Summary: Here is a list of the dates covered by the books of the Old Testament, as well as a chronology of OT events.

Old Testament Dates

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BOOKS OF THE BIBLE - the periods they span:

Genesis - Eternity to 1805 B.C. (death of Joseph)

Exodus - 1876 B.C. to 1445 B.C.

Leviticus - No chronology.

Numbers - 1445 B.C. to 1406 B.C. (Moses writings)

Deuteronomy - 1406 B.C.

Joshua - 1406 B.C. to 1385 B.C.

Judges/Ruth - 1385 B.C. to 1050 B.C.

1 Samuel - 1100 B.C. to 1010 B.C.

2 Samuel - 1010 B.C. to 975 B.C.

1 Kings - 970 B.C. to 853 B.C. (death of Ahab)

2 Kings - 853 B.C. to 586 B.C. (Babylonian captivity)

Chronicles - From Adam to 539 B.C.

Ezra - 539 B.C. to 457 B.C.

Nehemiah - 445 B.C. to 444 B.C.

Malachi - 444 B.C. to 400 B.C.

CHRONOLOGY OF OLD TESTAMENT HISTORY -

2166 Abram is born (Genesis 21:5).

2156 Sarai is born (Genesis 23:1).

2091 Abram and Lot depart from Haran and enter Canaan (Genesis 12:4).

2080 Hagar gives birth to Ishmael (Genesis 16:6).

2066 Isaac is born (Genesis 25:26).

2029 Sarah dies at 127 years (Genesis 23:1).

2026 Isaac meets and marries Rebekah (Genesis 25:20).

2006 Jacob and Esau are born (Genesis 25:26; 47:9).

1929 Jacob deceives Isaac to receive Esau’s blessing.

1922 Jacob marries Leah and Rachel.

1915 Joseph is born to Jacob and Rachel.

1898 Joseph sold into slavery by his brothers.

1886 Isaac dies at 180 years old.

1885 Joseph stands before Pharaoh at the age of 30 years.

1876 Jacob moves to Egypt at the age of 130 years and stands before Pharaoh; the children of Israel begin their sojourn in Egypt (Exodus 12:40).

1805 Death of Joseph at 110 years (Genesis 50:26).

1526 Moses is born.

1446 Exodus of the children of Israel from Egypt (1 Kings 6:1).

1406 Moses dies.

1100 Samuel is born.

1095 Birth of Samson. Beginning of 40-year Philistine occupation.

1090 Approximate date of Saul’s birth.

1070 Jonathon, son of Saul, is born.

1075 Battle of Aphek. Philistines take Ark of Covenant. Return it 7 months later after God smote them. Ark remains in Kirjath-jearim for 20 years.

1055 Battle of Mizpeh. End of 40-year occupation by Philistines.

1050 Saul becomes King, reigns for 40 years (Acts 13:21).

This begins the united monarchy (Saul, David, and Solomon reign 40 years each over all 12 tribes).

1048 Saul sins by offering sacrifices at Gilgal. Samuel tells him the kingship would not continue from Saul, but that God had chosen "a man after his own heart".

1040 David is born.

1026 God through Samuel instructs Saul to destroy Amalek. Saul sins by sparing King Agag and allowing Israel to keep the best of the spoils taken from the Amalekites.

1025 Approximate date that David at age 15 is anointed by Samuel to be King over Israel.

1024 David at approximate age of 16 kills Goliath.

1012 Samuel dies at age of 88.

1010 Death of Saul. David crowned in Hebron as King over Judah at the age of 30, reigns for 7 years over Judah alone, 40 years total over Judah and Israel.

1010 Ish-bosheth crowned king over Northern Kingdom, at age of 40, reigns for 2 years.

1008 Ish-bosheth is assassinated as King of North.

1003 David anointed King a second time, now over all Israel, at age of 37, would reign for 33 more years. Jerusalem reclaimed from Jebusites, Philistines conquered, Ark of Covenant returned to Jerusalem. Davidic Covenant made by God to David.

970 King David dies; Solomon becomes King of Israel.

966 King Solomon begins to build the temple of Jerusalem (1 Kings 6:1).

959 Solomon completes building the temple. He places the Ark, and the tent of meeting and brazen altar (that he had brought from Gibeon) into the completed temple.

946 King Solomon finishes building his own house.

931 Solomon dies. United monarchy ends, and the 209-year period of the divided monarchy begins. The kingdom of Israel is divided into the Southern Kingdom of Judah & Benjamin, and the Northern Kingdom of the remaining 10 tribes.

853 Ahab present at battle of Qarqar between Assyrians and Syrians; death of Ahab in later battle against Syria (1 Kings 22:1-35).

841 Jehu gives tribute to the Assyrians.

739 Death of King Uzziah; Isaiah begins his prophetic ministry (Isaiah 6:1).

722 Northern Kingdom of Israel conquered and dispersed by the Assyrians.

714 Hezekiah becomes king.

701 Sennacherib invades Jerusalem.

586 Nebuchadnezzar invades and destroys Jerusalem. Judah taken into Babylonian captivity. King Zedekiah is the last monarch over Israel.

539 King Cyrus orders the temple of Jerusalem rebuilt (2 Chronicles 36:23).

444 Nehemiah rebuilds the walls of Jerusalem. Daniel’s prophecy gives Israel 490 more years (483 until the death of Jesus Christ; 7 years to occur during the Tribulation).

Copyright © 2001, Frank J. Gallagher,

Abiding In The Word,

http://members.aol.com/abidingitw

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