dominion.
From the Exodus to the End of the Old Testament Records.
BIBLE DATES (A.H.). PTOLEMAIC DATES (B.C.). DISRUPTION. JUDAH. ASSYRIA BABYLON HISTORICAL DATA, TESTIMONY, EVIDENCE OR PROOF.
3451 674 309 Manasseh 22 Esar-haddon 7 Esar-haddon 7
3452 673 310 23 8 8 Is. 7:8 Ephraim broken from being a people 65 years after the prophecy in B.C. 738. Ez. 4:2-9.Esar-haddon transported Babylonians, and Elamites, to Samaria. 2 Chron. 33:11-13 King of Assyria took Manasseh to Babylon.The Lord brought him again to jerusalem.George Smith: "In this war, B.C. 673-672, Esar-haddon carried the remnant of Israel into Captivity, and sent Manasseh, King of Judah, to Babylon. |/ In the following year, B.C. 671. Manasseh was pardoned and restored."
3453 672 311 24 9 9
3454 671 312 25 10 10
3455 670 313 26 11 11
3456 669 314 27 12 12
3457 668 315 28 Ashur-bani-pal (Son of Esar-haddon) accession Shamash-shum-ukin (Son of Esar-haddon) accession The Babylonian chronicle gives Esar-haddon 12 years.Ptolemy gives him 13.
3458 667 316 29 1 1
3459 666 317 30 2 2
3460 665 318 31 3 3
3461 664 319 32 4 4
3462 663 320 33 5 5
3463 662 321 34 6 6
3464 661 322 35 7 7
3465 660 323 36 8 8
3466 659 324 37 9 9
3467 658 325 38 10 10
3468 657 326 39 11 11
3469 656 327 40 12 12
3470 655 328 41 13 13
3471 654 329 42 14 14
3472 653 330 43 15 15
3473 652 331 44 16 16
3474 651 332 45 17 17
3475 650 333 46 18 18
3476 649 334 47 19 19
3477 648 335 48 20 | Kandalanu = Isiniladanus = Ashur-ban-ipal 20 | accession
3478 647 336 49 21 1
3479 646 337 50 22 2
3480 645 338 51 23 3
3481 644 339 52 24 4
3482 643 340 53 25 5
3483 642 341 54 26 6
3484 641 342 | Amon 55 | accession 27 7 2 K. 21:18-19 Manasseh died, and Amon reigned in his stead 2 years.
3485 640 343 1 28 8
3486 639 344 | Josiah 2 | accession 29 9 2 K. 21:23-26; 22:1 Amon slain, and Josiah reigned in his stead 31 years.
3487 638 345 1 30 10
3488 637 346 2 31 11
3489 638 347 3 32 12
3490 635 348 4 33 13
3491 634 349 5 34 14
3492 633 350 6 35 15
3493 632 351 7 36 16
3494 631 352 8 37 17 2 Chron. 34:3 Josiah in his 8th year began to seek after the God of his father David.
3495 630 353 9 38 18
3496 629 354 10 39 19
3497 628 355 11 40 20
3498 627 356 12 41 21 2 Chron. 34:3 Josiah's Destructive Religious Reformation
BIBLE DATES (A.H.). PTOLEMAIC DATES (B.C.). DISRUPTION. JUDAH. ASSYRIA BABYLON Jeremiah's Prophecies HISTORICAL DATA, TESTIMONY, EVIDENCE OR PROOF.
3499 626 357 Josiah 13 Ashur-bani-pal (Son of Esar-haddon) 42 Kandalanu = Isiniladanus = Ashur-ban-ipal 22 1 Jer. 25:3 Jeremiah began to prophecy (23 years).
3500 625 358 14 FALL OF NINEVEH. END OF ASSYRIAN EMPIRE. Nabopolassar 1 2
BIBLE DATES (A.H.) PTOLEMAIC DATES (B.C.) DISRPT. JUDAH BABYLON Jeremiah's Prophecies Era of Ezekiel 1:1 Daniel's Captivity Jehoiachin's Captivity Zedekiah's Captivity 1 Zedekiah's Captivity 2 Zedekiah's Captivity 3 HISTORICAL DATA, TESTIMONY, EVIDENCE OR PROOF.
Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego carried away to Babylon Jehoiachin, Ezekiel, and Mordecai carried away to BABYLON.Era by which Ezekiel dates his prophecies. Epoch boiling CAULDRON 70 years INDIGNATION 10/10/9 Jehoiachin's captivity, 10/10/8 Zedekiah Epoch City besieged 10/10/9 ZEDEKIAH commemorated by fast of tenth month Epoch city smitten 9/4/11 ZEDEKIAH Epoch Temple Burnt 7/5/11 Zedekiah. Epoch Gedaliah slain -/7/11 Zedekiah. Fasts of fourth and seventh months.
3501 624 359 Josiah 15 Nebopolassar 2 3
3502 623 360 16 3 4
3503 622 361 17 4 5 1
3504 621 362 18 5 6 2 2 K. 22:3-8; 23:22-23; 2 Chron. 34:8.15; 35:1,18,19.Josiah's Great Passover and Religious Revival after finding the Book of the Law.
3505 620 363 19 In Assyria Ashur-Etil-ilani, about B.C.625 and Sin-Shar-ish-kun, about B.C. 615. 6 7 3
3506 619 364 20 7 8 4
3507 618 365 21 8 9 5
3508 617 366 22 9 10 6
3509 616 367 23 10 11 7
3510 615 368 24 11 12 8
3511 614 369 25 12 13 9
3512 613 370 26 13 14 10
3513 612 371 27 14 15 11
3514 611 372 28 15 16 12
3515 610 373 29 16 17 13
3516 609 374 30 17 18 14
3517 608 375 | Jehoahaz | Jehoiakim 31| 3 months | accession 18 19 15 2 K. 23:30,31 Jehoahaz made King by the people, reigned 3 months.2 K. 23:34,36 Jehoiakim made King by Pharaoh-nechoh, reigned 11 years.
3520 Dan. 1:1 In 3rd Jehoiakim, Nebuchadnezzar came to Jerusalem, besieged and took it, and carried away to Babylon vessels, Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego.
3518 607 376 Jehoiakim 1 19 20 16
3519 606 377 2 20 21 17
3520 605 378 3$ Nebopolassar & Nebuchadnezzar Co-Rex 21 & 1 22 18 1$
3521 604 379 4$ Nebuchadnezzar Sole King 1$ 23$ 19 2 Jer. 25:1-3 4th Jehoiakim = 1st Nebuchadnezzar = 23 years from 13th Josiah when Jeremiah began to prophesy.Jer. 25:8-26 All the kingdoms of the world to serve King of Babylon 70 years.Jer. 27:6,7 All nations to serve Nebuchadnezzar, his son, and his son's son.Jer. 36:1-2In 4th year of Jehoiakim, Jeremiah charged to write all his prophecies to this day.Jer 45:1-5 In 4th year of Jehoiakim, Jeremiah to Baruch: "I will bring evil on all flesh, but will spare thy life."Jer 46:2 In 4th year of Jehoiakim, Nebuchadnezzar smote Pharaoh-nechoh by the river Euphrates in Carchemish.
3522 603 380 5$ 2$ 24 20 3 Dan. 2:1-45 In 2nd year of Nebuchadnezzar, Daniel interpreted Nebuchadnezzar's dream of the Great Image.2 K. 24:1 Jehoiakim served Nebuchadnezzar 3 years.Then he turned and rebelled against him.Jer.36:9 In -/9/5 Jehoiakim, they proclaimed a Fast in the 9th month.Jer. 36:22-23 In -/9/5 Jehoiakim, Jehoiakim cut the roll with a penknife and cast it into the fire.
3523 602 381 6 3 25 21 4
3524 601 382 7 4 26 22 5
3525 600 383 8 5 27 23 6
3526 599 384 9 6 28 24 7
3527 598 385 10 7$ 29 25 8 Jer. 52:28 In 7th year of Nebuchadnezzar he took 3,023 Jews.
3528 597 386 | Jehoiachin | Zedekiah 11 | 3 months | accession 8$ 30 26 9 1$ 2 K. 24:12-16 In 8th year of Nebuchadnezzar he took Jehoiachin and carried away vessels, princes, and 10,000 captives, even 7,000 men of might, 1,000 craftsman and smiths, and the King's mother, wives and officers.2 Chron. 36:10 When the year was expired Nebuchadnezzar brought Jehoiachin to Babylon.Esther 2:5-6 Mordecai was carried away with Jehoiachin by Nebuchadnezzar.Ezek. 1:2; 40:1 Ezekiel was carried away with Jehoiachin by Nebuchadnezzar.
3529 596 387 Zedekiah 1 9 31 27 10 2
3530 595 388 2 10 32 28 11 3
3531 594 389 3 11 33 29 12 4
3532 593 390 (The 390 years of Ezekiel 4:5-6) 4 12 34 30$ 13 5$ Ezek. 1:1 In 5/4/5 Jehoiachin's captivity = 5/4/30 of Era of Ezek. 1:1, Ezekiel began to prophesy.Ezek. 4:5-6 Here ends the 390 years of the Disruption = 390 years of Ezek. 4:5-6.Jer. 28:3 In -/5/4 Zedekiah false prophecy of Hananiah - Within 2 years will I bring again captives in Babylon.
3533 592 5 13 35 14 6$ Ezek. 8:1 In 5/6/6 Jehoiachin's captivity, Ezekiel's vision of the departure of the Glory of God.
3534 591 6 14 36 15 7$ Ezek. 20:1 In 10/5/7 Jehoiachin's captivity, cessation of prophecy.No answer from God.
3535 590 7 15 37 16 8
3536 589 8 16 38 17 9$ 1$ Ezek. 24:1.27 On 10/10/9 Jehoiachin's captivity = 10/10/8 Zedekiah = Epoch of boiling cauldron.Beginning of 70 years' Indignation.
3537 588 9$ 17 39 18 10$ 2 1$ 2 K. 25:1; Jer 39:1; 52:4 On 10/10/9 Zedekiah, Nebuchadnezzar pitched against Jerusalem and besieged it.Ezek. 29:1 On 12/10/10 Jehoiachin's captivity, Ezekiel prophesied Egypt to be desolate 40 years.
3538 587 10$ (End of the Kings of Judah) 18$ 40 (end of the 40 years of Ezekiel 4:5-6) 19 11$ 3 2 Jer. 32:1-12 In 10th Zedekiah = 18th Nebuchadnezzar, Jeremiah bought his Uncle Hananeel's field while Nebuchadnezzar was besieging Jerusalem - Zedekiah having shut Jeremiah up in prison.Jer. 52:29 In 18th Nebuchadnezzar he took 832 souls.Ezek. 4:5,6 Here ends the 40 years of Jeremiah's prophecies to Jerusalem, the 40 years of Ezek. 4:5,6.Ezek. 26:1 On 1/-/11 Jehoiachin's captivity, Ezekiel prophesied against Tyre, which said: "Aha, Jerusalem is broken."Ezek. 30:20 On 7/1/11 Jehoiachin's captivity, Ezekiel prophesied: "I have broken Pharaoh, and will scatter Egypt."Ezek. 31:1 On 1/3/11 Jehoiachin's captivity, Ezekiel prophesied: "Egypt shall fall like Assyria, the Cedar of Lebanon."
3539 586 19$ 20 12$ 4 3 1$ 2 K. 25:1-4; Jer. 39:2; 52:4-7 On 9/4/11 Zedekiah, famine prevailed.City broken up.2 K. 25:8; Jer. 52:12 On 7/5/11 and on 10/5/11 = Zedekiah 19th Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuzar-adan burnt Temple and broke down walls.2 K. 25:18-21 After 7/5/11 Zedekiah = 19th Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar slew Seraiah, father of Jehozadak (1 Chron. 6:1-15) and of Ezra (Ez. 7:1-5). Jer 1:3 In -/5/11 Zedekiah, Jerusalem carried away captive.Jer. 41:1-2In -/7/11 Zedekiah, Ishmael slew Gedaliah.Ezek. 33:21On 5/10/12 Jehoiachin's captivity, "ONE THAT HAD ESCAPED out of Jerusalem came unto me saying: THE CITY IS SMITTEN."Ezek 32:1 On 1/12/12 Jehoiachin's captivity, Ezekiel's lamentation for Pharaoh: "I will make Egypt desolate."Ezek 32:17-32On 15/-/12 Jehoiachin's captivity, Ezekiel's wail for Egypt: "All of them slain, fallen by the sword."
