Topical Study tool for Students: Bible Dates: Bible Calendar: Manasseh: Hezekiah: Ahaz: Israel: Judah.
The King's Calendar' is a computer generated mathematical synchronous chronological presentation of the history of Ancient Israel, as principally recorded in the Biblical books of Kings and Chronicles, and sets forth Apologetics for and the results of R.P.BenDedek's discovery of an "artificial chronological scheme" running through the Books of the Bible, Josephus,the Damascus Documents of the Dead Sea Scrolls, and Seder Olam Rabbah.
The Reign of Manasseh King of Judah:
'The Secret of Qumran' - King's Calendar.
The King's Calendar which is a computer generated mathematical calendar (Appendix 5 - Left side toolbar) determines the following in relation to Manasseh.
Manasseh was Born around 698 BCE
Manasseh did not co-reign with Hezekiah his father
Manasseh Commenced to Reign over Judah in 687 BCE
Manasseh was taken captive in his 22nd year 667/666 BCE
Manasseh died in 637/636 BCE
Manasseh was around 67 Artificial Years or 61 solar years of age when he died
Manesseh Reigned 55 artificial or 51 Regnal/solar Years
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Manasseh King of Judah.
Manasseh the boy king, came to the throne of Judah during the last days of the reign of Sennacherib king of Assyria. Although he may have demonstrated poor political judgement during the reigns of Esarhaddon and Ashurbanipal, the shifting fortunes of Assyria from around 665 BCE, and particularly from 655 BCE, guaranteed that the last twenty or thirty years of his reign remained relatively undisturbed.
2 Chronicles Chapter 33:11 tells us that because of his sins, the king of Assyria took Manasseh with hooks, and bound him with fetters, and carried him to Babylon. [There is debate over where he was or should have been taken - Ninevah or Babylon]. This description of Manasseh's barbaric humiliation, is corroborated by Rawlinson, [Rawlinson, G. (1885) Egypt and Babylon: From Scripture and Profane Sources. Hodder and Stoughton] who points out that this practice of bringing prisoners of importance into the presence of a conquering monarch by means of a thong attached to a hook or ring passed through the upper lip, under lip or both, is not biblical fiction, but an Assyrian custom from which not even royalty was exempt.
He also points out that Manasseh's release was not the standard oriental practice, but it does suit Esarhaddon's character. Such acts of clemency were demonstrated on other occasions, for example, Pharaoh Necho's release by Ashurbanipal. Brinkman (Cambridge Ancient History Vol III Part 2. (1991) U.K.Cambridge University Press, p.40) points out that Esarhaddon seems also to have been excessively preoccupied with manifestations of divine will, and this too may account for Manasseh's favourable treatment.
While these writers suggest that given a lack of any chronological material to date Manasseh's captivity, Esarhaddon seems to be the most likely king to have taken him captive, it is interesting to note that the Aggadah informs us that Manasseh was taken captive in his 22nd year. Whether we presume that this snippet of folklore comes to us in the original 'solar' form or otherwise, the Aggadah places Manasseh's captivity at around 667/66 BCE, during the reign of Ashurbanipal, and at the time that he spared Pharaoh Necho of Egypt.
Manasseh's 22nd and 23rd artificial years both commence in 667 BCE, [January & December], whilst his 22nd solar year commences in March/April of 666 BCE This can be seen on the Chart at the end of this article
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, with 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]
General formula for Biblical Data conversion:
The formula for constructing the artificial calendar was:
'X' times 364 equals 'Y' days
'Y' days divided by 336 equals '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 equals the Number of 'X' years converted.
To see how effective this method is, SEE:Appendix 5:Diagrammatic Reconstruction of Israelite History from 936 to 586 BCE:
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. To see how effective this method is, SEE:Appendix 5: Diagrammatic Reconstruction of Israelite History from 936 to 586 BCE
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'.
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.
