The first date recorded in the Word of God is in the interesting book of Genesis, and in that chronological Gen. 5:33And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, after his image; and called his name Seth: (Genesis 5:3): "And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, after his own image, and called his name Seth." This is surely important, as it establishes the point from whence we are to reckon; namely, the creation of man, and not, as is generally done, the creation of the world. This latter is nowhere revealed in Holy Scripture, nor does science throw any satisfactory light upon the antiquity of the globe. Its age cannot be determined, and all attempts to do so are simply guesswork—which we greatly dread, especially in the things of God.
There were ten fathers, from Adam to Noah - before the flood—and ten fathers, from Shem to Abram—after the flood; and their several ages when their sons were born, as noted in Genesis 5 and 11, when counted up, enable us to arrive at pretty accurate results. The reader may accept the dates in our English Bibles as on the whole correct, however widely chronologists may differ. Having thus shown from God's Word how we determine the two first periods of man's history, it will be seen that a solid basis is thus laid for a complete and accurate system of Biblical chronology; but in order to this task being satisfactorily accomplished, three things are absolutely requisite:- the authority, the source, the principle. The authority is the Hebrew text, and not the Septuagint, which is the Greek translation of the Hebrew; the source is the Word of God, and, in the first instance, Genesis 5; and the principle—specially applicable to the two great first periods of human history—when the sons were born, as already indicated.
As an aid to the memory, we have appended a brief sentence after each person named in the following tables; such help is not needed in the events.
CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE OF PERSONS.
B. C.
4004- Adam created; lived 930 years. (Figure of Him that was to come.)
3876- Abel martyred; lived 128 years. (First of the long line of martyrs.)
3874- Birth of Seth; lived 912 years. (The appointed heir of the world.)
3679- Birth of Cainan; lived 910 years. (The fourth from Adam.)
3609- Birth of Mahalaleel; lived 895 years. (Name meaning "Praise of God.")
3544- Birth of Jared; lived 962 years. (The second longest liver.)
3317- Birth of Methuselah: lived 969 years. (The longest liver before the flood or since.)
3130- Birth of Lamech; lived 777 years. (Age denoting threefold perfection.)
2948- Birth of Noah; lived 950 years. (The tenth in descent trom Adam.)
2448- Birth of Japheth. (Progenitor of the Gentiles.)
2346- Birth of Arphaxad. (Line of grace in Shem's third son.)
2281- Birth of Heber. (From whence the Hebrews derive their naive.)
2247- Birth of Peleg. (In whose days the earth was divided.)
1996- Birth of Abram. (Representative character of the Old Testament.)
1920- Birth of Ishmael. (Progenitor of the Ishmaelites.)
1837- Birth of Jacob and Esau. (The twin brothers.)
CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE OF EVENTS
B. C.
2348- The Deluge. Gen. 7
2247- Confusion of tongues at Babel. Gen. 11
1921- Call of Abram. Gen. 12
1912- Lot taken captive. Gen. 14
1897- Sodom and Gomorrah destroyed. Gem 19.
1728—Joseph sold into Egypt. Gen. 37
1706- Jacob and his family go down into Egypt. Gen. 46
1531- Moses' flight to Midian. Exod.
1491- The exodus of Israel from Egypt. Ex. 14
1490- The law given by Moses. Ex. 20
1471—The awful death of Borah and his company. Num. 26
1452- Eleazar becomes high priest. Num. 20
1451- The river Jordan crossed. Josh. 1
1444- The land divided. Josh. 24
1417- Book of Joshua written.
1116- The ark captured by the Philistines. 1 Sam. 4
1063- David slays Goliath. 1 Sam. 17
1055- Battle of Gilboa. 1 Sam. 31
1045- Ark removed to Jerusalem. 1 Chron. 15.
1024- Absalom's rebellion. 2 Sam. 15
1017- David numbers the people. 2 Sam. 24
1014- Solomon's marriage to Pharaoh's daughter. 1 Kings 3.
