J.-10 Bible Chronology

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J.-10  English

Ussher's 83-year gap

<  Daniel taken in the 3rd year of Jehoiakim <         <         <         <         <     Ussher's gap of 83 years     >         >         >         >         > 
1.  James UssherBabylonian Captivity, 70 years<  Decree of Cyrus

454 BC  >

<  454 BC

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20th year of Artaxerxes  >

<  Beginning of Daniel's 70 sevens
 

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Josiah-31

¼

Jehoiakim-11

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Zedekiah-11

<  Temple burned

            ^          ^       THIS   IS   THE   HISTORY   THAT   WAS   INVENTED        ^         ^                    

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Cyrus

Cambyses

Darius I

Xerxes

Artaxerxes

Darius II

Artaxerxes  II

End of the Southern Kingdom of Judah  >

List of Persian kings according to Ptolemy

Nebuchadnezzar


1 x 7

2 x 7

3 x 7

4 x 7

5 x 7

6 x 7

7 x 7

2.  Paul Albert Hansen<  Daniel taken in the 3rd year of Jehoiakim

List of Persian kings according to the Bible

Nebuchadnezzar

Ahasuerus

Darius M.

Cyrus

Darius

Artaxerxes

Manasseh-55

2

Josiah-31

¼

Jehoiakim-11

¼

Zedekiah-11

<  Temple burned

20th year of Artaxerxes  >

Babylonian Captivity, 70 years

<  Decree of Cyrus

End of the Southern Kingdom of Judah  >

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<  Beginning of Daniel's 70 sevens

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     ^                "troublous times", Dan.9.25                  ^     

10.  Ussher’s 83-gap:  Cyrus, or Artaxerxes?
       
      
Did the 70 x 7 of Daniel 9:24-27 (the 490 years) begin in the first year of Cyrus when Cyrus issued his decree (Isaiah 44:26-28, 2 Chronicles 36:22-23, Ezra 1:1-4, Ezra 6:1-5) or did the beginning of the 70 x 7 begin in the 20th year of Artaxerxes (Nehemiah 2:1-6)?  (83 years difference are involved here)


My view:

a.  Ussher depends on the Canon of the Kings by Claudius Ptolemy, and many other secular historians, as an accurate supplement to the Bible.  (See Annals, paragraphs 613, 614, 619, 676, 680-715, 782, 913, etc.)  Indeed, Ussher places many historians above the material in the Bible by insisting that the Bible must be reconciled with secular historians.  If secular history had agreed with the Bible, then the natural choice of Cyrus would have gone unchallenged.  The choice of Artaxerxes has no connection with the beginning of the 70 sevens except that it deals with the city (and Temple) being rebuilt in “troublous times” (Daniel 9:25).  These “troublous times” (KJV), indeed, extended from Cyrus through the reign of Artaxerxes.

b.  The argument that Cyrus’ decree does not include any rebuilding of the City (i.e., walls, gates, towers, houses, plaza, shops, streets, Temple, etc.) overlooks the fact that the Temple is not to be construed as a separate subject from the City as if City and Temple were two equivalent and separate projects, but the Temple is part of an overall project of City restoration.  That is, the Temple reconstruction is the most important part of City reconstruction so it was given special emphasis among all the other necessary, but less important, reconstruction projects like walls, gates, towers, houses, plaza, parks, shops, office buildings, streets, etc.  The reconstruction of the walls and gates was one of the last of the long list of reconstruction projects.

c.  The proper way to think about this is that the Temple is the first part of many reconstruction projects within the City, the City being understood as the general subject of reconstruction needing it subparts repaired.  The decree of Cyrus is, without doubt, only part of an overall project of City reconstruction, but it is understood that everything less important than the Temple would also be included.  City restoration cannot occur without the specific things in the City also being restored.  We ought to think that the Temple is in the City, rather than think the there are two separate projects, the Temple or the City.
 
d.  Moreover, the Temple is especially mentioned because so much opposition would arise over its reconstruction that it merited special mention just so that the enemies of the project could be held at bay.  Again, if the Temple project has written authorization then by implication so do all the lesser projects within the same category.

e.  I think that Cyrus, as the king who issued the first decree for restoration, is the only choice for starting the 70 sevens.  Cyrus is not one among two or more feasible choices.  Cyrus is the only biblical choice.  This means that I think that secular history needs revising in order to be in accord with Bible history instead of the other way around.  I consider that Ussher made a great mistake in making the Bible account subject to secular historical records which are disputed and neither authoritative nor inspired in order to fill out and complete Bible chronology.

f.  The “troublous times” refer to the trouble that the returning Jews had with continuing to rebuild the temple (after the foundation had been laid) and with all other aspects of city restoration of which the temple was the main project.


