Originally “the end of the year” seems to have occurred after the fall harvest, in September ( Exod 23:16 34:22) but from the Exodus onward Passover (spring) marked “the first month of the year” ( 12:2). Finegan, Handbook of Biblical Chronology, pp. 7:11) but by adding either five or six days at the end of a year, or a thirteenth intercalated month after several years, Israel’s calendar continued to reflect true solar years (contrast Egypt’s system of a slowly shifting New Year J. Each month, moreover, seems to have had thirty days ( Gen 8:3, 4 cf. In OT times Israel’s months indicated the seasons: Abib, “fresh ear” ( Lev 2:14), thus designated the initial month of spring ( Exod 23:15 Deut 16:1). of many Bibles), may legitimately be opposed to the testimony of the inspired Word of God.ī. IX, X) or on more modern systems (e.g., the famous dates of Archbishop Ussher, 1650-1654, still found in the mg. Thiele, The Mysterious Numbers of the Hebrew Kings, 1st ed., chs. Restorations of original readings, that are made possible by the LXX or by other ancient texts and VSS, are welcomed but no humanly devised conclusions, whether they are based on ancient secular records or conscious emendations of OT data (as in Jos.

The authority of the historical and chronological assertions of the OT is thus accepted, as well as that of any NT references that have a bearing upon them. Christ’s designation of Genesis 2:24 as equivalent to the words of God the Creator ( Matt 19:5). Evangelical Christians are committed to Biblical inspiration cf. Proper procedures, however, are necessary for achieving accuracy.Ī. To date the events of the OT serves both to clarify their sequence in Biblical history and to emphasize their reality in time and space. The arrangement of OT events in time, including their dates and correlation with secular history.

Old testament in order