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Chronology of the Kings
Chronology of the Kings
First, we append a table in which the data of the Bible are put together. For the kings of Juda, s. signifies son, b., brother, of the preceeding.
KINGS OF JUDA
|
KINGS OF ISRAEL | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
King
|
Age | LengthofReign | YearofAscension | BibleReference | King | LengthofReign | YearofAscension | BibleReference | ||||||
years | yrs. | mos. | d. | yrs. | mos. | d. | ||||||||
David | 30 | 40 | 6 | IIKings, v,4-5; | IPar., xxix,27 | Jeroboam I | 22 | IIIKings, xiv,20 | ||||||
Solomon,s. | 40 | III Kings, xi, 42; | II Par., ix, 30 | Nadab | 2 | 2 Asa | III Kings, xv, 25 | |||||||
Roboam, s. | 41 | 17 | III Kings, xiv, 21; | II Par., xii, 13 | Baasa | 24 | 3" | III Kings, xv, 33 | ||||||
Abiam, s. | 3 | 18 Jeroboam I | III Kings, xv, 1-2; | II Par., xiii, 1-2 | Ela | 2 | 26" | III Kings, xvi, 8 | ||||||
Asa, s. | 41 | 20 Jeroboam I | III Kings, xv, 9-10; | II Par., xvi, 13 | Zambri | 7 | 27" | III Kings, xvi, 10, 15 | ||||||
Josaphat,s. | 35 | 25 | 4 Achab | III Kings, xxii, 41-42; | II Par., xx, 31 | Amri | 12 | 31" | III Kings, xvi, 23 | |||||
Joram | 32 | 8 | 5 Joram of Israel | IV Kings, viii, 16-17 | II Par., xxi, 5 | Achab | 22 | 38" | III Kings, xvi, 29 | |||||
Ochozias, s. | 11 " " | IV Kings, ix, 29; | Ochozias | 2 | 17 Josaphat | III Kings, xxii, 52 | ||||||||
" | 22(42) | 1 | 12 " " | IV Kings, viii, 25-26 | II Par., xxii, 2 | Joram | 12 | 18" | IV Kings, iii, 1 | |||||
Athalia | 6 | After" " | IV Kings, xi, 3; | II Par., xxii, 12 | " | 2 Joram of Juda | IV Kings, i, 17 | |||||||
Joass.ofOchozias | 7 | 40 | 7Jehu | IVKings,xi,21;xii,1; | II Par., xxiv, 1 | Jehu | 28 | AfterOchoziasofJuda | IVKings,ix,27;x,36 | |||||
Amasias, s.
|
25
|
29
|
2 Joas of Israel to
15afterJoasofIsrael |
IV Kings, xiv, 1-2;
IV Kings, xiv, 17; |
II Par., xxv, 1
II Par., xxv, 5 |
Joachaz |
17 |
23 Joas of Juda |
IV Kings, xiii, 1 |
|||||
Azarias, s. | 16 | 52 | 27 Jeroboam II | IV Kings, xv, 1-2; | II Par., xxvi, 3 | Joas | 16 | 37"" | IV Kings, xiii, 10 | |||||
Joatham, s. | 25 | 16 | 2 Phacee | IV Kings xv, 32-33; | IIPar.,xxvii,1,8 | JeroboamII | 41 | 15 Amasias | IV Kings, xiv, 23 | |||||
Achaz, s. | 25(20) | 16 | 17 " | IV Kings, xvi, 1-2; | II Par., xxviii, 1 | Zacharias | 6 | 38 Azarias | IV Kings, xv, 8 | |||||
Ezechias, s. | 25 | 29 | 3 Osee | IV Kings, xviii, 1-2; | II Par., xxix, 1 | Sellum | 1 | 39" | IV Kings, xv, 13 | |||||
Manasses | 12 | 55 | IV Kings, xxi, 1; | II Par., xxxiii, 1 | Menahem | 10 | 39" | IV Kings, xv, 17 | ||||||
Amon, s. | 22 | 2 | IV Kings, xxi, 19; | II Par., xxxiii, 21 | Phaceia | 2 | 52" | IV Kings, xv, 23 | ||||||
Josias | 8 | 31 | IV Kings, xxii, 1; | II Par., xxxiv, 1 | Phacee | 20 | 52 Azarias | IV King s, xv, 27 | ||||||
