Adam When?

    The chronological chain presented in this study has one link that looks very fragile. In I Kings 6:1, we read that there was a passage of 480 years from the Exodus from Egypt until the fourth year of Solomon’s reign. Since this is a long period of time that covers the wilderness sojourn, the claiming of the land of Palestine by Joshua, the period of the judges, and the kingships of Saul and David, we cannot help but wonder if some additional Biblical evidence might be available to support this one lonely statement.

    We saw in Chapter 4 that the 430-year Egyptian sojourn was supported by the genealogical timetable of Levi, Kohath, Amram, and Aaron. Can we find similar Biblical data to support the 480 years under question? Let us begin to examine this question by first establishing the chronology of Saul, David, and Solomon. Then we will examine in detail the period of the judges. We shall discover that there is definitely another time bridge, in addition to that given in I Kings 6:1, that links the Exodus to the time of Solomon. We shall also discover the precise chronology of the period of judges.


A David And Solomon Co-Regency

    Let us begin this part of our reconstruction by discovering the precise time sequence of the first three kings of Israel: Saul, David, and Solomon. To establish this sequence, we must first of all discover if there was a co-regency between Saul and David, or between David and Solomon. While the Prophet Samuel anointed David king when he was but a lad, the Bible shows in unmistakable fashion that David’s reign began after the death of Saul. The first two chapters of II Samuel should be consulted to verify this. Therefore, we can know that Saul’s reign of 40 years (Acts 13:21), was followed by David’s reign of 40 years (II Samuel 5:4). Thus, a period of 80 years transpired from the end of the period of the judges until the end of David’s reign.

    But when did Solomon begin to reign? Was it upon David’s death or was it earlier? We shall discover that Solomon began to reign four years before David’s death so that the fourth year of Solomon’s reign coincided with the end of David’s reign. Let us see how the Bible shoves this.

    The Bible shows a co-regency of David and Solomon of four years. The reason for the co-regency is easily found. First, Absalom aspired to be king when David was old (II Samuel 15:1-8). A few years later, another son of David named Adonijah declared he would be king (I Kings 1:5). Upon this turn of events, the Prophet Nathan instructed Bathsheba, the mother of Solomon, to remind King David of his promise that Solomon would be the heir to the throne (I Kings 1:11-14). David, thereupon, before he died and ceased to reign, declared Solomon king (I Kings 1:32-37), in order to remove any doubt concerning his successor.

    David had one constant and consuming concern in the closing years of his life. The object of this concern is the event that ties the reigns of David and Solomon together and gives the evidence upon which the length of the co-regency can be determined. This concern was that the temple should be constructed. David was not permitted to build the house of God; we read in I Chronicles 28:3:

But God said unto me, Thou shalt not build an house for my name, because thou hast been a man of war, and hast shed blood.

    But David made all kinds of provision for this building. He made the decision where it was to be located (I Chronicles 22:1). He put stone-cutters to work to prepare stones for the temple (I Chronicles 22:2); he provided great stores of nails, bronze, and cedar for the temple (I Chronicles 22:3-4); he provided for the operation of the temple (I Chronicles 23:4-5); he had all the construction plans drawn (I Chronicles 25:11-19); he provided all the gold, silver, and precious stones required for the temple construction (I Chronicles 29:2); and he provided for the financing of the temple (I Chronicles 29:3-9). In other words, David performed every possible preparation so that the actual construction could begin.

    Even though the Bible gives David a prominent part in this preparation, it was actually a joint venture of David and Solomon. In I Chronicles 22:2-4, we read:

And David commanded to gather together the strangers that were in the land of Israel; and he set masons to hew wrought stones

to build the house of God. And David prepared iron in abundance for the nails for the doors of the gates, and for the joinings; and brass in abundance without weight; Also cedar trees in abundance: for the Zidonians and they of Tyre brought much cedar wood to David.

    But in I Kings 5, we read how Solomon contracted for timbers from Hiram King of Tyre and from the Sidonians. In I Kings 5:17, notice is given that Solomon was in charge of the quarrying of the foundation stones. I Kings 5:18 indicates that Solomon was in charge of the building. All of these references relate to building activity before the laying of the foundation in the fourth year of Solomon.

