Upload
sirjsslut
View
218
Download
0
Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
8/18/2019 Watchtower: The 6th century BCE neo-Babylonian Chronology explained by Doug Mason - 2006
1/11
©2006 [email protected]
Set your PDF reader program to show the complete page.
Then begin at the next page.
8/18/2019 Watchtower: The 6th century BCE neo-Babylonian Chronology explained by Doug Mason - 2006
2/11
©2006 [email protected] http://www.jwstudies.com
The 6th century BCE neo-Babylonian
Chronology explained
(NOTE: See also “6th century neo-Babylonian Chronology: the
Reason it Matters”, available from the web site given below.)
8/18/2019 Watchtower: The 6th century BCE neo-Babylonian Chronology explained by Doug Mason - 2006
3/11
©2006 [email protected]
The “Absolute Date” for
Nebuchadnezzar’s reign
An ABSOLUTE DATE is a definitely known, fixed date for an historical event. For this period, one Abso
Date is 568 BCE for Nebuchadnezzar’s 37th year. An Absolute Date provides a pivotal point for moving
backward and forward in time, enabling calendar dates to be assigned to other events.
22 April 568 BCE -12 April 567 BCE.
N e b u c h a d n e z z a r ’ s
3 7 t h r e g n a l y e
a r
568
BCE
8/18/2019 Watchtower: The 6th century BCE neo-Babylonian Chronology explained by Doug Mason - 2006
4/11
©2006 [email protected]
Nebuchadnezzar’s Accession Year
605 - April 604 = Accession year
April 604 - 603 = Year 1
April 603 - 602 = Year 2
April 602 - 601 = Year 3
April 601 - 600 = Year 4
April 600 - 599 = Year 5 April 568 - 567 = Year 37
Accession-year system: The Babylonians used the Accession-year system when reckoning a king’s reign. When a king die
his successor completed the remainder of that year until the day of the New Year (April), This period is his “Accession Year”
Since Nebuchadnezzar’s 37th regnal year ran from April 568 BCE, his Accession Year ran until April 604 BCE.
N e b u c h a d n e z z a r ’ s
3 7 t h r e g n a l y e
a r
568
BCE
N e b u c h a d n e z z a r ’ s
A c c e s s i o n y e a r
605
BCE
8/18/2019 Watchtower: The 6th century BCE neo-Babylonian Chronology explained by Doug Mason - 2006
5/11
©2006 [email protected]
Nabopolassar’s Absolute Date
Another Absolute Date for the period is 621 BCE for Nabopolassar’s 5th year. He ruled for 21 years, so he
in 605 BCE. This therefore fixes Nebuchadnezzar’s Accession year at 605 BCE. Thus two Absolute Dates
provide double verification of 605 BCE for Nebuchadnezzar’s Accession Year.
N a b o p o l a s s a r ’ s
5 t h y e a r
621
BCE
N e b u c h a d n e z z a r ’ s
3 7 t h r e g n a l y e
a r
568
BCE
N e b u c h a d n e z z a r ’ s
A c c e s s i o n y e a r
605
BCE
8/18/2019 Watchtower: The 6th century BCE neo-Babylonian Chronology explained by Doug Mason - 2006
6/11
©2006 [email protected]
Jerusalem’s destruction in
Nebuchadnezzar’s 19th year
N e b u c h a d n e z z a r ’ s
3 7 t h r e g n a l y e
a r
568
BCE
N e b u c h a d n e z z a r ’ s
A c c e s s i o n y e a r
605
BCE
N a b o p o l a s s a r ’ s
5 t h y e a r
621
BCE
Jerusalem was destroyed during Nebuchadnezzar’s 19th year. The dates of 605 BCE for
Nebuchadnezzar’s Accession year and 568 BCE for his 37th year confirm that Jerusalem was
destroyed by him in 586 BCE.
D e s t r u c t i o n o f
J e r u s a l e m
586
BCE
2 Kings 25: 8-10
Jeremiah 52:12-14
8/18/2019 Watchtower: The 6th century BCE neo-Babylonian Chronology explained by Doug Mason - 2006
7/11
©2006 [email protected]
The list of kings
With the help of the Canon of Ptolemy and thousands of dated cuneiform documentswritten on clay ta
wihich agree as to the total of regnal years for each king, it is possible to arrive at exact dates for each king
reigning in the period. (Note the use of “inclusive reckoning” when calculating the length of a reign.)
N e b u c h a d n e z z
a r ’ s
F i r s t Y e a r
604
BCE
Amel-Marduk
2 years
(562-561)
Nergal-shar-usur
4 years
(559-556)
Nabonidus
17 years(555-539)
Nebuchadnezzar
43 years
(604 -562)
Ptolemy’s Canon and thousands
of cuneiform tablets
T
h e F a l l o f B a b y l o n
539
BCE
8/18/2019 Watchtower: The 6th century BCE neo-Babylonian Chronology explained by Doug Mason - 2006
8/11
©2006 [email protected]
Cambyses’ Absolute Date
N e b u c h a d n e z z
a r ’ s
F i r s t Y e a r
604
BCE
Amel-Marduk
2 years
(562-561)
Nergal-shar-usur
4 years
(559-556)
Nabonidus
17 years(555-539)
Nebuchadnezzar
43 years
(604 -562)
Ptolemy’s Canon and thousands
of cuneiform tablets
T
h e F a l l o f B a b y l o n
539
BCE
A b s o l u t e D a t e
f o r
C
a m b y s e s ’ 7 t h y e a r
523
BCE
Another astronomical tablet has established that the 7th year of Cambyses lasted from
April 523 BCE to March 522 BCE.
8/18/2019 Watchtower: The 6th century BCE neo-Babylonian Chronology explained by Doug Mason - 2006
9/11
©2006 [email protected]
The calculated date for the Fall of
Babylon confirmed
N e b u c h a d n e z z
a r ’ s
F i r s t Y e a r
604
BCE
Amel-Marduk
2 years
(562-561)
Nergal-shar-usur
4 years
(559-556)
Nabonidus
17 years(555-539)
Nebuchadnezzar
43 years
(604 -562)
Ptolemy’s Canon and thousands
of cuneiform tablets
T
h e F a l l o f B a b y l o n
539
BCE
A b s o l u t e D a t e
f o r
C
a m b y s e s ’ 7 t h y e a r
523
BCEPtolemy’s
Canon
The Canon of Ptolemy and dated clay tablets show that the dates of the neo-Babyloni
kings lock in with this Absolute Date for Cambyses.
8/18/2019 Watchtower: The 6th century BCE neo-Babylonian Chronology explained by Doug Mason - 2006
10/11
©2006 [email protected]
The Watchtower’s problems•It is critical for the Watchtower that when Jerusalem wasdestroyed by Nebuchadnezzar in his 19th year, that it tookplace in 607 BCE.
•But Nebuchadnezzar began his reign later, in 605 BCE.
•Jerusalem was actually destroyed in 586 BCE
•The Watchtower says Ptolemy’s Canon (list of kings)cannot be relied on.
•The date of 539 BCE for the Fall of Babylon is crucial forthe Watchtower, and this date is calculated using thechronology of kings provided by Ptolemy and confirmed bythe thousands of clay tablets.
© Artwork NVTech
The Watchtower claims incorrectly that the date of 539 BCE
for the Fall of Babylon is an Absolute Date.
8/18/2019 Watchtower: The 6th century BCE neo-Babylonian Chronology explained by Doug Mason - 2006
11/11