An Erroneous Memo Showing Scriptural Years Erroneoulsy Preceding Babylonian Years During the Reign of Nebuchadnezzar

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Created 5929± 11 21 2025 [2009-02-17]

Updated 5929± 11 21 2025 [2009-02-17]

Events of Importance During the Reign of Nebuchadnezzar in Terms of Erroneous Scriptural and Babylonian Calendar Reckoning

Abstract:

Below is an original work of mine including all the original errors. My thinking at the time was that the Scriptural years during the reign of Nebuchadnezzar preceded the Babylonian years, but this assumption turned out to be wrong. Also I used an assumption that perhaps no accession years were being used for Babylonian reckoning, which assumption I also proved in error.

The corrected version of the below is found at this link.

Nebuchadnezzar’s 37^th year of reign:

Babylonian calendar reckoning: Nebuchadnezzar’s 37^th year of reign: “One of these anchor points, from which we can locate other relative dates, is furnished by an astronomical tablet bearing a series of observations dated in the 37th year of Nebuchadnezzar. These fix the year as having begun on April 22/23, 568 BC, and ended on April 11/12, 567 BC. [Neugebauer and Weidner, op. cit., pages 66, 67, 72.]” (The Chronology of Ezra Seven by Sigfried H. Horn & Lynn H. Wood, p. 27.)

Biblical calendar reckoning: Nebuchadnezzar’s 37^th year of reign: Tishri 22, 568 BCE through Tishri 21, 567 BCE.

Nebuchadnezzar’s 19^th year of reign (4^th and 5^th months) = Zedekiah’s 11^th year of reign (4^th and 5^th months):

Biblical calendar reckoning: Nebuchadnezzar’s 19^th year of reign & Zedekiah’s 11^th year of reign (2 Kings 25:2-4,6-9 (KJV.)): Tishri 22, 586 BCE through Tishri 21, 585 BCE.

Nebuchadnezzar’s 8^th year of reign (4^th and 5^th months) = Jehoiachim’s 11^th year of reign = Jehoiachin’s accession year (a three months and ten days long reign) = Zedechiah’s accession year:

Biblical calendar reckoning: Nebuchadnezzar’s 8^th year of reign & Jehoiakim’s 11^th year (2 Kings 23:36; 2 Chron. 36:4-7) & Zedekiah’s & Jehoiachin’s accession year of reign (2 Kings 24:12 (KJV.)): Tishri 22, 597 BCE through Tishri 21, 596 BCE.

Nebuchadnezzar’s 1^st year of reign = Jehoiachim’s 4^th year of reign:

Babylonian calendar reckoning: Begun on Nisan 1 (spring,) 604 BC, and ended with Adar, 603 BC. [Neugebauer and Weidner, op. cit., pages 66, 67, 72.]” (The Chronology of Ezra Seven by Sigfried H. Horn & Lynn H. Wood, p. 27.)

Biblical calendar reckoning: Nebuchadnezzar’s 1^st year of reign (Jehoiakim’s 4^th year of reign; Jer. 25:1,3,11-12): Tishri 22, 604 BCE through Tishri 21, 603 BCE.

Beginning of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign = Jehoiachim’s 3^rd year of reign:

Babylonian reckoning: 1^st year of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign reckoned from either Ab 8 (summer 604 BCE) when Nabopolassar, Nebuchadnezzar’s father, died, or else from Elul 1 (3 weeks after Ab 8) when Nebuchadnezzar was physically sitting upon the throne of Babylon.

Biblical reckoning: Nebuchadnezzar’s accession year began Ab (Month 5) 8 (or Elul (Month 6) 1,) 604 BCE (i.e. in Jehoiakim’s 3^rd year of reign (Dan. 1:1; 2:1,)) and Nebuchadnezzar’s 1^st year of reign (Jehoiakim’s 4^th year of reign; Jer. 25:1,3,11-12) began Tishri (Month 7) 22, 604 BCE going through Tishri 21, 603 BCE.

Beginning of the 70 years of Babylonian captivity (Jer. 25:1,3,11-12:)

Biblical reckoning: Nebuchadnezzar’s accession year began Ab 8 (or Elul 1,) 604 BCE = The accession year preceding the 1^st of the 70 years of Babylonian captivity. That is, the beginning, i.e. the 1^st year, of the 70 years are reckoned beginning with Tishri 22, 604 BCE, while the initial action relative to the Babylonian captivity took place in the accession year preceding the 1^st of the 70 years.

The fall of Babylon took place at the very end of the 70^th year of Babylonian captivity (Jer. 25:11-12:)

Babylon fell on Tishri 16 (Cf. SDA Bible Student's Sourcebook [i.e. SDA Bible Commentary,] Vol. 9, p.303-5; Source: Raymond Philip Dougherty, Nabonidus and Belshazzar, (Yale Oriental Series Researches, Vol. 15. New Haven, Conn.: Yale University Press, 1929), pp. 168-173.)

Babylonian calendar reckoning?: Babylon fell in Nabonidus’ 17^th year of reign and in Belshazzar’s 14^th year of reign (SDA Bible Student's Sourcebook [i.e. SDA Bible Commentary,] Vol. 9, p.114; Source: Raymond Philip Dougherty, Nabonidus and Belshazzar (Yale Oriental Series. Researches, Vol. 15. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1929), pp. 134, 135; SDA Bible Student's Sourcebook [i.e. SDA Bible Commentary,] Vol. 9, p.118-9; Source: Raymond Philip Dougherty, Nabonidus and Belshazzar (Yale Oriental Series. Researches, Vol. 15. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1929), pp. 38, 43, 59, 60-63, 70:) Nabonidus’ 17^th year of reign and Belshazzar’s 14^th year of reign: Abib 1, 634 BCE through Adar, 633 BCE.

Biblical reckoning: The 70^th year of Babylonian captivity (Including the brief accession year (5 days) of Darius the Mede & Cyrus of Persia (i.e. reckoned relative to the occupied Israel:)) Tishri 22, 635 BCE going through Tishri 21, 634 BCE = (?, i.e. unless those the scribes of those tablets used biblical reckoning) Nabonidus’ 16^th biblical year of reign and Belshazzar’s 13^th biblical year of reign.

Cyrus’ 1^st year of reign:

Although their relationship is not entirely clear, it is my impression after studying my best available references that Cyrus ruled Babylon as a king under Darius the Mede and that their years of reign (over Israel) ran concurrently beginning with a brief accession year from Tishri 16 through Tishri 21, 634 BCE. It appears as though Darius the Mede may have died in Adar 633, BCE (Cf. SDA Bible Student's Sourcebook [i.e. SDA Bible Commentary,] Vol. 9, p.305; Source: Raymond Philip Dougherty, Nabonidus and Belshazzar, (Yale Oriental Series Researches, Vol. 15. New Haven, Conn.: Yale University Press, 1929), pp. 168-173:)

Biblical reckoning: The 1^st year of reign of both Cyrus and Darius the Mede began Tishri 22, 634 BCE going through Tishri 21, 633 BCE.

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