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- Newsgroups: soc.culture.jewish
- From: hem@maverick.col400.att.com (Hillel E. Markowitz)
- Subject: Biblical Timeline
- Message-ID: <1992Nov23.191851.14941@cbfsb.cb.att.com>
- Originator: news@cbnewsf.cb.att.com
- Organization: AT&T Federal Systems
- Date: Mon, 23 Nov 1992 19:18:51 GMT
-
- The development of the time-line written below is based on a lecture by Rav
- Schwab of Kahal Adath Yeshurun (Rav Breuer's schul) given in the year 5729
- (1968/69 C.E.) according to the count we currently use from the creation of the
- world. The lecture dealt with the problem of dating the destruction of the
- two Temples and reconciling the dates with the Xian dating system currently in
- use.
-
- There are three methods of dating the beginning of the Creation era counting
- from the creation. They are:
-
- 1. Year 1 begins with the actual creation of the Universe.
-
- 2. Year "0" is the creation of the Universe, while we count year 1 from the
- creation of man
-
- 3. The dating of the years is based on the ages shown in the Torah, thus Adam's
- creation began Year 0 and Year 1 began on his first birthday. This method
- allows the calendar to be set up by just adding the ages we find in Bereishis.
-
- Rabbi Schwab stated that we use method 1 in our current calendar.
-
- The difference in the three dating schemes is shown in the following table.
-
- _______________________________________________________________
- | Summary Event | Creation Era Dating |
- | Writeup | 1 2 3 |
- |________________________________|_____________________________|
- | | |
- | 1. Earth without form and void | 1 |
- |________________________________|_____________________________|
- | | |
- | 2. Creation of Adam | 2 1 |
- |________________________________|_____________________________|
- | | |
- | 3. Adam one year old | 3 2 1 |
- |________________________________|_____________________________|
- | | |
- | 4. Flood | 1658 1657 1656 |
- |________________________________|_____________________________|
-
-
-
- The following tables show the dating of events from the Chumash, TaNaCh,
- Talmud, and secular history through the destruction of the second Temple.
-
-
- I. 10 generations from Adam to Noach
-
- Date | Event
- ________|_____________________________________________________________
- 1 | The universe is created
- ________|_____________________________________________________________
- 2 | Adam is created
- ________|_____________________________________________________________
- 3 | Adam is 1 year old
- ________|_____________________________________________________________
- 132 | Adam fathers Shes (at 130 years old)
- ________|_____________________________________________________________
- 237 | Shes fathers Enosh (at 105 years old)
- ________|_____________________________________________________________
- 327 | Enosh fathers Kainan (at 90 years old)
- ________|_____________________________________________________________
- 397 | Kainan fathers Mehalalel (at 70 years old)
- ________|_____________________________________________________________
- 462 | Mehalalel fathers Yared (at 65 years old)
- ________|_____________________________________________________________
- 624 | Yared fathers Chanoch (at 162 years old)
- ________|_____________________________________________________________
- 689 | Chanoch fathers Mesushelach (at 65 years old)
- ________|_____________________________________________________________
- 876 | Mesushelach fathers Lamech (at 187 years old)
- ________|_____________________________________________________________
- 932 | Adam dies (930 years old)
- ________|_____________________________________________________________
- 989 | Chanoch ends (365 years old)
- ________|_____________________________________________________________
- 1044 | Shes dies (912 years old)
- ________|_____________________________________________________________
- 1058 | Lamech fathers Noach (at 182 years old)
- ________|_____________________________________________________________
- 1142 | Enosh dies (905 years old)
- ________|_____________________________________________________________
- 1237 | Kainan dies (910 years old)
- ________|_____________________________________________________________
- 1292 | Mehalalel dies (895 years old)
- ________|_____________________________________________________________
- 1424 | Yared dies (962 years old)
- ________|_____________________________________________________________
- 1560 | Noach fathers Shem (98 years before the flood)
- ________|_____________________________________________________________
- 1653 | Lamech dies (777 years old)
- ________|_____________________________________________________________
- 1658 | Mesushelach dies (969 years old)
- ________|_____________________________________________________________
- ________|_____________________________________________________________
- |
- 1658 | FLOOD
- ________|____________________________________________________________
- ________|____________________________________________________________
-
- II. 10 Generations from Noach to Avraham
-
- Date | Event
- ________|_____________________________________________________________
- 1660 | Shem fathers Arpachshad (at 100 years old)
- | 2 years after flood
- ________|____________________________________________________________