Joachaz, s. | 23 | 3 | IV Kings, xxiii, 31; | II Par., xxxvi, 2 | Osee | 20 Joatham | IV Kings, xv, 30 | |||||||
Joachim, b. | 25 | 11 | IV Kings, xxiii, 36; | II Par., xxxvi, 5 | " | 9 | 12 Achaz until | IV Kings, xvii, 1 | ||||||
Joachin, s. | 18 (8) | 3 | 10 | IV Kings, xxiv, 8; | II Par., xxxvi, 9 | 6Ezechias=9Osee | IVKings,xvii,6;xviii,10 | |||||||
Sedecias,s.ofJosias | 21 | 11 | IV Kings, xxiv, 18; | IIPar.,xxxvi,11 |
Since the deciphering of the AssyroBabylonian inscriptions, the chronology of the period of Kings before 730 b.c. has become untenable. We give here the points of chronological contact between the AssyroBabylonian history and Sacred Scripture, as also those of Egyptian history.
A. From Assyrian Inscriptions.--
(1) 854
b.c.. Salmanasar II, in the summer of his sixth
year, vanquishes Benadad of Syria (III Kings, xx, 1), the predecessor
of Hazael, with other kings, among them Achab of Israel, in the battle
of Karkar.
(2) 842
b.c. Salmanasar II, in his eighteenth year,
receives tribute from Jehu.
(3) 738
b.c. Theglathphalasar III (Phul, IV Kings, xv,
19) receives, in his eighth year, tribute from Manahem.
(4) 733-2
b.c. War between Theglathphalasar and Rasin of
Syria; siege of Damascus. "Joachaz of Juda", i.e. Achz, brings presents
from Theglathphalasar. Conquest of Israelitish territory by
Theglathphalasar.
(5) 731-0 (?)
b.c. "Pakacha", i.e. Phacee (Hebr.
Pekach), is killed, and "Ausi", i.e. Osee, is set over Israel by
Theglathphalasar.
(6) 722-1
b.c. Samaria is taken possession of, in the
early part of Sargon's reign, by the Assyrians.
B. From Scripture.--
(1) Towards the end of Solomon's reign, Jeroboam I fled into Egypt
to Sesac. In the fifth year of the reign of Roboam, Jerusalem was
plundered by the same Sesac (III Kings, xi, 40; xiv, 25). Sesac I
probably reigned about 940-19
b.c.
(2) In, or shortly before, the fifteenth year of Asa's riign,
"Zara the Ethiopian" (Hebr.
Zerach) declared war against Asa (II Par. [A. V. II Chron.),
xiv, 9; cf. xv, 10 sqq.]. Some commentators think that Zara was a king
of Egypt, namely, Osorkon I or II. The first was the successor of Sesac
I. The second cannot be placed chronologically.
(3) Benadad II (III Kings, xx, 1), the contemporary of Salmanasar
II, was contemporary with Achab and Joram of Israel. Joram died during
the reign of Benadad's successor, Hazael. According to Assyrian
sources. Benadad was, in 846, still King of Syria.
(4) Hazael, who, according to Assyrian inscriptions, was already
ruling in 842, was contemporary with Jehu, Joas of Juda, and Joachaz of
Israel (IV Kings, xiii, 22). In 803, Rammannirari III conquered
Damascus under the Syrian King Mari, who was possibly the Biblical
Benadad (III), contemporary of Joas of Israel (ibid., v, 25).
