Ark of the Testimony – Journeys (2)

This Part 2 is the continuation and conclusion to “Ark of the Testimony – Journeys (1)”.

The “Ark of the Testimony” (seen in Ex.25:16, Jsh.4:16, e.g.) was the most revered object in God’s portable tabernacle, constructed by Moses/Israelites.  The Hebrew term for “ark” is aróne, Strongs h727.  The term for “testimony” is aydúth h5715.  The Ark was also known as the “Ark of the Covenant” (h1285, Nu.10:33, e.g.), the “Ark of the Lord” (h3068, Jsh.3:13), the “Ark of God” (h430, 1Sm.3:3).  This Ark wasn’t the floating vessel ‘Noah’s ark’ so-called, seen earlier in the Flood account of Ge.6–8.

Christ was the God and good Shepherd of ancient Israel.  His glory ‘dwelt’ above the Ark, upon the mercy seat between the cherubim (cf. Ex.25:22, Ps.80:1, Jn.10:11.  see the topic “Jesus Was the Old Testament God”.)  The Ark represented the Lord’s Presence and Name!  2Sm.6:2 “The ark of God which is called by the Name, the very name of the Lord of hosts who is enthroned above the cherubim.”

Using Dr. Martin Anstey’s The Romance of Bible Chronology, v.2, Israel’s exodus from Egypt occurred circa (c) 1612 BC and the sacred tabernacle tent & sanctuary was erected c 1611 BC.

“Ark of the Testimony – Journeys (1)” covered the time from the Ark’s construction in the aftermath of Israel’s exodus from Egypt…until the capture of the Ark by the enemy Philistines, c 1102 BC.

The Ark, a gilded rectangular chest, resided in the Holy of Holies innermost room (Ex.26:34) of Moses’ tabernacle for 500 years!  From c 1611 BC – c 1102 BC (except when it was in transport or taken into battle).  But after c 1102 BC, the Ark would never return to Moses’ tabernacle!

Now in Part 2, we’ll continue the account of the Ark’s journeys from when the Philistines’ captured it.

In the latter years of Eli the high priest & judge, Israel had become very backslidden.  The tabernacle of Moses and the Ark was at Shilóh, in the tribal territory of Ephráim.  1Sm.4:1-5 the Ark is carried into the battle of Ebenézer against the Philistines.  v.17-18 the Philistines sack Shiloh, and capture the Ark.  Eli dies when he hears the news.  v.22 “The glory is departed from Israel, for the ark of God is taken.”

1Sm.5:1-7 the heathen Philistines took the captured Ark of God from Ebenezer to their city of Ashdód, into the temple of their pagan god Dagón.  But the idol of Dagon was then found fallen down before the Ark…and broken!  The Lord afflicted the Ashdodites with tumors and mice (LXX).  v.8-9 so the Philistines took the Ark to their city of Gath.  The Lord afflicted them there with tumors.  v.10-12 so they took the Ark to Ekrón.  The hand of God was heavy upon them in Ekron; many men died or were smitten with tumors.  At that point the Philistines didn’t know what to do with the Ark!

1Sm.6:1-12 after the Philistines had possession of the Ark for 7 months (c 1101 BC), they called for their heathen priests & diviners, to learn what should be done with the Ark.  It was decided the Ark should be sent away on a cart hitched to two milk cows.  Lo and behold…the cows didn’t go towards their calves in Philistia…on their own, the cows carted the Ark straightway to Bethshémesh in Israel!

1Sm.6:13-19 the Ark arrived in Bethshemesh.  It was back in Israel.  But the Lord struck down men there because, without authorization, “they looked into the Ark of the Lord”.  (Nu.4:4-5 in transport, the Ark was to be covered by the inner veil; the Kohaththites in charge of holy articles weren’t to touch the Ark or see into it.)  1Sm.6:20-21 so they wanted it taken from Bethshemesh to Kiriáth-jearím in Judah.

1Sm.7:1-3 the men of Kiriath-jearim brought the Ark to the house of Abinadáb in Kiriath-jearim.

Although Israel repented after 20 years, the Ark remained in the house of Abinadab for approximately 70 years (c 1101 BC – 1030 BC).  JFB Commentary 1Sm.7:2 “20 years….the Israelites began to revive from their sad state of religious decline.”  Les McFall The Chronology of Saul and David “The actual time from the death of Eli to the deposition of the ark in Jerusalem by David was 68 years.”  The Ark remained at Abinadab’s house during the judgeship of Samuel and the entire reign of Saul.

When David was running from King Saul, Moses’ tabernacle (minus the Ark) was at the town of Nob.  Saul later had the residents of Nob killed, ref 1Sm.21–22.  Cambridge Bible 1Sm.1:3 “The tabernacle was removed to Nob (1Samuel 21), and the once holy place was utterly desecrated.”  After Nob, Gibeón became the site of Moses’ tabernacle, ref 1Ch.16:39-40 & 2Ch.1:3 (until Solomon’s time).

After David became king and subdued the Philistines, he wanted the Ark brought up to Jerusalem (c 1030 BC) in the tribal territory of Judah.  1Ch.15:1 “In the city of David [on Mt Zión] he prepared a place for the ark of God and pitched a tent for it.”  (That Hebrew term for “tent” is óhel h168.)

2Sm.6:2-11 David brought the Ark from Abinadab’s house to Obéd-edóm’s house, where it remained for 3 months.  v.12-17 David then brought the Ark from Obed-edom’s house to the “tent of David” on Mt Zion in Jerusalem.  (see the topics, “Tent/Tabernacle of David” and “Zion in the Bible”.)

Jesuswalk.com/david “David can’t very well return the ark to the tabernacle at Shiloh. Shiloh had been destroyed! The tabernacle had been moved to the priestly city of Nob, but the ark had never been there and Saul had slaughtered the town’s priests and their families. The ancient tabernacle is now to be found at ‘the high place at Gibeon’ (1Ch.16:39-40, 21:29; 2Ch.1:3, 13; 1Ki.3:4), in a Levitical city where personnel continued sacrifices. David wants the center of Yahweh worship to be in the capital at Jerusalem, not in some priestly town. So he sets up a tent for the ark in Jerusalem, in hopes of eventually building a proper temple to house it.”  His son Solomon would later build the Temple there.

King David brought only the Ark into the tent.  The Ark still contained God’s law of the Decalogue or Ten Commandments (even during Solomon’s reign, 2Ch.5:1-2, 10).  See Part 1.  But absent (since c 1102 BC?) from Moses’ Holy of Holies at Gibeon was Aaron’s rod that budded (Nu.17:10) and the memorial jar of manna (Ex.16:32-34).

1Ch.17:16 David sat before the Ark!  2Sm.11:11 the Ark was again taken into battle.

2Sm.15:24-29 Zadók the priest took the Ark with David as he fled from Absalóm…but Zadok then returned it to Jerusalem.  Poole Commentary 2Sm.15:25 to “the tabernacle David had lately built for it.”

The Ark of God resided in the tent at David’s palace on Zion for 40 years (though he died c 1002 BC).  The only item in the Ark then was God’s eternal law (later seen in heavenly Mt Zion, Re.11:19 & 14:1).

After David’s death, King Solomon completed the temple c 991 BC.  1Ki.7:51 – 8:1-21 the original Ark (1Ki.8:9) was moved from David’s tent on Mt Zion into Solomon’s stationary temple “house of the Lord” on Mt Moriáh (2Ch.3:1).  1Ki.8:10-11 at the occasion, the temple was filled with the glory cloud of the Lord!  The Ark had been at a personal residence or palace for c 110 years (c 1101 BC – 991 BC)!

1Ki.8:8 KJV the projection of the poles/staves, by which the descendants of Koháth had carried the Ark during Israel’s journeys, was changed in Solomon’s temple.  Barnes Notes 1Ki.8:8 “A sign that the ark had reached ‘the place of its rest’, and was not to be borne about anymore.”  1Ki.8:4 the old tabernacle of Moses with its holy utensils was brought from Gibeon into the temple.  The journeying of Moses’ Ark (and portable tabernacle) was ended.

More than 300 years after Solomon, c 622 BC King Josiah made sanctuary repairs to Solomon’s temple, 2Ch.34:8-10.  The Ark was removed for those repairs, and was then put back.  Josiah said to the Levites in 2Ch.35:3, “Put the holy ark in the house which Solomon the son of David king of Israel built”.  The Ark then was either Moses’ original Ark, or else a copy that had been made (since Solomon, 1Ki.8:9).

2Ch.35:3 is the last occurrence in the Old Testament (OT) where we read of the Ark in the temple.

The final OT reference to the Ark of God is Je.3:16. “Declares the Lord, They shall say no more ‘The ark of the covenant’. It shall not come to mind, nor shall they remember it, nor shall they miss it, nor shall it be made again.”  God said the Ark of the Testimony/Ark of the Covenant, their most important object, reflecting His Presence…would no more be remembered or reproduced (or noted in the OT).

The Ark is later mentioned in the Apocrypha.  The book of 2 Maccabees was written in Greek c 124 BC.  God had warned Jeremiah to hide the Ark in the mountain from which Moses had viewed the Promised Land (Mt Nebó, De.34:1).  2Mac.2:4-8 KJV 1611 edition “When Jeremiah came thither, he found a hollow cave wherein he laid the Tabernacle, the Ark, the altar of incense, and stopped the door. Some of those that followed him came to mark the way, but they could not find it. Jeremiah blamed them, saying, ‘That place shall be unknown.”  Jeremiah hid that Ark in an unknown cave, prior to 587 BC when Nebuchadnézzar carried off other holy vessels from Solomon’s temple (2Ch.36:7-10).  Since Jeremiah was told to hide the Ark, he knew it couldn’t be seen and its memory would fade (Je.3:16).

1Esdras 1:54 KJV 1611 edition “They [Babylonians] took all the holy vessels of the Lord, both great and small, with the vessels of the ark of God, and the king’s treasures, and carried them away into Babylon.”  ref Je.52:17-23 for more item detail.  However, these passages don’t say they took the Ark itself.  (But 2Esdras 10:22 KJV 1611 edition “The Ark of our covenant is spoiled.”  The original Ark?)

Ezr.1:5-11 the Ark isn’t listed among the articles of Solomon’s temple which the Jewish returnees brought back from Babylon into the temple of Zerubbabél/Ezra, the 2^nd temple.  (see the topic “Temple of Zerubbabel”.)  2Ch.35:3 NASB footnote: “No reference is made to the ark by Ezra, Nehemiah, or even Josephus after the captivity.”

Later, neither was the Ark in Herod’s temple in the 1^st century AD.  Josephus Wars of the Jews 5:5:5 “The inmost part of the Temple…in this there was nothing at all…it was called the Holy of Holies.”  Nor was the Lord Christ ‘seated’ in the Holy of Holies chamber of Herod’s temple…Jesus was out walking the Land in His human body in the 1^st century AD!

The (physical) Ark chest disappeared from Israel’s history.  There are speculations today about the whereabouts of the Ark.  Some think the Ark ended up with the Jews in Elephántine, Egypt.  Or the original Ark possibly disappeared way back in the days of Solomon & the Queen of Sheba…and now remains in the possession of an Orthodox church in Ethiopia.  (If so, then the Ark hidden by Jeremiah wasn’t the original.)  I won’t elaborate on these speculations here.  (Many articles about the ancient Ark’s disappearance are available on the internet.  You might read Dean Smith’s What Happened To The Jewish Ark of the Covenant? and The Queen Of Sheba And The Jewish Ark.)