3540 585 20 21 13 5 4 2
3541 584 21 22 14 6 5 3
3542 583 22 23 15 7 6 4
3543 582 23$ 24 16 8 7 5 Jer. 52:30 In 23rd year of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuzar-adan took 745 souls.
3544 581 24 25 17 9 8 6
3545 580 25 26 18 10 9 7
3546 579 26 27 19 11 10 8
3547 578 27 28 20 12 11 9
3548 577 28 29 21 13 12 10
3549 576 29 30 22 14 13 11
3550 575 30 31 23 15 14 12
BIBLE DATES (A.H.). PTOLEMAIC DATES. (B.C.) MEDES & PERSIANS DANIEL'S CAPTIVITY. JEHOIACHIN'S CAPTIVITY. ZEDEKIAH'S CAPTIVITY INDIGNATION ZEDEKIAH'S CAPTIVITY SIEGE ZEDEKIAH'S CAPTIVITY FALL
3587 538 Darius the Mede & Cyrus (Co-Rex) 1 68 60 52 51 49 Dan 5:30-31 Belshazzar slain.Darius the Mede took the kingdom.Babylon taken by Cyrus.Dan 9:1 In 1st year of Darius, son of Ahasuerus, of the seed of the Medes, Daniel's vision of the SEVENTY-SEVENS.
3588 537 2 69 61 53 52 50
BIBLE DATES (A.H.). PTOLEMAIC DATES. (B.C.) JUDAH GOVERNORS. JUDAH HIGH PRIESTS PERSIA DANIEL'S CAPTIVITY. JEHOIACHIN'S CAPTIVITY. ZEDEKIAH'S CAPTIVITY INDIGNATION ZEDEKIAH'S CAPTIVITY SIEGE ZEDEKIAH'S CAPTIVITY FALL
3589 536 Zerubbabel 1 Joshua 1+ Cyrus (Sole King) 1$ 70 | SEVEN SEVENS 1 62 54 53 51 Ezra 1:1-3 In 1st year of Cyrus, Cyrus' proclamation = Go up and build the house.Ezra 1:7-11 Vessels numbered to Sheshbazzar.Ezra 5:13-15 In 1st year of Cyrus, Cyrus' decree to build the house - vessels numbered to Sheshbazzar whom he made Pekah. Ez. 5:16 "Then came Sheshbazzar and laid the foundation of the house of God."Ezra 2:1-70 Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah (Azariah), Mordecai, etc., with chief of Fathers, Priests, and Levites, and 42,360 exiles returned from Babylon, eachto his own city (Neh. 7:6-73).Ezra 3:1-6 From 1/7/1 Cyrus, people gathered together to Jerusalem.Zerubbabel and Jeshua built the altar, and offered burnt offerings, BUT THE FOUNDATION OF THE HOUSE WAS NOT YET LAID.Ezra 3:7 Materials prepared for building the Temple, according to the grant of Cyrus.
3590 535 2 2+ 2$ 2 63 55 54 52 Ezra 3:8-91 In -/2/2 Cyrus, Zerubbabel and Jeshua began to set forward the work of the house of the Lord.Ezra 4:4-5 Samaritans troubled them and hindered the work all the days of Cyrus, even until the reign of Darius, King of Persia (Darius Hystaspes).
3591 534 3 3+ 3$ 3 64 56 55 53 Dan. 10:1 In 3rd Cyrus, Daniel after 3 weeks' mourning (perhaps on account of Samaritan opposition to the building of the Temple) had the vision of the man in white, and received a Revelation - "The Scripture of Truth."Dan. 11:2 There shall yet stand up 3 Kings in Persia after the present King: (1) Cyrus, viz. (2) Ahasuerus (Cambyses), (3) Darius Hystaspes, (4) Xerxes, and the fourth (Xerxes) shall be far richer than they all.
3592 533 4 4+ 4 4 65 57 56 54
3593 532 5 5+ 5 5 66 58 57 55
3594 531 6 6+ 6 6 67 59 58 56
3595 530 7 7+ 7 7 68 60 59 57
3596 529 8 8+ Ahasuerus (Cambyses) 1 8 69 61 60 58 Ezra 4:6 In the reign of Ahasuerus (Cambyses) the Samaritans wrote an accusation against the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
3597 528 9 9+ 2 9 70 62 61 59
3598 527 10 10+ 3 10 63 62 60
3599 526 11 11+ 4 11 64 63 61
3600 525 12 12+ 5 12 65 64 62
BIBLE DATES (A.H.). PTOLEMAIC DATES. (B.C.) JUDAH GOVERNORS. JUDAH HIGH PRIESTS. PERSIA SEVEN SEVENS. ZEDEKIAH'S CAPTIVITY INDIGNATION ZEDEKIAH'S CAPTIVITY SIEGE ZEDEKIAH'S CAPTIVITY FALL PTOLEMY'S CANNON YEAR BEGINNING (B.C.)
3601 524 Zerubbabel 13 Joshua 13+ Ahasuerus (Cambyses) 6 13 66 65 63 Jan. 1 524
3602 523 14 14+ 7 14 67 66 64 Jan. 1 523
3603 522 15 15+ | Artaxerxes =Pseudo-Smerdis and Patizithes (The Magi) 8 | 7 months 15 68 67 65 Jan. 1 522 Days of Artaxerxes.Ezra 4:7 In the days of Artaxerxes, wrote Bishlam, Mithredath and Tabeel to Artaxerxes. Ezra 4:8-13 Rehum and Shimshai wrote against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes.(N.B. - Ez. 4:13.22 Kings, not King).Ezra 4:17-22 The King's reply, "Cause these men to cease.... Why should damage grow to the King?" Ezra 4:23-24 Rehum, Shimshai and companions made them cease by force till the 2nd year of Darius.
3604 521 16 16+ Darius = Darius I, Darius Hystapes = Darius the Great = Artaxerxes, Ezra 7:1-21 = Artaxerxes, Neh. 2:1; 5:14; 13:6 = Ahasuerus (Esther) 1 16 69 68 66 Jan 1 521 | Dec. 31 520
3605 520 17 17+ 2$ 17 70 69 67 Dec. 31 519 2nd year of Darius.Zech. 1:7-12 On 24/11/2 Darius. Angel to Jehovah: "How long wilt thou not have mercy on Jerusalem and Judah, against which Thou hast had INDIGNATION THESE SEVENTY YEARS?Zech. 1:16 The Lord said: "I am returned to Jerusalem with mercies.My House shalt be built in it."Hag. 1:1-14; 2:21 In 2nd year of Darius, Zerubbabel was Pekah (Governor) in Judah.Ezra 5:1; Hag. 1:1-4 In 1/6/2 Darius, Haggai prophesied.People in ceiled houses. This House lay waste.Ezra 5:2; Hag. 1:15 In 24/6/2 Darius, Zerubbabel and Joshua bestirred themselves and did work in the House of the Lord.Hag. 2:1-9 In 21/7/2 Darius, Haggai asks "Who saw this House in her first glory?.... - The glory of this latter House shall be greater."Zech. 1:1 In -/8/2 Darius, Zechariah prophesied."Be not as your fathers."Hag. 2:10,18,20 On 24/9/2 Darius, FOUNDATION OF TEMPLE LAID.Ezra 3:10-13 WHEN FOUNDATION WAS LAID (not in 2nd Cyrus, but in 2nd Darius) people sang and wept.Zech. 4:6-10 Hands of Zerubbabel laid foundations.Hands of Zerubbabel shall finish it.Ezra 5:3 Tatnai, Pekah of West Euphrates and Shethar-boznai ask, "Who hath commanded you to build?"Ezra 5:5 Eye of God on Elders.They could not cause them to cease till the matter came to Darius (cp. Zech. 3:9; 4:10).Ezra 5:6 Tatnai and Shethar-boznai's letter to Darius.Ezra 6:1-12 Darius' reply."Let the work of this House alone, and let the Pekah of the Jews build" it.
3606 519 3$ 18 70 68 Dec. 31 518 3rd year of Darius.Est. 1:1-5 In 3rd Ahasuerus (=Darius), feast to princes, etc. (6 months), and to Shushan (7 days).Vashti deposed.
3607 518 4$ 19 69 Dec. 31 517 4th year of Darius.Zech. 7:1-5 On 4/9/4 Darius, Zechariah to Sharezer and Regem-melech."When ye.... mourned, in the 5th and 7th month, THESE SEVENTY YEARS."Zech. 8:19 Fast of 4th (9/4/11, City broken up), 5th (7/5/11, House burnt), 7th (-/7/11, Gedaliah slain) and 10th months (10/10/9, Nebuchadnezzar's siege).
3608 517 5$ 20 70 Dec. 30 516 5th year of Darius.Robinson Soutar: Short History of Ancient Peoples, pp. 160/161."During first five years of his reign, Darius reconquered all revolted provinces of Persian Empire (Elam, Babylonia, Media, Parthia, Armenia, etc.), and overthrew the 8 pretenders to his throne, including Pseudo-Smerdis."He thus became Arta-Xerxes (Great Shah), King of Assyria (Ezra 6:22), Kings of Kings (Ezra 7:12) and Master of the entire World-Empire of Persia.He executed the BEHISTUN INSCRIPTION. in which he gives his lineage and conquests, in the 5th year of his reign.
3609 516 6$ 21 Dec. 30 515 6th year of Darius.Ezra 6:15 On 3/12/6 Darius, the House was finished.Est. 2:8-12 In 6th year of Ahasuerus (= Darius), Esther was brought to Shushan to custody of Hegai.
3610 515 Joiakim (according to Josephus) 7$ 22 Dec. 30 514 7th year of Darius.Est. 2:16-18 On -/10/7 Ahasuerus (=Darius), Esther taken to Royal Apartments.Esther's feast. Ezra 7:9 On 1/1/7 Artaxerxes (= Darius), Ezra left Babylon with vessels and a second band of 1,754 exiles. Ezra 8:15-21 On 9 to 11/1/7 Artaxerxes, Ezra mustered his company and kept the Fast at the River Ahava.Ezra 8:31 On 12/1/7 Artaxerxes, Ezra left Ahava.Ezra6:19-22 In 14 to 21/1/7 Artaxerxes, the children of the captivity kept the Passover and the feast of Unleavened Bread at Jerusalem. Ezra 7:8-9 On 1/5/7 Artaxerxes, Ezra arrived at Jerusalem and abode there 3 days.Ezra 8:33 On 4/5/7 Artaxerxes, vessels weighed.Ezra grieved at heathen marriages.Ezra 9:9 Ezra thanked God for House set up, desolations repaired and wall given in Judah and Jerusalem.Ezra 10:9 On 20/9/- Artaxerxes, all Judah and Jerusalem gathered together at Jerusalem.Ezra 10:16 On 1/10/- Artaxerxes, Assize re heathen marriages commenced.Ezra 10:17 On 1/1/- Artaxerxes, Assize re heathen marriages concluded.
3611 514 8 23 Dec. 30 513
3612 513 9 24 Dec. 29 512
3613 512 10 25 Dec. 29 511
3614 511 11 26 Dec. 29 510
3615 510 12$ 27 Dec. 29 509 12th year of Darius.Est. 3:7 On -/1/12 Ahasuerus (= Darius), Haman cast lots to find a lucky day for his pogram or massacre of the Jews.Est. 3:12 On 13/1/- Ahasuerus, posts went out, hastened by King's commandment, for Haman's pogram.Est. 5:1-8 On 15/1/- Ahasuerus, Esther touches golden sceptre.Est. 6:1-14 At night the King could not sleep.Est. 5:8; 7:2-10 On 16/1/- Ahasuerus, Esther's banquet.Haman hanged.Mordecai made Premier.Est. 8:9-14 On 23/3/- Ahasuerus, Scribes called.Letter sent by horse, mule, and dromedary to counter the pogram.Est. 9:1-6.16 On 13/12/- Ahasuerus, pogram or massacre day.Jews slew 500 in Shushan and 75,000 in provinces.Est. 9:17-27 On 14/12/- Ahasuerus, Jews slew 300 in Shushan.Jews in Provinces rested.14th Adar = Purim.Est. 9:18-27 On 15/12/- Ahasuerus, Jews in Shushan rested.15th Adar = 2nd day of Purim.