(5) Manahem honours Phul, King of the Assyrians, with presents
(IV Kings, xv, 19-20). That Phul is identical with Theglathphalasar III
is apparent enough from the fact that, in the year 729, according to
Assyrian inscriptions, Tukultiapalisarra, and Babylonian inscriptions
Pulu, becomes King of Babylon, and that this same king, according to
the same sources, died in 727.
(6) Phacee and Rasin, King of Syria, besiege Achaz at Jerusalem
(IV Kings, xvi, 5). Achaz calls Theglathphalasar to his assistance
(ibid., v. 8).
(7) Damascus is taken by Theglathphalasar, and Rasin is killed
(IV Kings, xvi, 9). Achaz visits Theglathphalasar at Damascus (ibid.,
v, 10).
(8) Theglathphalasar, during the reign of Phacee, takes
possession of Israel's territory. Phacee is conspired against and slain
by Osee, and the latter becomes king (IV Kings, xv, 29, 30).
(9) Salmanasar beleaguers Samaria, which, in the third year of
the siege, the sixth of Ezechias, and the ninth of Osee, is taken by
the Assyrians (IV Kings, xvii, 5, 6; xviii, 10, 11). Salmanasar reigned
from January, 726, to January, 721. Sua (or Seve), mentioned in IV
Kings, xvii, 4, as "king of Egypt", is not identified with certainty.
Some think him to be Sabaka, whose chronology, as also that of Theraca
(IV Kings, xix, 9), has not been determined. Under Sargon of Assyria is
mentioned, in the year 707, one Sib'u, or Sib'e, as "prince [
turtan, or sultan] of Musri".
(10) Ezechias received, in or shortly after his fourteenth year,
an embassy from MerodachBaladan (D. V. Berodach Baladan), who was
King of Babylon from 721 to 710, and again, for 9 months, in 703. See
IV Kings, xx, 1, 6, 12.
(11) Sennacherib of Assyria besieged Ezechias at Jerusalem. The
date given for this event, "in the fourteenth year of King Ezechias"
(IV Kings, xviii, 13; and Is., xxxvi, 1) is either misplaced or
incorrect. The event took place, according to IV Kings, xx, 6, after
the recovery of Ezechias in his fourteenth year (i.e. fifteen years
before his death), and after the arrival of the Babylonian embassy.
(12) Death of Josias in a combat with Nechao, King of Egypt (IV
Kings, xxiii, 29). Nechao (Necho II) ascended the throne in 610.
(13) Battle near Carchemish (Charcamis, Karchemis) between Nechao
and Nabuchodonosor of Babylon in the fourth year of Joakim (Jer., xlvi,
2; cf. xxv, 1; and IV Kings, xxiv, 1). According to the account of
Berosus in Flavius Josephus, Nabuchodonosor, after having slaughtered
the Egyptian army near Carchemish, marched on to Syria and Palestine in
order to invade Egypt. Arrived at the confines of this country, he
received the news of the death of his father, Nabopolassar. Returning
to Babel to assume his administration, he confided the Jewish,
Phoenician, and Syrian prisoners of war to the chiefs of his army. In
consequence of this Juda also rose in revolt against him (cf. II Par.,
xxxvi, 6; and Dan., i, 1). Nabopolassar died in the beginning of the
summer of 605
b.c. The fourth year of Joakim is in Jer., xxv,
1, designated as the first year of Nabuchodonosor, and, according to v.
3 of the same, was the twenth-third after the thirteenth year of
Josias.
