Spivey's Unauthorized Biblical Timeline
a Scripture-centered journey through God's redemptive story from a historic perspective.
Time of the Judges
GOD TESTS ISRAEL: Judges 2:14-23
"14 In his anger against Israel the Lord gave them into the hands of raiders who plundered them. He sold them into the hands of their enemies all around, whom they were no longer able to resist. 15 Whenever Israel went out to fight, the hand of the Lord was against them to defeat them, just as he had sworn to them. They were in great distress. 16 Then the Lord raised up judges, who saved them out of the hands of these raiders. 17 Yet they would not listen to their judges but prostituted themselves to other gods and worshiped them. They quickly turned from the ways of their ancestors, who had been obedient to the Lord’s commands. 18 Whenever the Lord raised up a judge for them, he was with the judge and saved them out of the hands of their enemies as long as the judge lived; for the Lord relented because of their groaning under those who oppressed and afflicted them. 19 But when the judge died, the people returned to ways even more corrupt than those of their ancestors, following other gods and serving and worshiping them. They refused to give up their evil practices and stubborn ways.
20 Therefore the Lord was very angry with Israel and said, “Because this nation has violated the covenant I ordained for their ancestors and has not listened to me, 21 I will no longer drive out before them any of the nations Joshua left when he died. 22 I will use them to test Israel and see whether they will keep the way of the Lord and walk in it as their ancestors did.” 23 The Lord had allowed those nations to remain; he did not drive them out at once by giving them into the hands of Joshua."
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The Judges were spread throughout the Promised Land. There were multiple times that several Judges lived at the same time. There are three main divisions of Judges that run from the Book of Judges through 2 Samuel: 1st - Othneil to Deborah, 2nd - Gideon to Abdon, and Eli, Samson and Samuel.
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Assumptions:
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The First Division is linear from 1319 BC and ends at Deborah.
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The Second Division starts in the middle with Jephthah. Judges 12:17 states "For three hundred years Israel occupied Heshbon, Aroer, the surrounding settlements and all the towns along the Arnon. Why didn’t you retake them during that time?" This occupation of Heshbon refers to Numbers 21:25 "Israel captured all the cities of the Amorites and occupied them, including Heshbon and all its surrounding settlements. This 300-years would be dated from the defeat of Heshbon in 1446 BC just prior to the Israelites crossing the Jordan River to 1106 BC. (1446 - 300 = 1106)
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The Third Division focuses on the last three Judges: Eli, Samson and Samuel.
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Samson was a Judge for 20 years of the 40 years that the Lord delivered the Israelites into the hands of the Philistines. (Judges 13:1, 15:20) This assumes that the 40 years under the Philistines occurs after the leadership of Deborah and the 20 years occur at the same time after the Philistines returned the Ark to the Israelites in Kiriath Jearim. (1 Samuel 7:1-2)
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Eli was both a High Priest and Judge. His two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were evil and displeased God. Eli overlooked their wickedness and was judged by God. He accepted God's prophecy of judgment. He died at the age of 98, when the Ark of the Covenant was taken by the Philistines and was High Priest / Judge for 40 years (1 Samuel 4:12-18). The Philistines brought the Ark back to the Israelites after 7 months and it stayed with the house of Abinadab for 20 years (1 Samuel 7:1). It is assumed that Samson's 20 years corresponds with the 20 years that the Ark remained at Kiriath Jearim.
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Samuel, son of Hannah (mother) and Elkanah (father), son of Jeroham, son of Elaib, son of Eliel (Elihu), son of Toah (Tohu), Zuph (Zophai), son of Elkanah, son of Mahath, son of Amasai, son of Joel, son of Azariah, son of Zephaniah, son of Tahath, son of Assir, son of Ebiasaph, son of Korah, son of Izhar, son of Kohath, son of Levi. (1 Samuel 1:1, 1Chronicles 6:16-28, 33-38)
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Samuel mother dedicated him to the Lord after he was weaned. It is assumed that he was three (3) years old since she provided a 3-year old bull as a sacrifice. (1 Samuel 1:21-28) Also, as a boy, he ministered before the Lord and the Lord called out to Samuel. (1 Samuel 3) It is believed that he was 12 years old and assumed that since the Lord was about judge Eli's family that Eli died when Samuel was 12 years old. It is also assumed that Samuel, who was very old during the time of Saul and David, died in 1013BC at the age of 92.