3616 509 13 28 Dec. 28 508
3617 508 14 29 Dec. 28 507
3618 507 15 30 Dec. 28 506
3619 506 16 31 Dec. 28 505
3620 505 17 32 Dec. 27 504
3621 504 18 33 Dec. 27 503
3622 503 19 34 Dec. 27 502
3623 502 Nehemiah 1 Joiakim and Eliashib 1+ 20$ 35 Dec. 27 501 20th year of Darius.Neh. 1:1 In -/9/20 Artaxerxes (= Darius), Hanani reports wall of Jerusalem broken down, gates burnt with fire.Neh. 2:1-6 In -/1/20 Artaxerxes, Artaxerxes sends Nehemiah to build up wall of Jerusalem.Neh. 5:14 Nehemiah appointed Pekah of Judah from 20th to 32nd Artaxerxes (12 years).Neh. 6:11 Nehemiah would not go into the Temple to save his life.So the Temple wall now already built.Neh. 6:15 Wall finished 25/6/20 Artaxerxes, in 52 days.Therefore begun 3/5/20 Artaxerxes.Neh. 7:4 City broad on both sides and great.People few.Houses not builded, that is the genealogies of the various houses were not yet completed.Hence the Genealogical Register, Neh. 7:5-73.Neh. 8:2 On 1/7/20 Artaxerxes, Ezra reads the law from a pulpit of wood, erected for this purpose.Neh. 8:9 Nehemiah the Tirshatha and Ezra tell the people not to weep, but to rejoice.Neh. 8:13-17 In 2/7/20 Artaxerxes, they read in the law about dwelling in booths during feast of Tabernacles.So from 14/7/20 to 20/7/20 they observed the feast of Tabernacles and dwelt in booths. Neh. 8:18 On 21/7/20 Artaxerxes, a day of solemn assembly.Neh. 9:1-2 On 24/7/20 Artaxerxes, the seed of Israel separated themselves from strangers.Neh. 9:38-10:39 Covenant made.Names of those that sealed.Terms of the Covenant.Neh. 12:1-9 Lists of Priests and Levites who went up with Zerubbabel = same as those who sealed with Nehemiah (Neh. 10:2-8).Neh. 12:10-11 Succession of High Priests, Joshua - Jehoiakim - Eliashib - Joiada- Jonathan (or Johanan) - Jaddua.Neh. 12:12-21 Priests who were chief of fathers in days of Joiakim = sons of those of days of Joshua (cp. Neh. 10:2-8 and 12:1-9).Neh. 12:22 Note on Levites in days of Eliashib, Joiada, Johanan and Jaddua = 4 generations from Joshua to Darius the Persian, who was slain by Alexander the Great, and to Jaddua who met Alexander the Great.
3624 501 2 2+ 21 36 Dec. 26 500
3625 500 3 3+ 22 37 Dec. 26 499
3626 499 4 4+ 23 38 Dec. 26 498
3627 498 5 5+ 24 39 Dec. 26 497
3628 497 6 6+ 25 40 Dec. 25 496
3629 496 7 7+ 26 41 Dec. 25 495
3630 495 8 8+ 27 42 Dec. 25 494
3631 494 9 9+ 28 43 Dec. 25 493
3632 493 10 10+ 29 44 Dec. 24 492
3633 492 11 11+ 30 45 Dec. 24 491
3634 491 12 12+ 31 46 Dec. 24 490
3635 490 Nehemiah goes to Babylon 13+ 32$ 47 Battle of Marathon Dec. 24 489 32nd year of Darius.Neh. 13:6 In -/-/32 Artaxerxes (= Darius), Nehemiah returned to Babylon after spending 12 years as Pekah at Jerusalem.Here follows an interval of "certain days" probably 1 year.Cp. Gen. 4:3; 27:44; 29:20, 1 Sam 2:19; 27:7, 2 Sam. 14:26, 1 K. 17:1.Hebrew yamim days = 1 year. During this interval of one year, and in the absence of Nehemiah:- | (1) Eliashib [who "before this" (Neh. 13:4), i.e. before the Revival of Religion during Nehemiah's 12 years residence in Jerusalem, was allied to Tobiah (Neh. 13:4, 6:17-18), and who, during the Revival of Religion under Nehemiah, had been appointed to the oversight of the Temple Chambers (Neh. 12:44), where "aforetime" (viz. during the Revival of Religion, during Nehemiah's 12 years' residence in Jerusalem), they kept the consecrated offerings (Neh. 12:44)] desecrates the Temple by preparing for Tobiah a great chamber in the Courts of the Temple (Neh. 13:5). | (2) Tithes cease to be paid (Neh. 13:10). | (3) The House of God is forsaken (Neh. 13:11). | (4) The Sabbath is profaned (Neh. 13:15-16). | (5) Heathen marriages are contracted (Neh. 13:23). | (6) The Jewish language is corrupted by the offspring arising therefrom (Neh. 13:24). | (7) A son of Joiada, the son of the High Priest Eliashib, married a daughter of Sanballat (Neh. 13:28) - [Josephus says a grandson of Joiada named Manasseh married a daughter of Sanballat called Nicaso (Antiq. xi. 7.2)]. |At the end of this interval of "certain days," probably one year:- | (1) Nehemiah obtains leave of the King and comes to Jerusalem (Neh. 13:6-7). | (2) He deals summarily with Tobiah, putting his furniture into the street (Neh. 13:7-9). | (3) He restores the Temple services (Neh. 13:11), cp. Mal. 1:7-14. | (4) He restores the payment of tithes (Neh. 13:12-14), cp. Mal. 3:8. | (5) He restores the observance of the Sabbath (Neh. 13:17-22). | (6) He stops heathen marriages (Neh. 13:25-27), cp. Mal. 2:11-16. | (7) He chases the son of Joiada (Neh. 13:28). | (8) He cleanses the Priesthood (Neh. 13:29), cp. Mal. 2:1-8. | (9) He restores the Covenant of the Priests and Levites (Neh. 13:29). | (10) He appoints the wards of the Priests and Levites everyone in his business and for the offerings (Neh. 13:30-31).
3636 489 Nehemiah in Babylon 14+ 33 48 Dec. 23 488
3637 488 Nehemiah returns to Jerusalem 15+ 34 49$ The Prophet Malachi Dec. 23 487
END OF THE OLD TESTAMENT RECORDS.
TABLE III.
PTOLEMAIC DATES, OR THE RECEIVED CHRONOLOGY OF THE HISTORY OF THE JEWS UNDER PERSIA, GREECE AND ROME.
From the Close of the Old Testament Records at the end of the 34th year of Darius Hystaspes, to the date of the Crucifixion of our Lord on Friday, April 7th, A.D. 30.
ACCORDING TO H. FYNES CLINTON AND MODERN CHRONOLOGERS GENERALLY.
--------------------
BIBLE DATES.
ACCORDING TO DANIEL.
AN. HOM.
3589 = 1st Cyrus' sole Kingship (See Chronological Tables, AN. HOM. 3589).
482. Add 482 years to Crucifixion.
From 1st Cyrus to cutting off of the Messiah = 483 years (Dan. 9:25).
7 x 7 =49
62 x 7 = 434
Sum= 483
1 Deduct 1 for inclusive reckoning.
4071Messiah cut off = Crucifixion of Christ.
Deduct 33 years to date of actual birth of Christ.
Jesus was about 30 years old when he began his ministry (Luke 3:23).
His ministry lasted about 3 years.
1st Passover at which He began His ministry John 2:23.
2nd Passover John 5:1.
3rd Passover John 6:4.
4t Passover , at which He was crucified John 12:1.
33.
4038. = date of actual birth of our Lord, Dec. 25, B.C. 5 (See Andrews' Life of our Lord).
4. Add 4 years to B.C. 1.
4042. = B.C. 1; and AN. HOM. 1 = B.C. 4042.
------------------
PTOLEMAIC DATES.
ACCORDING TO CLINTON.
AN.HOM.
3589. = 1st Cyrus' sole Kingship (See Chronological Tables. AN. HOM. 3589).
535. Add 535 years to B.C. 1.
4124 = B.C. 1; and AN. HOM. 1 = B.C. 4124.
Clinton's dates are based on Ptolemy's Canon.
Ptolemy's Canon is based on the conjectural Greek Chronology of Eratosthenes, the Father of Chronology.
The Chronology of Eratosthenes is based, not upon historical data, testimony, evidence or proof, but upon his subjective estimate of the probable length of the reigns, generations and successions of Kings, Ephors and Priestesses in early Greek history.
In any case it is only an approximate and an uncertain estimate.According to the prophecy of Daniel it is 82 years longer than the Truth.
-------------------
According to Ptolemy, AN. HOM. 1 = B.C. 4124.
According to Daniel,AN. HOM. 1 = B.C. 4042.
A difference of 82 years.
-------------------
The present year of the world, A.D. 1913, is:
According to Ptolemy, 4124 + 1013 = 6037.
According to Daniel,4042 + 1913 = 5955.
--------------------
PTOLEMAIC DATES. (A. H.) CLINTON'S DATES (B.C.) JUDEA HIGH PRIESTS PERSIA. EVENTS AS ARRANGED AND DATED BY CLINTON AND MODERN CHRONOLOGERS GENERALLY.
DATES. DATES. 212021 PRiESTS.
3638 487 Joshua 50 Darius Hystaspes 35
3639 486 51 36 Ctesias gives Darius Hystaspes 31 years.Herodotus and Ptolemy's Canon, 36 years.
3640 485 52 Xerxes 1 Accession of Xerxes (Herodotus). Reckoned from Dec. 23, 486, in Ptolemy's Canon.
3641 484 53 2 Egypt recovered (Herodotus).Birth of Herodotus (Suidas).
3642 483 Joiakim 1 3 Joiakim, High Priest; 453 (Prideaux), 480 (Blair).
3643 482 2 4
3644 481 3 5
3645 480 4 6 Battles of Thermopylae and Salamis (Herodotus) Birth of Euripides (Laertius, Plutarch and Eratosthenes, but the Parian marble says 485)
3646 479 5 7 Battles of Platea and Mycale (Herodotus).
3647 478 6 8 History of Herodotus terminates at siege of Lesbos this year (Diodorus). Xenophanes (b 619 - Laerius and Apollodorus) still living, age 141 (Timaeus, Plutarch and Athenaeus).
3648 477 7 9
3649 476 8 10
3650 475 9 11 Cimon took Scyros (Plutarch).Bentley alters the date to 469, as otherwise it would be 7 years before the oracle would be obeyed.
3651 474 10 12
3652 473 11 13
3653 472 12 14 Pythagorus fl. 539-472=62 years, and died this year, aged 99.(Aristogenus and Jamblichus).
3654 471 13 15 Flight of Themistocles to court of Artaxerxes Longimanus, King of Persia (Thucydides).But according to Ptolemy's Canon, Artaxerxes Longimanus not King till 7 years later (Charon of Lampsacus).
3655 470 14 16
3656 469 15 17
3657 468 16 18
3658 467 17 19
3659 466 18 20
3660 465 19 | Artabanus 21 | 7 months Xerxes assassinated by Artabanus, who reigned 7 months (Ctesius, Diodorus).
3661 464 20 Artaxerxes I Longimanus 1 Artabanus assassinated by Artaxerxes Longimanus (Prideaux). Accession of Artaxerxes Longimanus (Diodorus).Reckoned from Dec. 17, 465, in Ptolemy's Canon. Charon of Lampsacus still wrote history.He was born 554 (Suidas).Creuzer rejects the date of his birth, because it would make him now 90 years old.Ctesias gives Artaxerxes Longimanus 42 years.
3662 463 21 2
3663 462 22 3
3664 461 23 4
3665 460 24 5
3666 459 25 6
3667 458 26 7
3668 457 27 8
3669 456 28 9 Herodotus now 28, recited his history.Thucydides, now 15, moved to tears by it.Death of AEschylus, age 69.But the author of the life of AEschylus says he was born 610, which would make him now 154.
3670 455 29 10
3671 454 30 11 Plato, the Comic Poet, exhibited his Plays (Eusebius), also 63 years later in 391 (Scholiast apud Plutarch).
3672 453 Eliashib 1 12 Eliashib 433 (Prideaux), 444 (Blair).
3673 452 2 13
3674 451 3 14
3675 450 4 15
3676 449 5 16
3677 448 6 17
3678 447 7 18
3679 446 8 19
3680 445 9 20
3681 444 10 21
3682 443 11 22
3683 442 12 23
3684 441 13 24
3685 440 14 25
3686 439 15 26 Pindar completed his 80th years (Scholiast apud Thomas Magister. But Thomas Magister himself makes him 66, and Suidas 65.
3687 438 16 27
3688 437 17 28
3689 436 18 29 Birth of Isocrates.He died 388, age 99 (Corsini).
3690 435 19 30 Parmenides fl. (Eusebius).Also in 503 = 68 years before (Laertius).
