Download Chronology for Ancient Hebrews/Judaism

Chronology for Ancient Hebrews/Judaism
2000 to 1250 B.C.E.
Ancestors of the Jews migrate from Mesopotamia to the area called Canaan (includes
modern Israel, Lebanon, western part of Jordan)
Formation of nomadic and early settlement traditions of the patriarchs, development of tribal
lineages
1250 to 1050 B.C.E.
Torah testifies to the Exodus from Egyptian bondage, formation of covenantal community,
conquest and initial settlement of Canaan
1207 B.C.E. Inscription on Egyptian stele is the earliest evidence outside of Hebrew texts for
existence of the Hebrew people. Pharaoh Merneptah’s royal inscription states that he had
conquered Israel and other peoples in a military campaign through Canaan: “Israel is laid
waste; his seed is no more”
Late 13th century archeological evidence attests to a “population explosion” in the central
highlands of the Canaanite lands, as well as development of tribal structures and forms of
“national” leadership.
1050 to 587/6 B.C.E.
Rise and establishment of monarchy under David (ca. 1013-973); First Temple built by
Solomon, son of David
Time of David and Solomon: earliest written form of the story of the saving acts of God from
creation to the conquest of the Promised Land (Introduction to the Old Testament)
950 B.C.E. Traditionist/redactors from Judah first organized the traditions into a written epic
that would become the Torah
All Israelites united militarily under King Saul, but divided in 930 into the Southern Kingdom of
Judah and the Northern Kingdom of Israel
Between 900-750 B.C.E. A traditionist/redactor from North Israel or Ephraim presented
another version of the story
Development of ancient Israelite institutions and literature; religious creativity; emergence of
classical prophecy with Amos (mid-eighth century)
Assyrians conquer Samaria; exile of ten northern tribes (722/1 B.C.E.)
Term 'Jew' first used in 1 & 2 Kings, probably Jeremiah around 647 B.C.E. uses term to refer
to Hebrew-speaking group of Semitic people
Earliest Scripture: 621 B.C.E. 'the book of the law” found in the Jerusalem temple
Most scholars date the final compilation of the Torah to the time of the Exile in the 6th century
Compiling and editing the Latter Prophets during the Exile and post-exilic period
Jerusalem temple and Judea destroyed by Babylonians; exile of Judeans to Babylon (587/6)
597-586 B.C.E. Nebuchadnezzar sacks Jerusalem, destroys temple in Southern Kingdom
and takes Jews into captivity in Babylon
583 B.C.E. Exiled Israelites allowed to go home when Persians destroy Babylonian kingdom
539 B.C.E. To 70 C.E.
Beginning of return to Zion; restoration of ancient institutions and leadership; Temple rebuilt
(515) and prophecy revived
“Book of law of Moses” brought by Ezra from Babylonia in 458 B.C.E.- identified by scholars
as the prototype or earlier form of that legislation which became the P Code in the Pentateuch
3rd century B.C.E. Pentateuch translated into Greek – had achieved primary status as the
Scripture of the Jews by this time
Emergence of classical Judaism, centered around the law (revelation) and its interpretation
(traditions)
Rise of Greek power and hegemony in Palestine (331); Judaism prohibited by Antiochus IV,
Maccabees revolt (168), and Temple restored and purified (165)
Development of different religious groups in Palestine, including the community around the
Dead Sea; and the development of Jewish life in Alexandria; Philo combines Jewish culture
with Hellenistic thought
Emergence of Pharisees as dominant religious movement, and its consolidation of the ideals
of scholarship and piety
Rise of Roman rule; conquest of Palestine in 63 B.C.E.
70 to 700 C.E.
Rabbinic Judaism in formation; development of class of sages and rabbinical schools of study
and interpretation
(fyi) Before the council of Jamnia (90-100 C.E.), there did not exist in the Christian community
a single standard text of the various books of Scripture regarded as possessing sole authority
Fall of Second Temple to Romans (70); Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai founds center for legal
study and administrative rule in Yavneh (Jamnia); conference on canonization of biblical
literature at Yavneh (90)
2nd or 3rd century C.E.- oldest rabbinic Midrashim Mekhilta dated to this period
Rabbi Judah the Prince compiles the Mishnah, the written digest of the oral traditions and
rules of the Tannaim
Establishment of Babylonian rabbinical academies and the development of vast
commentaries on the Mishnah, called Talmud, by Amoraim; consolidations of these comments
and other traditions produce Palestinian and Babylonian Talmuds (mid-fifth-sixth centuries)
Midrashic (nonlegal) creativity in Palestine and Babylonian