God creates Adam and Eve. Ussher's chronology of the Old Testament places their creation at 4004, while other research suggests a date of 4024.
3969 - 3039
Life of Adam (Genesis 5:3 - 5), who will live 930 years.
3839 - 2927
Life of Seth (Genesis 5:6 - 8).
3734 - 2829
Life of Enos (Genesis 5:9 - 11).
3644 - 2734
Life of Cainan (Genesis 5:12 - 14).
3574 - 2679
Life of Mahalaleel (Genesis 5:15 - 17).
3509 - 2547
Life of Jared (Genesis 5:18 - 20).
3347 - 2982
Life of Enoch (Genesis 5:21 - 24).
3282 - 2313
Life of Methuselah (Genesis 5:25 - 27).
3095 - 2318
Life of Lamech (Genesis 5:28 - 31).
2913 - 1963
Life of Noah (Genesis 9:29).
2411 - 1811
Life of Shem (Genesis 11:10 - 11).
2313
God causes the Great Flood (Genesis 6 - 8).
2311 - 1873
Life of Arphaxad (Genesis 11:12 - 13).
Arphaxad was born two years after the Flood when his father, Shem, was one hundred years old (Genesis 11:10).
2276 - 1843
Life of Salah (Genesis 11:12 - 15).
2246 - 1782
Life of Eber (Genesis 11:14 - 17).
2233
Possible date for the building of the tower of Babel. The tower was built by Nimrod who was the grandson of worldwide flood survivor Ham (Genesis 10:6 - 10, 11:1 - 9).
2212 - 1973
Life of Peleg (Genesis 11:16 - 19).
2182 - 1943
Life of Reu (Genesis 11:18 - 21).
2150 - 1920
Life of Serug (Genesis 11:20 - 23).
2120 - 1972
Life of Nahor (Genesis 11:22 - 23).
2091 - 1886
Life of Terah (Genesis 11:22 - 23).
1960 - 1785
Life of Abram (Abraham, Genesis 25:7).
1885
God calls Abram (later Abraham) at age 75 while he is living in Haran (Genesis 12).
1875
God promises Abram, at age 85, he will have a son and establishes a covenant with him (Genesis 15). According to the apostle Paul (Galatians 3:17), the time span between this covenant and when the Israelites are freed from Egypt is 430 years.
1861 B.C.
Sodom and Gomorrah are destroyed one year before the birth of Isaac (Genesis 18 - 19).
1860 - 1680
Life of Isaac (Genesis 35:28). His lifespan of 180 years is greater than his father Abraham (175) or his son Jacob (147).
1845
God tests Abraham, at the age of 115, by commanding he sacrifice his only son Isaac (Genesis 22).
1800 - 1653
Life of Jacob (renamed Israel - Genesis 32:24 - 28).
1723
Jacob cheats his brother Esau out of the birthright blessing given by their father Isaac. While fleeing Canaan, he sees his famous ladder reaching to heaven in a place he renames Bethel.
1709 - 1599
Life of Joseph (Genesis 50:22).
1670
Jacob and his family enter the land of Egypt (Genesis 46 - 47:9).
1550 - 1069
Period when the Egyptian Empire, also called the New Kingdom of Egypt, is at the height of its power and prosperity.
1550 - 1526
Ahmose I reigns as Egypt's Pharaoh (dates disputed).
1526 - 1506
Amenhotep I reigns as Egypt's Pharaoh (dates disputed).
1525 - 1405
Life of Moses (Deuteronomy 34:7).
1506 - 1493
Thutmose I reigns as Egyptian Pharaoh.
1493 - 1479
Thutmose II reigns as Egyptian Pharaoh.
1490 - 1380
Life of Joshua (Joshua 24:29).
1479 - 1458
Hatshepsut reigns as Pharaoh of Egypt.
1479 - 1425 B.C.
Thutmose III reigns as Pharaoh of Egypt. From 1479 to 1458, he is co-regent with stepmother Hatshesut.
1445
Exodus of the children of Israel out of Egyptian bondage.
1445 - 1405
Children of Israel wander wilderness 40 years (Deut. 8:2). Moses writes first five books listed in Bible.
1405
Joshua leads the Children of Israel into the Promised Land.
1398
The land of Canaan (Promised Land) is divided by lot among the children of Israel (Joshua 14).
1398 - 1380
Joshua serves as Israel's Judge.