3691 434 20 31
3692 433 21 32
3693 432 22 33
3694 431 23 34 Beginning of Peloponnesian War.
3695 430 24 35
3696 429 25 36 Birth of Plato (Plutarch).Born a year later, and died 347, age 81 (Laertius).
3697 428 26 37
3698 427 27 38 Gorgias born 479, fl 459 (Suidas).Now ambassador to Athens (Diodorus). Still living 380 (Pausanias), hence fl. 79 years.
3699 426 28 39
3700 425 29 40
3701 424 30 Artaxerxes Longimanus | Xerxes II 41 | 2 months. Artaxerxes Longimanus reigned 40 years (Thucydides Diodorus).Ptolemy's Canon omits Xerxes II and Sogdianus and gives Artaxerxes Longimanus 41 years.Xerxes II, son of Artaxerxes Longimanus, slain by Sogimanus. Sogimanus by Ochus.
3702 423 31 Sogdianus | Darius II, Nothus 7 months | 1 Accession of Ochus, who took the name Darius II, Nothus.Reckoned from Dec. 7, 424, in Ptolemy's Canon.He reigned 19 years (Manetho, Diodorus).
3703 422 32 2 Death of Cratinus, age 97 (Lucian).
3704 421 33 3
3705 420 34 4
3706 419 35 5
3707 418 36 6
3708 417 37 7
3709 416 38 8
3710 415 39 9
3711 414 40 10
3712 413 Joiada 1 11 Joiada High Priest, 413 (Prideaux), 410 (Blair).
3713 412 2 12
3714 411 3 13 Thucydides ends his history here abruptly.Theopompus and Xenophon continue it.
3715 410 4 14
3716 409 5 15
3717 408 6 16
3718 407 7 17 Antiphanes, Comic Poet, fl. 407 (Suidas).Still flourishing 71 years later (Athenaeus).
3719 406 8 18 Death of Euripides, age 75 (Apollodorus apud Diodorus).
3720 405 9 19 Death of Sophocles, age 93 (Lucian).
3721 404 10 Artaxerxes II, Mnemon 1 Accession of Artaxerxes II, Mnemon (Diodorus).Reckoned from Dec. 2, 405, in Ptolemy's Canon. He reigned 40 years (Eusebius, Alexandrine Chronicle), 42 years (Clement of Alexandria), 43 years (Diodorus), 46 years (Ptolemy's Canon), 62 years (Plutarch).He began to reign 395 Cuneiform Tablets, which according to Sayce, gives Darius II, Nothus, 29 years.
3722 403 11 2
3723 402 12 3
3724 401 13 4 Expedition of Cyrus the Younger.The Anabasis of Xenophon.
3725 400 14 5
3726 399 15 6 Death of Socrates (Diodorus), age 70 (Apollodorus and Plato).
3727 398 16 7 Ctesias brought his Persian History down to this year.
3728 397 17 8
3729 396 18 9
3730 395 19 10
3731 394 20 11
3732 393 21 12
3733 392 22 13
3734 391 23 14
3735 390 24 15
3736 389 25 16
3737 388 26 17
3738 387 27 18 Aristophanes wrote Comedy from this date to his death, 338, a period of 53 years.
3739 386 28 19
3740 385 29 20
3741 384 30 21 Ctesias remained at the Persian Court, 401-384, a period of 17 years (Diodorus).
3742 383 31 22
3743 382 32 23 Birth of Demosthenes (Gellius, Plutarch and Libanus).Born a year later (Dionysius of Hallicarnassus)
3744 381 33 24
3745 380 34 25
3746 379 35 26
3747 378 36 27
3748 377 37 28
3749 376 38 29
3750 375 39 30
3751 374 40 31
3752 373 Johanan 1 32 Jonathan or Johanan High Priest, 373 (Prideaux), 374 (Blair).
3753 372 9 33
3754 371 3 34
3755 370 4 35
3756 369 5 36
3757 368 6 37
3758 367 7 38
3759 366 8 39 Johanan kills his brother Jeshua in the Temple (Prideaux).
3760 365 9 40
3761 364 10 41
3762 363 11 42
3763 362 12 43
3764 361 13 44
3765 360 14 45
3766 359 15 46 Death of Xenophon (Stesiclides apud Laertius), age 90 (Lucian).
3767 358 16 Artaxerxes III, Ochus 1 Accession of Artaxerxes III, Ochus.Reckoned from Nov. 21, 359, in Ptolemy's Canon.He began to reign 361 (Diodorus).He reigned 21 years (Ptolemy's Canon), 23 years (Diodorus).
3768 357 17 2 Death of Democritus, age 104 (Lucian), 109 (Laertius).Death of Hippocrates, age 104 or 109 (Suidas).Death of Timotheus the poet, age 97 (Suidas).
3769 356 18 3 Birth of Alexander the Great.Death of Alexander of Pherae (Diodorus).Yet Xenophon, who died 3 years before, mentions the death of Alexander of Pherae.
3770 355 19 4
3771 354 20 5
3772 353 21 6
3773 352 22 7
3774 351 23 8
3775 350 24 9 Egypt recovered 350 (Diodorus), 340 (Manetho).In either case, after 65 years of independence, 414-350(Eusebius), 404-339 (Syncellus).
3776 349 25 10
3777 348 26 11
3778 347 27 12 Death of Plato age 81.
3779 346 28 13
3780 345 29 14
3781 344 30 15
3782 343 31 16
3783 342 32 17 Isocrates began to compose Panathenaicon, age 94.
3784 341 Jaddua 1 18 Jaddua High Priest, 341 (Prideaux), 340 (Blair).
3785 340 2 19 Aristophon, Orator, fl. 403 = 63 years before this.Ambassador 411 = 71 years before this.Clinton says the consideration of dates proves that he was not the same man, and that the text of Demosthenes, which gives the facts, must be corrupt.
3786 339 3 20
3787 338 4 21 Death of Isocrates, age 98.Artaxerxes III poisoned by Bagoas, who made Arces King.
3788 337 5 Arces (Arogus) 1 Accession of Arces or Arogus.Reckoned in Ptolemy's Canon from Nov. 16, 338.
3789 336 6 2
3790 335 7 Darius III, Codomannus 1 Arces poisoned by Bagoas.Accession of Darius III, Codomannus, reckoned from Nov. 15, 336, in Ptolemy's Canon.Death of Philip.Accession of Alexander the Great.
3791 334 8 2 Battle of Granicus
3792 333 9 3 Battle of Issus
3793 332 10 4 Alexander the Great takes Tyre and Gaza, and Salutes Jaddua at Sapha, near, Jerusalem.
PTOLEMAIC DATES. (A. H.) CLINTON'S DATES (B.C.) JUDEA HIGH PRIESTS GREECE EVENTS AS ARRANGED AND DATED BY CLINTON AND MODERN CHRONOLOGERS GENERALLY.
3794 331 Jaddua 11 Alexander the Great (last 8 years) 1 Battle of Arbela. Accession of Alexander the Great, who had already reigned 4 years in Macedon.Reckoned from Nov. 14 332, in Ptolemy's Canon.
3795 330 12 2 Darius III, Codomannus, slain July 330, the year after the accession of Alexander the Great.
3796 329 13 3
3797 328 14 4
3798 327 15 5
3799 326 16 6
3800 325 17 7
3801 324 18 8
3802 323 19 Philip Aridaeus Nominal King, the Empire being divided among the Commanders of the Army 1 Death of Alexander the Great, May, 323 (Arrian, Diodorus Eratosthenes).Accession of his brother Philip. Reckoned from Nov. 12, 324, in Ptolemy's Canon.Death of Diogenes the Cynic, age 91) (Laertius).
3803 322 20 2
3804 321 Onias 1 3 Onias 321 (Prideaux) 323 (Blair) Death of Demosthenes age 60 (Plutarch). Death of Aristotle, age 62 (Apollodorus).
3805 320 2 4 Eumenes conquers and slays Craterus (Diodorus, Plutarch).Perdiccas slain by his own soldiers in Egypt (Diodorus, Plutarch).
3806 319 3 5
3807 318 4 6
3808 317 5 1 Phillip Aridaeus put to death by Olympias (Diodorus).Death of Phocion, age 85 (Diodorus, Plutarch).
3809 316 6 Alexander II,AEgus 1
3810 315 7 2 Cassander rebuilds Thebes (Diodorus), 10 years later (Polemo-apud Athenaeus). Seleucus, Ptolemy Cassander and Lysimachus confederate against Antigonus.
3811 314 8 3
3812 313 9 4
PTOLEMAIC DATES. (A. H.) CLINTON'S DATES (B.C.) JUDEA HIGH PRIESTS EGYPT SYRIA GREECE EVENTS AS ARRANGED AND DATED BY CLINTON AND MODERN CHRONOLOGERS GENERALLY.
3813 312 Onias 10 Seleucus Nicator 1 5 BEGINNING OF THE SELEUCID ERA = B.C. 312.Ptolemy and Seleucus defeated Demetrius, son of Antigonus, at Gaza (Diodorus, Plutarch).
3814 311 11 2 6
3815 310 12 3 7 Alexander AEgus and his mother Roxana slain by Cassander (Prideaux).But Ptolemy makes him reign 12 years.
3816 309 13 4 8
3817 308 14 5 9
3818 307 15 6 10
3819 306 16 7 11 Demetrius, son of Antigonus, takes Cyprus from Ptolemy (Diodorus). Whereupon Antigonus, Lysimachus, Seleucus and Ptolemy take the title of King (Diodorus). Alexis, comic poet, still living, though he flourished 50 or 60 years before (Athenaeus).
3820 305 17 8 12
3821 304 18 Ptolemy Lagus 1 9 Ptolemy assumed the title King. He had already governed Egypt 19 years, since the death of Alexander the Great.
3822 303 19 2 10
3823 302 20 3 11 Seleucus, Ptolemy, Cassander and Lysimachus again confederate against Antigonus.
3824 301 21 4 12 Antigonus slain at Ipsus, age 81 (Lucian).After this battle Ptolemy has Coele Syria and Palestine, and Seleucus Upper Asia, where he builds Antioch.
3825 300 Simon the Just 1 5 13 Simon the Just, High Priest, 300 (Prideaux), 302 (Blair).
3826 299 2 6 14 Zeno flourished and taught at Athens 58 years (Suidas).
3827 298 3 7 15
3828 297 4 8 16 Death of Cassander (Dexippus apud Syncellus). Demetrius Phalaerus withdraws to Egypt (Strabo).
3829 296 5 9 17 Demetrius made King of Macedon and reigned there 7 years (Plutarch).
3830 295 6 10 18
3831 294 7 11 19
3832 293 8 12 20
3833 292 9 13 21
3834 291 Eleazar 1 14 22 Eleazar High Priest, 291 (Prideaux), 283 (Blair).
3835 290 2 15 23
3836 289 3 16 24 Death of Agathocles, age 95 (Lucian).
3837 288 4 17 25
3838 287 5 18 26
3839 286 6 19 27
3840 285 7 20 28 Ptolemy Soter resigns his throne to his younger son Philadelphus (Lucian), whose 1styear is reckoned from Nov. 2. 285 (Ptolemy's Canon).
3841 284 8 Ptolemy Philadelphus 1 29 Watch Tower of Pharos finished.
3842 283 9 2 30 Demetrius surrenders to Seleucus and dies (Plutarch).Demetrius Phalaerus disgraced by Philadelphus, died in prison (Plutarch).Death of Ptolemy Soter (Lucian).
3843 282 10 3 31
3844 281 11 4 32 Seleucus slays Lysimachus in battle (Polybius).
3845 280 12 5 33 Ptolemy Ceraunus murders Seleucus and becomes King of Macedon (Dexippus apud Polybius).Berosus wrote before Manetho about 280 (Polyhistor, Eusebius).
3846 279 13 6 Artiochus Soter 1 Ptolemy Ceraunus slain by Gauls, who break into Greece (Pausanius).
3847 278 14 7 2
3848 277 15 8 3 The LXX. = The Hebrew Scriptures translated into Greek.
3849 276 Manasseh 1 9 4 Manasseh High Priest, 276 (Prideaux), 251 (Blair).
3850 275 2 10 5 Antiochus saves Asia Minor from the Gauls.Hence called Soter.Birth of Eratosthenes (Suidas).
PTOLEMAIC DATES. (A. H.) CLINTON'S DATES (B.C.) JUDEA HIGH PRIESTS EGYPT SYRIA EVENTS AS ARRANGED AND DATED BY CLINTON AND MODERN CHRONOLOGERS GENERALLY.