(14) Nabuchodonosor takes Joachin (Jechonias) as a prisoner to
Babylon, according to Jer., lii, 28, in the seventh, according to IV
Kings, xxiv, 12, in the eighth year of his reign. Chapter lii, 28-34,
in Jeremias, follows the Babylonian manner of dating
(postdating), whereas the other texts count the initial year of
any reign as the first. According to Babylonian dating, the first year
of Nabuchodonosor was 604, but, according to Israelitish dating, it was
605. Jer., lii, 31, "In the seven and thirtieth year of the captivity
of Joachin, king of Juda, in the twelfth month, the five and twentieth
day of the month, Evilmerodach king of Babylon, in the first year of
his reign (i.e. 562
b.c.), lifted up the head of Joachin, king of
Juda, and brought him forth out of prison" (incorporated in IV Kings,
xxv, 27), evidently follows the Babylonian dating. All these datings
point to 598 as the year when Joachin was carried away.
(15) In his eighth year, or the beginning of his ninth year,
Sedecias revolted against Nabuchodonosor and called to his assistance
Egypt, namely, the newly elevated Pharao Hophra (D. V. Ephree), who
ascended the throne in 589 (probably the first half of the year)--IV
Kings, xxiv, 20 (cf. xxv, 1); Jer., xxxvii, 4 (A. V. xxxvii, 5); xliv,
30; Ezech., xvii, 15.
(16) The siege of Jerusalem began in the tenth month of the ninth
year of Sedecias (IV Kings, xxv, 1; Jer., xxxiv, 1; lii, 4). According
to Jer., xxxii, 1, the tenth year of Sedecias coincides with the
eighteenth of Nabuchodonosor. Jerusalem was taken in the eleventh year
of Sedecias, the nineteenth year of Nabuchodonosor, in the fourth month
(IV Kings, xxv, 8; Jer., lii, 12). According to Babylonian chronology,
this was the eighteenth year of Nabuchodonosor (Jer., lii, 29).
(17) The fourth month of the eleventh year of Sedecias falls in
the nineteenth year (Israelitish chronology) of Nabuchodonosor. From
this it appears that the fourth month (Thammuz) of the first year of
Sedecias falls in the ninth year of Nabuchodonosor. As Joachin's
abduction took place in the eighth year of Nabuchodonosor, it is very
probable that Sedecias became king in this, the eighth year.
The celebrated seventeenthcentury Jesuit
Petavius composed in a very ingenious manner two chronological tables
which, as brought by him into relation with the preChristian chronology have, with few alterations, been in vogue for a long time. These tables are here combined and presented as one. |
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Juda
|
Year |
Israel
|
Year |
Remarks
|
Juda
|
Year |
Israel
|
Year |
Remarks
|
David Solomon (Building of the Temple) Roboam Abiam Asa Josaphat Joram " Ochozias Athalia Joas |
B.C.
1055 1015 1012 975 958 955 914 892 889 885 884 878 |
JeroboamI Nadab Bassa Ela Zambri Amri Achab Ochozias Joram " Jehu Joachaz Joas |
B.C.
975 954 953 930 929 929 917 897 896 891 884 856 840 |
27 Asa--cf.III Kings, xvi,1518 3 years together with Josaphat His true reign After his father's death |
Amasias Azarias Joatham Achaz Ezechias Manasses Amon Josias Joachaz Joakim Joachin Sedecias " (end) |
B.C.
838 809 757 741 727 698 643 641 610 610 599 599 588 |
Jeroboam II (Interreg- num) Zacharias Sellum Manahem Phaceia Phacee Osee " "(end) |
B.C.
824 783 772 772 771 761 759 738 730 721 |
15 after Joas of Is- rael 20 Joatham 12 Achaz Taking of Samaria Capture of Jerusa- lem |
The table below gives the chronology of the kings of Juda and of Israel, as nearly as possible in accordance with the figures of the Bible, in conjunction with the data of profane history. In this connection it must be noted that: (1) The years b.c. are figured from Nisan to Nisan, which month usually began with the new moon about the vernal equinox; (2) the years during;which the kings reigned are understood to be enumerated in accordance with their accession to the throne, and not according to the beginning of the year (religious or civil). The number of inaccuracies has by this means been reduced to a minimum, and we are justified in this hypothesis because nothing is known with any degree of certainty concerning the system of chronology covering the years of thte kings of Juda and of Israel.
