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Overview of the Bible's Storyline
Dennis Bratcher
|
Date |
Event |
Story Found in |
Other Writings* |
|
Prehistory |
Creation - Sin, Cain/Abel, Flood - Babel |
Genesis 1-11 |
|
|
2000-1800 BC |
Patriarchs -
Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph,
and Sojourn in Egypt |
Genesis 12-50 |
|
1290 -1250
(some place at 1440) |
Moses - Passover and Exodus - Sinai Covenant and 10 Commandments -
Wilderness Journey |
Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers,
Deuteronomy |
|
|
1250 - 1050 |
Joshua, Settlement in the Land,
the Judges,
Deborah, Gideon, Samson - Samuel |
Joshua, Judges, 1
Samuel 1-12 |
Ruth |
|
1050 - 1020
|
Rise of Monarchy - Saul, David, and Solomon |
1
Samuel 13-24, 2
Samuel,1 Kings 1-11, 2 Chronicles 9 |
JE traditions of the Pentateuch |
|
922 - 850 |
Division of Kingdom - Early Monarchy
|
1 Kings 12-15, 2 Chronicles 10-20 |
|
|
850 - 815 |
The era of Omri, Ahab and Jezebel, Elijah, Elisha - the purge of Jehu
and aftermath |
1 Kings 16 - 2 Kings 10, 2 Chronicles 21-24 |
|
|
815 - 700
|
"Golden Age" of Prophets,
Fall
of Northern Kingdom -
Hezekiah, Deliverance of
Jerusalem from Assyria |
2 Kings 10-20, 2 Chronicles 25-32 |
Amos,
Hosea,
Isaiah,
Micah, Jonah* |
|
700 - 587/6 |
Babylonian power, Fall of Southern Kingdom - Destruction of
Jerusalem |
2 Kings 21-25, 2 Chronicles 33-36 |
Jeremiah,
Ezekiel 1-32, Habakkuk,
Nahum, Obadiah |
|
587-538 |
Babylonian Exile |
|
Ezekiel 33-48, Daniel*,
D Pentateuch traditions, Lamentations |
|
538-400 |
Return from Exile, and Restoration, Persian era |
Ezra, Nehemiah |
Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi, P Pentateuch traditions, Esther |
|
400 - 6/4 |
Intertestamental Period, Greek and Romans, Maccabean Wars |
1 and 2 Macabbees |
Apocalyptic traditions [Daniel], Apocrypha |
6/4 BC-
AD 27/30 |
Birth, Life, Death, Resurrection of Jesus |
Matthew*, Mark*, Luke*,
John* |
|
|
AD 30-60 |
The Early Church, Ministry of the Apostle Paul
|
Acts |
1-2 Thessalonians,
Galatians, Romans,
1-2 Corinthians,
Prison and Pastoral Epistles |
|
AD 60-100 |
Other Early Christians |
|
General Epistles, Revelation |
* Note that the time period in which a writing is set or
describes does not mean that it was written in that era. For
example, the book of Kings is a recounting of Israel's entire history in the land
from the perspective of exile after the nation had been destroyed (after
586 BC). Chronicles is an exilic rewriting of the Samuel/Kings
traditions from the perspective of anticipated restoration and the hopes
of a new Davidic kingdom (c. 550-500 BC). The book of Jonah most
likely dates to the time of Ezra and Nehemiah (c. 450 BC) although set
in the Assyrian period (c. 720 BC). Although the issue is debated, many
scholars attribute Daniel to the period of the Maccabean Wars (c. 164
BC) even though it is set in the Babylonian period (586-538 BC).
Even though they recount the life and teachings of Jesus (c. 4 BC - AD
30), the Gospels were not written until shortly before and after the
destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans in AD 70 after Paul's letters
were written (AD 55-60).
This reflects the fact that most biblical material is a reflection
on the significance of history for the ongoing community from a much
later time rather than being a purely contemporary record of events. This
does not invalidate the historical dimension, but it does serve to emphasize
the theological and confessional aspects rather than just historical data
(see The Three Triads of Biblical Interpretation).
Dennis Bratcher, Copyright ©
2018, Dennis
Bratcher, All Rights Reserved
See Copyright and User Information Notice |
Related pages
Old Testament
Key Biblical Dates
Israelite Kings Chart
Prophets Date Chart
Intertestamental Rulers
Roman Rulers
The Herods
Books of the Bible
The Date of the Exodus |
