This page gives a rough idea of the time of the various events in the Old testament. Dates before the time of David are really sketchy and even after David sources vary by 100 years sometimes. The Books column point to where the story is in the Bible. You will note that it also places the writing prophets in a period where they ministered.
| PERIOD/ TIME |
MAJOR EVENTS / CHARACTERS | BOOKS |
| I. ANTE DELUVIAN 5000+ B.C. | ||
| Creation, Fall, Promise of Redemption | Genesis 1-8 | |
| Increasing Sin, | Genesis 4.1-26 | |
| Noah, Flood | Genesis 6.1-9.29 | |
| II. POST DELUVIAN 3000 B.C. | ||
| The table of nations | Genesis 10 | |
| Idolatry and rebellion begin at the tower of Babel. | Genesis 11.1-9 | |
| III. THE PATRIARCHS 2000 B.C. | ||
| The book of Job is likely the oldest book in the Bible and it is thought by many to have taken place before or during the time of the Patriarchs | Job | |
| Abraham | Genesis 11.10-25.18 | |
| Isaac | Genesis 25.19-26.35 | |
| Jacob | Genesis 27.1-36.43 | |
| Joseph | Genesis 37.1-50.26 | |
| The origin of the 12 Tribes. | Genesis 47.27-50.26 | |
| VI. BONDAGE 1600 B.C. | ||
| 400 years in Egypt, Moses The Passover, Exodus | Exodus 1-12 | |
| 400 is the conventional numbers of years in Egypt yet 460 Years in is stated in Exodus 12.40 | Exodus 12.40 | |
| V. CONQUEST 1400 B.C. | ||
| Beginning of the journey with the Red Sea crossing and climaxing with the Building and erecting the tabernacle, | Exodus 13-40, | |
| Primarily the ceremonial law | Leviticus | |
| The Hebrew name for Numbers is "In the Wilderness." This is where most of the stories of the 40 years of wandering are. | Numbers | |
| Israel refuses to enter because of unbelief | Numbers 14 | |
| The law repeated, Many think of Deuteronomy as a collection of Moses' farewell addresses. | Deuteronomy | |
| Beginning of the conquest and the division of the land, conquest not complete. | Joshua | |
| Judges govern the 12 tribes, More attempts to posses parts of the promised land. | Judges | |
| The story of Ruth is thought to have taken place during the time of the Judges. | Ruth | |
| Samuel was either the last judge or maybe the first prophet. | I Samuel 1-10 | |
| VI. UNITED KINGDOM 1000 B.C. | ||
| 12 Tribes Ruled by One King, | I Samuel 11-31, II Samuel, I Kings 1-11, I Chronicles, II Chronicles 1-9, | |
| Saul | I Samuel 9-31. | |
| David | I Samuel 16.1-13; David anointed by Samuel but he does not become king of Judah until II Samuel 2.4; and King of Israel in II Samuel 5.1-5; I Chronicles 11.1-3 | |
| Solomon | David's son and appointed heir. Did not become king without controversy. I Kings 1-11 | |
| Literature of the Kingdom | Psalms, Proverbs, Song of Solomon, Ecclesiastes | |
| VII. DIVIDED KINGDOM 800 B.C. | ||
| Establishment of the Northern and Southern Kingdoms, Apostasy, Destruction of the Northern Kingdom, Emergence of the Prophets | I Kings 12-22, II Kings, II Chronicles 10-36 | |
| Prophets of the divided kingdom. | Isaiah, Hosea, Micah, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Jeremiah, Zephaniah | |
| VII. EXILE 600 B.C. - seventy years in Babylon | ||
| Destruction of Jerusalem, 70 years in Babylon | Jeremiah | |
| Life in Babylonian captivity | Daniel | |
| Ezekiel | ||
| Jeremiah's lamentations over Jerusalem | Lamentations | |
| IX. RESTORATION 500 B.C. | ||
| Return of Remnant from Babylon, The End of Idolatry as a major Biblical theme. | Ezra, Nehemiah | |
| Life in captivity. A Jewish girl saves the nation. | Esther | |
| Encourage the Jews to complete the temple. | Haggai | |
| A younger contemporary of Haggai with a similar message | Zechariah | |
| A message during a time of spiritual decline. | Malachi | |
| X. SILENCE 400 B.C. to Jesus | ||
| Intertestamentary Period, Production of Apocryphal Writings. | ||
| There are several Latin and Greek works that are sometimes named Esdras. Esdras is a form of the name Ezra and these are attributed to him. They are generally apocalyptic books and from the 9th century or so. The various Latin versions were popular in the Christian West. The prophecies point to Jesus which is one reason for their popularity. | Esdras | |
| Judith is the story of a Jewish widow, Judith, who uses her beauty and charm to trick and kill an Assyrian general who has besieged her city, Bethulia. With this act, she saves nearby Jerusalem from total destruction. The book of Judith is part of the Roman Catholic deuterocanon. | Judith | |
| There are up to 4 books of Maccabees depending on tradition. They generally tell stories around the time of the Hasmonean revolt. I and II Maccabees are part of what the Roman Church call the Deuterocanonicals. | Maccabees | |
Based on https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwhEuIkkZh4 7/2/23
- Details
- Last Updated: 04 September 2023