Lay it to Heart

Josephus Contradicts Biblical Chronology


Josephus was thought to use the Septuagint as his source for some of the years in his chronology. The Septuagint is not the basis for the Bible. If Josephus is right and you are using any of the major translations in English today, then your Bible is wrong. They cannot both be right. Even if the Septuagint were correct, Josephus' years do not all agree with each other. Here are some places where Josephus disagrees with the Bible.

1. Antiquities , in the Preface section 3 says, "Accordingly, I thought it became me both to imitate the generosity of our high priest, and to suppose there might even now be many lovers of learning like the king; for he did not obtain all our writings at that time; but those who were sent to Alexandria as interpreters, gave him only the books of the law, while there were a vast number of other matters in our sacred books. They, indeed, contain in them the history of five thousand years…". The Bible lets us know the world was created around 4,104 BC (Genesis 5, 11, 21:5, 25:26, 47:28, Exodus 12:40, 1 Kings 6:1, 11:42, 14:21, 15:1-2,8, 15:9-10, 15:24, 22:41-42, 2 Kings 8:16-17, 25-26, 11:1-3, 12:1, 14:1-2, 15:1-2, 15:32-16:2, 18:1-2, 20:21-21:1, 21:18-19, 21:25-22:1, 23:29-31, 23:34-36, 24:6, 8, 16-18, 25:1-2, Ezekiel 1:1-2, 4:1-8, Jeremiah 25:11, 29:10, Daniel 9:24 and Isaiah 44:28). It was not 5,000 years old when Josephus wrote his works.
   
   
2. Antiquities 1.3.4 says, "For indeed Seth was born when Adam was in his two hundred and thirtieth year,…" Genesis 5:3 says, " And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, after his image; and called his name Seth: "
   
   
3. Antiquities 1.3.4 says, "Seth begat Enos in his two hundred and fifth year;" Genesis 5:6 says, " And Seth lived an hundred and five years, and begat Enos: "
   
   
4. Antiquities 1.3.4 says, "Seth begat Enos in his two hundred and fifth year; who, when he had lived nine hundred and twelve years, delivered the government to Cainan his son, whom he had in his hundred and ninetieth year." "He" is not clearly defined but the context would suggest that "he" means Enos not Seth. This being the case, Antiquities is saying Enos had Cainan when Enos was 190 years old. Genesis 5:9 says, " And Enos lived ninety years, and begat Cainan: "
   
   
5. Antiquities 1.3.4 says, "Cainan, when he had lived nine hundred and ten years, had his son Malaleel, who was born in his hundred and seventieth year." Genesis 5:12 says, " And Cainan lived seventy years, and begat Mahalaleel: "
   
   
6. Antiquities 1.3.4 says, "This Malaleel, having lived eight hundred and ninety-five years, died, leaving his son Jared, whom he begat when he was in his hundred and sixty-fifth year". Genesis 5:15 says, " And Mahalaleel lived sixty and five years, and begat Jared: "
   
   
7. Antiquities 1.3.4 says, "Now Mathusela, the son of Enoch, who was born to him when he was one hundred and sixty-five years old". Genesis 5:21 says, " And Enoch lived sixty and five years, and begat Methuselah: "
   
   
8. Antiquities 1.3.4 says, "Now Mathusela, the son of Enoch, who was born to him when he was one hundred and sixty-five years old, had Lamech for his son when he was one hundred and eighty-seven years of age; to whom he delivered the government, when he had retained it nine hundred and sixty-nine years." Genesis 5:25 says, " And Methuselah lived an hundred eighty and seven years, and begat Lamech: " Genesis 5:31 says, " And all the days of Lamech were seven hundred seventy and seven years: and he died. " When Methuselah was 969 years old, Lamech had already died five years earlier. Methuselah could not have passed the government to somebody who was already dead.
   
