Topical Study tool for Students: Abrahamic Covenant
This article has been designed for students as a quick study tool. It is a Topical Excerpt from the full length Seder Olam Series article: Adam to Joseph : Seder Olam Rabbah (No.2)
Topic 3. Seder Olam & The 430 year Covenant with Abraham
This section presents a chart demonstrating the King's Calendar representation of pertinent chronological events mentioned in the Seder Olam Rabbah, which are to be raised here.
Abraham's Birth Year
Seder Olam Rabbah [And the Bible] maintains that Abraham was born 292 years after the Flood.
The Flood, according to the King's Calendar occurred in the year 2184 BCE and appears as Line 1731 [Appendix 17]
Counting 292 years from L.1731 brings us Line 1439 or the year 1915 BCE., as the year Abraham was born. [We will come back to this later].
The Covenant:
Seder Olam Rabbah records:
Our father Abraham was 70 years old when he was spoken to at the Covenant Between the Pieces as it is said (Ex. 12:41): “And it was after 430 years,” etc.
After that he was spoken to he returned to Haran, stayed there five years as it is said (Gen. 12:4): “And Abram was 75 years old when he left Haran.”
It follows that from the Dispersion until Abraham left Haran there were 26 years. These are exactly (Gen. 14:4-5) “12 years they served Chedorlaomer and 13 years they rebelled. And in the fourteenth year Chedorlaomer came.”
Measuring the 430 years of the covenant from it's determination for the Exodus, the King's Calendar determines that these 430 years commence in Abraham's 75th year – (Line 1439 - 75 takes us to Line 1365 / 1846 BCE).
Seder Olam Rabbah says it starts in Abraham's 70th year.
The King's Calendar says 75th year.
This discrepancy of 5 years is a math problem not related to King's Calendar interpretation.
It undoutedly results from the Seder Olam Rabbah 6 year variance with the Biblical texts in relation to the ages of Seth son of Adam and Mehalalel son of Keinan.
430 year Sojourn
The following chart provides some of the King's Calendar Results that are Pertinent to the Sojourn.
From the Exodus in 1449 BCE as determined by the King's Calendar, which is Line 935, to Line 1365 there are precisely 430 artificial years [397 Solar years.]
L. 935 or 1449 BCE Exodus.
L. 936 or 1450 BCE 215th year of the sojourn in Egypt - Josephus : Antiq. Bk 2 Ch.15:2
L. 1150 or 1648 BCE Jacob's 130th year sojourn in Egypt starts
L. 1279 or 1767 BCE Jacob born
L. 1339 or 1822 BCE Isaac born
L. 1365 or 1846 BCE Abraham's 75th year : Covenant : Seder Olam Rabbah says 70th year
The reference to the 430 years has application, even if Abraham's age does not synchronise.
Footnote Commentary on the King's Calendar
King's Calendar Chronological Research
The Premise: Between the 5th and 3rd centuries BCE (but continuing down to at least 104 BCE), Sectarian redactors transcribed the legitimate 'solar year' chronological records of Israel and Judah, into an artificial form, which listed years as each comprised of 12 months of 4 weeks of 7 days, or 336 days per year, thus creating a 13th artificial year where 12 solar years existed.
When the Synchronous Chronological Data provided in the Books of Kings and Chronicles for the Divided Kingdom Period are measured in years of 336 days, the synchronisms actually align. [Refer to Appendix Five to see how it synchronises the Divided Kingdom Period]
The formula for constructing the artificial calendar
'X' times 364 = 'Y' days
'Y' days divided by 336 = 'Z' artificial years.
Values are:
'X' = any given number of 'real/solar' years
364 = perceived days in the sectarian calendar
'Y' = number of days calculated
336 = number of days in an artificial year
'Z' = artificial years = 1.083'X' and represents the original number of the converted years plus 8%.
To reverse the process by hand: 'Z' years times 336 equals 'Y' divided by 364 = the Original Number of 'X' years converted.
To see how effective this method is view Appendix 5:
The Principle of Linear Causality
The King's Calendar is a very simple approach to Biblical Chronology. It substitutes a value of 336 days for every year listed in Scripture. As far as the Divided Kingdom is concerned, when you use this 336 day year value, the synchronisms actually work. Appendix 5:
Because it is a mathematical system, the King's Calendar must abide by certain mathematical rules, the most important of which, is that if you change any date for any day, month, or year every other day, month, or year is effected and must also change. It's like a 'domino effect'. Chronological references cannot be 'forced' to fit, and nor can they simply be ignored or 'compressed' as is the usual case with historians and archaeologists.
If any King's Calendar chronological determination disagrees with anything in the history books, it must argue the case as to why the history books are wrong, or why the evidence for an assertion is untrustworthy. If the King's Calendar successfully defends its' position, then the history books cannot be treated as definitive, and if the King's Calendar is 'proven' wrong, then every other chronological reference it provides is also wrong.
Because of this, the King's Calendar Chronological Reconstruction of Israel's history is unique, in that its' methodology can be scientifically (mathematically) tested and demonstrated to be either true or false. Its' chronological predictions are able to be 'proved' or 'disproved'.