There are only two New Testament references to the “ark” (kibotós g2787, Greek) of the covenant.  He.9:1-7 briefly summarizes Moses’ tabernacle, its furnishings and service.  v.4 “…the ark of the covenant, covered on all sides with gold, in which was a golden jar holding the manna, and Aaron’s rod which budded, and the tables of the covenant.”

He.9–10 shows the efficacious atonement of Christ’s blood for Christians…sprinkling animal blood at the Ark’s mercy seat on each annual Day of Atonement by the Aaronic high priest is no longer needed.  Nor do Christian ‘soldiers’ (figurative) follow a physical ark into battle against nations of this world.

John envisioned in Re.11:19, “The temple of God which is in heaven was opened; and the ark of His covenant appeared in His temple”.  A heavenly Ark endures, not an earthly.  Again, the only thing in the Ark in the tent/tabernacle of David was God’s eternal law tablets.  God’s laws are now figuratively being written by the indwelling Holy Spirit on the minds & hearts of New Covenant Israelites (He.8:8-13) and gentiles grafted-in.  see “Two Covenants – Heart of the Matter”.  An earthly Ark is unnecessary.

As the Lord said in Je.3:16, the ancient physical Ark made for Israel need not be missed or made again.

 

Ark of the Testimony – Journeys (1)

The “Ark of the Testimony” (seen in Ex.25:16, Jsh.4:16, e.g.) was the most important object in God’s portable tabernacle which Moses/Israelites constructed.  The Hebrew term for “ark” is aróne, Strongs h727; “testimony” is aydúth h5715.  The Ark was also known as the “Ark of the Covenant” (h1285, Nu.10:33, e.g.), the “Ark of the Lord” (h3068, Jsh.3:13), and the “Ark of God” (h430, 1Sm.3:3).

Christ was the God and good Shepherd of ancient Israel.  His glory dwelt above the Ark, upon the mercy seat between the cherubim (cf. Ex.25:22, Ps.80:1, Jn.10:11.  see the topic “Jesus Was the Old Testament God”.)  The Ark represented the Lord’s Presence and Name!  2Sm.6:2 “The ark of God which is called by the Name, the very name of the Lord of hosts who is enthroned above the cherubim.”

This two-part topic traces the journeys of the Ark of the Testimony/Covenant through the history of ancient Israel.  Part 1 covers the time from its construction in the aftermath of Israel’s exodus from Egypt…until the capture of the Ark by the enemy Philistines circa (c) 1100 BC.

Using Rev. Martin Anstey’s The Romance of Bible Chronology, v.2, Israel’s exodus from Egypt occurred c 1612 BC and the sacred tabernacle tent & sanctuary was erected c 1611 BC.

Ex.19:1 “In the third month after the sons of Israel went out from Egypt, they came to the wilderness of Sinai.”  While Moses was up on Mt Sinai for 40 days (Ex.24:18), the Lord gave him instructions for the tabernacle (mishkán h4908), its furnishings, and the Ark.  (also see “God Tabernacles With Humans”.)

Ex.25:1, 10-21 “The Lord spoke to Moses, ‘They [Israelites] shall construct an ark of acacia wood. Overlay it with pure gold. You shall make a mercy seat of pure gold, and two cherubim of gold at the two ends of the mercy seat, their wings spread upward. You shall put the mercy seat on top of the ark, and in the ark you shall put the testimony which I shall give you.”

The dimensions of the Ark were about 45 in. wide, 27 in. deep, 27 in. high.  It was a gilded rectangular chest.  The Ark had rings on the sides through which two long poles were inserted to carry it from site to site.  (The Lord said the descendants of Levi’s son Koháth were to carry it, Nu.4:4-6 & 7:9).

Continuing with Ex.25:22, “There I will meet with you from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim which are upon the ark of the testimony”.  The Lord Christ would seat Himself atop the mercy seat, from where He would command Moses and Israel’s high priests of His principles & ways.

It was called the “Ark of the Testimony” because God’s own testimony of moral principles against sin, written on tablets, was placed inside.  Gill Exposition Ex.25:16 “This was put into the ark…which may signify the law was in the heart of Christ.”  The law reflected the character of Christ, ‘seated’ above.

Ex.31:18 “When He [the Lord] finished speaking with him [Moses], He gave Moses the two tablets of the testimony, tablets of stone, inscribed with the finger of God.”  These principles were the Ten Words (h1697 dabarim), called the Ten Commandments, the Decalogue.

Moses recounted in De.10:4 LXX NETS, “He wrote on the tablets the Ten Words (g3056 lógos, Greek), which the Lord spoke to you in the mountain out of the midst of the fire [Ex.20:1-18], and the Lord gave them to me”.  Also cf. De.4:13 LXX, where the Greek term for “words” is g4487 rhéma.  The Decalogue was both logos and rhema.  In addition…a jar of manna (Ex.16:32-34), Aaron’s rod (Nu.17:10), and later God’s book of the law (De.31:26, 2Ch.34:14-15) were placed in or by the Ark.

The Ark with the mercy seat resided in the Holy of Holies room of the tabernacle (Ex.26:34).  Aaron the high priest was authorized to enter that compartment only once each year, on the Day of Atonement.  There he would sprinkle blood on the mercy seat of the Ark, to atone for Israel’s sins (Le.16:2, 14-17).  The Ark with the mercy seat signified God’s judgment and mercy.

Ex.30:26 initially Moses was to mix holy anointing oil and “anoint the tabernacle and the ark of the testimony”.  Ex.40:17-21 the Ark was brought into the completed tabernacle at Sinai 11 ½ months out of Egypt.  v.34-35 the Holy Spirit glory cloud filled the tabernacle on the occasion!  v.36-38 “In all their journeys, whenever the cloud was taken up, the sons of Israel would set out.”  They weren’t to leave a site until the Shekínah glory lifted; Nu.9:21-22 “Whether it was after two days, a month, or a year.”

For much of ancient Israel’s BC history (subsequent to Egypt), the Ark and the tabernacle were together at the same site/location.  But they weren’t together during all that period of time, as we’ll see.

Nu.10:11-13, 33 in the 2^nd month of the 2^nd year, they departed Sinai with the ark for a 3-days’ journey to the Parán Wilderness.  Nu.11:3, 34-35 their first stops after Sinai were Taberáh/Kibróth-hattaváh and Hazeróth.  De.1:1-3, 19 it was an 11-day march by way of Mt Seir from Horéb/Sinai to the Kadésh-barnéa spring/oasis in Paran (Ge.14:6-7 spring of judgment, Nu.12:16, 13:3, 26, 32:8).  De.1:46 “They remained in Kadesh many days.”  Nu.14:33-34 they won’t enter the Promised Land until the 40^th year!

Nu.20:1-2, 13-14, 27:14, 33:36 in the 40^th year, they camped at Meribáh Kadésh (not an oasis!) in the Wilderness of Zin.  Nu.33 lists in order their 40–45 encampments made during the 40-year journey to the promised Land of Canáan.  Moses died just before they entered-in (De.34:5).

Jsh.3:3-ff after 40 years, priests with the Ark went before Israel as they finally crossed the Jordan River, c 1572 BC.  Jsh.4:19 “The people came up from the Jordan and camped at Gilgál on the eastern edge of Jericho.”  The Ark is at Gilgal in the Promised Land.  Jsh.6:1-20 in their conquest of Jericho, Israelite warriors marched behind the Ark, circling Jericho for 7 days.  Jsh.14:6 Joshua’s HQ location is Gilgal.

Then Jsh.18:1, “The sons of Israel assembled at Shilóh and set up the tent of meeting there.”  God’s tent of meeting/tabernacle and Ark were moved from Gilgal to Shiloh.  Centuries later the Lord recounted in Je.7:12, “…My place which was in Shiloh, where I made My Name dwell at the first”.  Christ ‘dwelled’ atop the Ark at Shiloh.  Jsh.22:9 Israel had “gathered together at Shiloh.”  (Jsh.24:1, 25 the LXX and Arabic versions have “Shiloh”.)  Joshua’s HQ became Shiloh; it means ‘place of rest’.

Jg.2:6-9 Joshua died c 1547 BC.  (see “Chronology – the Exodus to Samuel”.)  Jg.2:1 LXX “The angel of the Lord went up from Gilgal…to Bethél, to the house of Israel.”  Jg.2:5 Israel sacrificed there (Bethel/‘Bochím’, where they ‘wept’).  The Divine Captain of God’s host had earlier appeared to Joshua while Israel was camped at Gilgal (Jsh.5:10-15), prior to Shiloh.  Shortly before Joshua’s death, the Ark and tabernacle where sacrifices were made were moved from Shiloh to nearby Bethel (the Luz of Ge.28:19, Jg.1:23).  Cambridge Bible Jg.2:1 “A transference of the sanctuary [to Bethel] (Jdg 2:5b).”

{Sidelight: Jg.17–21 these ending chapters of Judges are a flashback to side events which occurred earlier in the book, but weren’t inserted then (to not interrupt the timeflow).  Henry Commentary Jg.17:1 “What is related in…the rest of the chapters to the end of this book, was done soon after the death of Joshua.”  Pulpit Commentary “Two detached histories [Jg.17–21], which fill up the rest of the book, are long prior to Samson [Jg.13–16].”  In Jg.20:28, Aaron’s grandson Phineás the high priest is still alive (cf. Nu.25:7)!  Gill Exposition Jg.17:1 and Barnes Notes connect Jg.17:1 & Jg.18:1-2 “Dan” to Jg.1:34 “Dan”.  Josephus Antiquities of the Jews 5:2-3 places Jg.17–21 before Othniél’s early judgeship of Jg.3.  Jg.3:8-11 the warrior Othniel judged Israel 40 years, c 1524 BC – 1484 BC.  Caleb’s nephew Othniel acceded a few years after the time of the “elders who outlived Joshua” (Jg.2:7), c 1547 – 1532 BC.}

Jg.18:31 echoes the tabernacle had been at Shiloh earlier.  Jg.20:18 LXX “They went to Bethel and inquired of God.”  Not long after Joshua’s death, the Ark was at Bethel.  Pulpit Commentary Jg.20:18 “At this time the ark of God, with the tabernacle, was at Bethel, only 7–8 miles from Shiloh.”

Jg.20:27 “The sons of Israel inquired of the Lord, for the ark of the covenant of God was there [Bethel] in those days.”  Ellicott Commentary Jg.20:27 “At Bethel.”  Again, Bethel was near to Shiloh.  Jg.21:19 an annual pilgrim feast was held at Shiloh, “on the north side of Bethel”.  Situated in the tribal territory of Ephráim, Shiloh-Bethel became the Ark & tabernacle location (after Gilgal).  350 years elapse….

Jg.16:30-31 Samson the warrior-judge died, c 1142 BC.  Eli and Samuel then conclude the long period of the judges.  1Sm.1:1-3 Elkanáh (Samuel’s father) annually went to Shiloh to sacrifice to the Lord.

The Ark is again at Shiloh.  Ellicott Commentary 1Sm.1:3 “Shiloh was the religious center of Israel during the whole period of the judges. On rare occasions the sacred tent, and the holy furniture, seems to have been temporarily moved to such places as Mizpáh and Bethel, but its regular home was Shiloh.”  1Sm.3:3, 21 the Ark is at Shiloh, where the Lord revealed Himself to young Samuel.

In the latter years of Eli the high priest & judge, Israel had become very backslidden.  1Sm.4:1-5 the Ark is carried into the battle of Ebenézer against the Philistines, c 1102 BC.  v.17-18 the heathen Philistines sack Shiloh, and capture the Ark.  Eli dies when he hears the news.  v.22 “The glory is departed from Israel, for the ark of God is taken.”

The Ark would never return to Moses’ tabernacle!