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1318 BC - Subject to King of Aram
-02 1317
-03 1316
-04 1315
-05 1314
-06 1313
-07 1312
-08 1311
1310 BC - Judge - Othneil
-02 1309
-03 1308 - 2nd Jubilee Year
-04 1307
-05 1306
-06 1305
-07 1304
-08 1303
-09 1302
-10 1301
-11 1300
-12 1299
-13 1298
-14 1297
-15 1296
-16 1295
-17 1294
-18 1293
-19 1292
-20 1291
-21 1290
-22 1289
-23 1288
-24 1287
-25 1286
-26 1285
-27 1284
-28 1283
-28 1282
-30 1281
-31 1280
-32 1279
-33 1278
-34 1277
-35 1276
-36 1275
-37 1274
-38 1273
-39 1272
-40 1271
1270 BC - Subject to King of Moab
-02 1269
-03 1268
-04 1267
-05 1266
-06 1265
-07 1264
-08 1263
-09 1262
-10 1261
-11 1260
-12 1259 - 3rd Jubilee Year
-13 1258
-14 1257
-15 1256
-16 1255
-17 1254
-18 1253
1252 BC - Judge - Ehud / Shamgar
-02 1251
-03 1250
-04 1249
-05 1248
-06 1247
-07 1246
-08 1245
-09 1244
-10 1243
-11 1242
-12 1241
-13 1240
-14 1239
-15 1238
-16 1237
-17 1236
-18 1235
-19 1234
-20 1233
-21 1232
-22 1231
-23 1230
-24 1229
-25 1228
-26 1227
-27 1226
-28 1225
-28 1224
-30 1223
-31 1222
-32 1221
-33 1220
-34 1219
-35 1218
-36 1217
-37 1216
-38 1215
-39 1214
-40 1213
-41 1212
-42 1211
-43 1210
-44 1209
-45 1208
-46 1207
-47 1206
-48 1205
-49 1204
-50 1203
-51 1202
-52 1201
-53 1200
-54 1199
-55 1198
-56 1197
-57 1196
-58 1195
-59 1194
-60 1193
-61 1192
-62 1191
-63 1190
-64 1189
-65 1188
-66 1187
-67 1186
-68 1185
-69 1184
-70 1183
-71 1182
-72 1181
-73 1180
-74 1179
-75 1178
-76 1177
-77 1176
-78 1175 - Ruth / Boaz (guess)
-79 1174
-80 1173
1172 BC - Subject to King of Canaan
-02 1171
-03 1170
-04 1169
-05 1168
-06 1167
-07 1166
-08 1165
-09 1164
-10 1163
-11 1162
-12 1161
-13 1160
-14 1159
-15 1158
-16 1157
-17 1156
-18 1155
-19 1154
-20 1153
1152 BC - Judge - Deborah
-02 1151
-03 1150
-04 1149
-05 1148
-06 1147
-07 1146
-08 1145
-09 1144
-10 1143
-11 1142
-12 1141
-13 1140
-14 1139
-15 1138
-16 1137
-17 1136
-18 1135
-19 1134
-20 1133
-21 1132
-22 1134
-23 1130
-24 1129
-25 1128
-26 1127
-27 1126
-28 1125
-28 1124
-30 1123
-31 1124
-32 1121
-33 1120
-34 1119
-35 1118
-36 1117
-37 1116
-38 1115
-39 1114
-40 1113
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1219 BC - Subject to King of Midianites
-02 1218
-03 1217
-04 1216
-05 1215
-06 1214
-07 1213
1212 BC - Judge - Gideon
-02 1211
-03 1210 - 4th Jubilee Year
-04 1209
-05 1208
-06 1207
-07 1206
-08 1205
-09 1204
-10 1203
-11 1202
-12 1201
-13 1200
-14 1199
-15 1198
-16 1197
-17 1196
-18 1195
-19 1194
-20 1193
-21 1192
-22 1191
-23 1190
-24 1189
-25 1188
-26 1187
-27 1186
-28 1185
-28 1184
-30 1183
-31 1182
-32 1181
-33 1180
-34 1179
-35 1178
-36 1177
-37 1176
-38 1175
-39 1174
-40 1173
1172 BC - Subject to Abimelech
-02 1171
-03 1170
1169 BC - Judge - Tofa
-02 1168
-03 1167
-04 1166
-05 1165
-06 1164
-07 1163
-08 1162
-09 1161 - 5th Jubilee Year
-10 1160
-11 1159
-12 1158
-13 1157
-14 1156
-15 1155
-16 1154
-17 1153
-18 1152
-19 1151
-20 1150
-21 1149