From the present uncertainty as to the dates of accession it follows that the precise year b.c. in which any king began his reign cannot, in most cases, be determined. The inexactness is increased by the fact that the duration of any one reign is given in round numbers of years, so that, in the absence of any determining data, it is impossible to know whether the time is too long or too short by a fraction of a year. We have, therefore, to consider the dates b.c. here given as--within a year, earlier or later--more or less inaccurate. Dates marked with an asterisk (*) may, however, be regarded as reasonably exact.
The inaccuracies in the chronology of the Bible are attributable to various causes. In many cases they are due to wouldbe "corrections" on the part of the copyists, who did not understand certain passages or sought to bring certain dates into agreement with an error of long standing. Thus the discrepancy of twenty years excess in the reign of Azarias has also been carried through the synchronisms of the Israelitish kings, Zacharias, etc. The synchronistic comparisons between Joatham, Achaz, and Ezechias, on the one hand, and Phacee and Osee, on the other, form a very inaccurate combination, brought into the Bible by the speculations of successive copyists and commentators.
The statement, tolerably accurate chronologically, concerning the beginning of Osee's reign, "in the twentieth year of Joatham" (IV Kings, xv, 30), who, be it noted, only reigned sixteen years (v. 33), seems to have originated with some one who did not wish to mention the godless Achaz. The twenty years of the reign of Phacee, in whose second year Joatham became king, stand in relation to the twentieth year of Joatham like cause and effect. The synchronisms of Ezechias with Osee got into the Bible through the undoubtedly genuine "twelfth year of Achaz", during which Osee became an independent king, by means of the following arithmetical calculation:--
Phacee became king in the 52nd year of Azarias.
Achaz" " ""17th "" Phacee.
Osee" "" "12th ""Achaz
Total81 years to Osee.
Azarias reigned 52 years
Joatham" 16"
Achaz "16"
Total 84 years to Ezechias.
Subtract 81 years to Osee
There remain3 years of Osee till Ezechias became king.
That the reverse is not the case, that is, that the twelfth year of
Achaz is not the result of a calculation, is shown by the fact that the
other possible calculations would produce the fourth, and not the
twelfth, year of Achaz. The other reckonings are as follows:--
52 years of Azarias 52 years of Azarias.
20 ""Phacee 16 ""Joatham.
Total 72" toOsee 68" toAchaz.
Less68" toAchaz
There remain4" of Achaz when Osee becomes king.
The year 68 of Azarias=17 Phacee=16 Joatham=0 Achaz.
4 4 4 4
The year 72 of Azarias=21 Phacee=20 Joatham=4 Achaz=1
Osee.
From this it appears that not the "twelfth year of Achaz", but
the "twentieth year of Joatham", is
Juda
|
Year |
Israel
|
Year |
Remarks
|
Juda
|
Year |
Israel
|
Year |
Remarks
|
David Solomon (Building of the Temple) Roboam Abiam Asa Josaphat--co- reign " king Joram Ochozias--co- reign " king Athalia Joas |
B.C.
1012 972 969 9332 915 9132 874 871* 849* 843 842 8421 8365 |
Jeroboam I Nadab Bassa Ela Zambri Amri " Achab Ochozias Joram Jehu Joachaz |
B.C.
9332 9121 9110 8887 8876 8876 882 875* 854* 853* 842* 8143 |
III Kings, xvi, 15, 18 III Kings, xvi, 23. After the death of Thebni (v. 22) 39 Asa. Cf. II Par., xvi, 12 4 Achab Shortly before Nisan, 853. As late as the summer of 854, Achab fought with Benadad against Salmanasar 18 Josaphat, IV Kings, viii, 16, be- ing supposed to read: "In the twentieth year of Josaphat" (from 874 on) 11 Joram of Israel. Cf. II Par., xxi, 18 and 19, with xxii, 4 12 Joram of Israel |
Amasias Azarias Joatham--regent "king Achaz Ezechias Manasses Amon Josias Joachaz Joakim Joachin Sedecias End of Sedecias |
B.C.