   
9. Antiquities 1.6.5 says, "Arphaxad was the son of Shem, and born twelve years after the deluge." Genesis says 11:10, " These are the generations of Shem: Shem was an hundred years old, and begat Arphaxad two years after the flood: "
   
   
10. Antiquities 1.6.5 says Serug was 132 years old when Nahor was born. Genesis 11:22 tells us it was 30.
    
    
11. Antiquities 1.6.5 says Ragau had Serug we he was "one hundred the thirty". Genesis 11:20 tells us he was 32 years old.
    
    
12. Antiquities 1.6.5 says Pheleg was the same age, one hundred the thirty, when he had Ragau. Genesis 11:18 tells us Peleg was 30 years old when this happened.
    
    
13. Antiquities 1.6.5 Heber begat Pheleg in his one hundred thirty fourth year. Genesis 11:16 tells us Eber was 34 when Peleg was born.
    
    
14. Antiquities 1.6.5 says Salah was 130 years old when Heber was born. Genesis 11:14 tells us it was 30 years old.
    
    
15. Antiquities 1.6.5 says Arphaxad was 135 when Salah was born. Genesis 11:12 tells us Arphaxad was 35 years old when Salah was born.
    
    
16. Antiquities 1.10.3. refers to God's promise to Abraham concerning the Hebrews' stay in Egypt saying, "After which, before he built his altar, where the birds of prey flew about, as desirous of blood, a Divine voice came to him, declaring that their neighbors would be grievous to his posterity, when they should be in Egypt, for four hundred years;" Genesis 15:13 says, " And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years; " Exodus 12:40 reads, " Now the sojourning of the children of Israel, who dwelt in Egypt, was four hundred and thirty years. " Israel did not stay in Egypt 400 years as alluded to in Antiquities . They stayed 430 years. They were not oppressed 400 years but instead they were strangers 400 years. They did not become slaves as soon as they were strangers. Genesis 41:46 tells us, " And Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt. " Genesis 41:53: " And the seven years of plenteousness, that was in the land of Egypt, were ended. " Afterwards, when Israel went down to Egypt, we find in Genesis 45:6, " For these two years hath the famine been in the land: and yet there are five years, in the which there shall neither be earing nor harvest. " Joseph was 39 years old (30+7+2) when Israel went down to Egypt. This was the beginning of the 430 years. The last verse in Genesis says, " Joseph died, being an hundred and ten years old: and they embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt. " Joseph lived 71 years after Israel went down to Egypt. Five years after the beginning of the Hebrew stay, the famine was over. 25 years after that everybody forgot what God had done for Egypt. Joseph lived as a stranger 41 years. Jacob lived in Egypt 17 years (Genesis 47:8-9). Levi was 4 to 5 years older than Joseph. Levi was the third son. Genesis 29:34: " And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Now this time will my husband be joined unto me, because I have born him three sons: therefore was his name called Levi. " Joseph was the last son born during the second seven years of service to Laban (Genesis 30:22-25). Exodus 6:16 says, " And these are the names of the sons of Levi according to their generations; Gershon, and Kohath, and Merari: and the years of the life of Levi were an hundred thirty and seven years. " Conservatively Levi was 44 (39+5) when he went to Egypt. If Levi lived to 137, he stayed in Egypt 93 years after he went there. Exodus 1:6-8 tells us, " And Joseph died, and all his brethren, and all that generation. And the children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty; and the land was filled with them. Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph. " It appears Jacob, Joseph, Levi and the rest were dead before the Hebrews were made slaves. This allows for slavery a maximum of 337 years. Josephus could be interpreted that the Hebrews were in Egypt 400 years or that they were slaves 400 years. Either way, Josephus contradicts the Bible.
    
    
17. Antiquities 1.14.1 has Sarah dying "little while after" Abraham was to sacrifice Isaac. Sarah died at the age of 127 when Isaac was 37 (Genesis 17:17-21 and 23:1). Since Isaac was a lad when the sacrifice was to occur, the term "a little while" is false. Isaac was a lad and not a young man or a man. Exodus 30:14, 38:26, Leviticus 27:3 and Numbers 14:29 are among the 28 references in the Bible as to the age of a man being 20 and older. In the most conservative approach a man would be 20 and Sarah would have died 17 years afterwards and not a little while. Even if Isaac were 25 as Josephus claims, the duration would have been 12 years that is still not "a little while".
    