    David then charged Solomon in I Chronicles 22:14-16:

Now, behold, in my trouble I have prepared for the house of the LORD an hundred thousand talents of gold, and a thousand thousand talents of silver; and of brass and iron without weight; for it is in abundance: timber also and stone have I prepared; and thou mayest add thereto. Moreover there are workmen with thee in abundance, hewers and workers of stone and timber, and all manner of cunning men for every manner of work. Of the gold, the silver, and the brass, and the iron, there is no number. Arise therefore, and be doing, and the LORD be with thee.

    And we read in I Chronicles 28:10:

Take heed now; for the LORD hath chosen thee to build an house for the sanctuary: be strong, and do it.

    Not only did David lay this charge upon Solomon to begin construction, but he also gave a similar charge to the leaders of the people. David commanded all the leaders of Israel to help Solomon his son. We read in I Chronicles 22:17-19:

David also commanded all the princes of Israel to help Solomon his son, saying, Is not the LORD your God with you? and hath he not given you rest on every side? for he hath given the inhabitants of the land into mine hand; and the land is subdued before the LORD, and before his people. Now set your heart and your soul to seek the LORD your God; arise therefore, and build ye the sanctuary of the LORD God, to bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and the holy vessels of God, into the house that is to be built to the name of the LORD.

    The picture that emerges from the Bible is one of great activity centered around the construction of the temple. At first David, the father King, guides his young son, King Solomon, in the multitudinous preparations as well as being directly active in these preparations himself. All of this activity points to the moment when the actual construction will begin at the building site. But the laying of the foundation may not take place as long as David is living.

    Then David dies, and Solomon reigns alone. The command to “arise” and “build” still rings in his ears and the ears of the people. The great moment which David, Solomon, and all Israel had eagerly anticipated arrives. Upon David’s death, no obstacle stands in the way; and the laying of the temple foundation begins. All the preparations of the past several years now become reality. After a suitable period of mourning probably no longer than 30 days, Solomon begins to carry out David’s command to arise and build.

    The Biblical account surely intimates that Solomon began to lay the foundation about 30 days after David’s death. Thus, the fourth year of Solomon’s reign, when the foundation of the temple was laid, must have coincided with the fortieth year of David’s reign. The last four years of David’s reign, during which he reigned as co-regent with Solomon, were years of preparation for temple construction. The death of David freed Solomon to lay the foundation.

    Therefore, we may conclude that since Saul reigned forty years and David reigned forty years, Saul’s reign must have begun 80 years earlier than Solomon’s fourth year. Since the fourth year of Solomon’s reign was 967 B.C., 80 years earlier was the year 1047 B.C., at which time Saul became king. Thus, the year 1047 B.C. must be regarded as the year that ended the period of the judges.

    We have previously determined that the Exodus occurred in 1447 B.C. We know that they entered Canaan 40 years later (Exodus 16:35, Joshua 5:6-12, Numbers 14:34, Numbers 32:13), which was the year 1407 B.C. And since, as we have just discovered, Saul began to reign in 1047 B.C., a time span of 360 years was the duration of the period of the judges.

    Is a 360-year span borne out by any other Biblical information? Many scholars have felt that it is impossible to establish a precise chronology for this time because the Biblical information seems to be confused and sketchy. At first look, this does appear to be the case, but when we analyze the Bible notices more carefully, we will see that they show that the period of the judges was indeed 360 years.

    The following time notices are set forth in the Bible beginning with the entrance into Canaan and ending with the last time notice before the reign of Saul.

Judges 3:8	Israel served Cushanrishathaim 8 years	8
Judges 3:11	Land had rest 40 years	40
Judges 3:14	Israel served Eglon, King of Moab 18 years	18
Judges 3:30	Land had rest for 80 years	80
Judges 4:3	Israel oppressed by Jabin, King of Canaan, 20 years	20
Judges 5:31	Land had rest for 40 years	40
Judges 6:1	Israel in hand of Midian 7 years	7
Judges 8:28	Land had rest for 40 years	40
Judges 9:22	Abimelech ruled Israel 3 years	3
Judges 10:2	Tola judged Israel 23 years	23
Judges 10:3	Jair judged Israel 22 years	22
Judges 10:8	Philistines oppressed Israel 18 years	18
Judges 12:7	Jephthah judged Israel 6 years	6
Judges 12:9	Ibzan judged Israel 7 years	7
Judges 12:11	Elon judged Israel 10 years	10
Judges 12:14	Abdon judged Israel 8 years	8
Judges 13:1	Israel in hand of Philistines 40 years	40
Judges 15:20	Sampson judged Israel 20 years	20