3851 274 Manasseh 3 Ptolemy Philadelphus 11 Antiochus Soter 6
3852 273 4 12 7
3853 272 5 13 8
3854 271 6 14 9
3855 270 7 15 10
3856 269 8 16 11
3857 268 9 17 12 Manetho wrote his Egyptiacs in the reign of Philadelphus (Syncellus).
3858 267 10 18 13
3859 266 11 19 14
3860 265 12 20 15 Here ends the history of Dionysius Timaeus.
3861 264 13 21 16 Here begins the history of Polybius.Last date on Parian Marbles.
3862 263 14 22 17
3863 262 15 23 18
3864 261 16 24 Antiochus Theus 1 Antiochus Soter dies at Antioch, and is succeeded by his son Antiochus Theus.
3865 260 17 25 2 Berosus the Chaldean flourishes about this time.
3866 259 18 26 3
3867 258 19 27 4
3868 257 20 28 5
3869 256 21 29 6
3870 255 22 30 7
3871 254 23 31 8 Ptolemy Philadelphus collects books, pictures and statues for his great Library and Museum at Alexandria, founded by his father Ptolemy Soter (Arrian, Plutarch, Strabo). He left it with 100,000 books (Eusebius, Syncellus).
3872 253 24 32 9
3873 252 25 33 10
3874 251 26 34 11
3875 250 Onias II 1 35 12 Onias II, son of Simon the Just, an infant when his father died, becomes High Priest. (Josephus), 250 (Prideaux), 225 (Blair).Arsaces founds the Parthian Monarchy.
3876 249 2 36 13
3877 248 3 37 14
3878 247 4 38 15
3879 246 5 Ptolemy Euergetes 1 Seleucus Callinicus I 1 Ptolemy Philadelphus succeeded by his son Ptolemy Euergetes I.
3880 245 6 2 2
3881 244 7 3 3
3882 243 8 4 4
3883 242 9 5 5
3884 241 10 6 6
3885 240 11 7 7
3886 239 12 8 8 Ptolemy Euergetes makes Eratosthenes his Librarian (Suidas).
3887 238 13 9 9
3888 237 14 10 10
3889 236 15 11 11
3890 235 16 12 12
3891 234 17 13 13
3892 233 18 14 14
3893 232 19 15 15
3894 231 20 16 16
3895 230 21 17 17
3896 229 22 18 18
3897 228 23 19 19
3898 227 24 20 20
3899 226 25 21 Seleucus Ceraunus 1 Seleucus Callinicus succeeded by his son Seleucus Ceraunus (Polybius, Appian).
3900 225 26 22 2
3901 224 27 23 3
3902 223 28 24 ANTIOCHUS THE GREAT 1 Seleucus Ceraunus succeeded by his brother, Antiochus the Great (Polybius)
3903 222 29 25 2
3904 221 30 Ptolemy Philopator 1 3 Ptolemy Euergetes succeeded by his son, Ptolemy Philopator (Eusebius).
3905 220 31 2 4
3906 219 32 3 5
3907 218 33 4 6
3908 217 Simon II 1 5 7 Onias II succeeded by his son, Simon II, 217 (Prideaux), 211 (Blair).Ptolemy Philopator I attempted to enter the Temple, but was prevented by Simon II (3 Maccabees).
3909 216 2 6 8
3910 215 3 7 9
3911 214 4 8 10
3912 213 5 9 11
3913 212 6 10 12
3914 211 7 11 13
3915 210 8 12 14
3916 209 9 13 15
3917 208 10 14 16
3918 207 11 15 17
3919 206 12 16 18
3920 205 13 17 19 Antiochus takes the surname the Great from his Expedition to India, Persia, Babylonia, and Mesopotamia (Polybius).
3921 204 14 Ptolemy Epiphanes 1 20 Ptolemy Philopator succeeded by Ptolemy Epiphanes, aged 5 (Eusebius and Jerome.)
3922 203 15 2 21 Antiochus the Great seizes Palestine and Coele-Syria (Polybius, Justin, Livy, Jerome). Alexandrians appeal to Rome to protect their infant King.
3923 202 16 3 22
3924 201 17 4 23
3925 200 18 5 24
3926 199 19 6 25
2927 198 20 7 26
3928 197 21 8 27
3929 196 22 9 28
3930 195 Onias III 1 10 29 Onias III High priest 195 (Prideaux), 191 (Blair).
3931 194 2 11 30 Death of Eratosthenes, age 82 years (Lucian). Succeeded by Apollodorus of Rhodes (Suidas).
3932 193 3 12 31
3933 192 4 13 32
3934 191 5 14 33
3935 190 6 15 34
3936 189 7 16 35
3937 188 8 17 36
3938 187 9 18 Seleucus Philopator 1 Antiochus the Great slain whilst attempting to rob the Temple of Elymais (Jerome). Succeeded by his son, Seleucus Philopator (Appian).
3939 186 10 19 2
3940 185 11 20 3
3941 184 12 21 4
3942 183 13 22 5
3943 182 14 23 6
3944 181 15 24 7
3945 180 16 Ptolemy Philometor 1 8 Ptolemy Epiphanes is poisoned, and is succeeded by his son, Ptolemy Philometor, age 6 (Jerome).
3946 179 17 2 9
3947 178 18 3 10
3948 177 19 4 11
3949 176 20 5 ANTIOCHUS EPIPHANES 1 Seleucus Philopator succeeded by his brother, ANTIOCHUS EPIPHANES (Appian and Eusebius).
PTOLEMAIC DATES. (A. H.) CLINTON'S DATES (B.C.) JUDEA PRINCES JUDEA HIGH PRIESTS EGYPT SYRIA EVENTS AS ARRANGED AND DATED BY CLINTON AND MODERN CHRONOLOGERS GENERALLY.
3950 175 Jason 1 21 6 2 Jason buys the High Priesthood from Antiochus Epiphanes, and supplants his brother Onias III (2 Maccabees, Josephus).
3951 174 Jason 2 Onias III 22 Ptolemy Philometor 7 ANTIOCHUS EPIPHANES 3
3952 173 3 23 8 4
3953 172 Menelaus 1 24 9 5 Menelaus, another brother of Onias II, buys the High Priesthood of Antiochus Epiphanes and supplants Jason (2 Maccabees, Josephus).
3954 171 2 10 6
3955 170 3 (Ptolemy Euergetes II Co-Rex) 11 7
3956 169 4 12 8
PTOLEMAIC DATES. (A. H.) CLINTON'S DATES (B.C.) JUDEA PRINCES JUDEA ASMONAEANS JUDEA HIGH PRIESTS EGYPT SYRIA EVENTS AS ARRANGED AND DATED BY CLINTON AND MODERN CHRONOLOGERS GENERALLY.
3957 168 Menelaus 5 Mattathias 1 Ptolemy (see above) 13 Antiochus (see above) 9 Popillius met Antiochus Epiphanes at Leusine, 4 miles from Alexandria,drew a circle round him in the sand, and forced him to cease his war in Egypt (Livy and Polybius), whereupon Antiochus began his savage persecution of the Jews, which led to the rise of Mattathias and the Maccabees (1 Maccabees, Josephus).
3958 167 6 2 14 10
PTOLEMAIC DATES. (A. H.) CLINTON'S DATES (B.C.) JUDEA ASMONAEANS JUDEA HIGH PRIESTS EGYPT SYRIA EVENTS AS ARRANGED AND DATED BY CLINTON AND MODERN CHRONOLOGERS GENERALLY.
3959 166 Judas Maccabaeus 1 Ptolemy(see above) 15 Antiochus Epiphanes 11
3960 165 2 16 12 Judas restores the Temple, and the daily sacrifices (1 Maccabees, Josephus)
3961 164 3 17 Antiochus Eupator 1 Antiochus dies and is succeeded by his son Antiochus Eupator, age 9 (Appian, Eusebius, 1 Maccabees, Josephus)
3962 163 4 18 2
3963 162 5 19 Demetrius Soter 1Demetrius Soter, son of Seleucus Philopator, murders Antiochus Eupator and succeeds him (1-2 Maccabees, Josephus, Appian).
3964 161 Jonathan Maccabaeus 1 20 2 Judas Maccabees slain, 161 (Prideaux), 153 (Blair).He is succeeded by Jonathan (1 Maccabees, Josephus).
3965 160 2 21 3
3966 159 3 22 4
3967 158 4 23 5
3968 157 5 24 6
3969 156 6 25 7
3970 155 7 26 8
3971 154 8 27 9
3972 153 9 28 10
3973 152 10 29 11
3974 151 11 30 Alexander Balas 1 Alexander Balas slays Demetrius Soter and succeeds him (1 Maccabees, Josephus, Justin, Appian, Polybius).
3975 150 12 31 2
3976 149 13 32 3 Onias, Son of Onias III, builds a Temple at Heliopolis in Egypt (Josephus).
3977 148 14 33 4
3978 147 15 34 5
3979 146 16 35 Demetrius Nicator 1 Alexander Balas slain in battle - Demetrius Nicator succeeds (1 Maccabees, Josephus, Diodorus Siculus).
3980 145 17 Ptolemy Euergetes II 1 2 Ptolemy Philometor dies and is succeeded by his brother, Ptolemy Euergetes II, Physcon (Porphyrius).
3981 144 18 2 3
3982 143 Simon Maccabaeus 1 3 4 Jonathan Maccabaeus dies and is succeeded by Simon (1 Maccabees, Josephus).
3983 142 2 4 5
3984 141 3 5 6
3985 140 4 6 Antiochus Sidetes 1 Demetrius Nicator taken prisoner by Parthians, succeeded by his brother, Antiochus Sidetes (Appian, Justin).
3986 139 5 7 2
3987 138 6 8 3
3988 137 7 9 4
3989 136 8 10 5
3990 135 Hyrcanus I 1 11 6 Simon Maccabees murdered by his son-in-law, Ptolemy, and succeeded by his son Hyrcanus (1 Maccabees, Josephus).
3991 134 2 12 7
3992 133 3 13 8
3993 132 4 14 9 Jesus, son of Sirach, translates out of Hebrew into Greek the Book of Ecclesiasticus, written by Jesus his grandfather (Prologue to Ecclesiasticus).
3994 131 5 15 10
3995 130 6 16 Demetrius Nicator restored 1 Antiochus Sidetes slain in the East (Justin, Orosius, Appian). Demetrius Nicator returns and recovers his kingdom. (Justin).
3996 129 7 17 2
3997 128 8 18 3
3998 127 9 19 4
3999 126 10 20 5
4000 125 11 21 Zabinas 1 Demetrius Nicator slain (Justin, Josephus, Appian, Livy, Porphyry). He is succeeded by Zabinas.
4001 124 Hyrcanus I 12 Ptolemy Euergetes II Physcon 22 Zabinas 2
4002 123 13 23 Antiochus Grypus 1 Zabinas slain and succeeded by Antiochus Grypus (Justin).
4003 122 14 24 2
4004 121 15 25 3
4005 120 16 26 4
4006 119 17 27 5
4007 118 18 28 6
4008 117 19 29 7
4009 116 20 Ptolemy Soter Lathyrus 1 8 Ptolemy Euergetes Physcon dies and is succeeded by Ptolemy Soter Lathyrus (Porphyry, Epiphanius, Jerome.)
4010 115 21 2 9
PTOLEMAIC DATES. (A. H.) CLINTON'S DATES (B.C.) JUDEA ASMONAEANS JUDEA HIGH PRIESTS EGYPT SYRIA (Antioch) SYRIA (Damascus) EVENTS AS ARRANGED AND DATED BY CLINTON AND MODERN CHRONOLOGERS GENERALLY.
4011 114 Hyrcanus I 22 Ptolemy Soter Lathyrus 3 Antiochus Grypus 10 Antiochus Cyzicenus 1 Antiochus Cyzicenus seizes part of Syria, and reigns at Damascus (Justin, Appian, Porphyry, Josephus.)
4012 113 23 4 11 2
4013 112 24 5 12 3
4014 111 25 6 13 4
4015 110 26 7 14 5
4016 109 27 8 15 6 Hycanus I takes Samaria, and becomes master of all Judea, Samaria, and Galilee (Josephus.)
4017 108 28 9 16 7
4018 107 29 10 17 8
4019 106 30 11 18 9
4020 105 Aristobulus Philhellen 1 12 19 10 Hyrcanus I dies, and is succeeded by his son Aristobulus (Josephus).
4021 104 Alexander Jannaeus 1 13 20 11 Aristobulus dies and is succeeded by his brother Alexander Jannaeus (Josephus).