    
18. Antiquities 1.18.1 says that, "Isaac's wife proved with child, after the death of Abraham." Abraham lived to be 175 years old according to Genesis 25:7. Isaac was 60 when Jacob was born per Genesis 25:26. Abraham was 160 years old when Jacob was born. Isaac's wife became pregnant before Abraham died.
    
    
19. Antiquities 1.22.1 reads, "FROM thence Jacob came to Hebron, a city situate among the Canaanites; and there it was that Isaac lived: and so they lived together for a little while; for as to Rebeka, Jacob did not find her alive. Isaac also died not long after the coming of his son; and was buried by his sons, with his wife, in Hebron, where they had a monument belonging to them from their forefathers." Isaac lived to the age of 180 per Genesis 35:28. Combined with Genesis 25:26 we know that Jacob was 120 years old when Isaac died. At 130 years of age, Jacob went to Egypt per Genesis 47:9. This was the second year of famine referenced in Genesis 45:6. The second year of famine followed seven good years of crops that started after Joseph stood before Pharaoh at 30 years of age (Genesis 41:46). We can conclude the Jacob was 130 when Joseph was at, or very close to, 39 years of age. In Genesis 30:22-25 we find Joseph was born very close to the end of the second seven years of service to Laban. Following Joseph's birth, Jacob served Laban another six years and then returned to the land of his father (Genesis 31:41). Jacob was at, or very close to, 91 years of age when Joseph was born and 97 when he returned. He then lived another 23 years before Isaac died. Antiquities tells us it was "not long after the coming of his son." 23 years is a long time.
    
    
20. Antiquities 2.8.1 reports that Jacob died "when he had lived full a hundred and fifty years." In Genesis 47:28 we find that Jacob lived to 147 years of age.
    
    
21. Antiquities 2.9.1 says the Egyptians afflicted the Hebrews 400 years. As mentioned previously, the Bible tells us the Hebrews were strangers in the land four hundred years but the time they were enslaved was less than that.
    
    
22. Antiquities 2.15.2 says the Exodus occurred "four hundred and thirty years after our forefather Abraham came into Canaan,". Abraham came into Canaan when he was 75 (Genesis 12:4). Isaac was born when Abraham was 100 (Genesis 21:5). Jacob was born when Isaac was 60 (Genesis 25:26). Jacob went to Egypt when he was 130 (Genesis 47:28). The Hebrews were in Egypt 430 years (Exodus 12:40). The real time span here is 645 (100-75+60+130+430) years. Galatians 3:16-17 says, " Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ. And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect. " The Bible does not say to Abraham only. It says Abraham and his seed. Who were his seed? His seed were Isaac, Jacob and his twelve sons. Exodus 12:40 uses the term "children of Israel". Israel was Jacob. Abraham was not a son of Jacob. He was the grandfather. Isaac was not a son of Jacob, He was the father. Jacob obviously was not the son of Jacob. The 430 year period did not start until his seed went to Egypt. In Genesis 15:13 God promised Abram, " Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years; " The promise here is talking about his seed in a land that is not theirs. The clock did not start when the Hebrews were in their own land.
    
    
23. Antiquities 2.15.2 claims that the Hebrews left Egypt, "two hundred and fifteen years only after Jacob removed into Egypt." Genesis 47:28 tells us Jacob went to Egypt when he was 130. He lived another 17 years. Exodus 12:40 tells us the Hebrews were in Egypt 430 years. This is an area where James Ussher made a serious mistake in his chronology. He reiterates the error of Josephus and now many people have been led astray as a result.
    
    
24. Antiquities 2.15.2 says the Hebrews left Egypt, "on the fifteenth day of the lunar month". The Passover was celebrated on the fourteenth day of the month (Exodus 12:6). The Hebrews left in the morning. The Jewish day was from sundown to sundown. They left on the fourteenth day not the fifteenth.
    