I Samuel 4:18	Eli judged Israel 40 years	40
I Samuel 6:1	Ark was in Philistines’ hands 7 months. This figure rounded off to years equal 1 year	1
I Samuel 7:2	From time ark was returned until next event a passage of 20 years took place. Since no other time notices are given until I Samuel 13:1 which speaks of the length of King Saul’s reign, we must assume this 20 years ends with the beginning of Saul’s reign as king	20
Total years		471

    Inasmuch as 471 years is 111 longer than the 360 years which appears to be the correct figure for this period of time, we could assume with many others who have studied this problem that some of the judges ruled as contemporaries. Since it would appear that we do not know who these judges were and when they ruled, we cannot expect to determine an exact chronology for this period of history.

    The fact is, however, that a very exact chronology can be determined. If we look again at the above references, we note that there are two kinds. One describes the passage of time with respect to the land of Israel or to the rule of an Israelite judge. The other describes oppression or subjugation by a heathen power of king. If we separate the last kind from the total list, we discover a very exact chronology.

    And 360 years agrees precisely with the period we have already established as the time span from the entrance into Canaan in 1407 B.C. until Saul became king in 1047 B.C. As we shall see, the oppression at various times adding up to 111 years really occurred during these 360 years.

    We have established that as in the case of the two time bridges from Jacob to Moses, the Bible also offers two time bridges from the Exodus to Solomon. The first is the 480 years of I Kings 6:1. The second is found in the Books of Joshua, Judges, I and II Samuel, I Chronicles, I Kings, and Acts.

    Let us now set forth this chronology in greater detail and establish some absolute dates. The Exodus occurred on Nisan 15, 1447 B.C., as we saw in Chapter 4. Joshua 5:6-12 indicates that the entrance into Canaan was exactly 40 years later which was the year 1407 B.C. The next chronological notice is that given in Judges 3:11 which declares, “And the land had rest forty years. And Othniel the son of Kenaz died.” This would be the period 1407-1367 B.C. At the beginning of this time the initial period of the conquest of Canaan took place; this occurred during the first seven years (Joshua 14:7-10, Deuteronomy 2:14). During this 40 year period the people served Cushanrishathaim, King of Mesopotamia, for a period of eight years (Judges 3:8). Their deliverer was Othniel, son of the younger brother of Caleb (Judges 3:9).

    The next chronological notice concerning Israel is that in Judges 3:30, “So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the land had rest fourscore years.” This was the period from 1367 B.C. to 1287 B.C. During this period Israel served Eglon, King of Moab 18 years (Judges 3:14). Their deliverers were Ehud (Judges 3:15) and Shamgar (Judges 3:31).

    The next chronological notice is that of Judges 5:31, “And the land had rest forty years.” This was the period from 1287 B.C. to 1247 B.C. During this period Israel was oppressed by Jabin, King of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor and oppressed the Israelites for 20 years (Judges 4:3). Israel’s deliverers were Deborah and Barak (Judges 4 and 5).

    The next notice is found in Judges 8:28, “And the country was in quietness forty years in the days of Gideon.” This was the period from 1247 B.C. to 1207 B.C. Near the beginning of this period Israel was given into the hands of Midian for seven years (Judges 6:1). Their deliverer was Gideon. His death in 1207 B.C. ended this period. This is a very important date in our study, as we shall see later.

    Abimelech, a son of Gideon by a concubine (Judges 8:31), reigned as king for three years (Judges 9:22). This was the period from 1207 B.C. to 1204 B.C. To ensure his reign, he killed his 70 brothers

(Judges 9:5). He was killed by a millstone dropped upon him by a woman (Judges 9:53). Abimelech’s evil and short-lived kingship was followed by the judgeship of Tola who judged Israel 23 years, from 1204 B.C. to 1181 B.C. (Judges 10:1-2).

    After Tola came Jair the Gileadite, who judged Israel 22 years (Judges 10:3), 1181 B.C. to 1159 B.C. Apparently during this period Israel was oppressed for 18 years by the Philistines and the Ammonites (Judges 10:7-8).

    Jair was followed by four judges who ruled successively.

Jephthah	6 years	(Judges 12:7),	1159-1153 B.C.
Ibzan	7 years	(Judges 12:9),	1153-1146 B.C.
Elon	10 years	(Judges 12:11),	1136-1128 B.C.
Abdon	8 years	(Judges 12:14),	1136-1128 B.C.

