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Created 5929± 10 10 2025 [2009-01-08]

Updated 5929± 11 26 2025 [2009-02-22]

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     “As soon as the seeker for truth opens the Bible to read the utterances of God with reverence, possessing an earnest desire to know "what saith the Lord," light and grace will be given him, and he will see wondrous things out of God's law. He will not regard the law of Jehovah as a yoke of bondage, but as the gracious commands of One who is all-wise and full of compassion. He will make haste to fulfill His requirements. Great truths which have been neglected and unappreciated for ages, will be revealed by the Spirit of God, and new meaning will flash out of familiar texts. Every page will be illuminated by the Spirit of truth. The Bible is not sealed but unsealed. The most precious truths are revealed; the living oracles are heard by wondering ears, and the consciences of men are aroused into action.” --TSS 30.  {CSW 34.3}

 

          “I have seen that the 1843 chart was directed by the hand of the Lord, and that it should not be altered; that the figures were as He wanted them; that His hand was over and hid a mistake in some of the figures, so that none could see it, until His hand was removed.” ({EW 74.1} The entire paragraph is quoted below!)

 

 

 

 

 

When did Xerxes/Ahasuerus reign begin?

 

And What About Artaxerxes I, Darius II, and Artaxerxes II?

 

 

Conclusions from the Elephantine Papyri and More

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Abstract:

Studying carefully the details of the Elephantine papyri dates in conjuntion with the corresponding Scripture passages I find all data necessary for placing narrowly the beginnings of the reigns of each of the above named Persian kings (cf. also the Elephantine papyri portion of this spread sheet:)

 

 

 

 

Considerations:

 

Two exact anchor points are given:

1.        AP 5. Elul 18 = Pachons 28, year 15 of Xerxes” - between sunset Sept 12 and sunrise Sept 13, 471 BCE.

2.        AP 6. Kislev 18 = Thoth [17], year 21, the beginning of the reign of Artaxerxes 1” - between sunset Jan 2 and sunrise Jan 3, 464 BCE.

 

What calendar(s) are being used for the reckoning of years in these two papyri? What may we learn from the exact anchor points above to answer this last question?

                Three calendars may be considered:

1.        The Egyptian calendar beginning with Thoth 1;

2.        The Babylonian/Persian calendar beginning with Nisanu/Abib 1; and

3.        The Scriptural calendar beginning with Tishri 22.

 

The above dates Sept 12/13, 471 BCE and Jan 3, 464 BCE may each be defined in terms of any of these three calendars. Given that both dates are real points in time each of these two dates may be defined in terms of three different calendars. Each of the resulting calendar years may then be used for defining the other papyrus’ date. If the results are incompatible some options may be excluded as impossible. Beginning from either one of either AP 5 or AP 6, 3^2=9 or 3*3=9 options may next be compared with one another such that we may per chance learn something of value re which calendars were being used and eventually something more definite re the date of Xerxes accession to the throne. Thusly:

 

 

 

I. Re AP 5 & Sept 12/13, 471 BCE in “year 15 of Xerxes:”

1.        Babylonian/Persian calendar: The year beginning Nisanu 1, 471 BCE (Feb/Mar/Apr.)

a.        è “year 21” (Babylonian/Persian) would begin Nisanu 1, 465 BCE, which year DOES include Jan 2/3, 464 BCE.

                                                                                                               i.      è “year 21” (Scriptural/Jewish) would begin Tishri 22, 466 BCE, which year DOES NOT include Jan 2/3, 464 BCE; or else Tishri 22, 465 BCE, which year DOES include Jan 2/3, 464 BCE.

                                                                                                             ii.      è “year 21” (Egyptian) would begin Thoth 1, 466 BCE, which year DOES NOT include Jan 2/3, 464 BCE.

 

2.        Scriptural/Jewish calendar: The year beginning Tishri 22, 472 BCE (Oct, 472 BCE and given that AP 5 is dated in Elul.)

a.        è “year 21” (Scriptural /Jewish) would begin Tishri 22, 466 BCE, which year DOES NOT include Jan 2/3, 464 BCE.

                                                                                                               i.      è “year 21” (Babylonian/Persian) would begin Aviv 1, 466 BCE, which year DOES NOT include Jan 2/3, 464 BCE; or else Aviv 1, 465 BCE, which year DOES include Jan 2/3, 464 BCE.