    
25. Antiquities 7.3.2 overstates the time between Joshua and David. "Now the whole time from the warfare under Joshua our general against the Canaanites, and from that war in which he overcame them, and distributed the land among the Hebrews, (nor could the Israelites ever cast the Canaanites out of Jerusalem until this time, when David took it by siege,) this whole time was five hundred and fifteen years." The time between the Exodus and the beginning of the temple was 480 years according to 1 Kings 6:1. The construction of the temple started after David secured the temple mount. David reigned 33 years in Jerusalem (2 Samuel 5:5). If your back out 4 years of Solomon's reign prior to the beginning of the construction of the temple and the 33 years that David reigned in Jerusalem, you get 443, subject only to the rounding of partial years to full years but a number clearly less than 515.
    
    
26. Antiquities 7.15.3 allows too much time between King David and Hyrcanus the high priest, when he was besieged by Antiochus. He lists this time as "a thousand and three hundred years." This is incorrect. The actual time from the death of David to the birth of Jesus is closer to 1,000 years. Hyrcanus came before Christ. For further reading see 1 Kings 6:1, 11:42, 14:21, 15:1-2,8, 15:9-10, 15:24, 22:41-42, 2 Kings 8:16-17, 25-26, 11:1-3, 12:1, 14:1-2, 15:1-2, 15:32-16:2, 18:1-2, 20:21-21:1, 21:18-19, 21:25-22:1, 23:29-31, 23:34-36, 24:6, 8, 16-18, 25:1-2, Ezekiel 1:1-2, 4:1-8, Jeremiah 25:11, 29:10, Daniel 9:24 and Isaiah 44:28.
    
    
27. Antiquities 8.3.1 says Solomon began to construct the temple "one thousand and twenty years from Abraham's coming out of Mesopotamia into Canaan." The actual time based on the Bible is 1,125 years not 1,020 years. Abraham left Haran at 75 (Genesis 12:4). He had Isaac at 100 years of age (Genesis 21:5). Isaac had Jacob at 60 years of age (Genesis 25:26). Jacob was 130 when he went to Egypt (Genesis 47:9). The sons of Israel were in Egypt 430 years (Exodus 12:40). Solomon began construction of the temple in the fourth year of his reign. 100 - 75 + 60 + 130 + 430 + 480 = 1,125.
    
    
28. Antiquities 8.3.1 says Solomon began to construct the temple after the "deluge one thousand four hundred and forty years." The actual time is not 1,440 years. It is 1,492 years per Genesis 11:10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 21:5, 25:26, 47:28, Exodus 12:40 and 1 Kings 6:1 (2 + 35 + 30 + 34 + 30 + 32 + 30 + 29 + 70 + 100 + 60 + 130 + 430 + 480).
    
    
29. Antiquities 8.3.1 says Solomon began to construct the temple "three thousand one hundred and two years" after creation. 3,122 is not correct. The actual time is 3,148 years based on Genesis chapter 5, chapter 11, Genesis 21:5, 25:26, 47:28, Exodus 12:40 and 1 Kings 6:1 (130 + 105 + 90 + 70 + 65 + 162 + 65 + 187 + 182 + 600 + 2 + 35 + 30 + 34 + 30 + 32 + 30 + 29 + 70 + 100 + 60 + 130 + 430 + 480).
    
    
30. Antiquities 8.7.8 has Solomon reigning as king for "eighty years". 1 Kings 11:42 says, " And the time that Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel was forty years. " 80 is not 40 and Josephus is not correct.
    
    
31. Antiquities 8.7.8 gives Solomon's age at death at 94. We know from 1 Kings 11:42 that Solomon reigned forty years. 2 Samuel 5:4-5 reads, " David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years. In Hebron, he reigned over Judah seven years and six months: and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty and three years over all Israel and Judah. " If Solomon was 94 when he died, he was 54 years of age when he ascended to the throne. David reigned 40 years which means Solomon was born 14 years before David his father became king. According to 2 Samuel 11:1-2, David first saw Bathsheba in Jerusalem. Following the affair that David and Bathsheba had, a son was born to Bathsheba who died on the seventh day (2 Samuel 12:18). Solomon was born after that (2 Samuel 12:24). Solomon could have been no more than 71 or 72 at his death based on 40 years of his reign, 33 years of David's reign less two terms of pregnancy for Bathsheba. Also the time between the capture of Jerusalem and the affair with Bathsheba must be subtracted from Solomon's maximum age.
    