4022 103 2 14 21 12
4023 102 3 15 22 13
4024 101 4 16 23 14
4025 100 5 17 24 15
4026 99 6 18 25 16
4027 98 7 19 26 17
4028 97 8 20 27 18
4029 96 9 21 Seleucus Epiphanes 1 19 Antiochus Grypus is murdered and succeeded by his son Seleucus Epiphanes (Porphyry, Josephus).
4030 95 10 22 2 20
4031 94 11 23 3 21
4032 93 12 24 4 Antiochus Eusebes 1 Antiochus Cyzicenus of Damascus slain by Seleucus Epiphanes (Josephus, Porphyry).
4033 92 13 25 Philip 1 2 Seleucus Epiphanes slain by Antiochus Eusebes, son of Antiochus Cyzicenus (Josephus, Porphyry). Philip, brother of Seleucus Epiphanes, succeeds him(Josephus, Porphyry).Antiochus Eusebes is defeated and flies to Parthia, (Justin, Porphyry).Demetrius Euchaerus, the 4th son of Antiochus Grypus, seizes Damascus (Josephus, Porphyry).
4034 91 14 26 2 Demetrius Euchaerus 1
4035 90 15 27 3 2
4036 89 16 28 4 3
4037 88 17 29 5 4
4038 87 18 30 6 Antonius Dyonysius 1 Antiochus Eusebes returns from Parthia and rules in some part of Syria (Appian). Demetrius Euchaerus dies in Parthia and is succeeded by Antiochus Dionysius, youngest son of Antiochus Grypus (Josephus).
4039 86 19 31 7 2
4040 85 20 32 8 3
PTOLEMAIC DATES. (A. H.) CLINTON'S DATES (B.C.) JUDEA ASMONAEANS JUDEA HIGH PRIESTS EGYPT SYRIA EVENTS AS ARRANGED AND DATED BY CLINTON AND MODERN CHRONOLOGERS GENERALLY.
4041 84 Alexander Jannaeus 21 Ptolemy Soter Lathyrus 33 Philip 9
4042 83 22 34 Tigranes 1 The Syrians expel the Seleucidae and choose Tigranes, King of Armenia, to be their King. (Cicero, Appian, Justin.)
4043 82 23 35 2
4044 81 24 36 3
4045 80 25 Ptolemy Auletes the Piper = Dionysius Neos = The New Bacchus 1 4 Ptolemy Lathyrus dies, succeeded by Bernice, who marries Alexander (Appian, Porphyry).Alexander murdered his wife and was slain by the Alexandrians (Appian, Porphyry). But Suetonius and Trogus say he reigned 15 years, and was succeeded by Ptolemy Auletes, B.C. 65.This Alexander is not mentioned in Ptolemy's Canon.He was expelled from Alexandria B.C. 65, and died at Tyre soon after.Ptolemy Auletes was a bastard son of Ptolemy Lathyrus (Trogus).He was called to the throne by the Alexandrians, B.C. 65 (Trogus).But Ptolemy's Canon reckons him to succeed B.C. 80 instead of B.C. 65.
4046 79 26 2 5
4047 78 Queen Alexandra, wife of Alexander Jannaeus 1 Hyrcanus II 1 3 6
4048 77 2 2 4 7
4049 76 3 3 5 8
4050 75 4 4 6 9
4051 74 5 5 7 10
4052 73 6 6 8 11
4053 72 7 7 9 12
4054 71 8 8 10 13
4055 70 9 9 11 14
4056 69 Hyrcanus II | Aristobulus - | 1 (becomes King) 12 15 Queen Alexandra dies and is succeeded by Aristobulus II, who deprives his elder brother Hyrcanus of the throne (Josephus).
4057 68 2 13 16
4058 67 3 14 17
4059 66 4 15 18 Pompey conquers Tigranes, and Syria becomes a Roman province (Plutarch, Eutropius, Vellelus Paterculus).
4060 65 5 Dionysius | Ptolemy Auletes (according to Suetonius and Trogus) 16 | 1
4061 64 6 17 | 1
4062 63 Hyrcanus II restored 1 18 | 3 Pompey deposes Aristobulus and makes Hyrcanus II High Priest and Prince of Judea (Josephus. 1 Maccabees).He enters the Temple, but does not plunder it (Josephus).
4063 62 2 19 | 4
4064 61 3 20 | 5
4065 60 4 21 | 6 Pompey Crassus and Julius Caesar form a confederacy (Plutarch, Crassus, Caesar, Suetonius, Appian, Dion Cassius).Diodorus Siculus flourishes.
4066 59 5 22 | 7
4067 58 6 23 | 8
4068 57 7 24 | 9
4069 56 8 25 | 10
4070 55 9 26 | 11
4071 54 10 27 | 12 Crassus plunders the Temple of Jerusalem (Josephus).
4072 53 11 28 | 13 Crassus slain by the Parthians (Dion Cassius, Plutarch, Appian).
4073 52 12 29 | 14
4074 51 13 Cleopatra 1 Ptolemy Auletes dies and is succeeded by his elder son Ptolemy, and his eldest daughter Cleopatra jointly (Caesar).
4075 50 14 2 Caesar crosses the Rubicon (Plutarch, Caesar, Dion Cassius, Appian).
4076 49 15 3
4077 48 16 4 Battle of Pharsalia.Caesar defeats Pompey (Plutarch, Caesar, Dion Cassius, Appian).
4078 47 17 5 Caesar vanquishes Ptolemy (who is drowned) and makes Cleopatra, his sister, sole Queen of Egypt (Dion Cassius, Plutarch, Suetonius).
4079 46 18 6
4080 45 19 7 The first Julian year (Plutarch, Macrobius, Dion Cassius, Suetonius, Pliny, Censorinus).
4081 44 20 8 Caesar slain by Brutus and Cassius in the Senate House at Rome (Plutarch, Dion Cassius, Suetonius, Florus, Appian).
4082 43 21 9
4083 42 22 10 Battle of Phillipi. Octavian and Anthony vanquish Brutus and Cassius (Plutarch, Dion Cassius, Appian, Florus, Velleius Paterculus).
4084 41 23 11
4085 40 Antigonus 1 12 Parthians take Jerusalem, slay Phasael, make Hyrcanus prisoner, and set Antigonus, son of Aristobulus, on the throne (Josephus).Herod the Great, son of Antipas, goes to Rome, and is made King of Judea (Josephus).
4086 39 2 13
4087 38 3 14
PTOLEMAIC DATES. (A. H.) CLINTON'S DATES (B.C.) JUDEA HERODIANS JUDEA HIGH PRIESTS EGYPT A.U.C. ROMAN EMPERORS EVENTS AS ARRANGED AND DATED BY CLINTON AND MODERN CHRONOLOGERS GENERALLY.
4088 37 Herod the Great 1 Anael 1 Cleopatra 15 Herod takes Jerusalem and obtains full power of the Kingdom.Antigonus, the last of the Asmonaeans, or Maccabees, sent to Antony and beheaded (Josephus).
4089 36 2 2 16
4090 35 3 Aristobulus 17
4091 34 4 18
4092 33 5 19
4093 32 6 20
4094 31 7 21 Battle of Actium.Octavian vanquishes Antony and Cleopatra (Dion Cassius, Plutarch, Florus, Velleius Paterculus, Orosius, Suetonius).
4095 30 8 22 724 Augustus 1 Octavian takes Egypt and becomes master of the world (Plutarch, Dion Cassius Florus, Strabo, Suetonius, Josephus, Vellelus Paterculus).
PTOLEMAIC DATES. (A. H.) CLINTON'S DATES (B.C.) JUDEA HERODIANS JUDEA HIGH PRIESTS A.U.C. ROMAN EMPERORS EVENTS AS ARRANGED AND DATED BY CLINTON AND MODERN CHRONOLOGERS GENERALLY.
4096 29 Herod the Great 9 725 Augustus 2
4097 28 10 726 3
4098 27 11 727 4 The Senate and people of Rome confer on Octavian the Monarchy of the whole Roman Empire, with the title Augustus (Dion Cassius, Suetonius, Velleius Paterculus, Censorinus, Florus).
4099 26 12 728 5
4100 25 13 Simon son of Beothus 729 6 Herod rebuilds Samaria and calls it Sebaste (Josephus).
4101 24 14 730 7
4102 23 15 731 8
4103 22 16 732 9 Herod begins to build Caesarea (Josephus).
4104 21 17 733 10
4105 20 18 734 11
4106 19 19 735 12 Herod prepares materials for rebuilding the Temple (Josephus) forty-six years before the 1st Passover of our Lord, A.D. 27 (John 2:20)
4107 18 20 736 13
4108 17 21 737 14
4109 16 22 738 15
4110 15 23 739 16
4111 14 24 740 17
4112 13 25 741 18
4113 12 26 742 19 Tiberius marries Julia, daughter of Augustus, and becomes assistant to Augustus in the government of the Empire (Dion Cassius, Suetonius).
4114 11 27 743 20
4115 10 28 744 21 Herod finished building Caesarea, so-called in honour of Augustus Caesar (Josephus).
4116 9 29 745 22
4117 8 30 746 23 Augustus alters the julian year, and gives his name to the month August (Suetonius, Dion Cassius, Macrobius, Solinus, Pliny). Temple dedicated (Josephus).
4118 7 31 747 24
4119 6 32 748 25
4120 5 33 Matthias son of Theophilus 749 26 Jesus born in Bethlehem, Dec. 25, B.C.5 (Matt1:25, Luke 2:7, Andrews' Life of our Lord).
4121 4 34 Joasar son of Beothus 750 27 Joseph and Mary flee into Egypt (Matt. 2:14, Andrews' Life of our Lord).Death of Herod (Josephus).
4122 3 Archelaus 1 751 28
4123 2 2 752 29
4124 1 3 753 30
PTOLEMAIC DATES. (A. H.) CLINTON'S DATES (A.D.) JUDEA HERODIANS JUDEA HIGH PRIESTS A.U.C. ROMAN EMPERORS EVENTS AS ARRANGED AND DATED BY CLINTON AND MODERN CHRONOLOGERS GENERALLY.
4125 1 Archelaus 4 Joasar 754 Augustus 31 The Christian Era, adopted by Dionysius Exiguus, begins 4 years after the true date of the birth of our Lord.
4126 2 5 755 32
4127 3 6 756 33
4128 4 7 757 34
4129 5 8 758 35
PTOLEMAIC DATES. (A. H.) CLINTON'S DATES (A.D.) JUDEA: ROMAN PROCURATORS JUDEA HIGH PRIESTS A.U.C. ROMAN EMPERORS EVENTS AS ARRANGED AND DATED BY CLINTON AND MODERN CHRONOLOGERS GENERALLY.
4130 6 Coponius 1 Annas 1 759 Augustus 36 Coponius procurator of Judea, A.D. 6-9 (Schuerer).Archelaus deposed and Coponius appointed A.D. 8 (Prideaux).Annas High Priest A.D. 6-15 (Schuerer), A.D. 9-23 (Prideaux).
4131 7 2 2 760 37
4132 8 3 3 761 38 Jesus visits the Temple at the age of 12 (Luke 2:42), Andrews' Life of our Lord).
4133 9 Marcus Ambivius 1 4 762 39 M. Ambivius, procurator, A.D. 9-12 (Schuerer), A.D. 1O-13 (Prideaux).
4134 10 2 5 763 40
4135 11 3 6 764 41
4136 12 Annius Rufus 1 7 765 Augustus & Tiberius Co-Emp. 42 & 1 Tiberius Co-Emperor with Augustus (Velleius Paterculus, Bk, ii, Chap. 121, Suetonius in Tiberio, Chap 21). Annius Rufus, procurator, A.D. 12-15 (Schuerer), A.D. 13-15 (Prideaux).
4137 13 2 8 766 43 & 2
4138 14 3 9 767 | Tiberias Sole Emperor 44 | 3 Augustus died at Nola, Aug. 19, A.D. 14, age 75.Tiberius Sole Emperor (Vellius Paterculus, Suetonius, Tacitus, Dion Cassius)
4139 15 Valerius Gratus 1 Ishmael 1 768 4 Tiberius sends Valerius Gratus to be Procurator of Judea (Schuerer, Prideaux).Valerius Gratus made Ismael son of Fabus, High Priest, A.D. 15 (Schuerer), A.D. 23 (Prideaux).
4140 16 2 Eleazar 1 769 5 Eleasar,son of Annas, High Priest AD. 16 (Schuerer), AD. 24 (Prideaux).
4141 17 3 Simon 1 770 6 Simon, son of Cimith, High Priest, A.D. 17 (Schuerer), A.D. 25 (Prideaux).