Cambridge Bible 1Sm.1:3 “It [Shiloh] ceased to be the national sanctuary. Samuel sacrificed at Mizpeh, at Ramáh, at Gilgal, never, so far as we read, at Shiloh.”  Barnes Notes Ps.78:60 “The place of worship was finally and forever removed from the tribe of Ephraim, within whose limits Shiloh was.”

The Ark had resided in the Holy of Holies innermost room (Ex.26:34) of Moses’ tabernacle for 500 years!  From c 1611 BC – 1102 BC (except when it was in transport or taken into battle.  cf. Nu.10:35 “Rise up, O Lord! And let Thy enemies be scattered.”)

The Ark now will reside elsewhere, apart from God’s tabernacle, for 110 years (til c 991 BC).  During these 110 years, the Holy of Holies compartment of Moses’ tabernacle was entirely empty!

1Sm.5:1-7 the Philistines took the captured Ark of God from Ebenezer to their city of Ashdód, to the temple of their pagan god Dagón.  But the idol of Dagon was then found fallen down before the Ark…and broken!  The Lord afflicted the Ashdodites with tumors and mice (LXX).  v.8-9 so the Philistines took the Ark to their city of Gath.  But the Lord afflicted them there with tumors.  v.10-12 so they took the Ark to Ekrón.  The hand of God was heavy upon them in Ekron; many men died or were smitten with tumors.  At that point the Philistines didn’t know what to do with the Ark, they cried out to heaven!

This topic is continued and concluded in “Ark of the Testimony – Journeys (2)”.

 

 

 

Tent/Tabernacle of David (1)

At the Jerusalem Council of around 49 AD, in Ac.15:13-18 the apostle James quoted an Old Testament (OT) prophecy of God. “After these things I [God] will return, and I will rebuild the tent of David, which is fallen….”  What was the tent of David?  This is about the tent or tabernacle of David.

Two ‘tabernacles’ existed simultaneously in ancient Israel for around 40 years, from circa (c) 1030 BC to c 991 BC.  (cf. 1Ch.15:1, 1Ch.16:37-40.)  The tabernacle of Moses was at Gibeón, and the tabernacle or tent of David was at the “city of David” in Jerusalem during that time.

The tent enclosure David pitched in Jerusalem provided a home for the ark of God for those 40 years.  Until his son Solomon completed the temple (c 991 BC), and the ark was brought into it (1Ki.7:51–8:1).

The ark of God was the most important object in God’s tabernacle Moses had built.  Christ, the God and good Shepherd of Israel, ‘dwelt’ above the ark between the cherubim (cf. Ex.25:22, Ps.80:1, Jn.10:11).  The ark resided in the Holy of Holies innermost room (Ex.26:34) of Moses’ tabernacle for 500 years.  From c 1611 BC – c 1102 BC (except when the Israelites took the ark with them into battle).

Then in the final days of Eli the high priest of Israel, c 1102 BC, the Philistines captured the ark of God (in battle) from Moses’ tabernacle at Shilóh, 1Sm.4:10-13, 18.  It would never return to Moses’ tabernacle!  The ark resided elsewhere, apart from Moses’ tabernacle, for 110 years (until c 991 BC).  During those 110 years, the Holy of Holies compartment of Moses’ tabernacle was entirely empty!

After King David subdued the Philistines, he wanted God’s ark brought up to Jerusalem (c 1030 BC).  1Ch.15:1 “In the city of David [on Mt Zión] he prepared a place for the ark of God and pitched a tent for it.”  That Hebrew term for “tent” is óhel, Strongs h168.  The Greek Septúagint term is skené g4633.

Unlike Moses’ tabernacle, the tent of David wasn’t a structure.  So the tent of David is never referred to as a mishkán h4908, Hebrew, in the OT.  David’s enclosure was just a tent.  Whereas Moses’ tabernacle was a mishkan wooden frame structure (with curtains and a tent roof).

2Sm.6:17 “They brought the ark of the Lord and set it in the tent [h168, Septuagint g4633] David had pitched for it; and David offered burnt and peace offerings before the Lord.”  Voluntarily.  Other than these dedicatory offerings, David didn’t sacrifice animals at his tent on Mt Zion.  No recurring animal sacrifices were done at David’s tent!  Moses’ tabernacle was for animal sacrifice, 1Ch.16:39-40.  Later, King Solomon did a one-time sacrifice at the tent of David and fed the people, 1Ki.3:15.  No more there.  (Solomon sacrificed at Moses’ tabernacle in Gibeon, and the Lord appeared to him, 1Ki.3:4-5.)

Ps.76:2 “His [God’s] abode [den/shelter h5520 soke] is in Salem, His dwelling place in Zion.”  While David reigned in Jeru-Salem, Christ’s “abode” was above the cherubim of the ark in David’s tent on Mt Zion.  David built his palace on Mt Zion.  (see the topic, “Zion in the Bible”.)  The ark represented the presence of God!  However, for all of David’s reign, God’s tabernacle (mishkan) of Moses and its furnishings was at Gibeon, not Zion.  (Note: Ps.76:2 may also apply to Mt Zion of the heavenly Jerusalem, cf. He.12:22 & Ga.4:26.  And Ps.76:2 “Salem” can tie back to Melchisedek in Ge.14:18.)

In the tabernacle Moses erected, the innermost Holy of Holies place (behind the second veil) early-on contained three items: #1 the ark with the Decalogue law, God’s testimony on tablets, inside (Ex.25:21, Ex.31:18, De.4:13); #2 Aaron’s rod that budded (Nu.17:10); #3 a memorial jar of manna (Ex.16:32-34).  ref He.9:1-5.  Later, the Book of the Law was also placed beside the ark (De.31:26, 2Ch.34:14-15).

But David brought only the ark into the tent.  The ark still contained God’s law of the Decalogue or Ten Commandments…even during Solomon’s reign (1Ki.8:1, 9; 2Ch.5:10)!  But gone from Moses’ Holy of Holies in Gibeon was Aaron’s rod that budded; it signified priestly Aaronide eminence in the Levitical order of ancient Israel.  Gone was the memorial jar of manna from their wilderness experience.  We may presume that Aaron’s rod and the jar of manna were lost when the Philistines captured the ark.

(Whenever…Christians are now God’s priesthood in the order of Melchisedek.  Aaronite priests are obsolete.  And Christ is our living bread of life.  The church eats of the “hidden manna”, Re.2:17.)

Les McFall The Chronology of Saul and David “The actual time from the death of Eli to the deposition of the ark in Jerusalem by David was 68 years.”  After the Philistines sent back the ark (1Sm.6:21–7:1), it sat in Abinadáb’s house at Kiriáth-jearím for near 70 years (c 1101 – c 1030 BC).  Until 1Ch.13:5-7.

David & Uzzáh attempted to retrieve the ark of God from Abinadab’s house.  That attempt was aborted because the ark wasn’t transported in the manner the Lord had prescribed (2Sm.6:1-12, 1Ch.15:11-15).  Then the ark resided in Obéd-edóm’s house for 3 months.  The Lord blessed Obed-edom’s household while the ark was there, before David brought it up to Jerusalem (1030 BC)!  The concept of God’s ark being at a person’s home wasn’t new with David.  (also see the topic “Ark of the Testimony – Journeys”.)

Why didn’t David just return the ark to God’s tabernacle at Gibeon, rather than bringing it to his palace on Mt Zion?  Zadók the priest served at Moses’ tabernacle in Gibeon (1Ch.16:39); but the ark upon which to sprinkle blood on the annual Day of Atonement was gone.  Yet David and the leaders of Israel all agreed to bring the ark up to the “city of David” at Jerusalem (1Ch.13:1-4, 12-13), not to Gibeon.

Following are 8 possible reasons why King David set up the “tent of David” at his palace on Zion:

#1 The priesthood had become corrupt in the days of Eli the high priest & his sons (1Sm.2:12-17, 22-26, 4:10-22), when Moses’ tabernacle was at Shiloh in the territory of the tribe of Ephráim, c 1102 BC.  David wanted the ark of God and His Presence in Jerusalem, but without the priestly corruption which had existed at Moses’ tabernacle in Shiloh (back when Samuel the prophet was in his 30s).

#2 David wanted to safeguard the ark by locating it farther away from Philistine territory.  Abinadab’s town of Kiriath-jearim or Baaláh (Jsh.15:9) was west of Jerusalem, on the border of Judah, near the tribal areas allotted to Benjamin & Dan.  Dr. Ralph Wilson David Brings the Ark to Jerusalem “Another reason may have been that since the Israelites had destroyed the Philistines’ idols [2Sm.5:21-22], David wanted to protect the ark, lodged only a few miles from their territory, from a reprisal.”

#3 Prior to Gibeon (but after Shiloh), Moses’ tabernacle had been at the priestly town of Nob…before David became king, when King Saul was chasing him.  David escaped to Nob (and ate of the priests’ showbread from the Holy Place), 1Sm.21–22.  Saul later had the residents of Nob killed!  1Sm.22:22 David felt responsible or guilty for their deaths, and avoided more association with Moses’ tabernacle.

#4 David wanted to increase knowledge of God in the Land among the people.  So he allowed for two sets of priests at two places of worship…at Moses’ tabernacle in Gibeon and at the tent/ark in Jerusalem.

#5 Again, the ark had recently been in a personal dwelling (for 70 years!), not in Moses’ tabernacle.  During the lifetime of David, the ark had never been with Moses’ tabernacle!  David wanted the blessing that had come to the household of Obed-edom to come to him and the people in Jerusalem!

#6 The Lord had had David build a sacrificial altar on Mt Moriáh at the threshing floor of Ornán (or Araunáh) the Jebusite (1Ch.21:18, 26-30; 2Ch.3:1).  Since God accepted David’s burnt offerings at that altar and ended the pestilence, David felt no need to go to the great altar at Gibeon to seek the Lord.

#7 God told David that his son Solomon would build a temple/house for God (1Ch.22:5-10).  David received the revelation of the pattern for Solomon’s temple (1Ch.28:11-21, 29:1-25), and began the preparations.  But the Lord didn’t permit David to construct the temple (1Ch.22:5-10).  Since Solomon would erect a stationary building for the ark (on nearby Mt Moriah, 2Ch.3:1), David saw no need to temporarily return the ark to Moses’ portable tabernacle at Gibeon.  (ref the internet article, “The Movement of the Ark and the Tent of God”.)

#8 After Saul’s demise, David as king saw it necessary to further unite the 12 tribes of Israel.  The ark of God was the most revered object from the days of Moses.  Bringing the ark to David’s palace on Mt Zion would make Jerusalem both the government capital and the religious center of the Holy Land.

{Sidelight: Some Bible readers speculate that David’s birth was illegitimate, that he wasn’t authorized to fully participate at Moses’ tabernacle.  So David didn’t want the ark in Gibeon.  Verses they use as backup: 1Sm.16:1-11 Jesse omitted his son David from Samuel’s important sacrifice; De.23:2-3 none illegitimate nor Ammonites could enter the assembly of the Lord; Jg.11:1-2 Jephtháh; 1Ch.2:13-17 & 2Sm.17:25 David’s two sisters had an Ammonite father, Nahásh (not Jesse); Ps.51:5 “In sin did my mother conceive me”; Ps.22:6-10, Ps.69:7-8, 19-20 his reproach was possibly due to his mother’s sin.

I won’t detail this line of thinking, but refer you to the following articles: What About David’s Mother; Ryan Johnson Overcoming An Illegitimate Identity; Professor Who Was King David An Illegitimate Son Of Jesse?; bjorkbloggen King David Said In Sin Did My Mother Conceive Me; Dean Smith King David’s Big Dark Secret and Why Did King David Set Up the Tabernacle of David?