                                                                                                             ii.      è “year 21” (Egyptian) would begin Thoth 1, 467 BCE, which year DOES NOT include Jan 2/3, 464 BCE.

3.        Egyptian calendar: The year beginning Thoth 1, 472 BCE (Dec 19, 472 BCE at sunrise.)

a.        è “year 21” (Egyptian) would begin Thoth 1, 466 BCE, which year DOES NOT include Jan 2/3, 464 BCE.

                                                                                                               i.      è “year 21” (Babylonian/Persian) would begin Aviv 1, 465 BCE, which year DOES include Jan 2/3, 464 BCE.

                                                                                                             ii.      è “year 21” (Scriptural/Jewish) would begin Tishri 22, 465 BCE, which year DOES include Jan 2/3, 464 BCE.

 

 

 

II. Re AP 6 & Jan 2/3, 464 BCE in “year 21” of Xerxes:

4.        Babylonian/Persian calendar: The year beginning Nisanu 1, 465 BCE (Feb/Mar/Apr, 465 BCE.)

a.        è “year 15” (Babylonian/Persian) would begin Nisanu 1, 471 BCE, which year DOES include Sept 12/13, 471 BCE.

                                                                                                               i.      è “year 15” (Scriptural /Jewish) would begin Tishri 22, 472 BCE, which year DOES include Sept 12/13, 471 BCE, i.e. Elul, 471 BCE, the prior calendar year; or else Tishri 22, 471 BCE, which year DOES NOT include Sept 12/13, 471 BCE, i.e. Elul, 471 BCE.

                                                                                                             ii.      è “year 15” (Egyptian) would begin Thoth 1, 472 BCE, which year DOES include Sept 12/13, 471 BCE.

5.        Scriptural/Jewish calendar: The year beginning Tishri 22, 465 BCE (Sep/Oct, 465.)

a.        è “year 15” (Scriptural /Jewish) would begin Tishri 22, 471 BCE, which year DOES NOT include Sept 12/13, 471 BCE, i.e. Elul, 471 BCE, the prior calendar year.

                                                                                                               i.      è “year 15” (Babylonian/Persian) would begin Aviv 1, 471 BCE, which year DOES include Sept 12/13, 471 BCE, i.e. Elul, 471 BCE; or else Aviv 1, 470 BCE, which year DOES NOT include Sept 12/13, 471 BCE, i.e. Elul, 471 BCE.

                                                                                                             ii.      è “year 15” (Egyptian) would begin Thoth 1, 472 BCE, which year DOES include Sept 12/13, 471 BCE.

6.        Egyptian calendar: The year beginning Thoth 1, 465 BCE (Dec 17, 465 BCE at sunrise.)

a.        è “year 15” (Egyptian) would begin Thoth 1, 471 BCE, which year DOES NOT include Sept 12/13, 471 BCE, which year falls in the prior year.

                                                                                                               i.      è “year 15” (Scriptural /Jewish) would begin Tishri 22, 470 BCE, which year DOES NOT include Sept 12/13, 471 BCE, i.e. Elul, 471 BCE.

                                                                                                             ii.      è “year 15” (Babylonian/Persian) would begin Aviv 1, 470 BCE, which year DOES NOT include Sept 12/13, 471 BCE, i.e. Elul, 471 BCE.

 

 

Preliminary conclusions:

 

I conclude that “year 15” of AP 5 could be:

1.        Babylonian reckoning while AP 6 is either Babylonian or Scriptural (if the accession year began between Tishri 22 and Aviv 1 and thus the Babylonian regnal year precedes the Scriptural) reckoning;

2.        Scriptural reckoning while AP 6 is Babylonian reckoning (if the accession year began between Aviv 1 and Tishri 21 and thus the Scriptural regnal year precedes the Babylonian;) or

3.        Egyptian reckoning while AP 6 is either Babylonian or Scriptural reckoning; or, to look at the same thing from the other point of view, that:

 

“Year 21” of AP 6 could be:

1.        Babylonian reckoning while AP 5 is either Babylonian (if Scriptural reckoning precedes Babylonian,) Scriptural (if Babylonian reckoning precedes Scriptural,) or Egyptian reckoning; or

2.        Scriptural reckoning while AP 5 is either Babylonian (if Babylonian reckoning precedes Scriptural) or Egyptian reckoning.