796 7687 75049 7365 7343 7187 6898 643 641 610* 609* 598* 598 587 |
Joas--co- reign "king Jeroboam II Zacharias Sellum Manahem Phaceia Phacee Osee " Endof Osee |
B.C.
799 797 782 750 7498 7498 7387 7376 730 723 7221 |
37JoasofJuda.Cf. IVKings, xxii,I. with v. 10, ibid. After his father's death Reigned 33, not 41, years. 15 years after the death of Joas of Israel. "Seven and twentieth year of Jeroboam" is erroneous Reigned 32, not 52, years. 18, not 38, of Aza- rias. 16 before Achaz. 19 Azarias. 19 Azarias. 30 Azarias. 32 Azarias. His third year as king is mentioned in II Par., xxvii,5 4, not 17, Phacee As vassal of Assyria after the death of Phacee, who only ruled 7 years. Independent. 12 Achaz. Capture of Samaria "Third year of Osee" is incorrect. Reigned 45, not 55, years. Capture of Jerusa- lem |
reckoned. The calculation was correct in regard to Osee's beginning as vassal of Assyria. But some one else confused this with the declaration of independence of Osee in the twelfth year of Achaz, and thus arrived at the "third year of Osee" before the beginning of Ezechias, whence resulted further synchronistic statements between Osee and Ezechias. That these synchronisms are not historical, but must have been introduced into the Bible by a "speculator", is proved by what follows:--
(1) That which is added, II Par., xxx, 5-9, 11, 25; and xxxi, 1,
about the first year of Ezechias, was not possible while a king ruled
in the kingdom of the Ten Tribes.
(2) If Ezechias became king six or seven years before the capture
of Samaria, consequently in 728-7, then his reign of twenty-nine years
must have ended in 69908, and his recovery must have taken place
fifteen years before, about 713. On this occasion the promise is made
to Ezechias that he and his city Jerusalem shall be delivered "out of
the hand of the king of the Assyrians" (IV Kings, xx, 6). This king was
Sennacherib, who ascended the throne only in 705, while this event,
according to Assyrian sources, took place not earlier than 701. There
is no ground for assuming that strained relations existed between
Ezechias and Sargon (722-705), who, nevertheless, just about 713, was
engaged with the Philistines, and in 711 conquered Azotus (cf. Is., xx,
1). The cause of serious animosity between Ezechias and Assyria was
evidently the embassy of Merodach-Baladin, who had no relations
whatever with the King of Juda, and who did not send to him a
magnificent embassy to congratulate him on his recovery without some
ulterior motive. We cannot but regard this as an expression of the
unfriendly attitude towards the Assyrians which was favoured by
Ezechias. This is the light in which we can understand the war of the
Assyrian against Juda. But cause and effect must be connected according
to time. As to the year 713 or shortly afterwards (for the delivery of
Ezechias), there can, then, be no discussion. The year 703 is probably
correct; Merodach-Baladan had then regained the throne of Babylon, and
Sennacherib already ruled in Assyria. Thus the recovery of Ezechias
would have taken place in about 704. While this would be his fourteenth
year, 718-7 would then be his first, which calculation also agrees with
other data. Cf. Winckler, "Alttest. Unters.", 135.
(3) If Ezechias became king in 728-7, then Achaz could not have
reigned more than seven or eight years, and in this case the father
would at most have been only seven years older than the son (cf. what
follows). For a joint reign of Ezechias and Achaz is out of the
question, and the supposition that Ezechias was not his son is, in view
of IV Kings, xviii, 1, and II Par., xxviii, 27, without sufficient
basis. Neither can another interpretation of the word
son, accepted a number of times in the Books of Kings by Herzog,
be considered a fortunate hypothesis.
