Bible Chrononolgy

[David Kent]

I have a number of questions about Bible Chronology the first is?

• Dan 1:21 And Daniel continued even unto the first year of king Cyrus.

• Dan 10:1 In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia a thing was revealed unto Daniel, whose name was called Belteshazzar; and the thing was true, but the time appointed was long: and he understood the thing, and had understanding of the vision.

Why the discrepancy?
I may have other questions but I will see if anyone has any thoughts about this.

 

[TCassidy]

Why the discrepancy?

Why do you think there is a discrepancy?

I am not aware of any bible that says "third."

All of my bibles read "in the first year of Darius the Mede."

So, I am going to assume you mean 10:1.

1:21 does not mean he only lived unto the 1st year of Cyrus. It was in the first year of Cyrus that the Babylonian Captivity ended and the Jews returned to Israel. But Daniel stayed in Babylon and continued to receive revelation from God. So all it means is that "Daniel lived completely through the Captivity but did not return to the land."

 

[David Kent]

Why do you think there is a discrepancy?

I am not aware of any bible that says "third."

All of my bibles read "in the first year of Darius the Mede."

So, I am going to assume you mean 10:1.

1:21 does not mean he only lived unto the 1st year of Cyrus. It was in the first year of Cyrus that the Babylonian Captivity ended and the Jews returned to Israel. But Daniel stayed in Babylon and continued to receive revelation from God. So all it means is that "Daniel lived completely through the Captivity but did not return to the land."

Yes sorry, I did mean 10:1. I have reached what may be considered as advanced years, and from reading the scripture and writing it down gets marred in my mind?

I have edited it now. Thanks TC, Although I did copy and post it from a bible program.

 

[David Kent]

Thanks
Here is my next question.
Between Ezra 6:15,and Ezra 7:7 According to received chronology, there is a gap of 36+20+1 year from the 6th year of Darius to 7th of Artaxerxes. That is 57 years, or 30+20+7 if you reckon it that way.
ACHAEMENID DYNASTY

• 559-530 - Cyrus the Great
• 529-522 - Cambyses (son)
• 522 - Smerdis (Bardiya) (brother)
• 521-486 - Darius I, the Great
• 485-465 - Xerxes I (son)
• 464-424 - Artaxerxes I, Longimanus (son)
• https://www.thoughtco.com/timeline-of-the-ancient-rulers-of-persia-120250++

1st problem I have is that Artaxerxes is mentioned in Nehemiah 6:14 before the temple was finished in the 6th year of Darius Verse 15.

2nd is that Nehemiah returned with Zerubbabel,

• Ezra 2:1 Now these are the children of the province that went up out of the captivity, of those which had been carried away, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away unto Babylon, and came again unto Jerusalem and Judah, every one unto his city;
• 2 Which came with Zerubbabel: Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, Baanah. The number of the men of the people of Israel:

I have not been able to ascertain for sure the length of reign of Cyrus. Herodotus and Josephus do not give it as far as I can remember from reading them, although they usually give lengths of reigns, I have seen different lengths claimed for Cyrus from 6. 9 and 12 years up to 20 and 30-31 years. However I take say 9 years for Cyrus. 7 years for Cambyses, 1 year for the Magi, the pseudo Smerdis (Herodotus gives him 8 months, Josephus 1 year but included in the above.) 37 years for Darius. 20 for Xerxes. Total 73 years give or take. Nehemiah must have been at least 30 when he returned with Zerubbabel. So Nehemiah must have been at least 124 years old in the 31st year of Artaxerxes. Mordecai also returned with Zerubbabel.
I have taken, I think a conservative position on the reigns. I have seen someone suggest that Nehemiah must have been at least 155 when he rode around the walls.
Does that make sense?

 

[Covenanter]

NO.

 

[David Kent]

NO.

Thanks