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Note that Archbishop Ussher in his Annals of the World defined David’s first year in Hebron and Solomon’s 12^th year as being Jubilees, and the Ark was brought to Jerusalem in a Sabbatical year, but his Jubilees were after Joshua’s seven years conquering & distributing the land, after 1445 BC. There has been some confusion over David’s 8^th year in 1004 BC. If we do not allow for overlapping years of the kings of Judah, Solomon’s 8^th year appears to be in 1004 BC. David finished his new tabernacle by bringing the Ark into Jerusalem in his 8^th year, and Solomon finished the temple in his 8^th year of building. These two events are 43 years apart.

So, there are four traditions of when the Jubilee cycle began. Firstly, the cycle began at the Exodus, and the cycle had continued since the Flood, when Shem was 98. Secondly, the cycle began at the entry (crossing the Jordan), as in Leviticus 25:2. Thirdly, the cycle began after Joshua conquered the land and distributed it in the seventh year while in Gilgal. Fourthly, the cycle began after Joshua conquered the land and distributed it in the 14^th year. Allegedly, there were 17 jubilees (850 years) from the 14^th year after the entry until the 14^th year after the temple was destroyed in 422 BC (Ezek. 40:1) (1272 – 850= 422) (1258 – 850= 408).

TABLE 9. Rabbinic View mixed with Ussher’s
(In this version, David brings the Ark into his new tabernacle in 823 BC.)

				After Man					BC
Exodus			2448						1312
40^th year in wilderness - 851 yrs before first temple was burned.							2488		1272	- 850 = 422 BC
7^th year of conquering the land – 1^st Sabbatical						1495			1265
14^th year - distributing the land - Sabbatical						2502			1258	- 850 = 408 BC
15^th year - Jubilee cycle begins						2503			1257
David’s 1^st year in Hebron		Sabbatical / Jubilee						2887	873	+ 392 = 1265 BC
David’s last year in Hebron	Captures Jerusalem							2893	867
David’s 1^st year in Jerusalem		Sabbatical						2894	866	+ 399 = 1265 BC
Solomon’s 1^st year					2925				835
Solomon’s 2^nd year					2926				834
Solomon’s 3^rd year					2927				833
Solomon’s 4^th year	1 Kings 11:42				2928				832
Solomon’s 12^th year –Ark brought to the temple – Jubilee								2937	823	+ 442 = 1265 BC
Rehoboam’s 1^st year	1 Kings 14:21				2965				795

TABLE 10. 251-Year System Compared with Rabbinic System

251-Year System

Rabbinic System

Epoch

BC

Exodus

1255

1312

Entry into Canaan

1215

1272

David brings Ark into Jerusalem

1004

251 yrs.

868

First temple founded

968

832

479 yrs.

Temple completed

961

826

Founding of Rome

753

502 yrs.

Assyrian captivity of Israel

721

-166 yrs. =

555

Josiah finds temple scroll

623

-166 yrs. =

457

First temple burned

587

-166 yrs. =

421

First year of Cyrus

539

-166 yrs. =

363

Second year of Darius

520

-166 yrs. =

354

[1] The rabbinic tradition omits 60 years between Abraham and his father and omits another 2 years between Abraham and the exodus. By restoring these 62 years, the exodus would be in 1251 BC in the rabbinic tradition (1313 - 62 = 1251). Jack Finegan supports an exodus of 1250 BC. Kenneth Kitchen supports an exodus of 1261 BC.