From the Exodus to the Temple

From: Dates and Chronology of Scripture By: Unknown Author

• 14 min. read • grade level: 9

This is acknowledged to be the most difficult portion of Scripture chronology, and affords another opportunity for some to choose a longer period and some a shorter. Our object being simply to understand Scripture, we must have no choice either for long or short.

We start with an inclusive period named in Kings 6:1, “And it came to pass in the four hundred and eightieth year after the children of Israel were come out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon’s reign over Israel, in the month Zif, which is the second month, that he began to build the house of the Lord.” Our work is to see how this passage agrees with other parts of Scripture, and how the 480 years agree with the details.

Years

Years. In the wilderness (verse 18)

During the Judges (verse 20) -

450

Reign of Saul (verse 21) -

530

This with the reign of David -

Years of Solomon’s reign -

573

Volumes have been written upon these two computations — the 480 of 1 Kings 6, and the 530 of Acts 13 Some have concluded that the one in Kings must be an error; and others have concluded that Paul must have made a mistake. But it is strange that so few have noticed that in Acts 13:20²⁰And after that he gave unto them judges about the space of four hundred and fifty years, until Samuel the prophet. (Acts 13:20), there is a different reading in some of the earliest Greek manuscripts — a reading which, apart from all questions of systems of chronology, has been preferred by some of the best editors to the one in the common Greek text and the authorized version.

They believe that Paul said, “He divided to them their land by lot, about 450 years; and afterward he gave them judges:” and not 450 years during the judges: the difference being in a transposition of the words.

Years

Years. Isaac, when Jacob was born (Gen. 25:26²⁶And after that came his brother out, and his hand took hold on Esau's heel; and his name was called Jacob: and Isaac was threescore years old when she bare them. (Genesis 25:26))

Jacob when he stood before Pharaoh -

130

Israel in Egypt——

215

Israel in the Wilderness—-

To the division of the land—-

(About 450 years.)——

452

But if this reconciles Acts 13 with 1 Kings 6, we have still to reconcile the 480 years with the various periods of the judges. It is well known that if all the periods of servitude and the times of the judges are put down consecutively, they amount to considerably more than 480 years.

There are several methods of meeting the difficulty.

1. By not reckoning the various periods of servitude, but considering them all as canceled. This would cut out the following oppressions: —

Years.

The King of Mesopotamia——

The Moabites——

The Canaanitish King Jabin—-

The Midianites——

The Ammonites———

The Philistines———

111

There may in prophecy (the seventy weeks for instance) be time that is not reckoned. If the prophecy is concerning the Jews as the people favored of God; and if for a season those people are declared to be not reckoned as God’s people, that time may be overleaped in the prophecy. But this date in the book of Kings is history. Surely the words, “It came to pass in the four hundred and eightieth year after the children of Israel were come out of the land of Egypt,” and so on, are too plain and literal to be taken in a mystical sense. It is plain history. Besides, if the servitudes are cut out, the time will not at all agree with the 300 years of Judges 11:26²⁶While Israel dwelt in Heshbon and her towns, and in Aroer and her towns, and in all the cities that be along by the coasts of Arnon, three hundred years? why therefore did ye not recover them within that time? (Judges 11:26).

2. Others think that we may reckon from the settlement in the land, instead of from the Exodus. This would cut out the forty years in the wilderness, and the seven years to the division of the land.

But though, morally, the coming out of Egypt, and the settlement in the land, may be the same, yet for a date in history it is hardly probable that the one would be used for the other.

3. Another mode is to translate the several passages that speak of the land having rest forty years, eighty years, and so on, thus: “the land had rest the fortieth year,” that is, forty years from the time that the land had rest before; and so of the other passages. The result of this would be that the forty years spoken of in Judges 3:11¹¹And the land had rest forty years. And Othniel the son of Kenaz died. (Judges 3:11), would include the eight years of oppression that preceded it; and the eighty years of Judges 3:30³⁰So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the land had rest fourscore years. (Judges 3:30), would include the eighteen years of oppression by the Moabites; and so on.

