The chart is calculated on the basis that the Passover in Josiah's eighteenth year was in 622BC, and that this was a Jubilee year. Evidence for this is that Ezekiel counted his years from this date (Ez.1:1). Only two chronologies seem possible for the span of Jubilees to Josiah's 18th:- The 17 Jubilee span (shown below) and a 16 Jubilee span (see Low Date chart).
Notes: -
The first Jubilee is dated 49 years from the entry of the Israelites into Canaan (50 years counting the first and last years), 40 years after the Exodus. Each subsequent Jubilee period adds 49 years to the total because the start year has
already been counted in the previous sequence. This method of counting is suggested by the days of Pentecost, in which the first and last Sabbath days were included in the count to give 50 days.
Although the BC dates (calculated from 622BC) are different in the two charts, the only change is in the span between Josiah's 18th and Solomon's 4th. This gives only two possibilities for the date of the death of Solomon: 979BC (High Date) or 930BC (Low Date) and only two possible dates for the Exodus: 1495BC or 1446BC.
It is interesting that the Low Date chart furnishes almost the same date for the death of Solomon as Thiele,1 without any analysis of the kings' reigns. Apart from his dates around the time of Hezekiah (where he disregards the Biblical synchronisms and 'moves' two reigns), his method of synchronising the reigns during the divided Kingdom has much to recommend it. It is, however, possible to use all the Biblical synchronisms and still retain the 930/931BC date for the death of Solomon. The Low Date chart is preferable to the High date chart because of the difficulty in extending this period to 979BC from the Biblical data.
BC dates can vary by a year due to the difference between year starts. The time span 'bridges' can also vary by a year depending on the method of calculation. With this proviso, and the assumptions above, this scheme gives a rigid chronological framework within which to work.
By supplying an AM date for the Confirmation of the Covenant - calculable (with a few uncertainties) from the continuous chronology of Genesis - the Creation date can be determined for either chart and a complete chronology built up by 'filling in' and extending to modern times - enjoy!
1 "The Mysterious Numbers of the Hebrew Kings", Edwin R. Thiele, Kregel Publications 1994
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