4142 18 4 Joseph Caiaphas 1 771 7 Joseph, surnamed Caiaphas, son-in-law of Annas, High Priest, A.D. 18 (Schuerer), A.D. 26 (Prideaux).
4143 19 5 2 772 8
4144 20 6 3 773 9
4145 21 7 4 774 10
4146 22 8 5 775 11
4147 23 9 6 776 12
4148 24 10 7 777 13
4149 25 11 8 778 14
4150 26 PONTIUS PILATE 1 9 779 15 Valerius Gratus replaced by Pontius Pilate.(Josephus, Antiq. xviii, 8).John the Baptist began his ministry (Luke 3:1-3, Andrews' Life of our Lord).
4151 27 2 10 780 16 Jesus began His ministry at His 1st Passover, Easter. A.D. 27, John 2:23 (Andrews' Life of our Lord).
4152 28 3 11 781 17 Jesus began His 2nd year at His 2nd Passover, Easter, A.D. 28, John 5:1 (Andrews' Life of our Lord).
4153 29 4 12 782 18 Jesus began His 3rd year at His 3rd Passover, Easter, A.D. 29, John 6:4 (Andrews' Life of our Lord).
4154 30 5 13 783 19 Jesus was crucified at His 4th Passover, Easter, A.D. 30, John 12:1 (Andrews' Life of our Lord).
Table IV - The Twelve Judges and the Usurper King Abimelech.
Six Apostasies - Six Servitudes - Six Cries to God - Six Deliverances.
The References are to the Chapters and Verses of the Book of Judges.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
OTHNIEL EHUD. SHAMGAR. BARAK. GIDEON. ABIMELECH Usurper-King TOLA. JAIR. JEPHTHAH. IBZAN. ELON. ABDON. SAMSON.
Six Apostasies 3:7 3:12 - 4:1 6:1 - - - 10:6 - - - 13:1
Six Servitudes Cushan of Mesopotamia, 3:8 Eglon of Moab, 3:12 - Jabin of Canaan, 4:2 Midian 6:1 - - - Ammon 10:7-9 - - - Philistines, 10:7, 13:1
Six Cries to God 3:9 3:15 - 4:3 6:6 - - - 10:10, 10:15, A double cry - - - No cry till 1 Sam. 7:8-9. Yet Jehovah sought occasion against the Philistines, Jud 14:4.
Six Deliverers Othniel, 3:9 Ehud, 3:15 Shamgar, 3:31 Barak, 4:6-24 Gideon, 8:28 - - - Jephthah, 11:32 - - - -
Six other Judges - - - - - - Tola, 10:1-2 Jair, 10:3-5 - Ibzan, 12:8-10 Elon, 12:11-12 Abdon, 12:13-15 Samson, 13:1-16:31
One Usurper-King - - - - - Abimelech, 9:1-57 - - - - - - -
One Prophetess - - - Deborah, 4:4-5:31 - - - - - - - - -
Their Commission Raised up by the Lord, 3:9 Raised up by the Lord, 3:15 He came, 3:31 Called by the Prophetess Deborah, 4:6 Sent by the Angel of the Lord, 6:14 He reigned or exercised power, 9:22 He arose, 10:1 He arose, 10:3 Appointed by the Elders of Gilead, 11:5 He judged, 12:8 He judged, 12:11 He judged, 12:13 Designated before birth by the Angel of the Lord, 13:5
Other Peculiarities Judahite, Nephew and son-in-law of Caleb, 1:13 Benjamite, left-handed. weapon, a dagger, 3:15 Slew 600 Philistines. weapon, an oxgoad, 3:31 Nephtalite, son of Abinoam, 4:6 Manassite, Abiezrite, 70 sons. weapons, lamps, and pitchers, 6:11; 7:16; 8:30 Manassite, son of Gideon. Fratricide, Usurper-King, 9:1,5,22 Issacharite, 10:1 Manassite, Gileadite, 30 sons, princes of 30 cities, 10:3,4 Manessite, Gileadite, illegitimate, rash vow, 11:1,2,3,31 Judahite, Bethlehamite, 30 sons and 30 daughters, 12:8-9 Zebulonite 12:11 Ephaimite, Pirathonite, 40 sons and 30 nephews, princes, 12:14-15 Danite-Nazirite, Strongest man. weapon a jawbone, 13:2-5; 14:6; 15:15
Years of Servitude 8 18 - 20 7 - - - 18 - - - 40
Years of Rest 40 80 - 40 40 - - - - - - - -
Years of Usurpation - - - - - 3 - - - - - - -
Years of Judgeship - - Included in 3rd Servitude under Jabin, 5:6-7 - - - 23 22 6 7 10 8 20 years included in 6th Servitude under Philistines, 15:20
Table V.
The 300 years of Jephthah (from Heshbon). The 450 years of Paul (from Cushan), and the 480 years of 1 Kings 6:1 (from the Exodus).
300 450 480
1 Wilderness Period, Exodus to Kadesh', 1 year (Num. 10:11-12;113:26); Kadesh to Zered, 38 years (Deut. 2:14). Zered to Entry, 1 year (year of Conquest of Heshbon, Deut. 2). 1 - 40
2 Seven years' War of Conquest of Canaan: from Entry into Canaan (Num. 10:11-12; 13:17-20) to Division of Land (Josh. 13:7-10). 7 - 7
3 Joshua-Judges Connection from Division of Land to 1st Servitude under Cushan (Josh. 13:7-10 Jud. 2:6; 3:8) to make up the 300 years of Jud. 11:26, and the 480 years of 1 K. 6:1. 13 - 13
4 First Servitude, under Cushan (Jud. 3:8).Not included in the reckoning of 1 K. 6:1. 8 8 -
5 Rest by Othniel (Jud. 3:11). 40 40 40.
6 Second Servitude, under Eglon (Jud. 3:14).Not included in the reckoning of 1 K. 6:1. 18 18 -
7 Rest by Ehud (Jud. 3:30). 80 80 80
Judgeship of Shamgar (Jud. 3:31), concurrent with, and included in, the 20 years of the 3rd Servitude, under Jabin (Jud. 5:6-7). - - -
8 Third Servitude, under Jabin (Jud. 4:3).Not included in the reckoning of 1 J. 6:1. 20 20 -
9 Rest by Barak (Jud. 5:31), 40 40 40
10 Fourth Servitude, under Midian (Jud. 6:1).Not included in the reckoning of 1 K. 6:1. 7 7 -
11 Rest by Gideon (Jud. 8:28). 40 40 40
12 Usurpation of Abimelech (Jud. 9:22).Not included in the reckoning of 1 K. 6:1. 3 3 -
13 Judgeship of Tola (Jud. 10:2), 23 23 23
14 Judgeship of Jair (Jud. 10:1).Not included in Jephthah's 300 years, because "in that year" (Jair's 1st year - Jud. 10:8) Ammon reconquered Heshbon). - 22 22
15 Fifth Servitude, under Ammon (Jud. 10:8).Not included in Jephthah's 300 years (Jud. 11:26), because during these 18 years Israel was not in possession of the lands in dispute.Also not included in the reckoning of 1 K. 6:1. - 18 -
THE 300 YEARS OF JEPHTHAH (Jud. 11:26) FROM THE CONQUEST OF HESHBON (Num. 21, Deut. 2) TO ITS RECONQUEST BY AMMON (Jud. 10:3-8). 300
16 Judgeship of Jephthah (Jud. 12:7). 6 6
17 Judgeship of Ibzan (Jud. 12:9). 7 7
18 Judgeship of Elon (Jud. 12:11). 10 10
19 Judgeship of Abdon (Jud. 12:14). 8 8
20 Sixth Servitude, under the Philistines (Jud. 13:1).Not included in the reckoning of 1 Kings 6:1. 40 -
Judgeship of Samson, 20 years (Jud. 16:31), concurrent with, and included in, the 40 years of the Sixth Servitude, under the Philistines (Jud. 15:20). - -
21 Judgeship of Eli: from the end of the 6th Servitude, under the Philistines (Jud. 13:1) to the death of Eli (1 Sam. 4:18). 40 40
22 Judgeship of Samuel from the death of Eli (1 Sam. 4:18) to the election of Saul (1 Sam. 7:2). - N.B. 1 Sam. 7:13-17 is a review, not a continuation of the narrative. 20 20
THE 410 YEARS OF PAUL (Acts 13:20), BEING THE EXACT SUM OF ALL THE PERIODS ENUMERATED BETWEEN THE DIVISION OF THE LAND AND THE ELECTION OF SAUL, BETWEEN Jud. 2:6 AND 1 Sam. 8:5, BETWEEN Acts 13:19 AND Acts 13:21 450
23 Reign of Saul (Acts 13:21). 40
24 Reign of David (2 Sam. 5:4-5). 40
25 Reign of Solomon: from his accession to the commencement of the building of the Temple in the 4th year of his reign (1 K. 6:1). 4
THE 480 YEARS OF 1 K. 6:1 BEING THE SUM OF THE PERIODS ENUMERATED, OMITTING THE SIX SERVITUDES, THE USURPATION, AND THE TWO CONCURRENT JUDGESHIPS. 480
TOTAL - 480 YEARS OF ISRAEL GOVERNED BY GOD + 114 YEARS OF SERVITUDE AND USURPATION = 594 YEARS.
Table VI.Kings of Judah.
Rehoboam to Zedekiah:9 Kings, 1 Queen, 1 Interregnum.
The heavy lines divide the Kings into five groups.Each group after the first begins with a good King, and initiates a great religious revival.
DYNASTY. NO. NAME. RELATION TO PREDECESSOR YEARS OF REIGN. CHARACTER WARS. MANNER OF ENDING HIS REIGN. PROPHETS. SCRIPTURE: 1 AND 2 KINGS. SCRIPTURE: 2 CHRONICLES.
1 1 Rehoboam Son 17 Bad Egypt Died Shemaiah 1 K. 11:43; 12:18 and 14:21-31 2 Chron. 9:31-12:16.
2 Abijam Son 3 Bad Israel Died Iddo 1 K. 15:1-8 2 Chron. 13:1-22.
3 Asa Son 41 Good Ethiopians, Israel Died Azariah, Oded, Hanani, Jehu 1 K. 15:8-24 2 Chron. 14:1-16:14.
4 Jehoshaphat Son 25 Good Syria, Moab, Ammon Died Jehu, Micaiah 1 K. 22:41-50 2 Chron. 17:1-20:37.
5 Jehoram Son 8 Bad Arabians,Edom, Philistines Smitten by God Elijah (2 Chron. 21:12) 2 K. 8:16-24 2 Chron. 21:1-20.
6 Ahaziah Son 1 Bad Syria Slain by Jehu - 2 K. 8:25-9:29 2 Chron. 22:1-9.
USURPER QUEEN (Athaliah) Mother 6 Bad - Slain - 2 K. 11:1-16 2 Chron. 22:10-23:15.
7 Joash Grandson 40 Good Syria Slain by servants Zechariah, son of Jehoiada 2 K. 11:2-12:21 2 Chron. 22:11-24:27.
8 Amaziah Son 29 Good Edom, Syria Slain - 2 K. 14:1-20 2 Chron. 25:1-28.
- Interregnum - 11 - - - - 2 K. 14:16-23 2 Chron. 25:25-26:1.
9 Ahaziah = Uzziah Son 52 Good Philistines, Arabians Leprosy Zechariah, son of Jehoiada, Isaiah 2 K. 15:1-7 2 Chron. 26:1-23.
10 Jotham Son 16 Good Ammonites, Syria, Israel Died Isaiah 2 K. 15:32-38 2 Chron. 27:1-9.
11 Ahaz Son 16 Bad Syria, Israel, Edom, Philistines, Assyria Died Isaiah 2 K. 16 2 Chron. 28:1-27.
12 Hezekiah Son 29 Good Assyrians Died Isaiah, Micah 2 K. 18-20 2 Chron. 29-32.
13 Manasseh Son 55 Bad Assyrians Died - 2 K. 21:1-18 2 Chron. 33:1-20.
14 Amon Son 2 Bad - Slain by Servants - 2 K. 21:19-26 2 Chron. 33:20-25.
15 Josiah Son 31 Good Egyptians Killed in battle by Pharaoh-Necho Zephaniah, Jeremiah, Huldah 2 K. 22:1-23:30 2 Chron. 34-35.