    
32. Antiquities 8.10.4 says Rehoboam "died when he had lived fifty-seven years". 1 Kings 14:21 says, " Rehoboam was forty and one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, ". 41 plus 17 is 58, not 57.
    
    
33. Antiquities 8.12.5 says, "Now it was in the thirtieth year of the reign of Asa that Omri reigned for twelve years; six of these years he reigned in the city Tirzah, and the rest in the city called Semareon." 1 Kings 16:23 says, " In the thirty and first year of Asa king of Judah began Omri to reign over Israel, twelve years: six years reigned he in Tirzah. " It was the 31st year of Asa not the 30th year that Omri began to reign.
    
    
34. Antiquities 9.4.6 says when Hazael killed Benhadad king of Syria that the people of Damascus valued their antiquity; but did not "know that these kings are much later than they imagine, and that they are not yet eleven hundred years old." Damascus had been around longer than 1,100 years by this time. Damascus was founded before Ishmael was born. In Genesis 15:2 we read, " And Abram said, Lord GOD, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus? " Genesis 16:16 says, " And Abram was fourscore and six years old, when Hagar bare Ishmael to Abram ". When Josephus wrote of Damascus's antiquity he was referring to the time when Joram was king. When Benhadad died, Joram king of Israel heard about it according to Josephus. 1 Kings 8:16 says, " And in the fifth year of Joram the son of Ahab king of Israel, Jehoshaphat being then king of Judah, Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat king of Judah began to reign. " From Ishmael to Joram there was a span of 1,269 years which means Josephus is short by at least 169 years (14 + 60 + 130 + 430 + 480 + 36 + 17 + 3 + 38 + 41 + 25 - 5). The links between the years are found in Genesis 16:16, 21:5, 25:26, 47:28, Exodus 12:40, 1 Kings 6:1, 11:42, 14:21, 15:1-2, 8-10, 24, 16:29, 22:41-42 and 2 Kings 8:16.
    
    
35. Antiquities 9.7 says in the introduction that Queen "Athaliah reigned over Jerusalem for five years". 2 Kings 11:3 says, " And he was with her hid in the house of the LORD six years. And Athaliah did reign over the land. " The period of time was six years not five.
    
    
36. Antiquities 9.8.1 says Jehu "died when he had reigned over the Israelites twenty-seven years." 2 Kings 10:36 says, " And the time that Jehu reigned over Israel in Samaria was twenty and eight years. "
    
    
37. Antiquities 9.8.5 says, "In the one and twentieth year of the reign of Jehoash, Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu, took the government of the Israelites in Samaria, and held it seventeen years." 2 Kings 13:1 says, " In the three and twentieth year of Joash the son of Ahaziah king of Judah Jehoahaz the son of Jehu began to reign over Israel in Samaria, and reigned seventeen years. " Josephus has Jehoahaz start to reign two years early.
    
    
38. Antiquities 9.10.1 says, "In the fifteenth year of the reign of Amaziah, Jeroboam the son of Joash reigned over Israel in Samaria forty years." 2 Kings 14:23 says, " In the fifteenth year of Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel began to reign in Samaria, and reigned forty and one years. " Josephus says 40 years while the Bible says 41.
    
    
39. Antiquities 9.10.3 repeats his earlier mistake saying, "When Jeroboam the king had passed his life in great happiness, and had ruled forty years, he died." The correct amount of 41 years is found in 2 Kings 14:23.
    
    
40. Antiquities 9.13.1 says, "Now, in the fourth year of the reign of Hoshea, Hezekiah, the son of Ahaz, began to reign in Jerusalem; and his mother's name was Abijah, a citizen of Jerusalem." 2 Kings 18:1 says, " Now it came to pass in the third year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, that Hezekiah the son of Ahaz king of Judah began to reign. " Antiquities says Hezekiah began to reign in the fourth year of the reign of Hoshea whereas the Bible says it was the third year.
    