By the anticipation of the twenty-nine years' reign of Ezechias
there resulted a shortage of ten years which has probably been made up
by lengthening the reign of Manasses by ten years.
The year 730 as the beginning of Osee's reign is, according to
Biblical statistics, reasonably certain. For in his sixth or seventh
year, and in the twelfth year of Achaz, he rose against Salmanasar (IV
Kings, xviii, 9; cf. xvii, 4), and in his sixth year Samaria was taken.
The year 722-1 being the ninth, 730 is consequently the first. The
Assyrian account of the death of Phacee and the nomination of Oseeis
usually placed by Assyriologists at about 734-732, since
Theglathphalasar was not in Palestine again after 732. This reason is,
however, not convincing. The course of events after 735-4 is probably
as follows. The antiAssyrian party in Palestine, of which Rasin
of Damascus was the head and moving spirit, organized an uprising and
endeavoured to draw the other nations into it. Hence the alliance
between Rasin and Phacee against Juda, which declined to participate in
the uprising, and their endeavour, on the death of Joatham, to keep his
son Achaz from the throne. Achaz appealed to Theglathphalasar for
assistance. The latter immediately made for his object, namely, the
subjection of Syria and the conquest of Damascus, without neglecting to
occupy also the surrounding districts which belonged to Israel. Cf. IV
Kings, xvi, 7-9; and xv, 29. After the fall of Damascus in the summer
of 732, Tyre and Israel must have been conquered, but, when winter
approached, Theglathphalasar turned all further operations over to his
rabsak (whom he, according to his own inscriptions, dispatched
against Tyre), and retired to Ninive. The territory of Israel was taken
possession of, perhaps partly while the monarch was still in command;
but before Samaria could be taken, Osee, supported by the Assyrian
party, had executed his stroke and caused Phacee to fall. Various
circumstances assign the subjection of Tryre, Israel, and Ascalon to
731-30, and the appointment of Osee as Assyrian vassal king over Israel
need not be placed before 730. (Cf. Winckler, op. cit., 132 sqq).
The chronology of the kings of Juda, as approximately determined
above, has still to be compared with their ages at the commencement of
their respective reigns--given in Holy Scripture for most of them. If
we assume that, in the coregencies which we have considered, the
age at the beginning of the coadministration is indicated, we
arrive at about the following dates of birth:--
David 1042
Roboam (grandson)973 Josaphat (great-gs.)909 Joram, s. 881 Ochozias, s. 864 Joas, s. 843 Amasias, s. 821 Azarias, s. 783 Joatham, s. 774 |
Achas, s. (753 or) 758
Ezechias, s. 742 Manasses, s. 700 Amon, s. 665 Josias, s. 649 Joachaz, s. 633 Joakim, b. 634 Joachin, s. (606 or) 616 Sedecias, s. of Josias619 |
The variants 42, 20, and 8, in connection with Ochozias, Achaz, and Joachin, must be considered as erroneous.
The year 774 in connection with Joatham is impossible, because his father was born in 783. In order to avoid other difficulties, we shall, in connection with Joatham, write 15 instead of 25 (years old when he began to reign). The year of his birth thus becomes 764. By this Achaz, who is supposed to have been born in 758 (or 753), reaches into the same period, however. Let us here, also, write 15 instead of 25. Now Achaz is born in 748. But, in this case, Ezechias cannot have been born in 742. If we again change the 25 years, in the case of Ezechias, to 15, then the year of his birth becomes 732. (If we suppose the reign of Ezechias to begin in 728-7, there is no way of accounting for Ezechias as the son of Achaz.) The confusion in the duration of the various reigns of the period was responsible for the increase in the different lifetimes. The change from the singular `eser (ten) to the plural `esrim (twenty) was but a step.
More errors need not be supposed in the enumerative statement of the various ages. In the above list only the following changes have to be made: Joatham 764; Achaz, 748; Ezechias, 732.