- 1695 | Arpachshad fathers Shelach (at 35 years old)
- ________|____________________________________________________________
- 1725 | Shelach fathers Aiver (at 30 years old)
- ________|____________________________________________________________
- 1759 | Aiver fathers Peleg (at 34 years old)
- ________|____________________________________________________________
- 1789 | Peleg fathers Reu (at 30 years old)
- ________|____________________________________________________________
- 1821 | Reu fathers Srug (at 32 years old)
- ________|____________________________________________________________
- 1851 | Srug fathers Nachor (at 30 years old)
- ________|____________________________________________________________
- 1880 | Nachor fathers Terach (at 29 years old)
- ________|____________________________________________________________
- 1950 | Terach fathers Avram (100 years before Yitzchak is born)
- ________|____________________________________________________________
- ________|____________________________________________________________
-
- III. The Patriarchs - Avrahom through Yaakov
-
- Date | Event
- ________|_____________________________________________________________
- 1998 | Peleg dies (239 years old)
- ________|____________________________________________________________
- 1999 | Nachor dies (230 years old)
- ________|____________________________________________________________
- 2020 | Terach leaves Ur Kasdim for Canaan. Settles in Charan
- | Avram is 70 years old. Based on figure of 430 years
- | mentione in Exodus.
- ________|____________________________________________________________
- 2025 | Avram told to leave Charan (Lech Lecha) (at 75 years old)
- ________|____________________________________________________________
- 2028 | Reu dies (239 years old)
- ________|____________________________________________________________
- 2036 | Avraham fathers Yishmael (at 86 years old)
- ________|____________________________________________________________
- 2049 | Avraham performs Bris Milah (at 99 years old)
- | Yishmael is 13 years old
- ________|____________________________________________________________
- 2050 | Avraham fathers Yitzchak (at 100 years old)
- | Yishmael is 14 years old
- ________|____________________________________________________________
- 2051 | Srug dies (230 years old)
- ________|____________________________________________________________
- 2085 | Terach dies (205 years old) in Charan
- ________|____________________________________________________________
- 2087 | Avraham performs Akeidas Yitzchak (at 137 years old)
- | Yitzchak is 37 years old
- | Sarah dies (127 years old)
- | Yitzchak marries Rivka
- ________|____________________________________________________________
- 2110 | Yitzchak fathers Eisav and Yaakov (at 60 years old)
- ________|____________________________________________________________
- 2125 | Avraham dies (175 years old)
- | Yishmael & Yitzchak are reconciled
- | Eisav & Yaakov are 15
- | Eisav sells birthright to Yaakov
- ________|____________________________________________________________
- 2125 | Arpachshad dies (465 years old)
- ________|____________________________________________________________
- 2128 | Shelach dies (433 years old)
- ________|____________________________________________________________
- 2150 | Eisav marries Yehudis bas Beairi Hachiti (at 40 years old)
- | Eisav also marries Basmas bas Ailon Hachiti
- ________|____________________________________________________________
- 2160 | Shem dies (600 years old)
- ________|____________________________________________________________
- 2189 | Aiver dies (464 years old)
- ________|____________________________________________________________
- 2173 | Yitzchak gives Brocho to Yaakov (at 123 years old - Rashi)
- | Yaakov leaves home (at 63 years old)
- | for Yeshiva of Shem & Aiver
- | Eisav marries Machalas bas Yishmael (at 63 years old)
- ________|____________________________________________________________
- 2173 | Yishmael dies (137 years old)
- ________|____________________________________________________________
- 2187 | Yaakov leaves Yeshiva for Padan Aram (at 77 years old)
- | meet Rachel at the well, agress to work for 7 years
- ________|____________________________________________________________
- 2194 | Yaakov marries Leah (at 84 years old)
- | marries Rachel on promise to work 7 more years
- ________|____________________________________________________________
- 2201 | Yaakov fathers Yosef (at 91 years old)
- | makes deal with Lavan to begin earning his own flock
- ________|____________________________________________________________
- 2207 | Yaakov completes work for himself
- | begins traveling to Canaan (at 97 years old)
- ________|____________________________________________________________
- 2209 | Yaakov reaches Cannan, settles down (at 99 years old)
- | Yosef is 8 years old
- ________|____________________________________________________________
- 2218 | Yosef is sold and ends up in Mitzrayim (at 17 years old)
- | Yaakov is 108 years old
- ________|____________________________________________________________
- 2231 | Yosef interprets Paroah's dream (at 30 years old)
- | Yaakov is 121 years old
- ________|____________________________________________________________
- 2240 | Yaakov goes down to Mitzrayim (at 130 years old)
- | after 7 years of plenty and 2 years of famine.