16 Jehoahaz Son 3 months Bad Egyptians Carried away to Egypt Jeremiah 2 K. 23:31-33 2 Chron. 36:1-4.
17 Jehoiakim Brother 11 Bad Chaldeans, Syrians, Moab, Ammon Slain in siege.Buried with the burial of an Ass (Jer. 22:19) Jeremiah, Daniel 2 K. 23:34-24:6 2 Chron. 36:5-8.
18 Jehoiachin Son 3 months Bad Babylonians Carried away to Babylon Jeremiah, Ezekiel 2 K. 24:8-16 2 Chron. 36:9-10.
19 Zedekiah Uncle 11 Bad Babylonians Carried away to Babylon Jeremiah 2 K. 24:17-25:30 2 Chron. 36:11-21.
404 years
Table VII.The Kings of Israel.
Jeroboam to Hoshea: 19 Kings and 2 interregnums.
The heavy lines divide the Kings into four groups. (1) Earlier Dynasties, (2) The House of Omri, (3) The House of Jehu, (4) Later Dynasties.
DYNASTY. NO. NAME. RELATION TO PREDECESSOR YEARS OF REIGN. CHARACTER WARS. MANNER OF DEATH. PROPHETS. SCRIPTURE.
I 1 Jeroboam - 22 Bad Judah Stricken of God Ahijah, Iddo 1 K. 11:26-40 and 12:15-14:20.
2 Nadab Son 2 Bad - Killed in battle - 1 K. 15:25-26.
II 3 Baasha - 24 Bad Judah Died Jehu, son of Hanani 1 K. 15:27-16:7.
4 Elah Son 2 Bad - Murdered - 1 K. 16:8-14.
III 5 Zimri - (7 days) Bad - Suicide - 1 K. 16:9-20.
IV 6 Omri - 12 Bad - Died - 1 K. 16:16-28.
7 Ahab Son 22 Bad Syria Wounded in battle Elijah, Micaiah, Obadiah 1 K. 16:29-22:40.
8 Ahaziah Son 2 Bad - Fell through lattice Elijah 1 K. 22:51-2 K. 1:18.
9 Jehoram Brother 12 Bad Moab, Syria Slain by Jehu Elisha 2 K. 3:1-9:24.
V 10 Jehu - 28 Bad Judah, Syria Died Elisha 2 K. 9:2-10:36.
11 Jehoahaz Son 17 Bad Syria Died Elisha 2 K. 13:1-9.
12 Jehoash Son 16 Bad Syria, Judah Died Elisha 2K. 13:1O-14:16.
13 Jeroboam II Son 41 Bad Syria, Judah Died Jonah, Amos, Hosea 2 K. 14:23-29.
- [Interregnum] - 22 - - - - 2K. 14:6-15:8.
14 Zachariah Son (6 months) Bad - Murdered by Shallum - 2 K. 15:8-12.
VI 15 Shallum - (1 month) Bad - Murdered by Menahem - 2 K. 15:10-15.
VII 16 Menahem - 10 Bad - Died - 2 K. 15:14-22.
17 Pekahiah Son 2 Bad - Murdered by Pekah - 2 K. 15:23-25.
VIII 18 Pekah - 20 Bad Assyria, Judah Murdered by Hoshea - 2 K. 15:25-16:5.
- [Interregnum] - 8 - - - - 2 K. 15:27-17:1.
IX 19 Hoshea - 9 Bad Assyria Carried away with Israel to Assyria - 2 K. 15:30-17:1-6.
271 years
Table VIII.The Major and Minor Prophets.
PERIOD PTOLEMAIC DATES DECADES (B.C.). CONTEMPORARY WORLD RULERS. ISRAEL. JUDAH. ISAIAH (Chapters) HOSEA JOEL AMOS OBADIAH JONAH MICAH
ASSYRIAN 790 834 BLANK OF 51 YEARS. 832 Jeroboam II, 791 Interregnum 806 Uzziah ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____
780 783 Shalmaneser III (IV) Jeroboam II, Uzziah Undated, but before Amos 1:2 Jeroboam II. Uzziah Undated, but about same time as Joel 3:19, Amos 1:11 Jeroboam II
770 773 Ashur-dan III 769 Zachariah 1-5 Uzziah
760 768 Shallum, 768 Menahem _____ ____ ____ ____ ____
750 754 Ashur-nirari IV 757 Pekahiah, 755 Pekah 754 Jotham 6 Jotham
740 745 Tiglath-pileser III (IV) Jotham
730 735 Interregnum 739 Ahaz 7-12 Syro-Israelitish Invasion - Ahaz. 13-27 Great Assyrian Invasion - Ahaz Ahaz Ahaz
720 727 Shalmaneser IV (V). 722 Sargon II 727 Hoshea 722 Samaria taken 725 Hezekiah 28-35 Before the 14th year of Hezekiah - Hezekiah
710 719 Final fall of Samaria 36-39 In the 14th year of Hezekiah - Hezekiah Hezekiah Hezekiah
700 705 Sennacherib 40-66 After the 14th year of Hezekiah - Hezekiah ____ ____
690 696 Manasseh
680 681 Esar-haddon
670
660 668 Ashur-bani-pal
650
640 641 Amon
____ 630 639 Josiah
PERIOD PTOLEMAIC DATES DECADES (B.C.). CONTEMPORARY WORLD RULERS. ISRAEL. JUDAH. JEREMIAH (Chapters) EZEKIEL (Chapters) DANIEL: History (Chapters) DANIEL: Visions (Chapters) NAHUM HABBAKKUK ZEPHANIAH
BABYLON 620 625 Fall of Nineveh, 625 Nabopolassar ____ Undated, but before the fall of Nineveh Undated, but before the Great Babylonian Invasion In the reign of Josiah
610 1-24 To Judah
600 606 Final fall of Nineveh. 604 Nebuchadnezzar 608 Jehoahaz, 608 Jehoiachim 25-31 Great Babylonian Invasion
590 597 Jehoiachin. 597 Zedekiah 32-38 Siege of Jerusalem. 39-45 Fall of Jerusalem ____ ____ ____
580 586 Fall of Jerusalem 46-51 To Gentiles. 52 Appendix 1-24 Before fall of Jerusalem. 25-32 To Gentiles. CHAPTERS 1-4 Nebuchadnezzar
570 ---- 33-39 After fall of Jerusalem. 40-48 Vision of New Jerusalem CHAPTERS 1-4 Nebuchadnezzar
560 561 Evil- merodach ----
550 559 Nergal-sharezer. 555 Nabonidus 5 Belshazzar 7-8 Belshazzar
540 6 Darius 9 Darius
530 538 Darius and Cyrus. 536 Cyrus, sole King 536 Zerubbabel 10-12 Cyrus
---- ---- ----
PERIOD PTOLEMAIC DATES DECADES (B.C.). CONTEMPORARY WORLD RULERS. ISRAEL. JUDAH. HAGGAI ZECHARIAH MALACHI
PERSIAN 520 529 Cambyses. 521 Darius Hystaspes 502 Nehemiah 2nd year of Darius 2nd and 4th years of Darius About 34th year of Darius
Table IX.Chronology of the Books of Ezra and Nehemiah.
ORDER OF EVENTS AND SUCCESSION OF GENERATIONS.
PTOLEMAIC DATES B.C. PERSIA. HIGH PRIESTS. EVENTS. NEHEMIAH AND THE SON-IN-LAW OF SANBALLAT. INTERMARRIAGES WITH TOBIAH AND HIS SON. PRIESTS WHO RETURNED WITH ZERUBBABEL AND JESHUA AND THEIR SUCCESSORS IN THE DAYS OF JOIAKIM.
536 1st Cyrus Joshua. Zerubbabel returned to Jerusalem 22 Priests and 8 Levites returned with Zerubbabel, Neh. 12:1-9.
520 2nd Darius Zerubbabel built Temple ARAH
515 7th Artaxerxes Joiakim Ezra returned to Jerusalem BERECHIAH|
| SHECHANIAH
||
502 20th Artaxerxes {The Days of Joiakim = period before and after this year} Nehemiah came to Jerusalem. The days of Ezra and Nehemiah.Eliashib, Co-High Priest, built wall. ELIASHIBSANBALLAT MESHULLAM TOBIAH m. DAUGHTER 15 Priests and 5 Levites, who sealed with Nehemiah, Neh. 10:2-10, same as those who returned with Zerubbabel, Neh. 12:1-9.20 Priests who succeeded in days of Joiakim, Neh. 12:12-21 = Sons of 20 Priests who returned with Zerubbabel, Neh. 12:1-7, of whom 15 sealed with Nehemiah, Neh. 10:2-8.
|| ||
JOIADA | ||
490 32nd Artaxerxes Nehemiah went to Babylon. || ||
488 34th Artaxerxes Eliashib Nehemiah returned to Jerusalem Nehemiah chased: SONm. DAUGHTER DAUGHTERm.SON
Joiada
Johanan
Jaddua Contemporary with Darius the Persian, met Alexander the Great at Sapha
HEBREW PATRIARCHS.
2008 Abraham,
2083 Call of Abraham.
2108 Isaac.
2113 Ishmael cast out.
2168 Jacob.
2259 Joseph.
2298 Jacob went down in to Egypt.
2369 Joseph died.
2369 Interval of 64 years from the Death of Joseph to the Birth of Moses.
MOSES.
2433 Moses born.
2473 Moses fled to Midian.
2475 Caleb born.
2513 The Exodus.
2513 End of the 400 years of Gen. 15:13 and Acts 7:6
2513 End of the 430 years of Ex. 12:40 and Gal. 3:17
JOSHUA.
2552 Conquest of Heshbon.
2553 Moses died.
2553 End of the 40 years the Wilderness.
2553 Entry into Canaan.
2560 End of the seven Years' War
2560 Division of the Land.
2560 Joshua and the Elders (13 years).
JUDGES
2573 1st Servitude, Cushan.
2581 Rest by Othniel.
2621 2nd Servitude, Egion.
2639 Rest by Ehud.
2719 3rd Servitude, Jabin.
2739 Rest by Barak.
2779 4th Servitude, Midian.
2786 Rest by Gideon.
2826 Abimelech.
2829 Tola.
2852 Jair.
2852 End of the 300 years of Jud. 11:26
2874 5th Servitude, Ammon.
2892 Jephthah.
2898 Ibzan.
2905 Elon.
2915 Abdon.
2923 6th Servitude, Philistines.
2963 Eli.
3003 Samuel.
3023 End of the 450 years of Acts 13:20.
THE CAPTIVITY
3520 3rd year of Jehoiakim.
3520 Epoch of the 70 years' Servitude.
3520 Daniel taken to Babylon.
3521 4th year of Jehoiakim = 1st year of Nebuchadnezzar.This year connects Sacred and Profane Chronology.
3528 Jehoachin.
3528 Epoch of Jehoiachin's Captivity.
3528 Ezekiel and Mordecai taken to Babylon.
3528 Zedekiah.
3532 End of the 390 years of Ezek. 4:5-6
3532 Ezekiel begins to prophesy.
3536 Epoch of the 70 years' Indignation.
3537 Siege of Jerusalem.
3538 End of the 40 years of Ezek. 4:5-6.
3539 Jerusalem taken.Temple burnt.
3539 Epoch of the 70 years of the Fasts.
3564 Evil-meredach.
3584 Belshazzar.
3587 Darius the Mede.
THE RETURN.
3589 Cyrus
3589 Return of Zerubbabel and Joshua with 42,360 exiles.
3589 End of the 70 years' Servitude.
3589 Going forth of the Commandment, Dan 9:25.
3589 Epoch of the 70 x 7 and of the 7 x 7years.
3596 Ahasuerus, Ezra 4:6 = Cambyses.
3603 Artaxerxes, Ezra 4:7 = Pseudo-Smerdis.
3604 Darius, Ezra 4:24 = Darius Hystaspes
3604 Artaxerses, Ezra 7-Neh = Darius Hystaspes.
3604 Ahasuerus, Esther = Darius Hystaspes
3605 Foundation of Temple laid.
3605 End of the 70 years' Indignation.
3608 End of the 70 years of the Fasts.
3609 Temple finished.
3610 Ezra comes to Jerusalem.
3615 Esther saves her people.
3623 Nehemiah comes to Jerusalem.
3635 Nehemiah goes to Babylon.
3637 Nehemiah comes back to Jerusalem.
3637 Malachi.
3637 End of the 7 x 7 of Dan. 9:25
THE MESSIAH.
4038 The Nativity.
4042 = B.C. 1 and AN. HOM. 1 = B.C. 4042.
4043 A.D. 1. The Christian Era.
4071 End of the 483 years of Dan. 9:25.
4071 Crucifixion - the Messiah cut off.
