Chronology: Is the arrangement of facts and events in the order of time. The
writers of the Bible themselves do not adopt any standard era
according to which they date events. Sometimes the years are
reckoned, e.g., from the time of the Exodus
(Numbers 1:1; 33:38; 1 Kings 6:1) and
sometimes from the accession of kings
(1 Kings 15:1,9,25,33) etc., and
sometimes again from the return from Exile
(Ezra 3:8) Hence in
constructing a system of Biblecal chronology, the plan has been
adopted of reckoning the years from the ages of the patriarchs before
the birth of their first-born sons for the period from the Creation
to Abraham. After this period other data are to be taken into account
in determining the relative sequence of events. As to the patriarchal
period, there are three principal systems of chronology:1. that of the Hebrew text,
2. that of the Septuagint version, and
3. that of the Samaritan Pentateuch
The Samaritan and the Septuagint have considerably modified the
Hebrew chronology. This modification some regard as having been
wilfully made, and to be rejected. The same system of variations is
observed in the chronology of the period between the Flood and
Abraham. Thus:
Hebrew Septuigant Samaritan
From the birth of Arphaxad,
2 years after the Flood,
to the birth of Terah. 220 1000 870
From the birth of Terah to
the birth of Abraham. 130 70 72
The Septuagint fixes on seventy years as the age of Terah at the
birth of Abraham, from
(Genesis 11:26) but a comparison of
(Genesis 11:32)
(Acts 7:4; Genesis 12:4) shows that when Terah died, at the age of two hundred
and five years, Abraham was seventy-five years, and hence Terah must
have been one hundred and thirty years when Abraham was born. Thus,
including the two years from the Flood to the birth of Arphaxad, the
period from the Flood to the birth of Abraham was three hundred and
fifty-two years. The next period is from the birth of Abraham to the
Exodus. This, according to the Hebrew, extends to five hundred and
five years. The difficulty here is as to the four hundred and thirty
years mentioned
(Exodus 12:40,41; Galatians 3:17) These years are regarded by
some as dating from the covenant with Abraham
(Genesis 15:1)ff which
was entered into soon after his sojourn in Egypt; others, with more
probability, reckon these years from Jacob's going down into Egypt.
(See EXODUS)
In modern times the systems of Biblical chronology that have been
adopted are chiefly those of Ussher. He follows the Hebrew text only.
These dates may be in error by 1 or 2 per cent but serve as an accurate
time frame for past events. Dates based on the Septuagint or other
versions are very inaccurate.
Ussher
B.C.
Creation of Universe 4004
Flood 2348
Abram leaves Haran 1921
Exodus 1491
Destruction of the Temple 588