1012- Foundation of the temple laid. 1 Kings 12
1004- Dedication of the temple. 1 Kings 8
990- Queen of Sheba's visit to Solomon. 1 Kings 10
975- Dismemberment of the united kingdom. 1 Kings 12
974- Idolatry securely established in Israel. 1 Kings 12.
924- Samaria built by Omri. 1 Kings 16
918- Jericho rebuilt. 1 Kings 16
906- Elijah slays the prophets of Baal. 1 Kings 18
896- Elijah translated to Heaven. 2 Kings 2
894- Cure and conversion of Naaman the Syrian. 2 Kings 5
826- Jonah sent to Nineveh. Jonah 1
771- King of Assyria invades Israel. 2 Kings 15
753- Rome founded by Romulus, its first king.
724- Samaria besieged by the Assyrians. 2 Kings 17
721- Deportation of the Ten Tribes to Assyria. 2 Kings 18
CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE OF PERSONS—Continued
B. C.
1758- Birth of Reuben. (Eldest of the twelve sons of Jacob.)
1755- Birth of Judah. (The royal tribe, from whence the Messiah came.)
1745- Birth of Joseph. (Type of Christ in suffering and glory.)
1574- Birth of Aaron. (Israel's first high priest, and eminent type of Christ.)
1571- Birth of Moses. (Israel's great savior, figures Christ delivering Israel.)
1155- Birth of Samson. (The Nazarite judge, and mighty in strength.)
1085- Birth of David. (The warrior king, type of Christ in conflict.)
1033- Birth of Solomon. (The peaceful king, type of Christ in glory.)
1016- Birth of Rehoboam. (Solomon's only son.)
ACCESSION TO THE THRONE OF ISRAEL OR TEN-TRIBED KINGDOM.
975- Jeroboam, - The idolater.
954- Nadab, Slain by his successor.
953- Baasha, - Posterity cut off.
930- Elah, The drunkard.
929- Zimri, - - The short-lived reign of the traitor.
929- Omri, - The builder of Samaria.
978- Ahab, - The apostate monarch.
896- Jehoram, - Israel and Judah united against Moab.
884- Jehu, - - The destroyer of Ahab's house.
856- Jehoahaz, - The only king "who besought the Lord."
839- Jehoash, - The conqueror of Syria.
825- Jeroboam II., Recovery of the sea coasts of Israel.
773- Zachariah, - Conspired against and slain.
772- Shallum, Slain after a month's reign.
772- Menahem, The cruel king.
761- Pekahiah, Slain by one of his captains.
758- Pekah, First successful attack by Assyria.
730- Hoshea, Last king of Israel.
CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE OF EVENTS-Continued.
B. C.
677- Land of Israel colonized by the heathen. 2 Kings 18
677- Manasseh carried captive to Babylon. 2 Chron. 33
676- Manasseh's repentance and restoration. 2 Chron. 33
625- Fall and destruction of Nineveh.
606- Jerusalem captured by the Babylonians. 2 Kings 24
605- First deportation to Babylon of Judah. 2 Kings 24
599- Second deportation to Babylon of Judah. 2 Kings 24
588- Third deportation to Babylon of Judah. 2 Chron. 36
580- Hebrew youths cast into the furnace. Dan. 3
568- Nebuchadnezzar becomes insane. Dan. 4
555- Daniel's vision of the " Beasts " or Universal Empires. Dan. 7
538- Belshazzar's impious feast. Dan. 5
538- Daniel cast into the den of lions. Dan. 6
536- Zerubbabel conducts a remnant of Judah to Jerusalem. Ezra
535- Foundation of the new temple laid. Ezra 3
510- Haman slain by Ahasuerus. Esther 7
457- Ezra conducts a remnant of Judah to Jerusalem. Ezra 8
444- Nehemiah is appointed governor of Jerusalem. Neh.