    The next chronological notice is that of Judges 15:20, where we read that Samson judged Israel 20 years, 1128 B.C. to 1108 B.C. We read in Judges 13:1 that during this time in Israel’s experiences, “And 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.” This oppression probably began during the time of the judges Ibzan, Ebon, and Abdon. Samson’s birth was predicted to his mother, and she was told that her son would begin to deliver Israel from the hand of the Philistines who were probably their oppressors at that time (Judges 13:5).

    For our next chronological notice, we must leave the Book of Judges which closes with no more information of this nature and go to the Book of I Samuel. We read in I Samuel 4:18 that Eli had judged Israel 40 years. This was the period from 1108 to 1068 B.C. The Bible gives us sufficient information about Eli and his contemporaries that we are able to insert a few bits of interesting information into our study. These are interesting but not in themselves important to our study. We know, for example, that since Eli was 98 years old at death, he was born in the days of Jair, possibly even before Samson’s birth. He must have been priest in Shiloh at the time Samson was judge. He is first introduced in the Bible as a priest in I Samuel 1, when Hannah came to the temple at Shiloh to pray. Eli could well have been fifty or more at the time Samuel was born inasmuch as Eli’s two sons already officiated as priests (I Samuel 1:3). He became official judge of the land at the ago of 58. This was probably about the time Samuel came

to the temple as a weaned child for it is reported that Samuel was an old man at the time Saul became king (I Samuel 8:5). We shall see that Saul became king about 60 years after Eli became judge, Eli’s judgeship came to a tragic end when the Philistines routed the Israelites, killed his two sons, and captured the ark. The news of the captured ark was the tidings that resulted in Eli’s death (I Samuel 4:18).

    Returning to the chronological sequence, we next discover that the ark was in the hands of the Philistines seven months (I Samuel 6:11). This was seven months of the year 1068 B.C. or seven months beginning the later part of 1068 B.C. and continuing in the early part of 1067 B.C. For our chronological sequence, all other notices from the entrance into Canaan until David are given in years only. Therefore, we may round off this seven months period to one year, 1068-1067 B.C., to follow the pattern established by the previous chronological notices.

    In I Samuel 7:2, we read the final chronological notice. The ark was returned to Israel at Kirjathjearim at the end of the seven months period. In this verse we read that 20 years passed after this event:

And it came to pass, while the ark abode in Kirjathjearim, that the time was long; for it was twenty years: and all the house of Israel lamented after the LORD.

    Since the next major event in Israel’s history is the selection of Saul to be king, and the beginning of his reign is the next Biblical chronological notice (I Samuel 13:1), we can conclude that this 20 years was the period when Samuel judged Israel. His judgeship, of course, ended when Saul became king. This 20-year period is 1067 B.C. to 1047 B.C. The 40 year reign of Saul continued then from 1047 B.C. to 1007 B.C. when David came to the throne. David’s 40 year reign covered the period 1007 B.C. to 967 B.C. In the year 967 B.C., David died and the foundation of the temple was laid as we determined earlier in this chapter.

    Thus, we have seen again how the Scriptural record provides precise and adequate information to permit an exact chronology, even through the troubled period of the judges.


Jephthah’s Estimate of Time

    The other statements are found in the Bible that relate to the period of the judges. Let us briefly examine these to determine how

they relate to the chronology we have now established. The first is a statement in Judges 11:26 where we read that the judge Jephthah declared that the Israelites dwelt in Heshbon, Aroer, and the cities on the banks of the Arnon, three hundred years. Since we know he was judge from 1159 B.C. to 1153 B.C., we can see that 300 years was a very good estimate of time. Three hundred years earlier than 1153 B.C. is 1453 B.C. The Israelites were in the wilderness sojourn while they dwelt in Heshbon (Numbers 32:37) and dwelt in the valley of Arnon (Deuteronomy 3:12). Since they dwelt in these cities during their wilderness sojourn (although near the end of the sojourn), and since the wilderness sojourn began in 1447 B.C., Jephthah’s statement of 300 years was a good estimate.


Paul’s Estimate of Time

    The second reference which relates to the period of the Judges is Acts 13:19-20:

And when he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, he gave them their land as an inheritance, for about four hundred and fifty years. And after that he gave them judges until Samuel, the prophet.

    Literally, these verses say, “and having destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan gave as an inheritance the land of them about four hundred and fifty years. And after these things He gave judges until Samuel a prophet.”

