watchtower: the 6th century bce neo-babylonian chronology explained by doug mason - 2006

8/18/2019 Watchtower: The 6th century BCE neo-Babylonian Chronology explained by Doug Mason - 2006

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©2006 [email protected]

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©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.)


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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


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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.



a r

568

BCE


A c c e s s i o n y e a r

605

BCE


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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



a r

568

BCE



605

BCE


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Jerusalem’s destruction in

Nebuchadnezzar’s 19th year



a r

568

BCE



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


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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


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Cambyses’ Absolute Date


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)



T


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.


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The calculated date for the Fall of

Babylon confirmed


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)



T


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.


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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.


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watchtower: the 6th century bce neo-babylonian chronology explained by doug mason - 2006

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