A Chronology of the Bible
The dates from Adam until the Fall of Jerusalem are determined by scripture. The dates denominated “B.C.” are determined arithmetically. The Gregorian Calendar (the calendar we use today) dates are tied to 587 B.C., the date of the Fall of Jerusalem that is almost universally used by historians. After this time we must depend on historians for our dating.
The abbreviation “A.D.” comes from the Latin Anno Domini, or “The Year of Our Lord.” The abbreviation “B.C.” is generally used as Before Christ. Some, including many Jews, use the abbreviation B.C.E., or Before the Common Era, which is an insult to Jesus Messiah.
From Adam Before Christ
0 4009 Adam created
130 3879 Seth born (Genesis 5:3)
235 3774 Enosh born (Genesis 5:6)
325 3684 Kenan born (Genesis 5:9)
395 3614 Mahalalel born (Genesis 5:12)
460 3549 Jared born (Genesis 5:15)
622 3387 Enoch born (Genesis 5:18)
687 3322 Methuselah born (Genesis 5:21)
874 3135 Lamech born (Genesis 5:25)
1056 2953 Noah born (Genesis 5:28)
Noah was the 10th generation from Creation.
1558 2451 Shem born
Shem was 100 years old two years after the Flood - Genesis 11:10. The sons of Noah are listed as Shem, Ham and Japheth, although Ham was the youngest - Genesis 9:24. Because the line of Jesus came through Shem, we are only given a detailed genealogy through him. It is from the name “Shem” that we get the term “Semites” or “Semitic people”, the descendants of Shem.
1656 2353 The Great Flood (Noah - 500 years old - Genesis 7:6)
1658 2351 Arphaxad born (Genesis 11:10)
1693 2316 Shelah born (Genesis 11:12)
1723 2286 Eber born (Genesis 11:14)
1757 2252 Peleg born (Genesis 11:16)
1787 2222 Reu born (Genesis 11:18)
1819 2190 Serug born (Genesis 11:20)
1849 2160 Nahor born (Genesis 11:22)
From Adam Before Christ
1878 2131 Terah born (Genesis 11:24)
2008 2001 Abram born
Genesis 11:32 tells us that Terah was 205 years old when he died. In Acts 7:4 we are told that Abram left Haran and moved to Canaan when his father died. We are also told in Genesis 12:4 that Abram was 75 years old when he left Haran. Deduction tells us that Terah was 130 years old when Abram was born, therefore Abram was born in the 2008th year of human history.
Abram was the 10th generation from Noah.
2083 1926 Promise to Abram (Genesis 12:1-3)
2108 1901 Isaac born (Genesis 21:5)
2168 1841 Jacob born (Genesis 25:26)
2298 1711 Jacob moved to Egypt (Genesis 47:9)
2513 1496 The Children of Israel leave Egypt (Exodus 12:41)
The Septuagint in Exodus 12:41 states the Children of Jacob (Israel) were in Egypt and Canaan 430 years. In Galatians 3:16-17, Paul says that the Promise made to Abram was confirmed by the Law (given at Mt. Sinai) 430 years later.
It is interesting that from the Promise until the Children of Israel came to Egypt was 215 years. Then, the Children of Israel were in Egypt 215 years.
2514 1495 The Children of Israel leave Sinai (Numbers 10:11)
2553 1456 Crossing the Jordan
The Children (or descendants) of Israel (or Jacob) crossed the Jordan River into the Promised Land 40 years after they left Egypt (Deuteronomy 1:3), or 39 years after their rebellion at Kadesh-Barnea (Deuteronomy 2:14).
2560 1449 Caleb given the town of Hebron (Joshua 14:10)
The Period of the Judges
I have not been able to discover a specific beginning date for the period when Israel was led by judges. The following is a list of judges and the amount of time they led. Intermingled with these times are periods of oppression by various groups of people.
Judge Years Reference
|
Othniel |
40 |
Judges 3:9 |
|
Ehud |
80 |
Judges 3:15 |
|
Shamgar |
0 |
Judges 3:31 |
|
Deborah |
40 |
Judges 5:31 |
|
Gideon |
40 |
Judges 8:28 |
|
Tola |
23 |
Judges 10:2 |
|
Jair |
22 |
Judges 10:3 |
|
Jephthah |
6 |
Judges 12:7 |
|
Ibzan |
7 |
Judges 12:9 |
|
Elon |
10 |
Judges 12:10 |
|
Abdon |
8 |
Judges 12:14 |
|
Samson |
20 |
Judges 16:31 |
|
Eli |
40 |
1 Samuel 4:18 |
Because of incomplete information during the time of the Judges, the following dates are based upon the beginning of the Temple (2993 years from Adam, 1016 B.C.) as found in I Kings 6:1
From Adam Before Christ
2906 1103 Saul born
Based upon the following kingship of Saul and David, the date of the birth of Saul is determined by arithmetic. (Working back from the building of the Temple.) Saul was 30 years old when he became king (I Samuel 13:1)
2919 1090 David born
David was 30 years old when he became king. (I Samuel 5:4) If he was made king in 2949th year from Adam, then he was born in the 2919th year.