However, David did enter Moses’ tabernacle at Nob!  And in hunger he and his men ate the priests’ showbread which had been in the Holy Place (1Sm.21:1-6).  So it seems David didn’t consider himself forbidden, at least not from the premises of Moses’ tabernacle.  Jesus said of David in Mt.12:3-4, “He entered the house [tabernacle] of God, and they ate the consecrated bread which wasn’t lawful for him to eat, nor for those with him”.  Interpret the questionable view of David’s illegitimate birth as you will.}

Above are 8 (or 9) possible reasons why David pitched a tent on Mt Zion for the ark of God.  Perhaps several are applicable.  It was in David’s heart to later build a permanent structure in Jerusalem for the ark (1Ch.17:1-ff).  However, the Lord said Solomon would build the temple (in Jerusalem, 2Ch.3:1).

But was it God’s will for David to first pitch a tent for the ark in Jerusalem?  David had consulted with all the leaders about bringing the ark from Kiriath-jearim.  1Ch.13:1-3 “David said to all the assembly of Israel. ‘If it seems good to you, and if it is from the Lord our God, let us bring back the ark of our God to us, for we didn’t seek it in the days of Saul.”  R. Wilson op. cit. “Bringing back the ark becomes a national event.”  But was the “tent of David” idea “from the Lord”?

Ps.78:68 “He [the Lord] chose the tribe of Judah, Mount Zion which He [the Lord] loved.”  This Psalm 78 was written by Asáph, who ministered before the ark at David’s tent on Mt Zion (1Ch.16:4-5, 37).  Mt Zion and the tent/tabernacle of David on it was God’s choice!  Pulpit Commentary Ps.78:68 “God, no doubt, inspired David with the thought of fixing his residence in ‘the stronghold of Zion’ (2Sam 5:9), and of bringing up the ark of the covenant into it (2Sam 6:12-17).”

The physical tent David pitched disappeared from history (after 991 BC).  David’s united kingdom of Israel was eventually divided, in the days of Solomon’s son Rehoboám.  The two nations of Israel and Judah would later both go into captivity, to Assyria and Babylon respectively.  But before captivity….

Approximately 240 years after Solomon moved the ark from David’s tent (and moved Moses’ tabernacle from Gibeon, 2Ch.5:5) into the finished temple of Solomon on Mt Moriah (c 991 BC)…the Lord gave Amos a remarkable prophecy to the house of Israel.

Am.9:11-12 Septuagint/LXX “In that day I [the Lord] will raise up the tent [skene g4633] of David that is fallen, and will rebuild it.”  (Here the Hebrew text term is sukkáh h5521, booth.  A booth was a temporary dwelling, not intended for reuse in other locations.)  The Lord said the day would come when He would again raise-up a “tent of David”, which David’s physical tent foreshadowed.

The tent David pitched for the ark…the Lord associated it with the future.  So David’s special tent, housing the ark with the mercy seat (2Sm.6:2) and the Decalogue, must have been according to God’s will!  The Lord approved.  (That is, as long as they transported the ark to the tent in God’s rightful manner.  Again, 2Sm.6:3-11 is the account of David’s initial failed attempt, transporting it incorrectly.)

Furthermore, not long after Amos, Isaiah also prophesied about the tent of David.  Is.16:5 LXX “A throne will be established in loving kindness. One will sit on it in truth, in the tent [skene g4633] of David, judging, seeking justice, and swift to do righteousness.”  (The Hebrew here for “tent” is ohel h168.)

This verse too applied to the future…to Christ and His church and His government!  Benson Commentary Is.16:5 “He [Isaiah] was carried forward to a contemplation of the kingdom of Christ.”  JFB Commentary “Language so divinely framed as to apply to ‘the latter days’ under King Messiah.”  Gill Exposition “This was typical of the church of God, where Christ sits and reigns as King, see Amos 9:11.”  Bob Sorge Why Sion Is So Important “Jesus is the rightful heir to the throne of Zion.”  The typological tent of David was pitched on Zion.

This topic is continued and concluded in “Tent/Tabernacle of David (2)”.  There we’ll look in the New Testament at the realization of the OT type.

Chronology: Samuel to Rehoboam

In this topic, Bible chronology is traced from the judgeship of Samuel to the kingship of Solomon’s son Rehoboam.  Previous chronology is addressed in “Chronology: the Exodus to Samuel”, “Chronology: Abraham to the Exodus”, “Chronology: Septuagint versus Masoretic Text”.  My basic position is the so-called maximalist view, that Bible history is correct unless archaeology clearly proves it wrong.

Exact dating cannot be done for the time of Samuel’s judgeship in ancient Israel.  And there’s no consensus among Bible historians as to the dates when Saul, David, Solomon, Rehoboám were kings.  Their years cannot be pinpointed by dates from ancient histories.  (There’s no ‘BC’ or ‘BCE’ dates written in scripture.)  The dates in this topic are approximate.

Following is the timing detail from the birth of the prophet-judge Samuel until King Rehoboam.  All scriptures referenced are from the book of 1Samuel, unless otherwise specified.

Elí the high priest preceded Samuel as judge in Israel.  Eli was born around (circa or c) 1200 BC, and he lived for 98 years (1Sm.4:15).  His judgeship began c 1142 BC.

1Sm.1:9-11, 17 Hannáh was childless, and prayed at the tabernacle in Shilóh for a son.  v.20 God heard her prayer, and she birthed Samuel c 1140 BC.  Samuel means ‘heard of God’.  v.21-28 when Samuel was weaned, she dedicated him to God as a Nazarite, and gave him to serve Eli c 1137 BC.  Samuel was fostered or adopted by Eli.  (2:20-21 later Hannah also gave birth to 2 sons and 3 daughters.)

2:22-26 Eli is too old for priestly service (Nu.8:25), near age 72 (cf. 2Sm.19:32), c 1128 BC.  1Sm.2:26 Samuel is near age 12.  Eli’s natural sons were promiscuous and disrespected the Lord’s offerings.

3:1-18 God calls the boy Samuel, age 12.  At 72, Eli’s eyes are starting to dim.  Josephus Antiquities of the Jews 5:10:4 “When Samuel was 12 years old he began to prophesy; and once when he was asleep God called to him by his name.”  v.19-21 Samuel grew, and the Lord confirmed him as a prophet.

4:1 Samuel is now around age 38, c 1102 BC.  v.10-14 Eli’s 2 sons, Hophní & Phineás, die during the battle at Ebenezer when the ark of God is taken by the Philistines.

4:15-18 Eli is blind.  Eli dies then too at age 98, having judged 40 years, c 1142 BC – c 1102 BC.  4:19-22 Phineas’ son Ichabód (Eli’s grandson) is born prematurely at the death of Phineas & Eli.

Samuel, near age 38, begins his judgeship c 1102 BC, after Eli died.  Adam Clarke Commentary 1Sm.7:15 “Samuel is supposed to have lived 100 years; he did not begin to judge Israel till he was about 40 years of age.”

5:1–6:21 the Philistines kept the ark of God for 7 months (6:1).  Then it was carted back to Israel.

1Sm.7:1 the ark was brought to Kiriáth-jearím (to Abinadáb’s house).  There it will remain for close to 70 years …from c 1102 BC – 1031 BC, when David is ruling in Jerusalem (ref 2Sm.6:2-ff, 1Ch.13:3-7).  Leslie McFall The Chronology of Saul and David “The actual time from the death of Eli to the deposition of the ark in Jerusalem by David was 68 years.”

1Sm.7:2 HCSB “Time went by until 20 years had passed since the ark had been taken to Kiriath-jearim. Then the whole house of Israel began to seek the LORD.”  JFB Commentary 1Sm.7:2 “20 years….that length of time had passed when the Israelites began to revive from their sad state of religious decline.”  Cambridge Bible “20 years was not…the whole duration of the Ark’s sojourn at Kirjath-jearim, but the time that elapsed before the reformation now to be recorded….they were vassals of the Philistines.”

After the 20 years…1Sm.7:3 “Then Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel, ‘If you will return to the Lord with all your heart…and serve Him alone, then He will deliver you from the Philistines.”  Samuel is now around age 58.  He’s been judge for all the elapsed time.  Barnes Notes 1Sm.7:3 “20 years of Samuel’s life had passed away since the last mention of him in 1Sm.4:1. Now he appears in the threefold character of prophet, Judge, and the acknowledged leader of the whole people.”

7:4-14 Israel repents.  The Lord helps them defeat the Philistines at Mizpáh, c 1083 or 1082 BC.  A tenuous peace ensues.

7:13-15 “Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life.”  Scripture doesn’t clearly say how many years Samuel judged…he later also advised/instructed King Saul for years.  Philip Mauro The Wonders of Bible Chronology, p.50 “20 years Samuel’s judgeship (1Sm.7:2).”  Ellicott Commentary 1Sm.7:15 “Probably for at least 20 years after the decisive battle of Ebenezer [1Sm.4:1].”  Martin Anstey The Romance of Bible Chronology, v.2, p.20 “Samuel judgeship 20 years.”  Benson Commentary 1Sm.7:15 “For though Saul was king in Samuel’s last days, yet Samuel did not cease to be a judge.”  Institute For Creation Research “Samuel must have judged Israel almost 60 years.”  Haydock’s Catholic Bible Commentary 1Sm.7:15 “As sole judge for 20 years, and conjointly with Saul till he died, almost 100 years old, a year or two before the unfortunate king. Saul put him on a level with himself (1Sm.11:7); and he continued to be regarded as the oracle of Israel ever since he was about 40 years old.”

1Sm.8:1-3 Samuel is getting old at age 58, and appointed his sons to assist him.  Pulpit Commentary 1Sm.8:1 “He was probably not more than 60.”  Samuel had judged solely for 20 years, c 1102 BC – c 1082 BC.  But his sons took bribes and perverted justice.  v.4-5 “The elders said to him, ‘Your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint a king for us to judge us like all the nations.”

Israel doesn’t want Samuel’s dishonest sons to judge…Israel wants a king.  1Sm.9:1-2 Saul appears on the scene.  Speaker’s Commentary 1Sm.9:1 “The sacred historian now tracks another stream of events which were to concur in working out God’s providential purpose of giving a king to Israel.”

10:1–12:1-2 Saul is around age 36 when Samuel anoints him as king, c 1082 BC.  Saul’s eldest son Jonathán is 18 or so.  Abinadab (Ishví?) and Malchishúa are 2 other sons (1Sm.31:2).  Saul’s 4^th son Ishbósheth/Eshbáal is born this year (cf. 2Sm.2:10).  Saul will rule 40 years, c 1082 BC – c 1042 BC.

Paul later wrote in Ac.13:2, “God gave them Saul…a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for 40 years”.  Gill Exposition 1Sm.13:1 “There were no less than 3 high priests in his [Saul’s] reign.” (Ahitúb, Ahijáh, Abiathár 1Sm.22:20.)

1Sm.13:1 translations of this verse differ.  The verse isn’t in the Septúagint/LXX.  Saul is around age 36 (some translations say age 30, NASB and ASV say age 40).  James B. Jordan The Problem of Saul’s Reign “Saul was anointed king by Samuel, led the people in a victory over the Ammonites, and was crowned king of Israel…his first year of reign….Saul was probably around 40, since he had a grown son.”  Pulpit Commentary 1Sm.13:1 “He [Saul] must have been at least 35, and perhaps even more.”  Samuel is around age 58.  Eli has been dead for 20 years (so Eli’s grandson Ichabod is age 20).