- | Yosef is 39 years old
- ________|____________________________________________________________
- 2257 | Yaakov dies in Mitzrayim (147 years old)
- | Eisav is killed at the Mearas Hamachpeilah
- ________|____________________________________________________________
-
- IV. From Exile to Exile - Mitzraim to Bavel
-
- Date | Event
- ________|_____________________________________________________________
- 2311 | Yosef dies (110 years old)
- ________|____________________________________________________________
- 2370 | Moshe Rabbeinu is born in Mitzraim
- ________|____________________________________________________________
- 2450 | Exodus from Mitzrayim
- | Moshe Rabbeinu is 80 years old
- | Melachim I 6:1 states that this is 480 years before the
- | dedication of the First Temple by Shlomo Hamelech
- ________|____________________________________________________________
- 2490 | Moshe Rabbeinu dies (120 years old)
- | Entry into Canaan
- ________|____________________________________________________________
- 2930 | Dedication of the First Temple by Shlomo Hamelech
- | Temple lasts 410 years according to the Talmud
- ________|____________________________________________________________
- 3340 | Destruction of the First Temple
- | Babylonian exile lasts 70 years
- ________|____________________________________________________________
- ________|____________________________________________________________
-
- V. The Building of the Second Temple
-
- Rabbi Schwab pointed out that the historical evidence dates the destruction of
- the first Temple at 586 BCE and the destruction of the Second Temple at 70 CE.
- This seems to cause a conflict with the Talmud which lists the Second Temple as
- having lasted 420 years and the exile as 70 years. This 490 year span would put
- the destruction of the First temple at 420 BCE. The dating scheme used below is
- AM (Anno Mundi) for the dates from the creation as in the tables above, TCE for
- the Temple Construction Era, BCE for Before the Common (or Xian) Era, and CE for
- the Common (or Xian Era).
-
- Rabbi Schwab deals with this by postulating that the period of the building of
- the Second Temple lasted 168 years and was not counted in the calendar we use
- today. That is, the era he refers to as the "Temple Construction Era" was
- numbered seperately and was identical with the era of "Anshei Kneses Hagdola"
- (Men of the Great Assembly). One reason for this is to prevent the attempt to
- calculate the exact date that the moshiach will come. An appendix giving Rabbi
- Schwab's dates for the events of the end of the First Temple Era will be added
- later. Rabbi Schwab dated the Destruction of the First Temple in 3340 as 590/89
- BCE. The end of the Babylonian exile in 3409 is dated 521/20 BCE with the reign
- of Darius I. The era of the Anshei Knesses Hagdola is shown in the following
- table. Note that this would date the creation of the world (Year 1 AM)
- as 3929/28 BCE.
-
- Date TCE | Date BCE | Event
- _________|__________|__________________________________________________
- 1 | 520/19 | Temple building is resumed. Hagai, Zechariah
- _________|__________|__________________________________________________
- 5 | 516/15 | Dedication of (incomplete) Temple celebrated.
- | | Rebuilding of Jerusalem wall is begun
- _________|__________|__________________________________________________
- 6 | 515/14 | Ezra arrives. First (prophetic) period of
- | | "Knesses Hagdola" begins. After death of Joshua
- | | Ezra become High Priest.
- _________|__________|__________________________________________________
- 34 | 487/86 | Darius I dies.
- _________|__________|__________________________________________________
- 35 | 486/85 | Xerxes (Artachshasstra of Ezra). Messianic
- | | redemption expected no later than 3450 from the
- | | creation (1,000 years after the Exodus). Ezra
- | | travels to Bavel to organize the Ingathering of the
- | | Exiles. He appoints Yoyakim as High Priest.