But, in the first place, it is doubtful whether the original will allow of the above translation, and one passage seems fatal to this mode of interpretation: “When the Lord raised them up judges, then the Lord was with the judge, and delivered them out of the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge” (Judg. 2:18¹⁸And when the Lord raised them up judges, then the Lord was with the judge, and delivered them out of the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge: for it repented the Lord because of their groanings by reason of them that oppressed them and vexed them. (Judges 2:18)). Now if the deliverance was all the days of each judge, it will not at all agree with the land having rest for a brief period in the fortieth year, in the eightieth year, and so forth

4. Another way of reconciling the apparent differences is to suppose that all the periods named are not consecutive. And this appears somewhat probable; for, by a careful perusal of the book of Judges, it appears evident that often the land as a whole is not spoken of. For instance, one passage speaks of an oppression and a judge in the north, stretching towards the center, but not reaching to the south. Another passage gives an oppression and deliverance in the south, and reaching towards the center, but not affecting the north.

Again, take the song of Deborah: she only names a part of the tribes, and some of these she seems to chide for not assisting in the wars. Of Reuben she asks, “Why abodest thou among the sheepfolds to hear the bleatings of the flocks?... Gilead abode beyond Jordan: and why did Dan remain in ships? Asher continued on the sea shore, and abode in his breaches” (Judg. 5:16-18¹⁶Why abodest thou among the sheepfolds, to hear the bleatings of the flocks? For the divisions of Reuben there were great searchings of heart. ¹⁷Gilead abode beyond Jordan: and why did Dan remain in ships? Asher continued on the sea shore, and abode in his breaches. ¹⁸Zebulun and Naphtali were a people that jeoparded their lives unto the death in the high places of the field. (Judges 5:16‑18)). Deborah does not name Judah or Simeon, either as fighting or staying away. These with Dan occupied the south; Reuben, the southeast.

Further, look at Gideon: he sent messengers to only three other tribes, Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali (Judg. 6:35³⁵And he sent messengers throughout all Manasseh; who also was gathered after him: and he sent messengers unto Asher, and unto Zebulun, and unto Naphtali; and they came up to meet them. (Judges 6:35)). And after the battle he had to make an apology to Ephraim for not inviting them to the war (Judg. 8:1¹And the men of Ephraim said unto him, Why hast thou served us thus, that thou calledst us not, when thou wentest to fight with the Midianites? And they did chide with him sharply. (Judges 8:1)).

Surely all these records, with several others, clearly intimate that the servitudes named did not affect the whole land at one time; and that the judges did not rule over the whole of the twelve tribes; while, on the other hand, when an occurrence embraced the whole, the word says, “all the tribes of Israel,” “from Dan even unto Beer-sheba,” and so forth (Judg. 20:1-2¹Then all the children of Israel went out, and the congregation was gathered together as one man, from Dan even to Beer-sheba, with the land of Gilead, unto the Lord in Mizpeh. ²And the chief of all the people, even of all the tribes of Israel, presented themselves in the assembly of the people of God, four hundred thousand footmen that drew sword. (Judges 20:1‑2)).

From this it would follow, that it might be impossible to make out the chronology of the period with absolute certainty from the Book of Judges; and hence the value of the period of 480 years in 1 Kings 6:1¹And it came to pass in the four hundred and eightieth year after the children of Israel were come out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon's reign over Israel, in the month Zif, which is the second month, that he began to build the house of the Lord. (1 Kings 6:1), to guide us: indeed, with this inclusive date, it matters comparatively little whether we can fill in the details or not, except to prove the correctness of Scripture, and the consistency of one part with another.