 

In summary then: “Year 21” of AP 6 cannot possibly be Egyptian reckoning. Given that accession years are not used for Egyptian reckoning it is obvious that “the beginning of the reign of Artaxerxes” cannot possibly be Egyptian reckoning either. Provided AP 5 & 6 are using the same dating conventions, I realize that it is possible for the full regnal year designation of AP 6 to be either all Babylonian or all Scriptural reckoning or a mixture of the two, albeit a mixture would seem unlikely and senseless. However, if AP 6 is using Scriptural reckoning then AP 5 must be using Babylonian or Egyptian reckoning.

 

However, are the options requiring the Scriptural reckoning to precede the Babylonian really possible, i.e. considering also the Egyptian date? That is to say: Could AP 5 & 6 both use Babylonian reckoning, or else could AP 5 use Scriptural and AP 6 Babylonian reckoning? For the Scriptural reckoning to precede the Babylonian reckoning the accession must have occurred between Aviv 1 and Tishri 21 and if it did then the Egyptian year #1 would have begun at the same time and indeed the Scripture year would precede the Babylonian year.

 

There is the possibility though that if accession began between Tishri 22 and Thoth 1, then the Egyptian regnal year 2 would begin while both Babylonian and Scriptural reckoning were both reckoning dates as being in the accession year. The reckoning of the latter two would then continually tail the Egyptian reckoning by either 1 or 2 years and not as otherwise by 0 to 1 years! Is there any evidence of such a situation among the Elephantine papyri? The two year difference would then be recognizable between Thoth 1 and Aviv 1 when using Egyptian and Babylonian dating, and between Thoth 1 and Tishri 21 when using Egyptian and Scriptural dating on a papyrus. If such a two year difference could be found, then this would be strong evidence for true Egyptian reckoning, whereas if the accession of a certain king was known to have occurred between Tishri 22 and Thoth 1 and no such two year differences are found where they would be expected, then the reckoning may have been Babylonian while using an Egyptian calendar only for giving the date, i.e. a hybrid system of dating and reckoning.

 

 

 

 

A change of scribal dating policy is revealed during the reign of Artaxerxes I:

 

Although I do not have the direct and simple data available to me in order to be able to arrive at the answer to these last considerations, I can do so by looking at the greater pattern of dating for the 13 double dated documents available from the reign of Artaxerxes I:

 

Carefully considering this table of double dated papyri etc. it seems quite clear that at one point in time the scribes of in Elephantine changed their procedure from a prior policy of using pure Egyptian regnal years to a new policy. According to this new policy the scribes apparently kept on using the Egyptian calendar date as such, but the regnal years were from this point of time tied to the Babylonian calendar. Thus there was at this point of time a change from non-accession year reckoning to accession year reckoning. This change of policy apparently took place some time between the dates given in AP 9 and the date of the Cairo Sandstone Stele. Is it possible that the Cairo Sandstone Stele is a marker of this event?

 

It would seem likely that this practice and this policy would reflect a change in the policy of the scribes that would be unrelated to the change of kings. If so, then, unless there are any other specific indicator to the contrary, one could assume that these two policies could fairly safely be extrapolated both backwards and forwards in time. Thus, by default the Elephantine papyri written during Xerxes/Ahasuerus are most likely using Egyptian regnal years, and in accord also with our findings above, the regnal year of AP 5 should be considered Egyptian reckoning, while both parts of the regnal year of AP 6 must be either Babylonian or Scriptural year reckoning, most likely Babylonian.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Conclusions:

 

What part of the year did Ahasuerus and Artaxerxes begin their respective reigns?

 

It follows that some conclusions may be drawn re the time of year when these kings acceded to the throne:

 

The beginning of the reign of Artaxerxes I:

Given that Artaxerxes I’s 2nd year of reign per the Egyptian calendar began (cf. AP 6, which was dated Thoth 17 & Kislev 18, between sunset Jan 2 and sunrise Jan 3, 464 BCE.) with Thoth 1, 465 BCE (beginning at sunrise December 17, 465 BCE) I conclude that his reign began between Thoth 1, 466 BCE and the beginning of Thoth 1, 465 BCE.