Solar Year Calculations
The Biblical Data as it stands, exceeds available history for the parameters it sets. The KingsCalendar, which assigns each Biblical Year a value of 336 days, reduces the overall Biblical Data by roughly 8%.
When working in Solar Years, many problems arise.
For example, Counting from 586 BCE to 701 BCE in literal Solar Years makes:
a). 701 BCE Hezekiah's 24th year not his 14th year.
b) 702 BCE Hezekiah's 23rd year
c) 703 BCE Hezekiah's 22nd year
d) 713 BCE Hezekiah's 12th year
e) 722 BCE (Fall of Samaria) Hezekiah's 3rd year not his 6th year.
f) 724 BCE (Siege of Samaria) Hezekiah's 1st year not his 4th year.
g) 729 BCE Ahaz' 12th year
h) 730 BCE Ahaz' 11th year
i) 730 BCE Hoshea of Samaria 1st year
j) 734-732 BCE Syro-Ephraimic War – Ahaz & Pekah.
k) 740 BCE Ahaz' 1st year.
However When working in Solar years counting down from the accepted date for the commencement of the reigns of Jehu (Israel) and Athaliah [Judah], that is, from 841 BCE to 701 BCE, the following is the result.
a) 701 BCE = Ahaz 13 th year
b) 702 BCE Hoshea commences to rule in Samaria
c) 703 BCE Pekah's 28th year.
d) 713 BCE Ahaz' 1st year (18th of Pekah)
e) 722 BCE Jotham's 8th Year & Pekah's 9th Year
f) 724 BCE Jotham's 6th Year & Pekah's 7th Year
g) 729 BCE Jotham's 1st year & 2nd Year of Pekah
h) 730 BCE Uzziah's 52nd year
i) 730 BCE Pekah's 1st year
j) 734-732 BCE Syro-Ephraimitic War must have been fought by Uzziah.
k) 740 BCE Uzziah's 42nd Year & Menehem's 4th year.
Result: Solar Year Calculations are insufficient to understand Biblical and Extra Biblical Chronology.
To see how effective this method is, SEE:Appendix 5: Diagrammatic Reconstruction of Israelite History from 936 to 586 BCE
More Seder Olam Articles after Bibliography:
Bibliography and related articles
Eisenman R.H., Wise.M. (1992) The Dead Sea Scrolls Uncovered U.K.Element Books. pp.92/93
Grimal.N. (1992, p. 392) Assumed to be from "A History of Ancient Egypt" [Reference not in K.C. Bibliography.]
Marston. C. (1935) The Bible is true: The lessons of the 1925-34 excavations in Bible lands summarized and explained. Australia. Angus and Robertson.
Dates for Nabopolassar & Nebuchadrezzar Kings of Babylon - and - Josiah and Jehoiakim Kings of Judah as per (Wiseman.D.J. (1961) Chronicles of the Chaldaean Kings (626-556 BC) in the British Museum. Trustees of the British Museum. London) Using Babylonian Chronicles B.M. 22047 (p.65) and BM 21946 (p.67) But with a one (1) year adjustment for the Reigns of Nabopolassar and Nebuchadrezzar.
607 bce - Sep - Nabopolassar engaged at Bit-Hanunia / Urartu - 18th year - B.M. 22047 Line 1-4
607 bce - Dec - Josiah's 31st year commences
607 bce - Dec/Jan - Nabopolassar returns to Babylon - B.M. 22047 Line 1-4
606 bce - May/Jun - Campaigning to the north - 19th year - B.M. 22047 Lines 5-7
606 bce - Jun/Jul - Nabopolassar returns to Babylon - B.M. 22047 Line 8
606 bce - Jul/Aug - Necho heads North for Carchemish
606 bce - Aug/Sep - Nebuchadrezzar returns to Babylon - B.M. 22047 Line 12
606 bce - Aug/Sep - Josiah of Judah slain
606 bce - Aug/Sep - Jehoahaz becomes king of Judah
606 bce - Sep/Oct - Nabopolassar Heads to Kimuhu - B.M. 22047 Line 12
606 bce - Nov - Nabopolassar captures Kimuhu - B.M. 22047 Line 14
606 bce - Nov - Jehoahaz deposed by Pharaoh Necho - taken to Riblah
606 bce - Nov - Jehoiakim commences - 1st Artificial year commences.
R.P.BenDedek is from Brisbane Australia and is the author of 'The King's Calendar: The Secret of Qumran' at http://www.kingscalendar.com His academic articles set forth Apologetics for and results of his discovery of an "artificial chronological scheme" running through the Bible, Josephus, the Damascus Documents of the Dead Sea Scrolls, and Seder Olam Rabbah.
He writes photographic 'Stories from China' and social editorial commentaries, both at KingsCalendar, and as a contributing newspaper columnist. He currently teaches Conversational English in China and in addition to his English Lessons at KingsCalendar, he has created specific sites for Students of English.
