IMPORTANT DATES
IN ANCIENT HEBREW HISTORY:

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According to the Scofield Reference Bible of 1909, and a few other sources, the following significant events of ancient Israel occurred on the dates listed. Where the date is in dispute, we have indicated alternative estimates:

EVENT DATE

Creation of the World 4004 BCE (from Bishop Ussher) [Note 1]

Creation of the World 3761 BCE (from Jewish sources) [Note 1]

The Great Flood 2349 BCE [Note 2]

Tower of Babel 2247 BCE [Note 3]

Abraham enters Canaan 1920 BCE (2090)

Death of Joseph in Egypt 1689 BCE (1804)

Exodus from Egypt 1491 BCE (1445, 1280)

10 commandments received 1491 BCE (1445)

Arrival at Canaan 1451 BCE (1405)

Death of Joshua 1427 BCE

Theocracy ends. Israel becomes a monarchy. 1095 BCE (1020). Saul is the first king

Jerusalem chosen as capital 1000 BCE

Kingdom divides into Israel and Judah 931 BCE [Note 4]

Assyrians invade northern kingdom 722 BCE Inhabitants scattered

Babylonians invade southern. kingdom 605 BCE

Temple destroyed. Main Babylonian exile begins 586 BCE. Most Jews flee to Egypt

A few Jews return to Jerusalem 538 to 515 BCE

Medes invade Middle East 536 BCE

Second temple built 516 BCE

Main Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible About 250 BCE. Called the Septuagint

Greeks invade; Persians defeated 332 BCE

Judea conquered and annexed to Syria 198 BCE

Revolt by the Maccabees 165 BCE; Jerusalem liberated

Jews experience partial independence 142 to 63 BCE

Romans invade 63 BCE; Jerusalem occupied

Destruction of much of Jerusalem and the second temple. Jews and Jewish Christians are scattered. 70 CE

A three-year revolt against the Roman Empire failed. Surviving Jews were exiled from Palestine and scattered throughout the known world in the "Diaspora." 135 CE

This essay continues below.

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Notes:

Most religious liberals regard the creation story in Genesis as a myth and accept a date of circa 4.5 billion years BCE for the actual age of the earth, and between 12 and 15 billion years for the universe itself, based on scientific evidence.
Most religious liberals regard the flood as a myth.
The Bible relates in Genesis 11 how a great tower was constructed that would reach to the heavens. God decided to disrupt the project by having the people start to speak different languages, so they could not understand each other. Most religious liberals regard this as a myth.
After Solomon's death, Israel divided into two kingdoms: 10 tribes formed the northern kingdom of Israel with its capital city at Samaria. The remaining 2 tribes (Judah and Benjamin) formed the southern kingdom of Judah, centered in Jerusalem.
Most of the descendants of the inhabitants of Israel and Judah were scattered through the Middle East, during ancient times.

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