 Chronology
Introduction
As the events of the Bible occurred in the Ancient World, it ought to be possible to locate these events in that world's history. Unfortunately there are major problems involved in placing many of the important events in that framework.
In the latter part of Israel's history there are no real problems. From the time of King Ahab there are references to Israelite kings in Mesopotamian sources.
 | 853 BC. Shalmaneser III, of Assyria, records Ahab involved in the Battle of Karkar. |
| King Jehu is seen paying tribute to Shalmaneser III on his Black Obelisk. |
These two events establish the time scale from this period onwards, for they can be precisely dated from other sources.
A number of similar relationships can be found which put the latter part of the Old Testament on a solid chronological basis which matches the generally accepted chronology of the Ancient World.
It is a sad fact that
| when secular sources agree with the Bible little notice is taken |
| when the Bible diverges from secular sources it is relegated to the level of myth. |
As the biblical chronology of Israel before Ahab disagrees with the commonly accepted chronology of the Ancient World, the Bible record is usually regarded with skepticism. Some scholars seriously question whether Israel ever went to Egypt. Many regard the Exodus as a myth with no historical foundation.
And yet the Exodus is one of the most important events in the history of Israel. If it can be located in its correct place then it can draw the threads of history together, for Israel's history spans the time of the Egyptian, Babylonian, Assyrian and Persian empires, as well as many of the smaller nations of the Ancient World. It continues on through the time of the Greeks and the Romans.
Some scholars who accept the Israel/Egypt connection have tended to make arbitrary assignments of where in Egyptian history the Exodus might have occurred.
| Rameses II of the 19th Dynasty is frequently named as the Pharaoh of the Exodus |
| Thutmoses III of the 18th Dynasty is another who is given this distinction. |
Both these Pharaohs lived during the Golden Age of Egypt, and there is nothing recorded in Egypt during this time which bears the slightest resemblance to the events of the Exodus.
There is no record of famine, destruction of crops, massive destruction among cattle and other domestic animals, dreadful pollution of the Nile nor economic ruin of Egypt.
Search as you will, there is nothing in the period of the New Kingdom which bears any resemblance to these events. The Bible record demands that all of these things occurred.
According to the Bible record
| Pharaoh was killed in the Red Sea following the escape of the Israelites |
| The bodies of Egyptians were washed up on the shores. It is not stated whether Pharaoh's body was among them. |
| If it was, it is unlikely to have been rescued for burial by the Egyptians. They had enough trouble surviving, let alone worrying about the dead. |
| The burial sites of Rameses II and Thutmoses III are known. Their mummies have been found, so neither can possibly be the Pharaoh of the Exodus. |
Other arbitrary identifications of Pharaohs have been made.
Shishak of I Kings and II Chronicles is identified with Shoshenk I of the 22nd Dynasty. This identification is based entirely on the apparent similarity of the names, and cannot be used as a fixed point for chronological purposes.
Clearly the chronology of the Ancient World is far from final clarification. Of the many attempts to clear up the problems of chronology, four are outlined here. They
are:
Ages in Chaos - Immanuel Velikovsky
The Jerusalem Ancient History - Lisa Aaronson
A Test of Time - David Rohl
The Exodus Problem and its Ramifications - Donovan Courville
Links to other chronology pages in this site
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