13:2-3 Saul has reigned 2 years when Jonathan attacks the Philistine garrison.  Saul is 38, Jonathan is 20 (Nu.1:3, 26:2 Israelites must be at least age 20 to go to war).  Saul’s son Ishbosheth is 2.  Samuel is 60.

1Sm.14:3 Ichabod’s nephew Ahijah is priest at this time.  Gill Exposition 1Sm.14:3 “He [Ichabod], it seems, had an elder brother called Ahitub, who died young, and Ahijah was the son of him.”  (Another son of Ahitub was Ahimélech the priest.  Later, Saul had Doég kill Ahimelech and the priests, 1Sm.22.)

David is born c 1072 BC.  Samuel was then 68, Saul was 46, Jonathan 28, Ishbosheth 10, Ichabod 30.

1Sm.14:46-52 many years pass during these verses.  v.49 Meráb is Saul’s older daughter, Michál his younger.  Saul was perhaps 47 at Merab’s birth, and 49 when Michal is born?  Again, Ishbosheth/Eshbaal is Saul’s youngest son, 1Ch.9:39.  (He will later become king of Israel, 2Sm.2:8-10.)

1Sm.15:1-35 after Saul ruled 28 years (he’s now 64) he fails in the Amalekites ordeal and is rejected by God, c 1054 BC.  Samuel will never see Saul again (v.35).  Samuel, age 86, will live 10 more years.

1Sm.16:11-13, 18 Samuel anoints David, “a mighty man of valor” (v.18), to be king, c 1052 BC.  David is around age 20.  Gill Exposition 1Sm.16:11 “He hardly exceeded more than 20.”  Samuel is 88, Saul is 66, Jonathan is 48, Ishbosheth is 30.  Eli has been dead for 50 years (Ichabod would be 50).

17:33-ff David, a youth of 20, kills Goliath.  John Wesley’s Notes 1Sm.17:33 “Not above 20 years old.”    Matthew Poole Commentary “[David] being now not much above 20 years old, as is supposed.”

18:5 “Saul set him [David] over the men of war.”  v.13-16 David at age 21 is a national hero.  v.17-30 he marries Saul’s younger daughter Michal, perhaps age 19.  But father-in-law Saul becomes his enemy.

19:18-ff David (age 22) flees to Samuel (age 90), c 1050 BC.  David will run from Saul for 7–8 years.

25:1 after 6 years, Samuel dies at age 96, c 1044 BC.  Tradition says Samuel died at a very advanced age.  bible.ca/archaeology/ “Samuel died at 90.”  Orthodox Church in America “The prophet Samuel died in extreme old age.” (as did Eli.)  Saul is now around age 74, Jonathan is 56, Ishbosheth is 38.  David, age 28, flees to the wilderness.

27:7-ff David went from the wilderness to the land of the Philistines for 2 years… until age 30.

28:1-25 Samuel has been dead around 2 years.  Saul visits the medium at Endór, wanting her to consult Samuel’s spirit.  Saul hears of his fate.  He and his sons will battle the Philistines…they die the next day.

31:1-2, 6 Saul is killed at age 76, after a 40-year reign (Ac.13:21)…c 1082 BC – c 1042 BC.  His sons Jonathan (age 58), Abinadab, Malchishua die with him at Mt. Gilboa.  J.B. Jordan op. cit. “Saul…died at about 80.”  Greg Hamm How Long Did Saul Reign? “That would make him 78 when he is killed.” bible.ca/archaeology/ “Saul died at 72, Jonathan dies at 57.”  Jonathan’s son Mephibósheth is age 5 (cf. 2Sm.4:4), born when Jonathan was about 53.  Ishbosheth is 40.  David is 30.

2Sm.2:1-7 Saul is dead.  David, age 30, is made king of Judah in Hebrón, c 1042 BC.  v.8-10 Saul’s son Isbosheth/Eshbaal (age 40?) is made king in Israel by Saul’s cousin, general Abnér (1Sm.14:50-51).  v.11 David will reign 7 ½ years at Hebron in Judah, c 1042 BC – c 1035 BC, from age 30 to 37-38.

2Sm.3:1 “Now there was long war between the house of Saul and the house of David.”  5 years.  JFB Commentary 2Sm.3:1 “For 5 years longer; it is probable Ishbosheth was made king upon Saul’s death.”

2Sm.3:26-ff Joáb murders Abner.  2Sm.4:1-12 also King Ishbosheth, Saul’s youngest son, is murdered.

2Sm.5:3-5 “They anointed David king over Israel. David was 30 years old when he became king and he reigned 40 years. At Hebron he reigned over Judah 7 ½ years and in Jerusalem he reigned 33 years over all Israel and Judah.”  David ruled 40 years total, from age 30 to 70, c 1042 BC – c 1002 BC.  He moved from Hebron to Jerusalem c 1035 BC, at age 37.  1Ki.2:10-11 David later dies at age 70.

1Ki.2:12 Solomon (age not specified in scripture) succeeds his father David as king.  1Ki.11:42-43 Solomon also reigned 40 years, c 1002 BC – c 962 BC.  1Ki.4:29-31 God gave Solomon great wisdom.

1Ki.6:1 “In the 480^th [LXX 440^th] year after the sons of Israel came out of the land of Egypt, in the 4^th year of Solomon’s reign over Israel…he began to build the house of the Lord.”  Solomon began to build the temple of God in his 4^th year as king, c 999 BC.

However, the Biblical timeline from the exodus to Solomon reflects more than 480 (LXX 440) elapsed years.  Barnes Notes 1Ki.6:1 “The interval between the exodus and Solomon, a period considerably exceeding 480 years.”  Some think that 1Ki.6:1 isn’t counting the approximately 111 years of oppressions during the period of the judges…480 + 111 = 591 years…is closer to the record in Joshua–Judges.  (ref “Chronology: the Exodus to Samuel”.)  And some commentaries view the 480 years (LXX 440) of 1Ki.6:1 as being at variance with Paul in Ac.13:18-20.  But the 480 years of 1Ki.6:1 may not be literal.

ESV Study Bible 1Ki.6:1 “In understanding the 480-year figure (e.g. supposing it to result from 12 generations, with a generation taken symbolically to be 40 years…).”  Wikipedia: Biblical Literalist Chronology “Many numbers in the Bible are figurative, especially ’40’ and its multiples – thus, 480 years before the 4th year of the reign of Solomon (12 × 40 years = 480 years) is not necessarily regarded by them as a literal number having historical value.”

Earlier periods and reigns from Israel’s history may be close approximations, not exact…such as: the wilderness 40 years, Joshua and the elders 40 years, Othniél 40, Ehúd 80, Barák/Deboráh 40, Gideon 40, Eli 40, Saul 40, David 40, then Solomon 40.  In scripture, the number ‘40’ occurs often or typically.  So the 480 (or 440 LXX) years may well be symbolic.

1Ki.11:43 after Solomon, his son Rehoboam reigned as king, but only in Judah.  Rehoboam, age 41, ruled for 17 years (1Ki.14:21) until age 58, c 962 BC – c 945 BC.  He burdened the people (1Ki.12:11).

1Ki.12:16-24 in the 1^st year of Rehoboam, God divided the united monarchy of Israel, c 962 BC.  Thereafter the northern kingdom (ruled by Jeroboám, v.20), consisting of 10 tribes, retained the name Israel.  The southern kingdom of Judah (ruled by Rehoboam), consisting of the other 2–3 tribes, became known as the Jews.  The tribal territory of Benjamin (and most of the Levites) was given to Judah.  Israel and the Jews/Judah became separate nations.  (see “Israelites Identification”.)

To conclude with a digression or overview which spans approximately 1,300 years of Bible history….

Josephus wrote in the latter 1^st century AD.  Antiquities of the Jews 8:3:1 “Solomon began to build the Temple in the 4^th year of his reign, 592 years after the exodus out of Egypt, but 1,020 years from Abraham’s coming out of Mesopotámia into Canáan.”  However, Josephus’ dating isn’t all correct.

In Antiquities chapter 20, Josephus revised/corrected his time period – op. cit. 20:10:1 “The number of years…from the days when our fathers departed out of Egypt… until the building of that temple which king Solomon erected at Jerusalem, was 612.”  The elapsed time was revised from 592 to 612 years.  Later, Josephus again has the revised years in Against Apion 2:2. “Solomon himself built that temple 612 years after the Jews came out of Egypt.”  Calculating from the scriptures, 612 years fits better.

Meyer’s NT Commentary Ac.13:20 “In Antt. xx. 10, c. Ap. ii. 2, he [Josephus] reckons 612 years for the same period, this 20 years more [than 592], which comes still nearer to the statement of time in our passage.”  This commentary indicates that Paul’s timeline (Ac.13:17-ff) may generally agree with Josephus’.

If Solomon began to build the temple c 999 BC, an exodus which occurred 612 years (592 + 20) earlier would have been c 1611 BC.  If we likewise add 20 years to Josephus’ 1,020 years of Antiq. 8:3:1 to arrive at the date Abraham came to Canaan at age 75…that’s 1,040 years prior to c 999 BC…c 2039 BC.

The topic “Chronology: Abraham to the Exodus” used Dr. Martin Anstey’s chart date of 1612 BC for the exodus and 2042 BC for Abraham’s move to Canaan (Anstey op. cit., p. 8).  Those dates match almost exactly Josephus’ (revised) time period of years!

The northern kingdom of Israel was eventually removed by Assyria.  (see “Israelite Deportations by Assyria”.)  2Ki.17:19-24 “Israel was carried away into exile from their own Land to Assyria until this day.”  v.6 “In the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of Assyria settled them in Haláh and Habór, on the river of Gozán, and in cities of the Medes.”  The date accepted by historians is 722-721 BC.

The destruction of Jerusalem by Babylon in 587-586 BC is a historically confirmed date.  So is the date when Ashurbánipal the Assyrian king sacked Thebes in Egypt, 664-663 BC.

V.C. Lewis The Mystery of Old Testament Chronology Revealed, p. ix (2005) “Nearly all scholars are in agreement today, we have three dates which can be considered accurate both scripturally and historically. These are the dates of 722-721 BC for the captivity of the northern kingdom of Israel, the date of 587 BC for the captivity of Judah, and the date of 606 BC for when Nebuchadnézzar began to reign in Babylon.”  So a date of 721 BC for the exile of Israel’s 10 tribes is also considered reliable.

Josephus Antiquities 9:14:1 “The 10 tribes of the Israelites were removed…800 years after Joshua had been their leader, and…240 years, 7 months, 7 days after they had revolted from Rehoboam.”  Josephus’ time period rounds to 241 years.

The 10 tribes of Israel under Jeroboam revolted from King Rehoboam (of Judah) c 962 BC.  According to Josephus, it was 241 years later when the northern Israel was removed into captivity.  That was…962 BC – 241 = 721 BC…the date confirmed by historians today!  (Also, Joshua and the elders had died by c 1547 BC – c 1532 BC.  That was approximately 800 years before Israel was removed to Assyria in 721 BC.)

The Bible record is the word of God!  Again, exact dates for Abraham and Israel’s most ancient history cannot be confirmed (prior to 721 BC).  The dates in this chronology are approximate, based upon the Old Testament timeline.

Chronology: the Exodus to Samuel

In this topic, Bible chronology is traced from the exodus out of Egypt until the judgeship of Samuel.  Earlier chronology is addressed in “Chronology: Abraham to the Exodus” and “Chronology: Septuagint versus Masoretic Text”.  My basic position is the so-called maximalist view, that Bible history is correct unless archaeology clearly proves it wrong.