    
41. Antiquities 9.14.1 says that Shalmaneser took Samaria it "by force in the ninth year of the reign of Hoshea, and in the seventh year of Hezekiah". 2 Kings 18:10 says, " And at the end of three years they took it: even in the sixth year of Hezekiah, that is the ninth year of Hoshea king of Israel, Samaria was taken. " The Bible says that Samaria fell in the sixth year of King Hezekiah whereas Josephus says it occurred in the seventh year of King Hezekiah.
    
    
42. Antiquities 9.14.1 says, "So the ten tribes of the Israelites were removed out of Judea nine hundred and forty-seven years after their forefathers were come out of the land of Egypt,…" The actual period was about 776 years based on 1 Kings 6:1, 11:42, 14:21, 15:1-2, 8-10, 24, 22:41-42, 2 Kings 8:16-17, 8:25-26, 11:1-3, 12:1, 14:1-2, 15:1-2, 15:32-33, 15:38-16:2, 18:1-10 (480 + 36 + 17 + 3 + 41 + 25 + 8 + 1 + 6 + 40 + 29 + 52 + 16 + 16 + 6). This is subject to the variations in the rounding of the nearest year given in the Bible. Josephus varies by 171 years.
    
    
43. Antiquities 9.14.1 says, "So the ten tribes of the Israelites were removed out of Judea … eight hundred years after Joshua had been their leader …" This happened in the seventh year of Hezekiah according to Josephus. Joshua became the leader of Israel 40 years after the Exodus. This would be 736 before the sixth year of Hezekiah. Josephus has Joshua as a leader starting at least 64 years early.
    
    
44. Antiquities 9.14.1 says, "So the ten tribes of the Israelites were removed out of Judea … two hundred and forty years, seven months, and seven days after they had revolted from Rehoboam, …" The Bible places the time between Rehoboam and the sixth year of Hezekiah as 260 years based on 1 Kings 11:42, 14:21, 15:1-2, 8-10, 24, 22:41-42, 2 Kings 8:16-17, 8:25-26, 11:1-3, 12:1, 14:1-2, 15:1-2, 15:32-33, 15:38-16:2, 18:1-10 (17 + 3 + 41 + 25 + 8 + 1 + 6 + 40 + 29 + 52 + 16 + 16 + 6). Josephus is off by 20 years or so based on what part of the year Rehoboam began to reign.
    
    
45. Antiquities 10.8.4 says, "And after this manner have the kings of David's race ended their lives, being in number twenty-one, until the last king, who all together reigned five hundred and fourteen years, and six months, and ten days; of whom Saul, who was their first king, retained the government twenty years, though he was not of the same tribe with the rest." Here Josephus is saying from the beginning of Saul's reign to the end of Zedekiah's reign that there was 514 years. Using 20 years for the reign of Saul as told in Antiquities the length of years should be 494 years as shown below:
    
    From Saul to Zedekiah

    King	Years		Reference
    Saul	20		Josephus
    David	40		2 Samuel 5:4-5
    Solomon	40		2 Chronicles 9:30
    Rehoboam	17		1 Kings 14:21
    Abijam	3		1 Kings 14:31-15:2
    Asa	41		1 Kings 15:8-10
    Jehoshaphat	25		1 Kings 15:24, 22:41-42
    Jehoram	8		2 Kings 8:16-17
    Ahaziah	1		2 Kings 8:24-26
    Athaliah	6		2 Kings 11:1-3
    Jehoash	40		2 Kings 12:1
    Amaziah	29		2 Kings 14:1-2
    Azariah	52		2 Kings 15:1-2
    Jotham	16		2 Kings 15:32-33
    Ahaz	16		2 Kings 16:1-2
    Hezekiah	29		2 Kings 18:1-2
    Manasseh	55		2 Kings 20:21-21:1
    Amon	2		2 Kings 21:18-19
    Josiah	31		2 Kings 21:25-22:1
    Jehoahaz	0.25		2 Kings 23:29-31
    Jehoiakim	11		2 Kings 23:34-36
    Jehoiachin	0.25		2 Kings 24:6, 8
    Zedekiah	11		2 Kings 24:18

    
    
    
46. Against Apion 1.1 says, "Those Antiquities contain the history of five thousand years,…" When this was written the world was approximately 4,200 years old.
    