A reasonably complete bibliography is found in Herzog, Die Chronologie der beiden Königsbücher (Münster, 1909). We mention the most noted works among a very rich literature: Eusebius, Chronicon in P.G., XI; and ed. Schoene, ii (Berlin, 1875); Georgios Synkellos, Chronographia (ed. Dindorf, Bonn, 1829); Bede, ed. Roncalli, Vetustiora latinorum scriptorum chronica (Padua, 1787); Menochius, Biblia Sacra, II (Vienna, 1755); GÉnebrard. Chronographia Libri IV (Paris, 1600); A Lapide, Commentaria in III et IV Regum (Antwerp, 1616--); Petavius, Opus de doctrina temporum (Paris, 1627); Idem, Rationarium temporum, ed. Haak (Leyden, 1724); Scaliger, De emendatione temporum (Jena, 1629); Usher, Chronol. Sacra (Oxford, 1660); Des Vignoles, Chronologie de l'histoire sainte (Berlin, 1738); Bengel, Ordo Temporum (Stuttgart, 1741); Calmet, Comment. Litter. in omnes libros vet. et nov. test., II (Venice, 1769); Maistre de Sacy, Erklärung der hl. Schrift. VII (Augsburg, 1790); Jahn, Einl. in die Bücher des A. T. (Vienna, 1802); Ideler, Handbuch der mathematischen und technischen Chronologie (Berlin, 1825); Haneberg, Einleitung ins A. T. (Ratisbon, 1845f); Seyffarth, Chronologia Sacra (Leipzig, 1846); Bosanquet, Chronolog. of the reigns of Tiglat-Pilesar, Sargon, Shalmanezer and Senacherib (London, 1855); Oppert, Les inscriptions Assylriennes des Sargonides et les fastes de Ninive (Versailles, 1862); Idem, La Chronologie biblique fixée par les éclipse des inscriptions cunéiformes (Paris, 1868); Schrader, Die Keilinschriften und das A. T. (Giessen, 1872); Bunsen, The Chronology of the Bible connected with eontemporaneous events in the history of Babylonians, Assyrians, and Egyptians (London, 1874); Branders, Abhandlungen zur Geschichte Orients in Altertum (1874); Gutschmid, Beiträge zur Geschichte des alten Orients (Leipzig, 1876); MaspÉro, Histoire ancienne de l'Orient; Duncker, Gesch. des Altertums (Leipzig, 1878); Raska, Chronologie der Bibel (Vienna, 1878); SchÄfer, Die biblische Chronologie vom Auszug aus Aegypten, etc. (Münster, 1879); Neteler, Zusammenhang der altt. Zeitrechnung mit der Profangeschichte (Münster, 1879); Floigl, Die Chronologie der Bibel, des Manetho und Berosus (Leipzig, 1880); Brunnengo, Chronologia biblico-assira (Prato, 1886); Vigoroux, La Bible et les découvertes modernes; Lederer, Die biblische Zeitrechnung (Speyer, 1889); Alker, Die Chronologie der Bücher der Könige und Paralipomenon (Leobschütz, 1889); Winckler, Alttestamentl. Untersuchungen (Leipzig, 1892); Kaulen, Einleitung in die Hl. Schrift (4th ed., Freiburg im Br., 1899); Fotheringham, The Chronology of the O. T. (London, 1900); Oettli, Geschichte Israels bis auf Alexander (Calw, 1905); Kreczmar, Chronologische Untersuchungen (Prague, 1905); Bosse, Die chronologischen Systems in A. T. und bei Josephus in Mitt. der vorderasiatischen Gesellschaft; Sloet, De regeeringsjaren der koningen van Juda en Israel in De Katholiek (Leyden and Utrecht, 1893); Idem in Schets, Inleiding op het Derde en Vierde Boek der Koningen in Biblia Sacra V. T. (BoisleDuc).
D.A.W.H. SLOET
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