However, exact dating cannot be done for Israel’s exodus, or for the years of the many judges which followed in the Land.  Also there’s no consensus among Bible historians regarding the dates when Saul, David, and Solomon were kings.  Their years cannot be pinpointed by dates from ancient histories.  (There’s no ‘BC’ or ‘BCE’ dates written in scripture.)  The dates in this topic are approximate.

A date of 1612 BC for the exodus of Israelites & the mixed multitude from Egypt was taken from Dr. Martin Anstey’s The Romance of Bible Chronology, v.2.  I use that date, 1612 BC.

Moses was born around (circa or c) 1692 BC.  Moses is the son of Amrám and the grandson of Koháth (who’d gone to Egypt with Jacob c 1827 BC, Ge.46:8, 11).  Moses’ father Amram was born in Egypt, while Joseph was still alive.  see “Levites and the Exodus Multitude (1)”.

Moses fled to Midian at age 40 (Ex.2:15, Ac.7:22-29), c 1652 BC.

Caleb was born in Egypt c 1651 BC.  (cf. Nu.13:25-30, the 2^nd year of the exodus…with Jsh.14:6-10.)

Moses is 80 when he returns to Egypt from Midian (Ac.7:30-34), c 1612 BC.  Ex.7:7 “Moses was 80 years old, and Aaron 83, at the time they spoke to Pharaoh.”  The exodus occurred then (Ex.12:39-41).

When they exited Egypt c 1612 BC, Joshua is a young man, compared to Moses (Ex.33:11, Nu.11:28).  Joshua is 44 or so.  Caleb is 39 (born c 1651 BC).

The Israelites left Egypt, and then had to spend 40 years in the wilderness (Nu.32:13), until c 1572 BC.

{Sidelight: Ge.41:51 Joseph fathered Manasséh.  Ge.50:23 Manasseh fathered Machír.  Machir’s son Gileád was the same generation as Moses/Aaron.  Joshua’s father Nun was the same generation as Gilead & Moses/Aaron.  Zelophehád, Hépher’s son, was Gilead’s grandson (1Ch.7:14-27, Nu.26:28-37, 27:1, Jsh.17:3).  Zelophehad’s daughters are seen in the 40^th year of the exodus (Nu.27:1-ff, 36:1-ff).}

Nu.21:23-26 & De.3:12 in the 40^th year Israel took Heshbón and Aroér, and began to dwell in that area east of the Jordan River.  (Nu.25:7 Phineás’ bold action occurred in the 40^th year in the wilderness.)

The Israelites entered the Promised Land c 1572 BC.  De.34:7-9 Moses died that year at age 120.

Jsh.11:15-19 Joshua then waged war with the kings in the Land for 5 years at least, and defeated them.

Jsh.13:1 Joshua is old, near 90.  Cambridge Bible Note Jsh.13:1 “The Hebrew leader was now about 90 years of age.”  Josephus Antiquities of the Jews 5:1:19 “The 5^th year was now past, and not one of the Canaanites remained.”  Josephus implied there were 5 years of conquest.  The supposed Book of Jasher 89:54, “For 5 years did Joshua carry on the war with these kings…the land became tranquil”.  The land of Canáan became relatively tranquil for a while.

Jsh.14:6-11 indicates there were 5 years of conquest.  Caleb says he’s 85.  45 years have passed since he was age 40 in the 2^nd year of the exodus (c 1611 BC), when he and Joshua spied out the Land.  Ellicott Commentary Jsh.14:7 “Caleb would be 40+38=78 years old when they crossed the Jordan. He was 85 when they began to divide the country.”  Joshua allotted the Land among the tribes of Israel c 1566 BC.

Jsh.23:1, 14 “a long time” (19-20 years) after the Land division, Joshua knows it’s his time to die.  Jsh.24:29 Joshua dies at age 110, c 1546 BC.  (Joseph previously also had died at age 110, Ge.50:26.)

Joshua was in the Land for around 25-28 years: 6-7 years of conquest/settlement, 19-20 years of ‘rule’.

Josephus op. cit. 5:1:29 “Joshua…became their commander after his [Moses’] death for 25 years.”  Jasher 90:32 indicates that Joshua died 28 years after crossing the Jordan, 68 years after leaving Egypt.  Eusebius Chronicles, p.111 “The Hebrews say that he [Joshua] was leader for 27 years, as so he was 43 years old when Moses went out of Egypt.”  Elihu Schatz “The traditional interpretation assumes that Joshua ruled for 28 years (Seder Olam Rabbah, ch. 12), which means that he was 83 when he began to rule, since he lived to be 110 years old (Jsh.24:29).”  Again, Joshua was 4 or 5 years older than Caleb.

Jsh.24:31 & Jg.2:7-10 the elders who outlived Joshua continued to serve the Lord…for several years.

Josephus op.cit. 6:5:4 “After the death of Joshua, for 18 years in all the multitude had no settled form of government, but were an anarchy; after which they then permitting themselves to be judged by…the best warrior…the Judges.”  The magistrate was usually a champion who delivered them from enemies.

bible.ca/archeology/chronology-of-judges “The 8 year oppression of Arám-naharáim (Jg.3:8) began…15 years after Joshua died.”  Jasher 91:12 “The elders judged Israel after the death of Joshua for 17 years.”

So Joshua and the elders who outlived him led the Israelites for 40 years or so in the Land, prior to the series of judges.  (6+19+15=40)  From c 1572 BC until c 1532 BC.

Jg.2:16 “Then the Lord raised up judges [shaphát Strongs h8199, Hebrew] who delivered them from those who plundered them.”  These judges were warriors, military leaders, or ad hoc rulers in the early loose confederation of Israel.  Succeeding Joshua, there are no ruling judges before this verse.  Barnes Notes Jg.2:16 “This is the first introduction of the term judge, which gives its name to the book.”

How long did the judges lead Israel (prior to the people asking Samuel for a king to rule them, 1Sm.8:4-5)?  Before we identify those judges, a pertinent passage was spoken by the apostle Paul in retrospect:

Ac.13:16-21 “The God of Israel chose our fathers…with a mighty arm He led them out from it [Egypt]; for 40 years He put up with them in the wilderness. When He had destroyed seven nations in the Land of Canaan, He divided by lot to them their Land, about 450 years. After this He gave them judges until Samuel the prophet. Then they asked for a king, and God gave them Saul…for 40 years.”  Our translations of the passage differ.  Barnes Notes “This is a most difficult passage, and has exercised all the ingenuity of chronologists.”  To what centuries was Paul referring?

Most commentaries interpret the 450-year period as…from when God chose the “fathers” until Joshua divided the Land.  The Land was divided in c 1566 BC.  Isaac the son of promise was born c 2017 BC.  That’s 451 years earlier.  Abram was called at age 75, c 2042 BC.  That’s 476 years earlier, perhaps still close enough to the “about 450 years” Paul indicated. (see “Chronology: Abraham to the Exodus”.)

Ellicott Commentary Ac.13:20 “The 450 years in this case referred to the interval between the choice of ‘our fathers’, which may be reckoned from the birth of Isaac.”  Benson Commentary Ac.13:19 “The apostle is not to be understood as signifying how long God gave them judges, but when he gave them….computed from the birth of Isaac….it will be 448 years.”

But some commentaries interpret the 450-year period as…from when the judges began until the days of Samuel.  Joshua and the elders had died by c 1532 BC.  Samuel was living 450 years later, c 1082 BC.

Meyer’s NT Commentary Ac.13:20 “Until the end of the series of judges.”  Eclectic Notes Ac.13:20 “Judges characterized the period of 450 years.”

I’ll leave it to the reader to decide which of the above two interpretations better fits the history.

Let’s now look at the period of the several judges/deliverers, until Samuel the prophet-judge.

After the deaths of Joshua and the elders who outlived him, c 1532 BC, the Israelites began to do evil.  Jg.2:10 “There arose another generation after them [Joshua and the elders] who did not know the Lord.”  Jg.3:7 they served heathen gods and angered the Lord.  So He allowed an oppressor to subjugate them.

Jg.3:8 the first oppressor was Cushán-rishatháim of Aram-naharaim for 8 years, until c 1524 BC.

Jg.3:9-11 the people cried out to the Lord.  He was merciful and raised up Othniél (Caleb’s nephew, the son of his younger brother Kenáz, Jsh.15:17) as warrior-judge.  Othniel prevailed, and the Land had rest 40 years, from c 1524 BC to c 1484 BC.

A pattern will repeat throughout the time of the judges:  Israel would disobey the Lord, come under foreign domination, the people will cry out to God, God mercifully raises up a judge to defeat the oppressor, the Land has peace.  Then the people disobey again, God allows them to be subjugated, they cry out to God, He sends a deliverer, the Land has rest again, etc.  The same cycle, over and over again.

Jg.3:12-14 Israel does evil.  So they must serve Eglón king of Moab for 18 years, c 1484 BC – c 1466 BC.  Jg.3:15-30 Ehúd of Benjamin subdues Moab, and the Land has rest 80 years, until c 1386 BC.

Jg.3:31 Shamgár saved Israel from Philistines.  Josephus op.cit. 5:4:3 said Shamgar died in his 1^st year.

Jg.4:1-3 Jabín of Canaan oppresses Israel for 20 years, c 1386 BC – c 1366 BC.  Barák, Deboráh and Jaél defeat Jabin and his general Siserá (Jg.4:4–5:31), and the Land has peace 40 years, until c 1326 BC.

Jg.6:1-ff Israel does evil again, so the Lord gives them over to the Midianites for 7 years, until c 1319 BC.  Gideon is called; he defeats Midian.  Jg.8:28 the Land has peace 40 years, until c 1279 BC.

Jg.9:1-22 Abimélech, Gideon’s son, rules over Israel 3 years, until c 1276 BC.  After Abimelech dies, Tolá of Issachár judges Israel 23 years (Jg.10:1-2), until c 1253 BC.  After Tola, Jaír the Gileadite judges Israel 22 years (Jg.10:3-5), until c 1231 BC.

Jg.10:6-8 Israel does evil, so God gave them over to the Philistines and Ammonites for 18 years, from c 1231 BC – c 1213 BC.  Jg.11:8-11 Jephtháh the Gileadite warrior became Israel’s deliverer.  Jg.11:12-28 the king of Ammón wanted back old Amorite land east of the Jordan River, which Israel had taken possession of over 300 years previously.  It seems that land had belonged to the Ammonites before it became the Amorites’.  The Israelites had taken possession of that land from Sihón king of the Amorites at the end of the 40 years in the wilderness (again Nu.21:23-26 & De.3:12, also Jsh.12:1-2), c 1572 BC.

Jephthah’s messengers said to the king of Ammon in Jg.11:26-27, “While Israel lived in Heshbon and in Aroer and in the towns that are on the banks of the Arnón [LXX Jordan], 300 years, why didn’t you recover them within that time? I therefore have not sinned against you, but you are doing me wrong by warring against me.”  However, 340 years had elapsed from c 1572 BC to the oppression of c 1231 BC.

Matthew Poole Commentary Jg.11:26 “300 years; not precisely, but about that time.”  ESV Study Bible “300 years’ may be a round number giving an approximate date.”

Also, some judgeships possibly had overlapped since Joshua divided the Promised Land of Canaan, or were concurrent in different tribal areas of the Land.

Jg.12:7 having ended the Ammonite war in c 1213 BC, Jephthah judged Israel 6 years, until c 1207 BC.

Jg.12:8-10 Ibzán of Bethlehem succeeds Jephthah as judge, for 7 years, until c 1200 BC.  After Ibzan, Elón the Zebulunite judges Israel 10 years (Jg.12:11-12), until c 1190 BC.  Then Abdón judges Israel 8 years (Jg.12:13-15), until c 1182 BC.

