Contradictory Judges

[Cyberseeker]

Have you ever added up the rule of the Judges? If we do, a problem arises. Add them all up, plus the times of oppression such as the Midianite period of 7 years. Now tack on the 40 years in the wilderness plus the reigns of Saul and David and what do we get? 640 years! On face value, that’s about 640 years from the Exodus until Solomon. ‘Problem is that 1 Kings 6:1 says,

"And it came to pass in the 480^th year after the children of Israel had come out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon’s reign over Israel, in the month of Ziv, which is the second month, that he began to build the house of the Lord."

That’s about 480 years from the Exodus until Solomon. IOW, it’s about 160 years shorter than claimed in the book of Judges – a big difference!

Ive recently posted up charts showing how this contradiction is resolved. Have a look here if the subject is of interest to anyone, or discuss any ideas about it on this thread.

Cyber

[Ceegen]

We know that the Israelites of the time were still a nation being formed, and spread over a fairly large area. Who's to say that a Judge from one region reigned in the same time period or slightly overlapping a Judge in another region? I didn't see a clear indication that the rule of the Judges were consecutive time periods in a back-to-back fashion.

[teddyv]

I try not to read too much into the numbers or treat them as hard values. "40" is a real common number throughout the Bible (40 days and nights of the Flood, 40 years in the desert, etc.) I've heard it can refer to something like a period of completion or something like that, but I might be wrong.

[Ceegen]

I try not to read too much into the numbers or treat them as hard values. "40" is a real common number throughout the Bible (40 days and nights of the Flood, 40 years in the desert, etc.) I've heard it can refer to something like a period of completion or something like that, but I might be wrong.

Ah yes, this too. Numbers seem to represent a "spiritual index" of sorts, that I have noticed anyway. Just like one year of Solomon's "traffic" netted 666 talents of gold, indicating that Solomon had done something evil, had indeed turned away from God after some time of being a King. Ever wonder why the Star of David was never used by David? It was first used as a symbol by Solomon, and what is that connection to cabalism? "All warfare is based on deception." (Sun Tzu)

[jesse]

Have you ever added up the rule of the Judges? If we do, a problem arises. Add them all up, plus the times of oppression such as the Midianite period of 7 years. Now tack on the 40 years in the wilderness plus the reigns of Saul and David and what do we get? 640 years! On face value, that’s about 640 years from the Exodus until Solomon. ‘Problem is that 1 Kings 6:1 says, That’s about 480 years from the Exodus until Solomon. IOW, it’s about 160 years shorter than claimed in the book of Judges – a big difference!

Ive recently posted up charts showing how this contradiction is resolved. Have a look here if the subject is of interest to anyone, or discuss any ideas about it on this thread.

Cyber

This is really a great question and topic! Like it! I looked at the charts but I had a hard time understanding them. What conclusion did you come to about the actual time?

[Cyberseeker]

Who's to say that a Judge from one region reigned in the same time period or slightly overlapping a Judge in another region?

True, and this is what is often suggested by Bible commentators. However not many attempt to identify which of the judges actually overlap with whom. We need to do that if we wish to avoid the criticism that the older sections of historical scripture are just legends. We need to find a "Judges timeline" that flows on from (ie. does not contradict) the "Kings timeline." (1 Kings 6:1)

[Ceegen]

True, and this is what is often suggested by Bible commentators. However not many attempt to identify which of the judges actually overlap with whom. We need to do that if we wish to avoid the criticism that the older sections of historical scripture are just legends. We need to find a "Judges timeline" that flows on from (ie. does not contradict) the "Kings timeline." (1 Kings 6:1)

Maybe it has to do with inclusive counting, too, and a difference in calendar dates using different methods of marking time.

[Walls]

Have you ever added up the rule of the Judges? If we do, a problem arises. Add them all up, plus the times of oppression such as the Midianite period of 7 years. Now tack on the 40 years in the wilderness plus the reigns of Saul and David and what do we get? 640 years! On face value, that’s about 640 years from the Exodus until Solomon. ‘Problem is that 1 Kings 6:1 says, That’s about 480 years from the Exodus until Solomon. IOW, it’s about 160 years shorter than claimed in the book of Judges – a big difference!