1.  The following references pertain to the captivity period:

Daniel 4:28-37.........Nebuchadnezzar’s insanity

2 Kings 25:27...........37th year of Jehoiachin’s exile, Evil-merodach released Jehoiachin
 
                                
Ezra 4:6....................in the reign of Ahasuerus




2.  The following references pertain to the very end of the captivity and the beginning of the restoration:

Daniel 5:31..................Darius the Mede received the kingdom at about the age of 62


Daniel 6:28..................So this Daniel enjoyed success in the reign of Darius and in the 
                                     reign of Cyrus the Persian.


Daniel 9:1-2................In the 1st year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of Median descent...


Daniel 9:2...................in the 1st year of his reign I, Daniel, observed in the books the
                                    number of the years which was revealed as the word of the Lord to
                                    Jeremiah the prophet for the completion of the desolations of
                                    Jerusalem, namely, 70 years.


Daniel 11:1.................In the 1st year of Darius the Mede...


2 Chronicles 36:21......until 70 years were complete


Jeremiah 25:11-12......And this whole land shall be a desolation and a horror, and these
                                    nations shall serve the king of Babylon 70 years.  Then it will be
                                    when 70 years are completed I will punish the king of Babylon and
                                    that nation...


Jeremiah 29:10-11......When 70 years have been completed for Babylon, I will visit you
                                    and fulfill My good word to you, to bring you back to this place.


3.  The restoration begins (and so does the 70 sevens) with the “troublous times”, 7 x 7 = 49, from Cyrus through Artaxerxes:

Isaiah 44:26-28........God says that Cyrus will say of Jerusalem, “She will be built”
                                 and of the temple, “Your foundation will be laid.”


2 Chron.36:22-23.....Now in the 1st year of Cyrus king of Persia


Ezra 1:1....................1st year of Cyrus


Daniel 10:1...............3rd year of Cyrus king of Persia


Ezra 4:5....................days of Cyrus...until the reign of Darius king of Persia


Ezra 4:7-8................in the days of Artaxerxes


Ezra 4:11.................To King Artaxerxes


Ezra 4:23..................of King Artaxerxes’ document


Ezra 4:24.................Then the work on the house of God in Jerusalem ceased, and it was
                                 stopped until the 2nd year of the reign of Darius king of Persia
 

Ezra 5:5-7...............Darius


Ezra 5:13-14...........in the 1st year Cyrus king of Babylon, King Cyrus issued a decree to  
                                rebuild this house of God...
 

Ezra 5:17.................if it be that a decree was issued by King Cyrus to rebuild this house
                                of God at Jerusalem..
.
                               
Ezra 6:1..................Then King Darius issued a decree, and search was made...


Ezra 6:3...................In the 1st year of King Cyrus, Cyrus the king issued a decree..
.

Ezra 6:12-13............I, Darius, have issued this decree, let it be carried out with all
                                diligence.
..

Ezra 6:14.................And they finished building according to the command of the God of
                                Israel and the decree of Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia.


Ezra 6:15.................And this temple was completed...6th year of King Darius


Ezra 7:1, 6..............Now after these things, in the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia,
                                there went up Ezra..
.

Ezra 7:7-8................[These people] went up to Jerusalem in the 7th year of King
                                Artaxerxes [after the Temple was completed]


Ezra 7:11-12...........Now this is the copy of the decree which King Artaxerxes gave to
                                Ezra the priest.
..

Ezra 7:21.................And I, even King Artaxerxes, issue a decree to all the treasurers who
                                are beyond the River, that whatever Ezra the priest...may require of
                                you, it shall be done..
.

Ezra 8:1...................those who went up with me from Babylon in the reign of King
                                Artaxerxes...


Nehemiah 1:1..........in the 20th year, while I was in Susa the capitol


Nehemiah 2:1..........in the 20th year of King Artaxerxes


Nehemiah 2:8.........that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the
                                fortress which is by the temple, for the wall of the city, and for the
                                house to which I will go.


Nehemiah 2:17........let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem


Nehemiah 5:14.......I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the
                               20th year to the 32nd year of King Artaxerxes, for 12 years
 
 
Nehemiah 6:15.......So the wall was completed


Nehemiah 8:1.........and they asked Exra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses


Nehemiah 8:9.........Then Nehemiah, who was the governnor, and Ezra the priest and
                                scribe, and the Levites who taught the people..
.

Nehemiah 12:22.....in the reign of Darius the Persian


Nehemiah 12:26.....These served in the days of Joiakim the son of Jeshua, the son of
                               Jozadak, and in the days of Nehemiah the governor and of Ezra the
                               priest and scribe.


Nehemiah 12:27.....Now at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem


Nehemiah 12:36.....And Ezra the scribe went before them.


Nehemiah 12:47.....And so all Israel in the days of Zerubbabel and Nehemiah


Nehemiah 13:6-7....But during all this time I was not in Jerusalem, for in the 32nd year of
                                Artaxerxes king of Babylon I had gone to the king.  After some time,
                                however, I asked leave from the king, and I came to Jerusalem and
                                learned about the evil...

                              
Nehemiah 13:14.....Remember me for this, O my God, and do not blot out my loyal deeds
                                which I have performed for the house of my God and its services.


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