Jg.13:1 “Israel again did evil, so the Lord gave them into the hands of the Philistines 40 years.”  Actually, the Philistines warred against Israel on & off for hundreds of years (2Ki.18:1 even 8 years in King Hezekiah’s day).  This 40-year period of Philistine oppression was from c 1182 BC – c 1142 BC.

Jg.13–16 is the account of Samson fighting against the Philistines during this time.  Jg.16:30-31 Samson sacrifices his life, having judged Israel for 20 years.  This ended Philistine oppression temporarily.

Jg.15:20 “He [Samson] judged Israel 20 years in the days of the Philistines.”  It is thought by some that Samson’s heroic judgeship was during the latter 20 years, c 1162 BC – c 1142 BC, of that 40-year Philistine oppression.  Anstey op. cit., p.18 “The judgeship of Samson, 20 years, is included in the 40 years of the 6^th servitude under the Philistines.”

James Jordan Puzzling Out the Era of the Judges “The Philistine oppression lasted 40 years (Jg.13:1). Samson was born about this time. Samson judged for 20 years, and in his death killed all five Philistine kings as well as a large number of the Philistine nobility and priesthood (Jg.15:20; 16:27). It is unlikely, if not impossible, in the light of Nu.1:3, that Samson began judging before he was 20. Thus, his 40 years seem to be the same as those of the Philistine oppression.”  Samson died at age 40, c 1142 BC.

{{Sidelight: Jg.17–21 these ending chapters of Judges are a flashback to events which occurred earlier in the book, but weren’t inserted then (to not interrupt the timeline).  Henry Commentary Jg.17:1 “What is related in…the rest of the chapters to the end of this book, was done soon after the death of Joshua.”  Pulpit Commentary “Two detached histories [Jg.17–21], which fill up the rest of the book…are long prior to Samson.”  Josephus op. cit. 5:2-3 places them before Othniel’s early judgeship of Jg.3.}}

Again, it is possible that some judgeships were contemporaneous, or they began within the years listed as foreign servitude (such as Samson’s judgeship).

Generally the book of Judges was a period of less restraining authority.  The final verse in the book is Jg.21:25. “In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.”  The syndrome was ‘I did it my way’, not God’s way.  Israelites didn’t want to be governed by the Lord or His laws.  It was a time when self-will ruled, for the most part.  But Pr.28:26 says, “He who trusts in his own heart is a fool”.  Benson Commentary Jg.21:25 “There was no supreme governor, such as Moses and Joshua were…none that had power sufficient to punish public wrongs…and thereby check the progress of vice and profaneness, and keep the people in order. ”  Most didn’t have the Holy Spirit.  Wrong covetousness was the norm.  This is a lesson we can glean from the book of Judges.

1Sm.4:15-18 Eli judges Israel for 40 years til age 98, c 1142 BC – c 1102 BC.  Samuel is judge after Eli.

Recap: The exodus from Egypt was c 1612 BC.  After 40 years of wilderness wandering under Moses, the Israelites entered the Promised Land under Joshua c 1572 BC.  After Joshua’s wars of conquest, the Land was divided to the tribes of Israel by lot c 1566 BC.  That was approximately 450 years after the birth of Isaac in c 2017 BC, and 464 years before the time Samuel succeeds Eli as judge c 1102 BC.

My other topics in the timeline are “Chronology: Samuel to Rehoboam”, “Chronology: Abraham to the Exodus”, “Chronology: Septuagint versus Masoretic Text”.

 

Jesus’ Genealogy

Jesus’ divine genealogy was seen in “Godhead in Prehistory” and “Jesus’ Virgin Birth”.  Here we’ll look at Jesus’ human genealogy from the Davidic covenant, and study the so-called ‘curse of Jeconiáh’.

God freed ancient Israel from Egypt.  He was Israel’s invisible Ruler; later they would have a human king (De.17:14-15, Jg.8:23, 1Sm.8:5-7, 12:12).  Ending the period of the judges, the last judge Samuel anointed Saul as the first king of Israel (1Sm.9:15-17).  But Saul was disobedient, so the Lord rejected him from being king (1Sm.15:23-28).  God replaced Saul with David (1Sm.16:12-13).  2Sm.2:4 at first David was king over the tribe of Judah only (for 7 years).  But God had promised David he would be king over all Israel, not just Judah (2Sm.3:9-10).  2Sm.5:12 David became king of Israel (2Sm.12:7).  1Ki.2:11-12 after David died, his son Solomon sat on David’s throne as king over Israel (1Ki.4:1).

Saul, David, Solomon…these three were the only kings who ruled over the 12 tribes of Israel.

After God had rejected Saul, God promised David that his throne and kingdom would last forever.  We read of the Davidic covenant and the dynasty God promised him in the following passages: 2Sm.7:12-19 is the initial dynastic promise to David. “Your throne will be established forever.”  Matthew Poole Commentary 2Sm.7:13 “This is meant immediately of Solomon.”  Benson Commentary “Forever’ is not meant of Solomon, but of David’s posterity in general.”  1Ch.3:1-9 David had many sons besides Solomon, including Nathan.  Ps.132:11-12 “The Lord has sworn to David, ‘If your sons keep My covenant, their sons also shall sit upon your throne forever.”  If…it’s partly conditional!  1Ki.2:1-4 before he died, David also told Solomon it was conditional to David’s sons.  1Ki.8:22-26 in prayer, Solomon reiterates to God the conditional promise.  1Ki.9:1-7 God heard Solomon’s prayer, and told him the Davidic dynasty on the throne of Israel would continue through Solomon, if Solomon was obedient.  (2Ch.6:16 clarifies 1Ch.22:9-10 as to the conditional nature of the covenant through Solomon’s line.)

But Solomon didn’t remain obedient to the Lord, thus breaking the conditional part of the covenant.  1Ki.11:11 “The Lord said to Solomon, ‘Because you have not kept My covenant which I commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom from you, and will give it to your servant.”  (1Ki.11:26 Jeroboám was one of Solomon’s official servants.)  Ne.13:26 Solomon had been king over all Israel.

After Solomon, the monarchy was divided into…the kingdom of Israel in the north (1Ki.11:30-32 under Jeroboam, who wasn’t of the Davidic line)…the kingdom of Judah in the south (under Solomon’s son Rehoboám).  None of the kings of Israel in the north were from the house of David!  e.g. 2Ki.10:30 the Lord told Jehú his line (non-Davidic) would succeed him on the throne of Israel in the north for four generations.  2Ki.17:1, 6 Hoshéa was the last king of Israel.  The kingdom of Judah in the south had Davidic kings (e.g. Aház, Hezekiah, Josiah).  But the kings of Judah didn’t rule over Israel.  Judah’s last two kings were Jeconiah/Coniah and Zedekiáh.  (see “Israelite Deportations by Assyria”.)

Yet part of the Davidic covenant is unconditional.  Ps.89:34-37 “My covenant I will not break. I have sworn by My holiness; I will not lie to David. His seed shall endure forever, and his throne as the sun before Me.”  Also Je.33:19-26 “Thus says the Lord, ‘If My covenant for day and night stand not, then I would reject the seed of Jacob and David My servant, not taking from his seed rulers.”  Unconditional.

1Ch.17:11-15 “I will set up one of your seed after you, who shall be of your sons, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build for Me a house, and I will establish his throne forever. I will be his father, and he will be My Son. I will set him in My house and in My kingdom forever, and his throne shall be established forever.”  This passage begins with David’s son Solomon in mind.  But it ends with God’s eternal Son established on His throne in God’s kingdom forever.

The promise of David’s dynasty is forevermore.  It began with a promise that David’s son Solomon would build God’s temple and rule.  Yet it’s the Davidic covenant, not the Solomonic covenant.  The throne of Israel is referred to prophetically as the “throne of David”, not the “throne of Solomon”.  It’s not unconditionally through Solomon forever.  If David’s descendants sin, they’ll be punished or made captive; the dynastic rule suspended temporarily.  The monarchy could be broken, but not the line of descendants from David.  Within David’s descendants was the unconditional promise of a restored everlasting kingdom.  Another Son of David would rule forever as a lasting house over Israel.  Ho.3:5 “The children of Israel shall return and seek the Lord their God and David their king in the latter days.”

That refers to the Messiah, the Son of David.  Je.23:5-6 “Declares the Lord, ‘I will raise up for David a righteous Branch. He will reign as King. This is The Name by which He will be called, ‘YHVH our righteousness.”  Jeremiah prophesied that the Branch, King Messiah (ref Targum Jonathán), would be a descendant of David…and YHVH/God!  David’s line and the official genealogical record wouldn’t end before the Branch/Messiah appeared.  He came before the 70 AD destruction of Jerusalem and priesthood.

Is.9:6-7 the Child, the Wonderful, the Mighty God, would sit on the throne of David forever.

Lk.1:30-33 the angel Gabriel told Mary that Jesus, the Son of the Most High, would be given David’s throne.  “He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end.”  (Ge.32:28 God had changed Jacob’s name to Israel.)  Jesus was born in Bethlehem, the city of David (Lk.2:3-7, 1Sa.20:6).  Joseph & Mary must travel to Joseph’s ancestral city to register for the census, because, “he was from the house of David”.  Jesus is called the son of David (Lk.18:38, Mt.21:9).  Nathanaél said to Jesus in Jn.1:49, “You are the Son of God, the King of Israel”.  As the Lord said in Je.23:5-6, King Messiah would be God and a son of David.  Jesus is called the King of Israel (Jn.12:12-13, Mk.15:32).

The kings of Israel & Judah had secretaries, recorders, historiographers, who maintained public records and genealogies (e.g. 1Ki.4:3).  1Ch.9:1 “All Israel was reckoned by genealogies; they’re written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah, with the names of those who were carried away to Babylon.”  Individuals were registered according to their family and tribe.  Ezr.8:1 “These are the heads of their fathers’ households and the genealogical records of those who went up with me from Babylon in the reign of King Artaxérxes.”  They’re returning exiles, companions of Ezra.  Nehemiah later wrote in the 400s BC in Ne.7:5-7, “God put it into my heart to enroll the people by genealogies. Then I found the book of the genealogy of those who were first to return….who came with Zerubabbél.”  Those had returned in an earlier wave (Ezr.2:1-2-ff), prior to Ezra’s group.  (see “Temple of Zerubbabel”.)

Genealogical records were necessary!  Smith’s Bible Dictionary: “When Zerubbabel brought back the captivity from Babylon, one of his first cares seems to have been to take a census of those that returned, and to settle them according to their genealogies. Passing on to the time of the birth of Christ, we have a striking incidental proof of the continuance of the Jewish genealogical economy, that when Augustus ordered the census of the empire to be taken, the Jews immediately went each one to his own city. The Jewish genealogical records continued to be kept till near the destruction of Jerusalem.”

Now we’ll look at Jesus’ human lineage, through Joseph and Mary.  Mt.1:1-18 is Joseph’s lineage; Lk.3:22-38 is considered Mary’s lineage.  Possible levirate marriages within their lines, and (Jewish) ancestors who may have been known by two names, won’t be guessed at here.

Lk.3:23 “Jesus being supposedly the son of Joseph, the son of Elí [Helí].”  Joseph was Jesus’ legal father (but not His biological father).  Jn.1:45 “Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”  Genealogists indicate Mary was Eli/Heli’s daughter.  geni.com Heli ben Matat “Father of Maria.”  Mary’s husband Joseph was Eli’s son-in-law.  (There was no Greek word for ‘son-in-law’.)  Some disbelieving Jews hated the memory of Mary.  Did Talmudists think Mary was Heli’s daughter?  John Lightfoot (1602-1675) From the Talmud and Hebraica, Luke 3:23 “He saw Mary the daughter of Heli amongst the shades, hanging by the fibers of her breasts; the great bar of hell’s gate hung at her ear.”  Lightfoot’s footnoted source was Hieros. Chagigah 77.4.  (since expunged, veiled in Sanhedrin 6.6 “Onion-leaf”?)

