Mysterious Numbers of the Hebrew Kings

For centuries scholars have puzzled over the problem of Old Testament chronology. One of the most difficult issues has been the synchronization of the reign of the Hebrew kings. The biblical records provide much information about these kings and how they relate to each other. But when all the information is put together it seems contradictory, as early as the third century B.C. attempts were made to correct these seeming errors in the biblical text. Solutions to these difficulties appeard even more remote as scholarship succeeded in determining the exact dates of events in acient Babylon and Assyria, and these dates seemed to be in hopeless conflict with the Bible.

Dr. Edwin R. Thiele has addressed these issues and solved the problems related to the chronology of the Hebrew kings. By carefully studying the biblical data, he determined the dating methods of the early Hebrew scribes. By following the principles established by these scribes, Dr. Thiele has succeeded in producing a chronology that is consistent with the scriptural records and the records of other nations of the ancient world.

From its first publication this book has been recognized as a classic in the field of biblical studies. In this revised third edition Dr. Thiele reexamines the records in light of recent scholarship, explores more fully the Hebrew dual dating system, and offers a careful rebuttal to Shenkel's thesis that the Septuagint provides a more accurate chronology than the Masoretic Text does. This new material and the revised material from previous editions make this a book of great value to all students of the Bible.

Edwin R. Thiele (1895-1986) received his M.A. and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Chicago and his D.D. from Andrews University, Berrien Springs, Michigan. For sixteen years he worked in the editorial department of the Signs of the Times Publishing House in Shanghai, China. Following his time overseas, Dr. Thiele taught for twenty-six years in the Department of Religion at Emmanuel Missionary College in Berrien Springs. From 1963 to 1965 he served as Professor of Antiquity at Andrews University.