2936 1073 Saul made King of Israel
The Bible does not specifically tell us how long Saul was king of Israel, but it can be determined. If Saul immediately became king after the Ark was lost to the Philistines (I Samuel 4:10-11), and the Ark was at the house of Abinidab for 20 years (I Samuel 7:2), and if David moved it immediately after becoming king of all Israel (I Kings 2:11), the maximum time Saul could have reigned is 13 years. (20 years – 7 years in Hebron = 13 years.)
2949 1060 David made King of Judah
David reigned for 40 years. (I Kings 2:11) From the beginning of Temple construction (2993 from Adam), in Solomon’s fourth year, we can determine that David became king 44 years earlier.
2956 1053 The Ark of the Covenant brought to Jerusalem
David reigned in Hebron for 7 years. (I Kings 2:10) This date is based on the assumption that he brought the Ark with him when he moved.
2989 1020 Solomon made King of Israel
The foundation of the Temple was laid in the 4th year of Solomon’s reign per I Kings 6:37. From this we can determine that Solomon became king in 1020 B.C.
2993 1016 Temple construction began
Construction of the Temple began 480 years after the Exodus from Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon’s reign (I Kings 6:1). 2513 years from Adam plus 480 = 2993. 1496 B.C. minus 480 = 1016.
3000 1009 The Temple completed (I Kings 6:38)
The Temple of God was completed in the 3000th year of human history!
Solomon reigned 40 years (1020 B.C. to 980 B.C.) per I Kings 11:42. His son, Rehoboam, caused the northern portion of the Kingdom to rebel and follow Jereboam.
Kings of Judah
3029 980 The Kingdom is divided/Reheboam reigns 17 years (I Kings 14:21)
3046 963 Abijah reigned 3 years (I Kings 15:1)
3049 960 Asa reigned 41 years (I Kings 15:9)
3090 919 Jehoshaphat reigned 25 years (I Kings 22:41)
3115 894 Jehoram reigned 8 years (II Kings 8:17)
3123 886 Ahaziah reigned 1 year (II Kings 8:26)
3124 885 Athalia reigned 6 years (II Kings 11:1-4)
3130 879 Jehoash reigned 40 years (II Kings 12:1)
3170 839 Amaziah reigned 29 years (II Kings 14:2)
3199 810 Uzziah reigned 52 years (II Kings 15:2)
3251 758 Jotham reigned 16 years (II Kings 15:33)
3267 742 Ahaz reigned 16 years (II Kings 16:2)
3283 726 Hezekiah reigned 29 years (II Kings 18:2)
3287 722 The Fall of the Kingdom of Israel
According to historic records, the northern Kingdom of Israel was conquered by Assyria and most of the people deported in 722 B.C.
3312 697 Manasseh reigned 55 years (II Kings 21:1)
3367 640 Amon reigned 2 years (II Kings 21:19)
3369 640 Josiah reigned 31 years (II Kings 22:1)
3400 609 Jehoahaz reigned 3 months (II Kings 23:31)
3400 609 Jehoiakim reigned 11 years (II Kings 23:36)
3411 598 Jehoiachin reigned 3 months (II Kings 24:8)
3411 598 Zedekiah reigned 11 years (II Kings 24:18)
3422 587 The Fall of the Kingdom of Judah
Again, according to historic records Judah was conquered by King Nebuchadnezzar in 587 B.C. Many of the Jewish people (including Ezekiel and Daniel) were exiled to Babylon for 70 years.
From Adam Before Christ
3470 539 The Fall of Babylon
Historians give us the date of the Fall of Babylon. The events of that night in the palace of Belshazzar are described in Daniel chapter 5.
3471 538 King Cyrus authorizes the rebuilding of the Temple(Ezra 1:1-3)
The following dates are based upon historic references and estimates.
3532 477 The institution of Purim
Purim celebrates the victory of the Jews over their attempted annihilation. The events are described in the Book of Esther.
3551 458 Ezra comes to Jerusalem to spur the rebuilding of the Temple
3564 445 Nehemiah comes to Jerusalem to complete the building of the city wall
4005 4 JESUS BORN IN BETHLEHEM!
A little explanation is needed for the dating of 4 B.C. Firstly, it is known that errors were made in determining when Year One A.D. occurred. Also, Herod the Great is thought to have died in 4 B.C., so Jesus could not have been born later. In John 2:20 we find that the remodeling of the Temple by Herod had been going on for 46 years. Historians know that the work was begun in 20 B.C. This places the date as 27 A.D. If Jesus began His ministry at age 30 (Luke 2:23), then He was born in 4 B.C. Priests served in the Tabernacle and the Temple from the age of 30 years to 50 years. The first king of Israel, Saul, became king at age 30. David, from whom Jesus descended, became king at age 30. Jesus will reign on David’s throne. (Isaiah 9:7) It is not surprising that Jesus began His ministry at age 30.
From Adam Anno Domini
4035 27 Jesus began His ministry (see above)
4039 31 The Crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus
From the Gospels it is surmised that the ministry of Jesus lasted 3½ years, from the Fall of 27 A.D. to the Spring of 31 A.D. Interestingly, if seven is the “Number of Completion,” then 3½ indicates incompletion, or something partially complete. This fits because the ministry of Jesus was incomplete. He is coming again!
4078 70 The Destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple
4103 95 The Revelation of Jesus to the Apostle John
Bible scholars, noting the events of history and certain terms used by the Apostle, have determined that the last book of the Bible was written about 95 A.D.