-22 1148
-23 1147
1146 BC - Judge - Jair
-02 1145
-03 1144
-04 1143
-05 1142
-06 1141
-07 1140
-08 1139
-09 1138
-10 1137
-11 1136
-12 1135
-13 1134
-14 1133
-15 1132
-16 1131
-17 1130
-18 1129
-19 1128
-20 1127
-21 1126
-22 1125
1124 BC - Subject to Philistines/Ammonites
-02 1123
-03 1122
-04 1121
-05 1120
-06 1119
-07 1118
-08 1117
-09 1116
-10 1115
-11 1114
-12 1113
-13 1112 - 6th Jubilee Year
-14 1111
-15 1110
-16 1109
-17 1108
-18 1107
1106 BC - Judge - Jephthah (300 years)
-02 1105
-03 1104
-04 1103
-05 1102
-06 1101
1100 BC - Judge - Ibzan
-02 1099
-03 1098
-04 1097
-05 1096
-06 1095
-07 1094
1093 BC - Judge - Elon
-02 1092
-03 1091
-04 1090
-05 1089
-06 1088
-07 1087
-08 1086
-09 1085
-10 1084
1083 BC - Judge - Abdon
-02 1082
-03 1081
-04 1080
-05 1079
-06 1078
-07 1077
-08 1076
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1191 BC - Eli was born
-01 1190
-02 1189
-03 1188
-04 1187
-05 1186
-06 1185
-07 1184
-08 1183
-09 1182
-10 1181
-11 1180
-12 1179
-13 1178
-14 1177
-15 1176
-16 1175
-17 1174
-18 1173
-19 1172
-20 1171
-21 1170
-22 1169
-23 1168
-24 1167
-25 1166
-26 1165
-27 1164
-28 1163
-29 1162
-30 1161
-31 1160
-32 1159
-33 1158
-34 1157
-35 1156
-36 1155
-37 1154
-38 1153
-39 1152
-40 1151
-41 1150
-42 1149
-43 1148
-44 1147
-45 1146
-46 1145
-47 1144
-48 1143
-49 1142
-50 1141
-51 1140
-52 1139
-53 1138
-54 1137
-55 1136
-56 1135
-57 1134
-58 1133
1132 BC - Judge/Priest - Eli
-60 1131
-61 1130
-62 1129
-63 1128
-64 1127
-65 1126
-66 1125
-67 1124
-68 1123
-69 1122
-70 1121
-71 1120
-72 1119
-73 1118
-74 1117
-75 1116
-76 1115
-77 1114
-78 1113
-79 1112 - Subject to Philistines
-80 1111
-81 1110
-82 1109
-83 1108
-84 1107
-85 1106
-86 1105 - Samuel was born
-87 1104
-88 1103
-89 1102 - Samuel dedicated to God
-90 1101
-91 1100
-92 1099
-93 1098
-94 1097
-95 1096
-96 1095
-97 1094
-98 1093 - Philistines capture Ark/Eli dies
1092 BC - Judge - Samson/Ark - Kiriath Jearim
-02 1091
-03 1090
-04 1089
-05 1088
-06 1087
-07 1086
-08 1085
-09 1084
-10 1083
-11 1082 - Saul was born
-12 1081
-13 1080
-14 1079
-15 1078
-16 1077
-17 1076
-18 1075
-19 1074
-20 1073 - Samson dies
1072 BC - Judge/Prophet - Samuel (Age 33)
-34 1071
-35 1070
-36 1069
-37 1068
-38 1067
-39 1066
-40 1065
-41 1064
-42 1063 - 7th Jubilee Year
-43 1062
-44 1061
-45 1060
-46 1059
-47 1058
-48 1057
-49 1056
-50 1055
-51 1054
-52 1053
-53 1052 - Samuel anoints Saul as King
-54 1051
-55 1050
-56 1049
-57 1048
-58 1047
-59 1046
-60 1045
-61 1044
-62 1043
-63 1042
-64 1041
-65 1040 - David was born
-66 1039
-67 1038
-68 1037
-69 1036
-70 1035
-71 1034
-72 1033
-73 1032
-74 1031
-75 1030
-76 1029
-77 1028
-78 1027
-79 1026 - Samuel anoints David as King
-80 1025 - David defeats Goliath (guess)
-81 1024
-82 1023
-83 1022
-84 1021
-85 1020
-86 1019
-87 1018
-88 1017
-89 1016
-90 1015
-91 1014 - 8th Jubilee Year
-92 1013- Samuel dies (guess)
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