Ive recently posted up charts showing how this contradiction is resolved. Have a look here if the subject is of interest to anyone, or discuss any ideas about it on this thread.

Cyber

Your subject is an interesting one and the charts you present are enlightening. However, the charts without preamble make it difficult for the average student of the bible to solve your problem. The reason is this. Scripture itself adds to the problem in simple immovable language. Rightly you have quoted the 480 years of 1^st Kings Chapter 6. But what of the 573 years given for the same period by Paul at Antioch in Acts Chapter 13:16-22? How shall we reconcile this?

To the other posters I agree that the numbers of the bible present us, not with a code, as some would have it (for a code is to hide things), but with a revelation of things. 40 is the time of testing. Would evil men pass the test of 40 days and 40 nights of rain? No! They all succumbed save 8 – Noah and his family. Would Israel survive 40 years in the wilderness? No! Their carcasses fell in the wilderness save 2 – Joshua and Caleb. Our Lord Jesus is tempted (tested) 40 days in the wilderness? Does He pass? OH YES!

[Cyberseeker]

Your subject is an interesting one and the charts you present are enlightening. However, the charts without preamble make it difficult for the average student of the bible to solve your problem.

True. I hope one day to write an article to accompany each of the charts. I started but run out of steam.

... what of the 573 years given for the same period by Paul at Antioch in Acts Chapter 13:16-22? How shall we reconcile this?

You lost me here bro. Paul mentions 450 years and it included their stay in Egypt didnt it?

[Walls]

You lost me here bro. Paul mentions 450 years and it included their stay in Egypt didnt it?

According to Acts 13 the following sum appears;

Years in the wilderness = 40
Years of Judges = 450
Afterwards they desired a king (Saul) - 40 years reign = 40
Afterwards God gave them David - 40 years reign = 40
Afterwards Solomon began the Temple in his 3^rd year = 3
Total 573 years

This differs by 93 years to the account given in 1st Kings Chapter 6

[Cyberseeker]

This is one of those rare examples where the King James Version of the Bible lets us down. Compare these two quotes - one from the KJV and the other from ESV. (Have a look at NASB, Amplified, Living, NIV too)

The God of this people of Israel chose our fathers, and exalted the people when they dwelt as strangers in the land of Egypt, and with an high arm brought he them out of it. And about the time of forty years suffered he their manners in the wilderness. And when he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Chanaan, he divided their land to them by lot. And after that he gave unto them judges about the space of four hundred and fifty years, until Samuel the prophet. (Acts 13:17-20 KJV)


The God of this people Israel chose our fathers and made the people great during their stay in the land of Egypt, and with uplifted arm he led them out of it. And for about forty years he put up with them in the wilderness. And after destroying seven nations in the land of Canaan, he gave them their land as an inheritance. All this took about 450 years. And after that he gave them judges until Samuel the prophet. (Acts 13:17-20 ESV emphasis mine)

I believe the modern versions translate the text correctly in this case. So the '450-year' approximation St. Paul is referring to is:

1. 400 years enslaved (compare Acts 7:6)
2. 40 years wandering
3. 7 years conquering promised land
4. 1-2 years distributing inheritance
5. total = 449 years (approx 450)

[Walls]

OK. I respect your decision. But I find it a pity because the missing 93 years are easily found and reveal the thinking of our Great God when He deals with prophecy concerning His people, particularly the solution to the gap in the weeks in Daniel Chapter 9. By the way, Scofield has a great footnote on the dilemma facing the calculation of the years of the kings of Israel. I'm sure you've read it but it might help some others.

[Cyberseeker]

I'm always interested to see how older Bible historians resolved these issues. Ive read Bishop Ussher and suspect Scofield would be the same since Ussher's was the prevailing chronology back then.

Actually, I started a similar thread about the reign of kings over here if you're interested.