416- OLD TESTAMENT CANON CLOSED WITH MALACHI.
401- Cyrus the younger slain.
359- Philip ascends the throne of Macedon.
356- Alexander the Great born.
336- Alexander succeeds to the throne of Macedon.
332- Alexander's march against Jerusalem.
320- Jerusalem taken by Ptolemy, the Egyptian king.
320- Great settlement of the Jews in Alexandria.
312- Palestine becomes subject to Egypt.
284- The Old Testament Scriptures translated into Greek.
216- Fifty thousand Jews slain at Alexandria.
204- Formation of the Sadducean sect.
197- Palestine conquered by Ptolemy of Egypt.
170- Palestine conquered by Antiochus of Syria.
168- Temple dedicated to the heathen god Jupiter by Antiochus.
166- Era of "the bold Maccabees."
166- Judas Maccabeus takes Jerusalem.
155- Palestine free from the Syrian yoke.
65- Syria becomes subject to Rome.
63 -Judea becomes subject to Rome.
CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE OF PERSONS-Continued.
ACCESSION TO THE THRONE OF JUDAH.
The murderer and idolater.
Wicked, like the house of Ahab.
One of the few godly kings.
The aged king who turned to the Lord.
The determined uprooter of idolatry.
Deposed and taken captive to Egypt.
Deposed and taken captive to Babylon.
Deposed by the King of Babylon.
Taken to Babylon in fetters.
ACCESSION OF THE JUDGES TO THE GOVERNMENT OF ISRAEL.
Deliverance from Mesopotamia.
Deliverance from the Philistines.
Deliverance from the Canaanites.
Deliverance from the Midianites.
The seventh deliverer of Israel.
The eighth deliverer of Israel.
Deliverance from the Ammonites.
The eleventh deliverer of Israel.
Had forty sons and thirty nephews.
Whose might lay in his Nazariteship.
B. C. CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE OF EVENTS-Continued.
54- Crassus, the Roman general, plunders the temple.
40- Herod becomes king of Palestine.
37- Herod, by Roman assistance, takes Jerusalem and reigns.
31- Thirty thousand Jews destroyed by an earthquake.
30- Egypt becomes subject to Rome.
28- Augustus becomes first Emperor of Rome.
20- Herod commences rebuilding the temple.
6- Roman census or enrollment of the people in Judea.
6- Birth of John the Baptist.
4- Birth of Jesus Christ, THE Savior OF THE WORLD.
3- Death of the cruel Herod.
THE JUBILEES, Lev. 25
1396- First Jubilee, or 50th year.
1351- Second Jubilee, or 50th year.
1301- Third Jubilee, or 50th year.
1251- Fourth Jubilee, or 50th year.
1201- Fifth Jubilee, or 50th year.
1151- Sixth Jubilee, or 50th year.
1101- Seventh Jubilee, or 50th year.
1051- Eighth Jubilee, or 50th year.
1001- Ninth Jubilee, or 50th year.
951- Tenth Jubilee, or 50th year.
901- Eleventh Jubilee, or 50th year.
851- Twelfth Jubilee, or 50th year.
801- Thirteenth Jubilee, or 50th year.
751- Fourteenth Jubilee, or 50th year.
701- Fifteenth Jubilee, or 50th year.
651- Sixteenth Jubilee, or 50th year.
601- Seventeenth Jubilee, or 50th year. This latter date is within five
years of the first Babylonian attack upon Jerusalem.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE WHOLE.
YEARS.
Gen. 5., 7:11.-(1.) From the creation of man till the flood, 1656
Gen. 11-(2.) From the deluge till the gracious call of Abram, 427
of Solomon's temple, - - - - - 479
of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar, - 426
Daniel, Ezra, Nehemiah.-(6.) From Jerusalem's destruction till
Christ's coming in grace, - - - - - 586
History of the first man (Adam),——- 4004