This chronology deals with events whose importance is a function of their 
direct connexion with the History of Salvation.  The dates given, 
particularly the earlier dates, are inexact but approximate.  A good 
biblical dictionary will provide more detailed information. 
 
The Patriarchs 
 
Abraham      1850  Election and promise. Moves from Ur of 
                   the Chaldeans 
Isaac              God renews his promise. 
 
Jacob              The angel changes his name to that of 
                   "Israel" (= powerful with God). 
 
Joseph       1700  His brothers sell him into slavery 
                   He brings them into Egypt. The Hebrew 
                   People develop. 
 
The Exodus  
 
Moses        1250  God calls Moses. 
                   The institution of the Passover. 
                   The liberation of the Hebrew People.    
                   Covenant of Sinai. 
 
The Entry into the Promised Land.   
 
Joshua       1200  The passage of the Jordan. 
                   The division and conquest of the country. 
                           
The Judges 
 
Deborah and  
Barak        1125  The Canaanites are defeated. 
 
Samuel       1040  Judge and prophet. The shrine at Shiloh. 
 
The Establishment of The Monarchy 
 
Saul         1030  The theocratic authority of the King.  
                   Victory over the Ammonites and 
                   Philistines. 
 
David        1010  Takes Jerusalem, unites the twelve 
                   tribes. 
                   Jerusalem, the political and 
                   religious capital of Israel. 
                   Nathan's prophecy promising the 
                   Messiah, the son of David. 
 
Solomon       970  Building of the Temple. 
                   Marriage with the daughter of Pharaoh 
                   Religious crisis and discontent in 
                   the North. 
 
Political and Religious Schism 
 
The Assembly  931  Division of the kingdom. Samaria 
at Sichem          separates from Judah. 
                   Jeroboam I reigns in the North (Samaria)  
                   and Rehoboam in the South (Judah). 
 
Activity of The Prophets 
 
Elijah        874  Ahab marries Jezebel, daughter of the 
                   king of Tyre. The cult of Baal begins in 
                   the North: Elijah's reaction. The 
                   covenant on Mount Carmel. 
 
              870  Jehoshaphat acts against idolatry. 
                   Alliance with Ahab. 
 
Elisha        850  Continues the work of Elijah. 
 
Amos and 
Hosea         750  Prophesy in the northern kingdom and 
                   predict terrible punishment if the people 
                   do not turn to God.  
 
Elijah and 
Micah         740  They do the same in the south.  
 
              721  The northern kingdom falls and Samaria is 
                   taken by Shalmaneser V and its population 
                   deported. 
 
              700  Hezekiah's building works. He conducts 
                   the brook Gihon into Jerusalem. 
 
Zephaniah     630  In 622 the book of the Law is discovered. 
                   Josiah's religious reforms. 
 
Nahum         612  Prophesies the fall of Nineveh. 
 
Daniel        605  Is deported and then educated at the 
                   court of Nebuchadnezzar in Babylon. 
 
Jeremiah      605   Warns Judah of imminent punishment  
                    The prophecy about the seventy weeks. 
 
The Exile 
              598   Nebuchadnezzar II besieges Jerusalem. 
                    King Jehoiachim surrenders and is 
                    succeeded by his uncle Zedekiah. 
 
Ezekiel       597   First deportation and the end of the         
                    kingdom of Judah.  Ezekiel is deported        
                    and predicts the ruin of Jerusalem. 
 
              589   Rebellion of Zedekiah. 
 
              587   The final destruction of the Temple, and  
                    the second deportation to Babylon. 
                    Ezekiel in exile become the prophet of 
                    hope for the exiles, consoling them and 
                    instructing them in the faith. 
 
The Return 
 
Persian 
Domination   539    Cyrus II, king of Persia, conquers 
(539-533)           Babylonia. 
 
             538    He signs and edict allowing the Jews 
                    to return to their country. 
 
Zerubbabel   520    The start of building of the Second 
                    Temple.  Samaritan opposition. 
                    The activity of Haggai and Zechariah, 
                    prophets.  
 
Ezra         458    His mission. 
 
Nehemiah     445    The building of the walls of Jerusalem. 
 
 
Greek 
domination 
(333-63)     333    Alexander the Great conquers Syria and        
                    destroys the Persian empire.  When he 
                    dies, in 323, his empire is divided: the          
                    Ptolemies rule in Egypt and the 
                    Seleucids in Syria.  Judea comes under 
                    the Ptolemies until 197, when the 
                    Seleucids take over (197-142). 
 
Antiochus IV 
Ephiphanes  167    The period of persecutions begins and          
                   hellenization threatens the Jews.	 
                   The decrees abolishing Jewish customs. 
                   The Temple is given over to the worship  
                   of Jupiter. 
                   Jewish rebellion quickly follows.  The 
                   deeds of the Maccabees. 
 
            145    The beginning of the Pharisee sect.  The  
                   Qumran community. 
 
John        134    High priest and ethnarch. 
Hyrcanus           Favors hellenism.  Nationalistic 
                   messianic hopes grow. 
 
Roman domination 
(63 B.C.-135 A.D.) Pompey conquers Jerusalem. 
                   Strong religious nationalism. 
Herod the  
Great        37    Builds the Antonia fortress, his palace 
                   in the upper part of Jerusalem, and in 
                   the year 20 B.C. starts the reconstruc- 
                   tion of the Temple. 
 

By Fr. Claudio J. Urbano