APPENDIX SIX:
Nebuchadrezzar's 42 year Reign & Babylonian Chronicles: 18th year of Nabopolassar to 2nd of Nebuchadrezzar 

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This appendix contains two charts.

 

CHART ONE

Shifting Wiseman's Chronology By One Year
The 'King's Calendar' insists that Nebuchadrezzar reigned Forty-Two (42) Regnal years not Forty-Three (43) regnal years. In presenting the chart below, it is important to remember that it's purpose is to 'Synchronise' the Biblical Data with Nebuchadrezzar's reign, the most certain date for which is 562 BCE, the year he died.  Also note that: 

  1. Jehoiachin's Captivity is recorded in artificial years not solar years.  
  2. He was not in prison for 37 solar years, but 35 solar years.  
  3. Academic Chronologies use Solar years, and thus, if Amel-Marduk's accession year were 562 BCE, Jehoiachin could not have been held in Captivity for Thirty-Seven Solar Years (Based upon current Chronologies).
  4. Thiele (1966, p.216 , Appendix 'G') bases his chronology on Ptolemy's Canon and places Nebuchadrezzar's reign between 604 BCE and 562 BCE. which is Forty-Two (42) Solar Years.    
  5. Thiele (1966, p.218, Appendix 'H'), in relation to eclipses that establish the chronology of the ancient Near East, refers to an event in 568 BCE  as having occurred in Nebuchadrezzar's 37th year.  By Thiele's standard this is actually his 36th Regnal year, not 37 th year, unless Thiele includes the Accession year.
  6. Wiseman (1985, p.36) also refers to an event recorded in Nebuchadrezzar's astronomical diary for his 38th year, which by his standard must be 567 BCE.  
  7. The Accession and First Year dates provided in this chart are as they should be since 562 BCE is recognised as Nebuchadrezzar's last year.

 

Nebuchadrezzar's Forty-Two Year Reign
The reigns of the Kings of Judah only synchronise with Nebuchadrezzar's first regnal year when it  commences in Nisan of 603 BCE.  

It should be remembered that the regnal years referred to in the columns relating to Wiseman and Thiele, have as their starting date, the First of Nisan, which occurs in March or April.

Jehoiakim   1   28   Nov   606         Nebuchadrezzar's reign
    2   31   Oct   605   Ascends     As Per Wiseman (1985, pp.18-19)
    3   2   Oct   604   1 Asc   As per Thiele (1966, p.216 , Appendix 'G') 
    4   4   Sep   603   2 1    
    5   7   Aug   602   3 2    
    6   10   Jul   601   4 3    
    7   11   Jun   600   5 4    
    8   14   May   599   6 5    
    9   17   Apr   598   7 6    
    10   20   Mar   597   8 7    
Jehoiachin ascends A 11   20   Feb   596   9 8 1 Jehoiachin's reign In Solar years
 Zedekiah's 1st year 1 1   22   Jan   595   10 9 2  commenced prior to Nisan of 596 BCE. 
  2 2   25   Dec   595   - - -  
  3 3   28   Nov   594   11 10 3  
  4 4   31   Oct   593   12 11 4  
  5 5   2   Oct   592   13 12 5  
  6 6   4   Sep   591   14 13 6  
  7 7   7   Aug   590   15 14 7  
  8 8   10   Jul   589   16 15 8  
  9 9   11   Jun   588   17 16 9  
  10 10   14   May   587   18 17 10  
Babylonian Exile 11 11   17   Apr   586   19 18 11 Solomon's Temple Burned
  12     20   Mar   585   20 19 12  
  13     20   Feb   584   21 20 13  
  14     22   Jan   583   22 21 14  
  15     25   Dec   583   - - -  
  16     28   Nov   582   23 22 15  
  17     31   Oct   581   24 23 16  
  18     2   Oct   580   25 24 17  
  19     4   Sep   579   26 25 18  
  20     7   Aug   578   27 26 19  
  21     10   Jul   577   28 27 20  
  22     11   Jun   576   29 28 21  
  23     14   May   575   30 29 22  
  24     17   Apr   574   31 30 23  
  25     20   Mar   573   32 31 24  
  26     20   Feb   572   33 32 25  
  27     22   Jan   571   34 33 26  
  28     25   Dec   571   - - -  
  29     28   Nov   570   35 34 27  
  30     31   Oct   569   36 35 28  
Eclipse & event in 31     2   Oct   568   37   36 29  
Astronomical Diary 32     4   Sep   567   38 37 30  
  33     7   Aug   566   39 38 31  
  34     10   Jul   565   40 39 32  
  35     11   Jun   564   41 40 33  
  36     14   May   563   42 41 34  
  37     17   Apr   562   43 42 35  
 Amel-Marduk   1   20   Mar   561   1st yr. 1st yr.    

 

 

CHART TWO

All references: Wiseman: (1961) B.M. 22047 (p.65) and BM 21946 (p.67)
  607   Sep   Nabopolassar engaged at Bit-Hanunia / Urartu 18th year Line 1-4
  607   Dec   Josiah's 31st year commences    
  607   Dec/Jan   Nabopolassar returns to Babylon   Line 1-4
               
  606   May/Jun   Campaigning to the north 19th year Lines 5-7
  606   Jun/Jul   Nabopolassar returns to Babylon   Line 8
  606   Jul/Aug   Necho heads North for Carchemish    
  606   Aug/Sep   Nebuchadrezzar returns to Babylon   Line 12
  606   Aug/Sep   Josiah Killed    
  606   Sep/Oct   Nabopolassar Heads to Kimuhu   Line 12
  606   Nov   Nabopolassar captures Kimuhu   Line 14
  606   Nov   Jehoahaz deposed - taken to Riblah    
  606   Nov   Nov Jehoiakim commences 1st regnal year.    
               
  605   May/Jun?   Egyptians besiege Kimuhu for 4 months 20th year Lines 16-17
  605   Sep/Oct   Nabopolassar heads for Quramati   Line 19
  605   Oct   Jehoiakim commences 2nd Regnal Year    
               
  604   Jan/Feb   Nabopolassar returns to Babylon 21st Year Line 23
  604   Undated   Babylonian Army retreats from Quramati   Lines 24-26
  604   Undated   Battle of Carchemish   Lines 1-5
  604   Aug   Nabopolassar dies   Lines 9-10
  604   Sep   Nebuchadrezzar returns to Babylon   Lines 10-11
  604   Oct   Jehoiakim commences 3rd Regnal year    
  604   Sep/Feb   Nebuchadrezzar conquers Hatti-land   Lines 12-13
  604   Sep/Feb   Siege of Jerusalem - Daniel's Captivity    
               
  603   April   Nebuchadrezzar's first regnal year 1st Year Line 14
  603   May/Jun   Nebuchadrezzar returns to Hatti-land   Lines 15-16
  603   Sep   Jehoiakim's 4th regnal Year Commences    
  603   Nov/Dec   Nebuchadrezzar captures Askelon   Line 18
               
  602   Mar/Apr   Nebuchadrezzar's 2nd regnal year. 2nd Year