- _________|__________|__________________________________________________
- 40 | 481/80 | Xerxes appoints Ezrah as Pasha of Yehuda, encourages
- | | total immigration.
- _________|__________|__________________________________________________
- 41 | 480/79 | Second coming of Ezra with only 1500 immigrants.
- | | Refusal of majority to leave exile causes indefinite
- | | postponement of messianic redemption.
- _________|__________|__________________________________________________
- 42 | 479/78 | Mixed Marriages Dissolved.
- _________|__________|__________________________________________________
- 54 | 466/65 | Xerxes dies. Artaxerxes I (Longimanus = Artachashassta
- | | of Nechemiah). Through change of government, Ezra
- | | loses his political power. Deterioration sets in.
- | | Ezra (= Malachi) admonishes his contemporaries.
- | | Persecution under new governors. Sanballat in
- | | Samaria, Tobias the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arab
- | | are main antagonists. Enemies burn walls of Jerusalem
- | | many Jews flee country/ Poverty and corruption reign.
- | | Eliashev is the High Priest.
- _________|__________|__________________________________________________
- 75 | 446/45 | Nechemiah becomes governor. Walls of Jerusalem
- | | are repaired.
- _________|__________|__________________________________________________
- 76 | 445/44 | Spiritual restoration of Jewish community.
- | | "Covenant of the Faith". Second period of "Knesses
- | | Hagdola" (Soferim) begins. Yoyada is High Priest.
- _________|__________|__________________________________________________
- 86 | 435/34 | Nehemiah leaves for Shushan. Partial deterioration
- | | sets in again.
- _________|__________|__________________________________________________
- 88 | 433/32 | Nehemiah returns. festive dedication of Jerusalem
- | (ca) | wall. Ezra dies. Yochanan (= Jonathan) becomes
- | | High Priest. Biblical canon closed.
- _________|__________|__________________________________________________
- 97 | 424/23 | Darius II (Nothus)
- _________|__________|__________________________________________________
- | 410 | Yeb temple in Egypt destroyed.
- _________|__________|__________________________________________________
- | 406 | Bagoas governor of Yehuda. Delaiah, son of
- | | Sanballat in Samaria.
- _________|__________|__________________________________________________
- 116 | 405/04 | Artaxerxes II (Mnemon)
- _________|__________|__________________________________________________
- 161 | 360/59 | Artaxerxes III (Ochus)
- _________|__________|__________________________________________________
- 168 | 353/52 | Final temple restoration completed by Shimon Hatzadik
- | | (Simon "The Just"). End of the Temple Construction
- | | Era. Resumption of Anno Mundi numbering.
- _________|__________|__________________________________________________
- _________|__________|__________________________________________________
-
- VI. The Second Temple Era
-
- Date AM | Date BCE | Event
- ________|__________|__________________________________________________
- 3410 | 352/51 | First year of second Temple Era
- ________|__________|__________________________________________________
- 3423 | 339/38 | Darius III (Codomanus)
- ________|__________|__________________________________________________
- 3428 | 334/33 | Alexander - Battle of Issus
- ________|__________|__________________________________________________
- 3430 | 332/31 | Alexander welcomed in Jerusalem by Shimon Hatzadik.
- | | Jewish social and cultural autonomy, granted under
- | | the Persian rulers, remains unimpaired for another
- | | 20 years until the battle of Gaza.
- ________|__________|__________________________________________________
- 3438 | 324/23 | Alexander dies.
- ________|__________|__________________________________________________
- 3442 | 320/19 | Ptolemy conquers Jerusalem
- ________|__________|__________________________________________________
- 3444 | 318/17 | Greek domination of Jewish life starts in Elam
- | | (Media). Spreads all over the Jewish world within
- | | the next 6 years and lasts for 180 years.
- ________|__________|__________________________________________________
- 3446 | 316/315 | Antifones conquers Jerusalem.
- ________|__________|__________________________________________________
- 3449 | 313/312 | Ptolemy reconquers Jerusalem.
- ________|__________|__________________________________________________
- 3450 | 312/11 | Battle of Gaza. Ptolemy (="King of the South") and
- | | Seleucis (="King of the North") are in control of
- | | most of Alexander's empire.