If we take all that took place towards the north, and place it side by side with what took place towards the south, we shall find that the period is shortened too much, and will not at all agree with the passage in Judges 11:26²⁶While Israel dwelt in Heshbon and her towns, and in Aroer and her towns, and in all the cities that be along by the coasts of Arnon, three hundred years? why therefore did ye not recover them within that time? (Judges 11:26), where Jephthah says they had had possession of the land 300 years. Therefore, although the servitudes and the judgeships appear to be only more or less partial, yet in the order in which they are related they may be consecutive; and the events recorded, though partial in extent, may have been the only events worth recording.

Judges 3

Gives the first group of Judges.

Judges 4 and 5

A women has to lead forth the army.

Judges 6

Israel had to hide in dens and caves.

Judges 6:30³⁰Then the men of the city said unto Joash, Bring out thy son, that he may die: because he hath cast down the altar of Baal, and because he hath cut down the grove that was by it. (Judges 6:30)

Gideon’s death demanded for destroying the altar of Baal.

Judges 8

Gideon scarcely escapes civil war.

Judges 9

Abimelech’s treachery to his brethren.

Judges 9

Discord. Abimelech slain by a woman.

Judges 12

Forty-two thousand slain in civil war.

Judges 16

The Nazarite fails, and is betrayed to the enemy.

He falls and is slain.

(Judges 17-21 are not in historical order, but show the moral condition of the people.)

Now while keeping the order of events mostly consecutive, there is one passage that seems to allow of a departure from this rule, and which has been thought to give the key to solve the difficulty. It is in Judges 10:7: “And the anger of the Lord was hot against Israel, and He sold them into the hands of the Philistines and into the hands of the children of Ammon.” Here are named at one time two sets of oppressors: the Philistines on the west, and the Ammonites on the east. Judges 10, 22 and 12 then go on to describe the oppression of the Ammonites; and in Judges 13, we have an oppression of the Philistines. Now, if these two oppressions were at the same time, this fully meets the difficulty. And this may also throw light upon that difficult passage in Judges 10:8⁸And that year they vexed and oppressed the children of Israel: eighteen years, all the children of Israel that were on the other side Jordan in the land of the Amorites, which is in Gilead. (Judges 10:8), which may speak of “the same year,” and the passage be read, And God “sold them into the hand of the Philistines and into the hands of the children of Ammon. And they vexed and crushed the children of Israel the same year.”

The way Judges 13 introduces the Philistine oppression presents, however, some difficulty; for it seems to speak of it as a new declension and a new oppression. Therefore, the following arrangement of the details of the period, though given as being open to less objection than other modes, is not to be considered as altogether without objection.

THE 480 YEARS OF 1 KINGS 6:1¹And it came to pass in the four hundred and eightieth year after the children of Israel were come out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon's reign over Israel, in the month Zif, which is the second month, that he began to build the house of the Lord. (1 Kings 6:1)

From the Exodus to crossing the Jordan

From the Jordan to the division of the land

Rest under Joshua and the Elders] (Judg. 2:7⁷And the people served the Lord all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great works of the Lord, that he did for Israel. (Judges 2:7))

Oppression by the King of Mesopotamia (Judg. 3:8⁸Therefore the anger of the Lord was hot against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of Chushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia: and the children of Israel served Chushan-rishathaim eight years. (Judges 3:8))

Othniel judge——-(Judg. 3:11¹¹And the land had rest forty years. And Othniel the son of Kenaz died. (Judges 3:11))

Oppression by the Moabites- (Judg. 3:14¹⁴So the children of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years. (Judges 3:14))

Ehud and Shamgar—-(Judg. 3:30³⁰So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the land had rest fourscore years. (Judges 3:30))

Oppression by the Canaanitish King Jabin (Judg. 4:3³And the children of Israel cried unto the Lord: for he had nine hundred chariots of iron; and twenty years he mightily oppressed the children of Israel. (Judges 4:3))

Deborah and Barak—-(Judg. 5:31³¹So let all thine enemies perish, O Lord: but let them that love him be as the sun when he goeth forth in his might. And the land had rest forty years. (Judges 5:31))

Oppression by the Midianites (Judg. 6:1¹And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord: and the Lord delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years. (Judges 6:1))