    
47. Against Apion 1.1 says, "Those Antiquities … are taken out of our sacred books, but are translated by me into the Greek tongue". Since Josephus' chronology directly contradicts the Bible, it is incorrect to claim that his history was taken out of the sacred books or that he translated them.
    
    
48. Against Apion 1.7 says, "But what is the strongest argument of our exact management in this matter is what I am now going to say, that we have the names of our high priests from father to son set down in our records for the interval of two thousand years;…" The Exodus occurred very closely to 1,436 BC. If you disregard God's promise in Isaiah 44:28, you would add 78 to 86 years giving a priestly lineage of up to 1,522 years. 2,000 years is incorrect.
    
    
49. Against Apion 1.8 reads, "For we have not an innumerable multitude of books among us, disagreeing from and contradicting one another, [as the Greeks have,] but only twenty-two books, (8) which contain the records of all the past times; which are justly believed to be divine; and of them five belong to Moses, which contain his laws and the traditions of the origin of mankind till his death. This interval of time was little short of three thousand years; but as to the time from the death of Moses till the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, who reigned after Xerxes, the prophets, who were after Moses, wrote down what was done in their times in thirteen books. The remaining four books contain hymns to God, and precepts for the conduct of human life." The time from Creation to the death of Moses was 2,708 years, not 3,000.
    
    
50. Against Apion 1.15 gives an account of the reigns of the Hyksos in Egypt. In Against Apion 1.16 Josephus says, "This is Manetho's account. And evident it is from the number of years by him set down belonging to this interval, if they be summed up together, that these shepherds, as they are here called, who were no other than our forefathers, were delivered out of Egypt, and came thence, and inhabited this country…" The years in 1.15 don't agree with the Bible. The years given in 1.15 are:
    
    The Reigns of the Hyksos in Egypt

    King	Years	Months
    Tethtoosis	25	4
    Chebron	13	0
    Amenophis	20	7
    Amesses	21	9
    Mephres	12	9
    Mephramuthosis	25	10
    Thmosis	9	8
    Amenophis	30	10
    Orus	36	5
    Acenchres	12	1
    Rathotis	9	0
    Acencheres	12	5
    Acencheres	12	3
    Armais	4	1
    Ramesses	1	4
    Armesses Miammoun	66	2
    Amenophis	19	6
    Total	333	0

    
    
    From Genesis 15:13 we know that the Jews would be strangers in the land 400 years. From Exodus 12:40 we know they were in Egypt 430 years. In Exodus 1:6 we find that Joseph and his generation died off and in verse 1:8 a new king arose who did not know Joseph. This new king was not a Jew. Joseph was 39 when his brothers came to Egypt (Genesis 41:46-54 and 45:6). Levi lived 137 years (Exodus 6:16). Levi was the third son born during the second seven years of service to Laban (Genesis 29:34). Joseph was the last during this period. At best, Levi was four years older than Joseph. Therefore, Levi lived about 94 years after the Jews moved to Egypt (137-39-4). The longest that the Jews possibly could rule or have influence over Egypt was 94 years, not 333. The account in Exodus 1 describes a king who came shortly after the first generation died not one that came 239 years or so later (333-94).
    
    
51. Against Apion 1.20 lists kings of Babylon and the reigns. The years don't agree with the Bible. If Nabuchodonosor is not another name for Nebuchadnezzar the time that Babylon would have the Jews in exile would be too long. Otherwise, it would be too short.
    
