Have you been skipping over references to time in the Bible because they seem too confusing? Professor Jack FineganĀ’s Handbook of Biblical Chronology clarifies those ancient systems of time reckoning and the biblical passages that use them. Part 1, Principles of Chronology in the Ancient World, describes the origins of basic units of time and surveys the calendars used in the ancient Near East through the Roman era. Part 2, Problems of Chronology in the Bible, discusses major periods of the Old Testament, as well as the lives of Jesus, John the Baptist, and the Apostles Peter and Paul.
This thoroughly revised edition includes a number of improvements over the classic 1964 edition. The text has been updated, expanded, and retypeset. It features more than 190 helpful tables (including 43 new ones), new sections, new datings, full subject and Scripture indexes, a detailed table of contents, and updated bibliographies.
A revised and expanded version of a standard reference work.Time references in the Bible are numerous but not always easy to understand correctly. A consistent calendar, understood and used around the world, is a relatively recent development in the history of civilization, but few know much about the variety of systems that were used for reckoning time in the ancient world. Prof. Jack Finegan’s Handbook of Biblical Chronology explains these ancient systems and the biblical time references that depend upon them.
Part 1, Principles of Chronology in the Ancient World, describes the ancient origins and definitions of the basic units of time and surveys the various calendars used in Egypt, Mesopotamia, and Palestine from the beginnings of recorded history through the time of the Roman Empire. Of central importance are the ancient methods of counting regnal years. This section also discusses the contributions of various Greco-Roman, Jewish, and Christian chronographers, such as Demetrius, Eupolemus, Africanus, and especially Eusebius of Caesarea.
Part 2, Problems of Chronology in the Bible, explores the time references in the Hebrew and Christian Scriptures. The section on the Old Testament discusses dates in the patriarchal, monarchic, exilic, and post-exilic periods. The New Testament section begins with John the Baptist, covers extensively the birth, life, and death of Jesus, and concludes with sections on the lives of the apostles Peter and Paul. Throughout, Finegan explains not only the biblical references but also how early Jewish and Christian chronographers interpreted them. He also draws upon chronological information from relevant extrabiblical sources.
The first edition of this book, published in 1964, became a standard reference work in the field of biblical chronology. In this new edition, the author has added 43 new tables and revised the whole on the basis of studies that have appeared in intervening years. Major additions include sections on Sabbatical years, the system of Jubilees, and priestly courses; on Joseph; and on John the Baptist. Significant revisions include the author’s dating of the death of Herod the Great and the birth of Jesus. A detailed analytical table of contents and full subject and scripture indexes make it easy to find the details you need. Bibliographies for each section point out possibilities for further study.
Jack Finegan is Professor Emeritus of New Testament History and Archaeology at the Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley, California. His long list of publications includes Light from the Ancient Past and two well-known volumes on the archaeology of the New Testament.
Publication is scheduled for April 1998.