Gideon—-(Judg. 8:28²⁸Thus was Midian subdued before the children of Israel, so that they lifted up their heads no more. And the country was in quietness forty years in the days of Gideon. (Judges 8:28))

Abimelech——-(Judg. 9:22²²When Abimelech had reigned three years over Israel, (Judges 9:22))

Tolu———(Judg. 10:2²And he judged Israel twenty and three years, and died, and was buried in Shamir. (Judges 10:2))

Jair———(Judg. 10:3³And after him arose Jair, a Gileadite, and judged Israel twenty and two years. (Judges 10:3))

[Eli priest forty years, 1 Sam. 4:18¹⁸And it came to pass, when he made mention of the ark of God, that he fell from off the seat backward by the side of the gate, and his neck brake, and he died: for he was an old man, and heavy. And he had judged Israel forty years. (1 Samuel 4:18).]

In the West..

In the East.

Oppression by the Philistines, during which Samson is judge, and Samuel after Eli—-(Judg. 8:1¹And the men of Ephraim said unto him, Why hast thou served us thus, that thou calledst us not, when thou wentest to fight with the Midianites? And they did chide with him sharply. (Judges 8:1)) 40 years

Oppression by the Ammonites (Judg. 10:8⁸And that year they vexed and oppressed the children of Israel: eighteen years, all the children of Israel that were on the other side Jordan in the land of the Amorites, which is in Gilead. (Judges 10:8))

Jephthah—(Judg. 12:7⁷And Jephthah judged Israel six years. Then died Jephthah the Gileadite, and was buried in one of the cities of Gilead. (Judges 12:7))

Ibzan—(Judg. 12:9⁹And he had thirty sons, and thirty daughters, whom he sent abroad, and took in thirty daughters from abroad for his sons. And he judged Israel seven years. (Judges 12:9))

From Mizpeh (1 Sam. 7:12,13¹²Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpeh and Shen, and called the name of it Eben-ezer, saying, Hitherto hath the Lord helped us. ¹³So the Philistines were subdued, and they came no more into the coast of Israel: and the hand of the Lord was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel. (1 Samuel 7:12‑13)) to the anointing of Saul 9 years

Elon—-(Judg. 12:11¹¹And after him Elon, a Zebulonite, judged Israel; and he judged Israel ten years. (Judges 12:11))

Abdon—(Judg. 12:14¹⁴And he had forty sons and thirty nephews, that rode on threescore and ten ass colts: and he judged Israel eight years. (Judges 12:14))

Saul (in the former part of which Samuel was judge) Acts 13:21²¹And afterward they desired a king: and God gave unto them Saul the son of Cis, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, by the space of forty years. (Acts 13:21)

David 1 Kings 2:11¹¹And the days that David reigned over Israel were forty years: seven years reigned he in Hebron, and thirty and three years reigned he in Jerusalem. (1 Kings 2:11)

Solomon 1 Kings 11:42⁴²And the time that Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel was forty years. (1 Kings 11:42)

TOTAL

492

Deduct for parts of years being reckoned as full years

GRAND TOTAL

480

Observe that 1 Samuel goes back in the history to take up Eli and the birth of Samuel. It finds Israel under bondage to the Philistines, which is doubtless a part of the forty years’ servitude of Judg. 13:1¹And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the Lord; and the Lord delivered them into the hand of the Philistines forty years. (Judges 13:1): for otherwise that period would have no termination, and the servitude of Samuel would have no commencement. It is uncertain when Eli became priest; and though he is said to have judged Israel forty years (1 Sam. 4:18¹⁸And it came to pass, when he made mention of the ark of God, that he fell from off the seat backward by the side of the gate, and his neck brake, and he died: for he was an old man, and heavy. And he had judged Israel forty years. (1 Samuel 4:18)), he would most probably have been ecclesiastical judge, and his time not be reckoned separately. In 1 Samuel it was certainly running on at the same time as the Philistine oppression.

