Key Dates in the Old Testament

KEY DATES IN THE OLD TESTAMENT STORY

1850 BCE      Abraham born; beginning of the Age of Patriarchs

1290 BCE      The Exodus from Egypt begins

1250 BCE      The Exodus from Egypt ends

1020 BCE      Beginning of the reign of Saul

1000 BCE      Beginning of the reign of David

 961 BCE       Beginning of the reign of Solomon

 922 BCE       Death of King Solomon; united Israel splits into the northern and southern kingdoms of Israel and Judah

 745 BCE       Syro-Ephraimitic Alliance threatens Jerusalem

 722 BCE       Northern Kingdom of Israel falls to Assyria

 715 BCE       Beginning of the reign of Hezekiah

 621 BCE       "Book of the Law” found; King Josiah’s reform

 612 BCE        Fall of Nineveh, the Assyrian capital

 597 BCE        Fall of Jerusalem; first deportation of Judah to Babylon

 587 BCE        Destruction of Jerusalem and Solomon’s Temple destroyed; second deportation of Judah to Babylon

 538 BCE        Cyrus of Persia’s edict allowing return of the Exiles

 520 BCE        Second return; Second Temple construction begun

 445 BCE        Beginning of the first govenorship of Nehemiah

 331 BCE        Alexander the Great takes control of Palestine

 168/67 BCE      Maccabean Revolt

  63 BCE         Pompey conquers Jerusalem, ending Jewish independence