    The Reigns of the Babylon Kings

    King	Years	Months
    Nabuchodonosor	43	0
    Evilmerodach	2	0
    Neriglissoor	4	0
    Laborosoarchod	0	9
    Nabonnedus (Cyrus came in the 17th year)	17	0
    Total	66	9

    
    
    In any case, the time from Evilmerodach to the restoration of Israel is too short. Josephus has 23 years 9 months (2 + 4 + .75 + 17). The Bible lets us know the time was roughly 43 years and 3 months. King Jehoiachin was exiled from Jerusalem. Jerusalem was destroyed in the nineteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar which was after Zedekiah reigned 10 years, 4 months and 7 days (2 Kings 25:1-8). Evilmerodach began to reign when Jehoiachin was in his thirty-seventh year of exile (2 Kings 25:27). This was twenty-six years and nine months after the destruction of Jerusalem. According to the Bible, there was 70 years from the destruction of Jerusalem to the return. Jeremiah 25:11 says, " And this whole land shall be a desolation, and an astonishment; and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years. " The whole land could not be a desolation if Jerusalem was still standing. The secular history today that goes along with Josephus is contrary to the word of God.
    
    
52. Against Apion 1.21 says, "…Nebuchadnezzar, in the eighteenth year of his reign, laid our temple desolate, and so it lay in that state of obscurity for fifty years…". The Bible says in Jeremiah 25:11, " And this whole land shall be a desolation, and an astonishment; and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years. " The temple was desolate and unattended to for 70 years. Josephus says, "These accounts agree with the true histories in our books" when in fact they do not.
    
    
53. Against Apion 1.21 says, "…Nebuchadnezzar, in the eighteenth year of his reign, laid our temple desolate". 2 Kings 25:8 says, "And in the fifth month, on the seventh day of the month, which is the nineteenth year of king Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, came Nebuzaradan, captain of the guard, a servant of the king of Babylon, unto Jerusalem:" Josephus says it was the 18th year. The Bible says it was the 19th year.
    
    
54. Against Apion 1.33 says, "Moreover, Cheremon sets down Joseph as driven away at the same time with Moses, who yet died four generations (25) before Moses, which four generations make almost one hundred and seventy years." While it is true that Joseph died before Moses, the duration is wrong. From the birth of Levi to the birth of Moses there was 393 to 407 years. Joseph was 39 years old when Israel went to Egypt (Genesis 41:46-54 and 45:6). Levi was about 4 years older than Joseph. Adding 80 years of age at the Exodus for Moses (Exodus 7:7) to the total length of lives in Exodus 6:16-20 for Levi, Kohath and Amram and subtracting the 43 years of age for Levi before he entered Egypt, we get a total of 444 years. This is the maximum span of time that could be produced by each patriarch fathering a child during the last year of his life. Israel was in Egypt 430 years (Exodus 12:40-41). The 14 year difference means that they didn't all father children in their very last year but it was close. What this means is the four generations were approximately 400 years not 170. Joseph, who lived to be 110, died 279 years before Moses was born, not 170 years.
    
    
55. Against Apion 2.2 says, "Solomon himself built that temple six hundred and twelve years after the Jews came out of Egypt." 1 Kings 6:1 says, " And it came to pass in the four hundred and eightieth year after the children of Israel were come out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon's reign over Israel, in the month Zif, which is the second month, that he began to build the house of the LORD. "
    
    
56. Against Apion 2.32 says, "But then let such as admire this in the Lacedemonians compare that duration of theirs with more than two thousand years which our political government hath continued;…". The Jewish nation had not had a government of 2,000 years at the time of Josephus' works. The Exodus occurred approximately in 1,436 BC (1 Kings 6:1, 11:42, 14:21, 15:1-2,8, 15:9-10, 15:24, 22:41-42, 2 Kings 8:16-17, 25-26, 11:1-3, 12:1, 14:1-2, 15:1-2, 15:32-16:2, 18:1-2, 20:21-21:1, 21:18-19, 21:25-22:1, 23:29-31, 23:34-36, 24:6, 8, 16-18, 25:1-2, Ezekiel 1:1-2, 4:1-8, Jeremiah 25:11, 29:10, Daniel 9:24 and Isaiah 44:28).
    
    

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