As to Saul, Acts 13 gives him forty years; while there is evidently a space between the deliverance at Mizpeh (where the period of 40 years’ servitude expires, 1 Sam. 7:12-17¹²Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpeh and Shen, and called the name of it Eben-ezer, saying, Hitherto hath the Lord helped us. ¹³So the Philistines were subdued, and they came no more into the coast of Israel: and the hand of the Lord was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel. ¹⁴And the cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron even unto Gath; and the coasts thereof did Israel deliver out of the hands of the Philistines. And there was peace between Israel and the Amorites. ¹⁵And Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life. ¹⁶And he went from year to year in circuit to Beth-el, and Gilgal, and Mizpeh, and judged Israel in all those places. ¹⁷And his return was to Ramah; for there was his house; and there he judged Israel; and there he built an altar unto the Lord. (1 Samuel 7:12‑17)), and where Saul began to reign. In the table nine years fall to this period, which is ample.

Josephus says that Samuel “held the supreme authority twelve years subsequent to the death of Eli.” But this appears to be incorrect; because the taking of the ark coincides with Eli’s death: the ark was with the Philistines seven months, and it was at Kirjath-jearim twenty years before Samuel led on the people to the victory of Mizpeh. So that Samuel must have had authority a much longer time than twelve years after the death of Eli.

This is supposing we are correct in interpreting the twenty years named in 1 Samual 7:2, “And it came to pass, while the ark abode in Kirjath-jearim that the time was long; for it was twenty years: and all the house of Israel lamented after the Lord.” At first sight it would appear as if the passage stated that the ark was at Kirjath-jearim twenty years; but it is quite clear that it was there much longer, for it was taken there in Samuel’s time, and it was not returned till David’s time (2 Sam. 6:2²And David arose, and went with all the people that were with him from Baale of Judah, to bring up from thence the ark of God, whose name is called by the name of the Lord of hosts that dwelleth between the cherubims. (2 Samuel 6:2)), so that it must have been there more than forty years. But some authorities prefer to translate it, “and it was twenty years, and all the house of Israel lamented after the Lord.” This removes all difficulty.

In 1 Samuel 7:15¹⁵And Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life. (1 Samuel 7:15), it is said that Samuel judged Israel “all the days of his life,” so that he must have been judge many years after Saul was proclaimed king (though it was then, perhaps, as ecclesiastical judge). And the verses that follow (1 Sam. 7:16-17¹⁶And he went from year to year in circuit to Beth-el, and Gilgal, and Mizpeh, and judged Israel in all those places. ¹⁷And his return was to Ramah; for there was his house; and there he judged Israel; and there he built an altar unto the Lord. (1 Samuel 7:16‑17)) may refer to the period after Saul was anointed.