    From this notice, we gather that a period of about 450 years transpired from the time that Canaan was given as an inheritance to Israel until Solomon’s reign ended. This is because at the end of Solomon’s reign, Israel was shattered into two nations and the land was no longer an inheritance enjoyed by the whole nation of Israel as a cohesive unit. They were given the land at the time Canaan was subdued by Joshua.

    We shall see that Paul’s estimate of about 450 years was a valid approximation. To check it we must first discover when Canaan was subdued. We find in Joshua 24:11 that after Joshua had divided the land, he declared:

And ye went over Jordan, and came unto Jericho: and the men of Jericho fought against you, the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Girgashites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites; and I delivered them into your hand.

    These are the same seven nations recorded in Deuteronomy 7:1- 2 which God predicted would be defeated under God’s leadership. Therefore, they must be the nations to which Paul refers when he speaks of seven nations having been destroyed in the land of Canaan. How can we determine when Joshua spoke of the fact that they had been defeated? We know it was before Joshua’s death, when he was old and advanced in years (Joshua 23:1). He had just divided the land of Canaan amongst the tribes, giving each tribe a part of the land as an inheritance. This is discussed at length in the Book of Joshua beginning with Chapter 13. Joshua 13:1 also says that he was old and advanced in years.

    We find clues concerning the timing of the division of the inheritance when Joshua was old in Joshua 14:7 and Joshua 14:10. In Joshua 14:7 Caleb says:

Forty years old was I when Moses the servant of the LORD sent me from Kadeshbarnea to spy out the land; and I brought him word again as it was in mine heart.

    And in verse 10 he says:

And now, behold, the LORD hath kept me alive, as he said, these forty and five years, even since the LORD spake this word unto Moses, while the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness: and now, lo, I am this day fourscore and five years old.

    Then from Deuteronomy 2:14 we discover that Israel continued in the wilderness 38 years after Kadeshbarnea. Since Caleb spoke his words 45 years (85 minus 40) after Kadeshbarnea, he spoke seven years after Israel entered Canaan. Since they entered Canaan in 1407 B.C., these words of Caleb were uttered 1400 B.C. We may conclude that the beginning of the time, spoken of by Paul in Acts 13:19, “And when he [God] had destroyed seven nations in the land of Chanaan, he divided their land to them by lot,” is about the same time that Caleb spoke in Joshua 14. This was about 1400 B.C. We also know that the year of Solomon’s death was 931 B.C., 469 years later. Thus, we see that Paul was correct when he spoke of 450 years.


Summary

    We began this chapter by making reference to I Kings 6:1 where the Bible declares that there were 480 years from the Exodus to the time of the laying of the foundation of Solomon’s temple. We have

discovered that this is in exact accord with the chronology of the period of the judges. The Exodus occurred in 1447 B.C. The foundation of the temple was laid 480 years later, in 967 B.C. A recapitulation of this 480-year period, as we have determined by Biblical reckoning, is outlined as follows.

Exodus	1447 B.C.
Entrance into Canaan	1407 B.C.
Initial 40 year period in Canaan	1407-1367 B.C.
During this period the conquest of Canaan occurred under Joshua and Othniel delivered Israel
Next 80-year period in Canaan	1367-1287 B.C.
During this period Ehud and Shamgar delivered Israel
Next 40 year period in Canaan	1287-1247 B.C.
Deborah and Barak were deliverers during this period
Gideon judged	1247-1207 B.C.
Abimelech ruled	1207-1204 B.C.
Tola judged	1204-1181 B.C.
Jair judged	1181-1159 B.C.
Jephthah judged	1159-1153 B.C.
Ibzan judged	1153-1146 B.C.
Elon judged	1146-1136 B.C.
Abdon judged	1136-1128 B.C.

Samson judged	1128-1108 B.C.
Eli judged	1108-1068 B.C.
Ark in Philistines' hands	1068-1067 B.C.
Samuel judged	1067-1047 B.C.
Saul reigned as king	1047-1007 B.C.
David reigned	1007-967 B.C.
Solomon reigned	971-931 B.C.
Foundation of temple laid in fourth year of Solomon's reign	967 B.C.

NOTES:

    ¹See Appendix II concerning the apparent inconsistency of the declaration “the land had rest… years” with the fact that the conquest of Canaan took place during this first 40-year period of rest. Moreover, during the entire 200 year period when it is recorded that the land had rest there were repeated oppressions during which there could not have been real rest in the land.