- | | Greek Era begins. This year is identical with the
- | | first year of the Seleucid Era alos called "Minyan
- | | Shtaros". Since the 168 years of the Temple
- | | Construction Era are numbered seperately, follows
- | | the year "1000 after the Exodus" according to AM.
- ________|__________|__________________________________________________
- 3624 | 133/37 | Commencement of the Chashmonaim Era (103 years)
- ________|__________|__________________________________________________
- 3727 | 35/34 | Commencement of the Herodian Era (103 years)
- ________|__________|__________________________________________________
- 3760 | 2/1 |
- 3761 | 1BCE/1CE | Beginning of the Common (Xian) Era dating
- 3762 | 1/2 CE |
- ________|__________|__________________________________________________
- 3830 | 69/70 CE | Destruction of the Second temple 420 years after
- | | its completion by Shimon Hatzadik.
- ________|__________|__________________________________________________
- ________|____________________________________________________________
-
- VII. The End of the First Temple Era.
-
- The following table goes back and gives the details of Rabbi Schwab's time-line
- of the end of the First Temple with the connection to the secular dating based
- on the 168 year gap in the AM dating shown above.
-
- Date AM | Date BCE | Event
- ________|__________|__________________________________________________
- 3304 | 626/25 | Yoval count restarted after Yirmiyahu bring back the
- | | ten tribes.
- ________|__________|__________________________________________________
- 3318 | 612/11 | Yoshiah killed by Pharoah Necho. Yehoachaz reigns
- | | for three months
- ________|__________|__________________________________________________
- 3319 | 611/10 | First year of the Neo-Babylonian Empire.
- | | Battle of Carchemish liquidates teh last remnant of
- | | "Ninive" (the former Assyrian Empire).
- | | Nevuchadnetzar's father dies on 8 Av and Nevuchadnetzar
- | | becomes emperor on 1 Elul. The Babylonians count this
- | | year as the "accesion year" ("rishonis") and the next
- | | year as year 1. According to Jewish counting, the
- | | year of his victory over "Ninive" is year 1 of his
- | | reign. Yoyakim kills Uriah and threatens
- | | Yirmiyahu's life.
- ________|__________|__________________________________________________
- 3323 | 607/06 | In his second year, Nevuchadnetzar invades Yehuda.
- | | Yoyakim becomes his vassal for 3 years.
- ________|__________|__________________________________________________
- 3326 | 604/03 | Yoyakim rebels. First year of regained independence.
- ________|__________|__________________________________________________
- 3328 | 602/01 | In Adar (3rd year of independence) Nevuchadnetzar's
- | | troops capture Yoyakim and many nobles. Daniel and
- | | his three friends are among the captives brought to
- | | to Bavel. Yoyakim dies in his chains while being
- | | dragged out of Jerusalem. No king in Yehuda for
- | | about eight months.
- ________|__________|__________________________________________________
- 3329 | 601/00 | Yoyachin (Yechoniah) becomes king for 3 months and
- | | 10 days. Babylonian troops lay siege to Jerusalem
- | | to capture him. In Adar, Nevuchadnetzar arrives,
- | | Jerusalem capitulates, Yechoniah goes into exile with
- | | almost all the leading and learned citizens.
- | |
- | | Daryavesh, son of Achashverosh, also called Subarru
- | | (Gobrias) is born in Media.
- | | Nevuchadnetzar appoints Tzidkiyahu king who swears
- | | allegiance to him.
- ________|__________|__________________________________________________
- 3332 | 598/97 | Tzidkiyahu travels to Bavel to pay homage to
- | | Nevuchadnetzar and returns.
- ________|__________|__________________________________________________
- 3334 | 596/95 | Tzidkiyahu conspires with Egypt against Bavel.
- | | Vision of Yechezkel in the 30th year after the Yovel.
- ________|__________|__________________________________________________
- 3336 | 594/93 | Pharoah Hophra (Apries) captures Gaza while returning
- | | from an attempt to help Yehuda against the Babylonian
- | | army on the march.