Given also that Artaxerxes I’s accession year per the Babylonian calendar ended at the beginning of Aviv 1, 464 BCE, I conclude that he acceded to the throne between Aviv 1, 465 BCE and the beginning of Aviv 1, 464 BCE.

Combining the statements within the two above paragraphs it follows that Artaxerxes I’s reign began between Aviv 1, 465 BCE and Thoth 1, 465 BCE, or, if AP 6 had been using the Scriptural fall-to-fall calendar, then the beginning of his reign would be narrowed down even to some time between Tishri 22 465 BCE and Thoth 1, 465 BCE; however, it follows from the discussion below re the beginning of the reign of Ahasuerus that, per the book of Esther, AP 6 was using Babylonian reckoning and not Scriptural fall-to-fall reckoning. Because we do not yet know whether the reign of Artaxerxes I began before or after Tishri 22, 465 BCE, I am unable to conclude the beginning of the Scriptural year reckoning based upon merely the Elephantine papyri and the book of Esther. Thus, the exact placement in time of the Scriptural regnal years indicated in the book of Nehemiah, remain to be determined… Going to the book of Nehemiah I find that the Scriptural regnal years tail the Babylonian regnal years and thus I conclude that the reign of Artaxerxes began after Tishri 22, 465 BCE. Thus, Artaxerxes I’s reign began between Tishri 22, 465 BCE and Thoth 1, 465 BCE.

 

 

The beginning of the reign of Ahasuerus/Xerxes:

Given that Ahasuerus’ 15th year of reign per Egyptian non-accession reckoning began (cf. AP 5, which was dated “Elul 18 = Pachons 28, year 15 of Xerxes,” i.e. between sunrise Sept 12 and sunrise Sept 13, 471 BCE) with Thoth 1, 472 BCE (beginning at sunrise December 19, 472 BCE) I conclude that his reign began between Thoth 1, 486 BCE and the beginning of Thoth 1, 485 BCE.

Given also that Ahasuerus’ 21st year of reign per the Babylonian calendar, if Babylonian reckoning was used for AP 6, ended no later than at the beginning of Aviv 1, 464 BCE, I conclude that, if so, then he acceded to the throne between Aviv 1, 486 BCE and the beginning of Aviv 1, 485 BCE.

Given also that Ahasuerus’ 21st year of reign per the Scriptural/Jewish calendar, if Scriptural/Jewish reckoning was used for AP 6, ended no later than at the beginning of Tishri 21, 464 BCE, I conclude that, provided AP 6 is using the Scriptural fall-to-fall calendar, Ahasuerus acceded to the throne between Tishri 22, 486 BCE and the beginning of Tishri 21, 485 BCE.

Combining the statements within the three above paragraphs it follows that Ahasuerus’/Xerxes’ reign began either 1) between Thoth 1, 486 BCE and Aviv 1, 485 BCE, if AP 6 is referencing the Babylonian calendar, or, 2) if AP 6 is using the Scriptural fall-to-fall calendar, then the beginning of Ahasuerus’/Xerxes’ reign began some time between Thoth 1, 486 BCE and Tishri 21, 485 BCE. Although the more narrow 1) above covers the more likely alternative, 2) is a more certain statement given the facts of the available contemporary documents. Nevertheless, considering carefully also the dates provided in the book of Esther, I conclude that the reign of Ahasuerus began between Thoth 1, 486 BCE and Aviv 1, 485 BCE.

 

 

The beginning of the reign of Darius II:

Given that all of the Egyptian, the Babylonian, and the Scriptural calendar reckoning are being clearly identifiable from the available papyri (cf. this table and this table,) the beginning of the reign of Darius II may be certainly narrowed down as follows:

Given that Darius II’s 9th year of reign per Egyptian non-accession reckoning began (cf. AP 25, which was dated between sunset Nov 16 and sunrise Nov 17, 416 BCE) with Thoth 1, 417 BCE (beginning at sunrise December 5, 417 BCE) I conclude that his reign began between Thoth 1, 425 BCE and the beginning of Thoth 1, 424 BCE.

Given also that Darius II’s 4th year of reign per the Babylonian calendar began (cf. AP 20, which was dated between sunrise and sunset Sept 2, 420 BCE) at the beginning of Aviv 1, 420 BCE, I conclude that he acceded to the throne between Aviv 1, 424 BCE and the beginning of Aviv 1, 423 BCE.

