The following dates (all b.c.) are close approximations based on correlating dates between the Bible and other ancient Near Eastern sources (largely from Assyrian accession lists, Babylonian king-lists, or Egyptian historical sources). Often dates can be confirmed between the Assyrian and Babylonian Empires by narratives recording contacts between these two countries. ### Patriarchs to Judges (c. 2166–1030) ||1446 Date for Exodus**|1260 Date for Exodus**| |---|---|---| |Abraham|2166–1991|2000–1825| |Isaac|2066–1886|1900–1720| |Jacob|2006–1859|1840–1693| |Joseph|1915–1805|1749–1639| |Moses’ birth|1526|1340| |Exodus|1446|1260| |Desert wanderings|1446–1406|1260–1220| |Entrance into Canaan|1406|1220| |Period of the judges|1375 to 1050–1030|1210 to 1050–1030| ### United Monarchy (c. 1050–931) ||Dates|Notes| |---|---|---| |Saul’s reign|1050–1030 to 1010|Numerals relating to Saul’s age and length of reign may be missing in the Hebrew text (see 1 Sam. 13:1)***| |David’s reign|1010–971|| |Solomon’s reign|971–931|| ### Divided Monarchy to Exile (931–586) | | | | |---|---|---| |Kingdom divided|931|See The Divided Kingdom: Kings of Judah and The Divided Kingdom: Kings of Israel| |Syro-Ephraimite war|740–732|Pekah (Israel) and Rezin (Syria) pressure Jotham and Ahaz (Judah) to join their opposition to Tiglath-pileser III (Assyria)| |Fall of Samaria (Israel)|722|Shalmaneser V (727–722) and Sargon II (722–705) of Assyria| |Josiah’s reforms|628|| |Battle of Carchemish|605|Daniel and three friends exiled to Babylon| |Jerusalem attacked|597|Nebuchadnezzar II takes exiles to Babylon including Jehoiachin and Ezekiel| |Fall of Jerusalem (Judah)|586|Nebuchadnezzar II takes more exiles to Babylon| ### Return from Exile (539–445) | | | | |---|---|---| |Fall of Babylon|539|Cyrus of Persia (539–530)| |1st return of exiles to Jerusalem|538|| |Temple building begins|536|| |Temple completed|516|Darius I (522–486)| |Esther in palace of Xerxes|478|Xerxes I/Ahasuerus (485–464)| |2nd return of exiles to Jerusalem under Ezra|458|Artaxerxes I (464–423)| |3rd return of exiles to Jerusalem under Nehemiah|445|| *See also Historical Books Timeline; The Divided Kingdom: Kings of Judah and The Divided Kingdom: Kings of Israel. **See The Date of the Exodus. ***Possible dates for the beginning of Saul’s reign are calculated based on other data in the OT: e.g., David’s age at accession and length of reign (2 Sam. 5:4–5); Ish-bosheth’s age when he became king (2 Sam. 2:10); and Jonathan’s probable age in relation to both Ish-bosheth and David, presuming that Jonathan was Saul’s firstborn son (1 Sam. 14:49; 31:2) and was at least 20 when referred to as a commander of troops early in Saul’s reign (1 Sam. 13:2).