- ________|__________|__________________________________________________
- 3339 | 591/90 | Siege of Yerushalayim (10 Teves). This is the 410th
- | | year of the First temple Era
- ________|____________________________________________________________
- ________|__________|__________________________________________________
-
- VIII. The Galus Bavel
-
- The following table goes back and gives the details of Rabbi Schwab's time-line
- of the Galus Bavel (Babylonian Exile) with the connection to the secular dating
- based on the 168 year gap in the AM dating shown above.
-
- Date AM | Date BCE | Event
- ________|__________|__________________________________________________
- 3340 | 590/89 | On 9 Tamuz Yerushalayim is captured. Tzidkiyahu is
- | | taken to Nevuchadnetzar in Rivlah and blinded.
- | | 7th - 10th Av, Temple is destroyed. This is Year 1
- | | of the "Galus Bavel" Era.
- | | Gedaliah is appointed governor.
- ________|__________|__________________________________________________
- 3341 | 589/88 | Gedaliah is assassinated. Yirmiyah is taken to
- | | Egypt with the refugees.
- ________|__________|__________________________________________________
- 3342 | 588/87 | Daniel interprets dreams of Nevuchadnetzar.
- ________|__________|__________________________________________________
- 3345 | 585/84 | Conquest ot Tyre. Many Jewish refugees taken to
- | | Bavel. Astyages becomes king of Media
- ________|__________|__________________________________________________
- 3349 | 581/80 | Nevuchadnetzar conquers Egypt.
- | | Yirmiyahu goes to Bavel.
- ________|__________|__________________________________________________
- 3366 | 564/63 | 25 Adar, Nevuchadnetzar dies. Exiled king Yechoniah
- | | released from prison. Also Tzidkiyahu, who dies on
- | | regaining his freedom and is buried with royal honors
- ________|__________|__________________________________________________
- 3367 | 563/62 | Era of Evil-Merodach lasts 22 years.
- | | Jews are honored and favored.
- ________|__________|__________________________________________________
- 3371 | 559/58 | Nirgal Sharetzar (Neriglasser) son-in-law of
- | | Nevuchadnetzar.
- ________|__________|__________________________________________________
- 3375 | 555/54 | Nabunaid (also calls himself Nevuchadnetzar) adopts
- | | Nevuchadnetzr's grandson Belshatzar and grants him
- | | royal powers. Nabunaid kills king of Edom, captures
- | | Gaza, and lives for about 7 years in seclusion
- | | in Tema.
- | |
- ________|__________|__________________________________________________
- 3389 | 541/40 | Reign of Belshatzar lasts about 3 years. During this
- | | period Jews are humiliated by Belshatzar who is
- | | acting king.
- ________|__________|__________________________________________________
- 3391 | 539/38 | Belshatzar killed (Nabunaid captured).
- | | Cyrus apponts Gubarru (Daryavesh the Mede) as acting
- | | king of the Chaldees. He rules for less than 1 year.
- | | Daniel in the lions' den.
- ________|__________|__________________________________________________
- 3392 | 538/37 | Cyrus: Proclamation of Return. Sheshbatzar,
- | | Zerubavel.
- ________|__________|__________________________________________________
- 3393 | 537/36 | Rebuilding of the Temple is started.
- ________|__________|__________________________________________________
- 3394 | 536/35 | Samaritans and other "enemies of Yehuda" conspiring.
- ________|__________|__________________________________________________
- 3395 | 535/34 | Cambyses (Ahashverosh) appointed coregent by his
- | | father Cyrus. He establishes his own capital in
- | | Shushan. Temple building stopped. Cyrus now also
- | | called Artachshashta (Emperor) revokes proclamation.
- ________|__________|__________________________________________________
- 3401 | 529/28 | Cyrus dies, Cambyses becomes sole emperor.
- ________|__________|__________________________________________________
- | 525 | Cambyses conquers Egypt. He is ruling "Mehodu Vead
- | | Kush" (from India to Ethiopia). Esther becomes queen
- ________|__________|__________________________________________________
- 3406 | 524/23 | Haman's fall
- ________|__________|__________________________________________________
- 3407 | 523/22 | Purim
- ________|__________|__________________________________________________
- 3408 | 522/21 | Cambyses dies. Persian empire revolts.
- ________|__________|__________________________________________________
- 3409 | 521/20 | Darius I. This is the last year of the
- | | "Galus Bavel" Era.
- ________|__________|__________________________________________________
- ________|__________|__________________________________________________
-