1 Samuel 7:1-15¹And the men of Kirjath-jearim came, and fetched up the ark of the Lord, and brought it into the house of Abinadab in the hill, and sanctified Eleazar his son to keep the ark of the Lord. ²And it came to pass, while the ark abode in Kirjath-jearim, that the time was long; for it was twenty years: and all the house of Israel lamented after the Lord. ³And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, saying, If ye do return unto the Lord with all your hearts, then put away the strange gods and Ashtaroth from among you, and prepare your hearts unto the Lord, and serve him only: and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines. ⁴Then the children of Israel did put away Baalim and Ashtaroth, and served the Lord only. ⁵And Samuel said, Gather all Israel to Mizpeh, and I will pray for you unto the Lord. ⁶And they gathered together to Mizpeh, and drew water, and poured it out before the Lord, and fasted on that day, and said there, We have sinned against the Lord. And Samuel judged the children of Israel in Mizpeh. ⁷And when the Philistines heard that the children of Israel were gathered together to Mizpeh, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. And when the children of Israel heard it, they were afraid of the Philistines. ⁸And the children of Israel said to Samuel, Cease not to cry unto the Lord our God for us, that he will save us out of the hand of the Philistines. ⁹And Samuel took a sucking lamb, and offered it for a burnt offering wholly unto the Lord: and Samuel cried unto the Lord for Israel; and the Lord heard him. ¹⁰And as Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel: but the Lord thundered with a great thunder on that day upon the Philistines, and discomfited them; and they were smitten before Israel. ¹¹And the men of Israel went out of Mizpeh, and pursued the Philistines, and smote them, until they came under Beth-car. ¹²Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpeh and Shen, and called the name of it Eben-ezer, saying, Hitherto hath the Lord helped us. ¹³So the Philistines were subdued, and they came no more into the coast of Israel: and the hand of the Lord was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel. ¹⁴And the cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron even unto Gath; and the coasts thereof did Israel deliver out of the hands of the Philistines. And there was peace between Israel and the Amorites. ¹⁵And Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life. (1 Samuel 7:1‑15), presents a difficulty; for it appears to make it imperative that a long time must have elapsed between Mizpeh (1 Sam. 7:12¹²Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpeh and Shen, and called the name of it Eben-ezer, saying, Hitherto hath the Lord helped us. (1 Samuel 7:12)), and the anointing of Saul, to allow for Samuel to have become old; to have appointed his sons; for them to have proved unfaithful; and for the people to have demanded a king. But the sons may have been appointed before “Mizpeh,” and after “Mizpeh” we have nine years. On reading 1 Samuel 5, 6 and 7, it will be seen that they form one continuous narrative, and that anything else that occurred during that twenty years could not have been introduced till after that narrative was closed. Another subject is then begun about the king, and there is nothing improbable in supposing that the sons were appointed before “Mizpeh,” and there is ample time for all the rest.

That the 480 years of 1 Kings 6 is the actual duration of the period seems confirmed by the genealogy mentioned in Ruth 4:17,21-22¹⁷And the women her neighbors gave it a name, saying, There is a son born to Naomi; and they called his name Obed: he is the father of Jesse, the father of David. (Ruth 4:17)
²¹And Salmon begat Boaz, and Boaz begat Obed, ²²And Obed begat Jesse, and Jesse begat David. (Ruth 4:21‑22); 1 Chronicles 2:11-12¹¹And Nahshon begat Salma, and Salma begat Boaz, ¹²And Boaz begat Obed, and Obed begat Jesse, (1 Chronicles 2:11‑12); Matthew 1:5⁵And Salmon begat Booz of Rachab; and Booz begat Obed of Ruth; and Obed begat Jesse; (Matthew 1:5); and Luke 3:32³²Which was the son of Jesse, which was the son of Obed, which was the son of Booz, which was the son of Salmon, which was the son of Naasson, (Luke 3:32).

Salmon and Rachab begat Boaz—1

Boaz begat Obed—-2

Obed begat Jesse——-3

Jesse begat David——-4

Now from the taking of Jericho to the birth of David would be about 350 years, which, for four generations, would be about eighty-eight years to each, which is a long period. But the difficulty is greatly increased by those who insist that the actual period was much longer than the four hundred and eighty years.

The 480 years of 1 Kings 6:1¹And it came to pass in the four hundred and eightieth year after the children of Israel were come out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon's reign over Israel, in the month Zif, which is the second month, that he began to build the house of the Lord. (1 Kings 6:1), then, we believe to be the actual period, and but for which there is no other definite date given; and which is confirmed by the 300 years of Judges 11:26²⁶While Israel dwelt in Heshbon and her towns, and in Aroer and her towns, and in all the cities that be along by the coasts of Arnon, three hundred years? why therefore did ye not recover them within that time? (Judges 11:26), and also by the above genealogy.

The moral order is — Israel is redeemed out of Egypt, and the Law given. Through unbelief they cannot enter the land of promise, but they wander and die in the wilderness, and their children are brought into Canaan. They fall away continually, and the Lord delivers them into the hand of their enemies. But when they cry unto the Lord, He raises up a judge, and delivers them. In sin they demand a king, as the other nations (for God was their King), and Saul is given them; then David; then Solomon, and the Temple is built.

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