Below is a comparison chart for the years of rulership and co-rulership for certain Judean Kings. The time period suggested by the 70-year desolation period in relation to combined 430 years for pay-back sabbaths charged against Israel (390 years) and Judah (40 years)(390+40=430) suggests a period of 930 years when the 430 years are doubled and added to the 70-year desolation period. (430x2+70=930) This works out to represent the total period from Exodus to 1st year of Cyrus when the Jews returned from Babylon to start their Jubilee cycle again.
It is important to emphasize here that the period from Exodus to 1st of Cyrus must be consistent with the jubilee cycle; thus actually, you have simply only two choices: Either nineteen jubilees at 931 years, or twenty jubilees at 980 years. (19x49=931;20x49=980) This calculation along with other chronological considerations indicate the correct period to be the 19-jubilee/931-year period.
Of course, the issue of using co-rulerships to reduce this period adequately is under debate, but boils down to either recognizing the co-rulerships or not. Once recognized, the period more or less reduces itself automatically by 49 years with a few outside considerations where there is some flexibility.
Though there are exceptions, generally the adjustments were based upon the concept that each king had a potential of two fundamental ways to refer to a year of their "reign"; one addressing when that king was appointed as co-ruler ("rulership" year) when his father was still alive, and the other when he became sole ruler at his father's death ("kingship" year). Thus when the year of the king is referred to, it could refer to either the co-"rulership" appointment year or the actual "kingship" year, and must be tested carefully for both to determine which one is correct. And in a few cases, other types of rulership years are recognized as well. So it is a tangled web to say the least.
But either way, the number of years still must come out to either 980 years or 931 years for the period from Exodus to return from exile (RTE) to correspond to the jubilee cycle. This is a difference of on jubilee period of 49 years. But the 49-year reduction necessary for the lesser and more appropriate 931-year period can be made recognizing the implied but carefully coordinated co-rulerships of certain Judean kingships. This 49- year Biblically coordinated adjustment recognizing appropriate co-rulerships is reflected in the chart below.
Again, the chart below simply shows one version of where the years have been adjusted for the Judean King List which recognizes "co-rulerships" where indicated in scripture. The list represents the implied rulerships with general accuracy approximation to within one year, but otherwise is completely coordinated with all scriptural references for other concurrent rulerships as well as certain other chronological and dating criteria required for this period.
WBTS SOLE RULE CO-RULE
Solomon (40) 36 36
Rehoboam(17) 17 10 -7
Abijah (3) 3 3
Asa (41) 41 41
Jehoshaphat(25) 25 21 -4
Jehorum (8) 5(-3) 3 -2
Ahaziah(1) 1 1
Athaliah(6) 6 6
Jehoash(40) 40 40
Amaziah (29) 29 29
Uzziah(52) 52 29 -23
Jotham(16) 16 16
Ahaz(16) 16 8 -8
Hezekiah (29) 29 27 -2
Manasseh(55) 55 52 -3
Amon (2) 2 2
Josiah(31) 31 31
Jehoiakim(11) 11 11
Jehoiachin(3mo) - -
Zedekiah(11) 11 11
______ ______ ____
Totals 426 377 -49
(426-377=49)
Chart Notes: The above figures for the WBTS
were based upon
the king list chronology found in the "Aid" and "Insight"
publications under "Chronology." The chart represents the
years from the 4th year of Solomon until the end of Zedekiah's
reign. There were 480 years from the Exodus until the 4th of
King Solomon (1 Kings 6:1); thus 426+480=906; 906+4=910+70=980; and
980-49=931.
Please note that 4 years were added to the WBTS figures to make this comparison. The WBTS only allows 70 years from Zedekiah until RTE (607-537=70). However, the 70-year desolation period began in the 23rd year of Nebuchadnezzar (Jer. 52:30), four years after Zedekiah's rule ended, so the WBTS is in error four years (1513- 537=976)(+4=980). This was ignored for the time being to make the appropriate comparison since differences in actual dating would not otherwise affect this specific focal comparison of the co- rulerships of the Judean kings.
Also of note: The difference between the two chronologies of exactly 49 years, though interesting, is to be considered as totally coincidental. -- End
For more information on other true and false teachings of Jehovah's witnesses, please see article: "Jehovah's Witnesses Beliefs."
For more information about 529 BC dating and eclipses, see article:"529 B.C. Dating - Five Eclipses"
For more information about 529 BC dating and how dating is fulfilled by Jehovah's witnesses specifically, see article:"Biblical Numbers and Jehovah's Witnesses"
Last Updated - 9/19/97
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