Many rabbis spoke of two Messiahs.  Messiah ben David is the ‘Conquering King’, whereas Messiah ben Joseph is the ‘Suffering Servant’.  Interestingly, Jesus is the son (“ben” in Hebrew) of both…He’s the son of David via Mary’s ancestry (Lk.1:30-32), and legally the son of Joseph her husband!

David is in the lines of both Joseph (Mt.1:6), and Mary/Miriám (Lk.3:31).  But after David, we see that Joseph descended from David’s son Solomon, whereas Mary descended from David’s son Nathan.  Both Solomon and Nathan were sons of Bathsheba (1Ch.3:5), David’s best-known wife.  Solomon is in Joseph’s line of Jesus’ legal descent, but Solomon isn’t in Mary’s line of Jesus’ physical descent.

Nathan is in Mary’s line.  Her line reflects the “seed of the woman”, Ge.3:15.  The prophetic passage of Zec.12:10-12 has genealogical significance. “I will pour out on the house of David the Spirit of grace. They will look upon Me whom they have pierced, and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only Son. The family of the house of David and their wives; the family of the house of Nathan and their wives.”  The wives of the branch of Nathan will mourn.  At Jesus’ crucifixion, Mary looked upon Jesus (Jn.19:26), who was pierced with a spear (Jn.19:34).  Mary, one of the wives from the house of Nathan.

After David, the lines of Joseph and Mary became separate via Solomon and Nathan.  Between David and Jesus, the only names common to the genealogies of both Joseph and Mary are Shealtiel (Salathiel in Greek) and his son Zerubabbel: Mt.1:12, Lk.3:27, Ezr.3:2, 3:8, 5:2, Hag.1:1, 12, 14, 2:2, 23.  Ne.12:1 “Zerubabbel the son of Shealtiel.”  Seemingly at odds with those 11 verses is 1Ch.3:16-19, which says Zerubabbel was the son of Pedaiáh.  However, LXX Nets 1Ch.3:19 Zerubabbel was the son of Salathiel.  Perhaps Pedaiah died childless and his brother Shealtiel married Pedaiah’s widow as levirate and had Zerubabbel.  Less likely, the Zerubabbel & Shealtiel in Lk.3:27 differ from the pair in Mt.1:12.

Now let’s examine the ‘curse of Jeconiah’, so-called.  Preceding the Babylonian captivity, the son of King Josiah of Judah was Jehoaház/Shallúm; he ruled for 3 months.  Then Jehoiákim/Eliakím, brother of Jehoahaz, ruled for 11 years (608-597 BC).  The son of Jehoiakim was Jehoiachín/Jeconiah/Coniah; he ruled for 100 days.  ref 2Ch.36:1-11, 1Ch.3:15-18, 2Ki.24:5-12, Est.2:6.  These were all kings of Judah, not Israel.  Nebuchadnézzar deported Coniah to Babylon, where he died 37 years later (560 BC), after being given favor & honor, Je.52:30-34!  Jeconiah’s uncle Zedekiah/Mattaniah (brother to Jehoahaz and Jehoiakim) became the final king of Judah, ruling 11 years (597-586 BC).  Je.52:1-2, 10-11 all Zedekiah’s sons were killed.  He died childless in Babylon.  Zedekiah’s line was terminated.

Je.21:1-14 Jeremiah told Zedekiah that the Lord would destroy Jerusalem.  In Je.22:1-10, Zedekiah is warned to change his ways.  v.11-28 Zedekiah is reminded of the fate of his three predecessors, Shallum/Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim, and Jeconiah/Coniah.  (Jehoiakim was the worst of Zedekiah’s three predecessors.  He burned Jeremiah’s scroll, and his dead body later rotted under the sun without burial, Je.36:22-32.)

Je.22.29-30 has been called the ‘curse of Jeconiah’.  But was Jeremiah here still referring to Coniah the preceding king, or now to Zedekiah the current king?  KJV Je.22:29-30 “O earth, earth, earth, Hear the word of the Lord! ‘Write you this man childless, a man who shall not prosper in his days; for no man of his seed shall prosper sitting upon the throne of David or ruling any more in Judah.”

LXX Je.22:30 “Write you this man an outcast; for there shall none of his seed at all grow up to sit on the throne of David a prince (Strongs g758, Greek) in Judah.”  LXX Nets Je.22:30 “Record this man as a banished person, because none of his offspring shall grow up to sit on the throne of David as ruler again in Judah.”  Was Jeconiah/Coniah/Jehoiachin meant…or was Zedekiah?

Coniah wasn’t literally “childless”.  He had at least six sons (1Ch.3:17-18).  Whereas Zedekiah died childless.  His sons were slaughtered (Je.52:10-11).  TSK Je.22:30 “Zedekiah was taken prisoner, his sons slain before his eyes; and his eyes being put out, he was carried to Babylon.”  Therefore King Zedekiah doesn’t appear in the genealogy of either Joseph or Mary.  Jesus isn’t of Zedekiah’s descent.

The Lord declared that no seed of Zedekiah (or Coniah?) would sit on David’s throne or rule Judah.  Jeconiah and his children were taken to Babylon and died in captivity.  But his grandson Zerubabbel returned in the 530s BC…as governor in Judea, Hag.1:1!  In Je.22:24, Jeremiah had said to Zedekiah, “Declares the Lord, ‘Even though Coniah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah were a signet ring (h2368, Hebrew) on My right hand, yet I would pull it off.”  A signet ring or seal was held by the sovereign or legal authority.  Hag.2:23 “Declares the Lord, ‘I will take you Zerubabbel, son of Shealtiel, and make you like a signet ring (h2368), for I have chosen you.”  Barnes Notes Hag.2:23 “Cyrus entrusted him with the return of his people, and made him (who would have been the successor to the throne of Judah, had the throne been re-established) his governor over the people.”  Pulpit Commentary “Zerubbabel is set at the head of the nation in the place of his grandfather Jeconiah.”  Although Zerubabbel wasn’t made king, he was as a signet ring, as was Coniah.  Zerubabbel or Sheshbazzár, as it is thought he was also known, was the ruling “prince of Judah” cf. Ezr.1:8-11 (LXX g758), 2:1-2, 3:8, 5:14-16.  It doesn’t seem that Coniah’s grandson Zerubabbel was indicative of, or the recipient of, a curse.

Je.24:1-2, 5 Jeconiah and the other captives in Babylon were portrayed by the good figs.  (2Ch.36:9 although he too did evil during his short 100-day reign, he lived for 37 years afterwards.)  v.8-10 but Zedekiah was a curse, portrayed by the bad/evil figs.  Also Zedekiah and the remaining dwellers in Jerusalem would be a curse in Je.29:1-2, 16-19. “Thus says the Lord to the king who sits on the throne of David and concerning all the people who dwell in this city. I will make them a curse and reproach.”  Cambridge Bible Je.29:16 “The king, Zedekiah.”  Gill Exposition “That is, King Zedekiah.”  So a case can be made that the Je.22:29-30 ‘curse of Jeconiah’ was more aptly the ‘curse of Zedekiah’.

Mt.1:1-18 omits some generations of Joseph’s line, ending with Jesus.  But Jeconiah and Zerubabbel are included (v.12).  It seems Matthew wasn’t concerned with any ongoing ‘curse of Jeconiah’.  Rabbi A. J. Rosenberg on Je.22:24 “In the prophecy Hag.2:23, God says, ‘On that day I will take you, Zerubbabel, and I will make you like a signet,’ for the King Messiah will be like a signet ring on God’s right hand. Coniah will be the signet on My right hand, for the Messiah will spring from his seed.”  That rabbi didn’t think a ‘curse of Jeconiah’ would prevent Messiah from inheriting David’s throne!

Some think Jeconiah was cursed by God, but repented in captivity.  So God removed the curse.  Jewish Encyclopedia “Jehoiachin’s sad experiences changed his nature entirely, and as he repented of the sins he committed as king, he was pardoned by God, who revoked the decree to the effect that none of his descendants should ever become king: he even became the ancestor of the Messiah.” (Tan., Toledot, 20).

Joseph wasn’t Jesus’ biological father.  In a sense, Joseph adopted Jesus as the firstborn son of Mary and himself.  Thus Jesus became a legal heir of the line that went through David, Solomon, Zerubabbel, Jacob, Joseph.  And Jesus was seed heir of the line that went through David, Nathan, Zerubabbel, Eli, Mary.  Even if it was Jeconiah who God cursed (Je.22:29-30)…Jesus isn’t in the seed line of Jeconiah!  Any curse on Jeconiah’s seed wouldn’t apply to Jesus!

Mary had a sister named Salóme.  cf. Mk.15:40, Mt.27:56, Jn.19:25.  (Biological sisters wouldn’t both be named Mary.)  But no brothers.  Joseph was probably deceased.  Jn.19:25-27 Jesus gave His cousin John the responsibility of caring for Mary (she’d first be the responsibility of her: husband, son, brother).  Jn.19:25 Bengel’s Gnomen “No brother of Mary is mentioned. She herself was heir of her father, and was therefore transmitting to Jesus the right to the kingdom of David.”  All inheritances went through the males.  But a daughter with no brothers could inherit her father’s possessions/rights, if she married within her father’s tribe, Nu.27:8 & 36:7-10.  Except Levite women could freely intermarry, because Levites had no land inheritance to preserve, De.18:1-2.  Eli (Mary’s father) and Joseph (Mary’s husband) were both from the tribe of Judah.  In that sense, Joseph became Eli’s heir through marriage.

{Sidelight: Lk.1:5-7 Zacharías and Elizabeth were Levites descended from Aaron (their fathers were priests).  They were elderly when she became pregnant with John the Baptizer (v.24).  Elizabeth was probably young Mary’s aunt (v.36).  Perhaps Mary’s father Eli of the tribe of Judah (Lk.3:23) had wed Elizabeth’s Aaronide sister.  Though Eli’s daughters Mary & Salome were of Judah, their mother was a “daughter of Aaron” (priestly lineage).  Mary wed Jacob’s son Joseph of Judah (Mt.1:16).  Salome married Zebedee (cf. Mk.15:40, Mt.27:56, Jn.19:25), a well-to-do Galilean fisherman (Mk.1:19-20), who was of Aaron or Judah.  Salome was Jesus’ aunt.  Zebedee’s sons, James & John, were Jesus’ first cousins.  Jesus was closest to James & John, and Peter (e.g. Mt.17:1-9 Transfiguration, Mt.26:37).}

Jesus, the “Branch” of David, was completely obedient.  (see “Jesus Obeyed God’s Written Laws”.)  Jesus didn’t break covenant, unlike the last four kings of Judah prior to the captivity, to which Jeremiah referred in Je.22.  They were kings of Judah only.  Jesus, Messiah ben David, inherits the throne of David as King of Israel (Jn.1:41, 49).

At creation in Ge.1:26-28, God gave dominion on earth to mankind.  Jesus came in the flesh as a man, the “seed of the woman”.  He never sinned (He.4:15, 1Pe.2:21-22).  Jesus is fully qualified to rule over the earth, including all Israel.  Ps.47:6-8 “Sing praises to our King. For God is the King of all the earth. God reigns over the nations.”  Re.19:16 “He has a name written, ‘KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.”  Jesus/Yeshúa is the Emperor in the Kingdom of God.  Praise the Lord!