There exists an attack on the internet against the WatchTower concerning the dates of Artaxerxes specifically funneling their abuse to the WatchTower instead of at the sources of James Ussher, or Diodorus, and others who date Artaxerxes as 474 BC not 465 BC. In further research of lunar dates for pre-Xerxes Ahasuerus and post-Artaxerxes I it seems Egyptian dates were used for that lunar data of Darius I to 486 BC and Darius II after 423 BC. So of course I wonder why the Persian dates for the two kings Xerxes and Artaxerxes. I also noted that 1st month Nisan or 7th month Tishri 474 BC is the 1st of the Jewish 19-year calendar while Nisan 473 BC is the 1st of Babylon's 19-year calendar (since 1594 BC and 625 BC). Thus the lunar years match Artaxerxes years as king. Should be noted that in 455 BC as the 20th year of Artaxerxes, the text of a lunar date in Kislev says 19th year, yet Thoth 1 is Kislev 20 on Dec 15, and Deh 1 is Kislev 25 on Dec 20 starting his 20th civil calendar year, even though the 19th lunar year continues until Nisan. It verifies that Nehemiah is using the civil calendar by saying Kislev in 20th year because only a civil calendar would change from 19th year on KIslev 24 to be a 20th year on Kislev 25 on new year Deh 1. (Same true if you used Thoth 1, the year is changing to year 20 on the civil new year not on Nisan because lunar year 20 would not arrive until NIsan 454 BC.
In a search on the internet, i found this post about a book supporting 475 BC on HISTORY.COM and I think for a change my reply was brief and to the point so i would like to share my reply here.
History Channel: new book to challenge traditionally ...If you wish to see the calendar.
It is in the Book Of Calendars page 96.
Google starts at page 101 but if you look at the year 892 AD
on page 102
you will see it says Furvurdeen 1 is Apr 17. Where as the Egyptian
date Koyak 1 spans twice 1460 years from 2029 BC Apr 12 to
892 AD April 12 showing the 5 day variance.
Google Book SearchThese are the lunar dates that get moved 3280 days earlier:
Scientific dating Elephantine Papyri, solar eclipse, biblical eventsCONFIRMED LUNAR DATES OF ARTAXERXES
Year
Xerxes year 21 Lunar Persian Miscalculated Egyptian
and Date Date Event Event Date
Artaxerxes year 1 Kislev 18 Deh 17 473 BC Jan 10 464 BC Jan 5 Thoth 17
year 6 Kislev 21 Adur 1 469 BC Nov 19 460 BC Nov 11 Mesore 1
year 7 Sivan 1 Khordad 1 468 BC May 25 459 BC May 15 Mecheir 1
year 14 Sivan 20 Tir 25 460 BC July 13 451 BC July 6 Phamenoth 25
year 16 Tammuz 18 Amerdad 3 458 BC July 21 449 BC July 11 Pharmuthi (3)
year 19 Kislev 2 Adur 11 455 BC Nov 26 446 BC Nov 18 Mesore 11
25 days 25 days
year 20 New Year Deh 1 455 BC Dec 21 446 BC Dec 13 Thoth 1
year 25 Ab 14 Sherever 19 459 BC Sep 3 440 BC Aug 26 Pakon 19
year 28 Elul 7 Moher 9 446 BC Sep 23 437 BC Sep 14 Payni 9
year 29 Kislev 7 Deh 4 446 BC Dec 22 437 BC Dec 13 Thoth 4
year 31 Tishri 25 Aban 25 443 BC Nov 6 434 BC Oct 30 Epiphi 25
year 38 Sivan 20 Tir 7 436 BC Jun 19 427 BC Jun 12 Phamenoth 7
year 41 accession of Darius (coregent) 434 BC 423 BC
year 51 accession of Darius 424 BC 423 BC
The whole Bible, total, complete, awaiting the Christ
(both his first presence and second presence)
That whole Bible was complete in the 32nd year of Artaxerxes.
From 537- 443 BC
The next issue is Darius having accession year in year 41. Why would this be 11 years before his rule. The answer is because Chaldean kingship of Babylon 1894 BC is Sothic 1460 years in that 365-day calendar in the year 434 BC, year 41 which is 11 years before 423 BC when Artaxerxes dies. This also means that two texts could be written 10 years apart as year 41 accession year in 434 BC and year 51 accession year in 424 BC and both be true, no scribal errors.
If you wish to contact me:
rschiller@wi.rr.com
Author