Given also that Darius II’s 3rd year of reign per the Scriptural/Jewish calendar began (cf. Kraeling 6, which was dated between sunrise and sunset on June 11, 420 BCE) at the beginning of Tishri 22, 421 BCE, I conclude that Darius II acceded to the throne between Tishri 22, 424 BCE and the beginning of Tishri 22, 423 BCE.

Combining the statements within the three above paragraphs it follows that the reign of Darius II began between Tishri 22, 424 BCE and Thoth 1, 424 BCE. Furthermore, because all three calendars, the Egyptian, the Babylonian, and the Scriptural/Jewish calendars, are defined for Darius, it follows that so also are the accession years of the Babylonian and the Scriptural/Jewish calendars…If the total number of years of reign of his predecessor, Artaxerxes I was known in terms of those calendars then his accession year would likewise be known, but thus far I do not have a way of ascertaining Artaxerxes’ Scriptural regnal years exactly…

 

 

The beginning of the reign of Artaxerxes II:

Given that only the Egyptian regnal years are well defined by the dates in the available papyri for this time period, and given that the scribal practice during Darius II of specifying both regnal years when different is not followed in Kraeling 9 & 10 and the beginning of Artaxerxes II’s reign can only be defined in terms of the Egyptian calendar so far as the Elephantine papyri are concerned:

Given that Artaxerxes II’s 3rd year of reign per Egyptian non-accession reckoning began (cf. Kraeling 10, which was dated between sunrise March 9 and sunrise March 10, 402 BCE) with Thoth 1, 403 BCE (beginning at sunrise December 2, 403 BCE) I conclude that the reign of Artaxerxes II began between Thoth 1, 405 BCE and the beginning of Thoth 1, 404 BCE.

However, given also the fact that Ezra is reckoning time using Scriptural years and that the 7th & 8th Scriptural regnal years of Artaxerxes II may be considered defined by 1) the evidence pointed out in SDA Bible Commentary, Vol. 3, pp. 369-374, entitled “Additional Note on Chapter 7 re the events of Nehemiah preceding the events of Ezra, and 2) in conjunction thereto the exact double date specified in Ezra 10:9, i.e. Day Three of the week and the exact day of the month, the year being the 8th regnal year of Artaxerxes, I conclude that the 8th year of Artaxerxes began with Tishri 22, 397 BCE and not a year later. Thus, the Scriptural accession year of Artaxerxes II is found to have begun Tishri 22, 405 BCE going through Tishri 21, 404 BCE.

Combining the statements within the last two paragraphs above it follows that the reign of Darius II began between Thoth 1, 405 BCE and the beginning of Tishri 22, 404 BCE.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

More considerations by Ellen G. White:

 

          “September 23, the Lord showed me that He had stretched out His hand the second time to recover the remnant of His people, [SEE PAGE 86.] and that efforts must be redoubled in this gathering time. In the scattering, Israel was smitten and torn, but now in the gathering time God will heal and bind up His people. In the scattering, efforts made to spread the truth had but little effect, accomplished but little or nothing; but in the gathering, when God has set His hand to gather His people, efforts to spread the truth will have their designed effect. All should be united and zealous in the work. I saw that it was wrong for any to refer to the scattering for examples to govern us now in the gathering; for if God should do no more for us now than He did then, Israel would never be gathered. I have seen that the 1843 chart was directed by the hand of the Lord, and that it should not be altered; that the figures were as He wanted them; that His hand was over and hid a mistake in some of the figures, so that none could see it, until His hand was removed. [THIS APPLIES TO THE CHART USED DURING THE 1843 MOVEMENT, AND HAS SPECIAL REFERENCE TO THE CALCULATION OF THE PROPHETIC PERIODS AS IT APPEARED ON THAT CHART. THE NEXT SENTENCE EXPLAINS THAT THERE WAS AN INACCURACY WHICH IN THE PROVIDENCE OF GOD WAS SUFFERED TO EXIST. BUT THIS DOES NOT PRECLUDE THE PUBLICATION OF A CHART SUBSEQUENTLY WHICH WOULD CORRECT THE MISTAKE, AFTER THE 1843 MOVEMENT WAS PAST, AND THE CALCULATION AS THEN MADE HAD SERVED ITS PURPOSE.]”  {EW 74.1} - Please note that the capitalized text within brackets is added by the editor!

 

 

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