1358 - 1350
Children of Israel oppressed by Cushan, King of Mesopotamia (Judges 3:8).
1350 - 1310
Othniel serves as Israel's Judge (Judges 3:9 - 11).
1310 - 1292
Children of Israel oppressed by Eglon, King of Moab (Judges 3:12 - 14).
1292 - 1212
Ehud serves as Israel's Judge (Judges 3:15 - 30).
1212 - 1192
Children of Israel oppressed by Jabin, King of Canaan (Judges 4:1 - 4).
1192 - 1152
Deborah and Barak serve as Israel's Judges (Judges 4 - 5).
1153 - 1113
Eli serves as one of Israel's Judges (1Samuel 4:18).
1152 - 1145
Children of Israel oppressed by Midianites (Judges 6:1).
1145 - 1105
Gideon serves as Israel's Judge (Judges 6:11 - 40; 7; 8).
1105 - 1102
Abimelech serves as Israel's Judge in the North (Judges 9:1 - 54).
1105 - 1065
The Israelites are oppressed by the Philistines in the South and West (Judges 13:1, 1Samuel 7:13).
1105 - 1087
The children of Israel are oppressed by the Ammonites in the East (Judges 10:7 - 8).
1102 - 1079
Tola serves as Israel's Judge in the North (Judges 10:1 - 2).
1087 - 1081
Jephthah serves as Israel's Judge in the East (Judges 11; 12:1 - 7).
1085 - 1065
Samson serves as Israel's Judge in the South and West (Judges 15:20).
1085 - 1053
Samuel serves as Israel's Judge (1Samuel 7:6, 15 - 17).
1081 - 1074
Ibzan serves as Israel's Judge in the East (Judges 12:8 - 10).
1079 - 1057
Jair serves as Israel's Judge in the North (Judges 10:3 - 5).
1074 - 1064
Elon serves as Israel's Judge in the East (Judges 12:11 - 12).
1067 - 1050
Samuel the prophet writes the books of Judges and Joshua.
1064 - 1056 B.C.
Abdon serves as Israel's Judge in the East (Judges 12:13 - 14).
1060's
The book of Ruth is written.
1053 - 1050
Samuel's sons serve as Israel's Judge (1Samuel 8:1 - 5).
1050 - 1010
King Saul, anointed by Samuel, reigns over a united Israel.
1010 - 970
King David reigns over Israel. He writes Psalms 1 - 71, 107 - 119, 135 - 150.
1010 - 970
Davidic priests write Psalms 73 - 88, 90 - 106.
970 - 930
King Solomon reigns over Israel. He writes Psalm 72, Proverbs 1 - 24, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Solomon.
966 - 965
Solomon begins building Jerusalem's temple (1Kings 6:1).
959 - 958
Solomon completes building Jerusalem's temple (1Kings 6:38).
930
Israel, in one of the most momentous events of the Old Testament, splits into two distinct kingdoms. The first is the nation of Israel (composed of ten of Israel's tribes) with its capital in Samaria. The second is the kingdom of Judah (composed of Judah, Benjamin, and Levi) with its capital in Jerusalem.
930 - 723
Period of the nineteen Kings of Israel.
930 - 586 B.C.
Period of the twenty rulers (19 Kings and 1 Queen) over Judah.
884 - 612
Period when Assyria is a world empire.
798 to c. 400
The books of the Minor Prophets are written.
745 - 727
Tiglath-pileser III ("Pul") is King of Assyria. King Menahem of Israel pays him tribute (2Kings 15:19 - 20).
740 - 686
Books of Isaiah, 1Kings, 1Samuel and 2Samuel written.
727 - 722
Shalmaneser V reigns as King of Assyria.
723
Samaria is conquered by Assyrian King Shalmaneser V. Israel is taken captive to Assyria (2Kings 17:1 - 6).
715 - 686
Hezekiah writes Psalms 120 - 134 and has Proverbs 25 - 29 written for him.
705 - 681
Sennacherib reigns as King of Assyria.
701
God has the Angel of the Lord kill 185,000 of Sennacherib's troops as they prepare to enter Jerusalem (2Kings 18 - 19).
627 - 585
Book of Jeremiah, Psalm 89 and a part of 2Kings written.
612
Nineveh, capital of the Assyrian Empire, falls to Babylonian King Nabopolassar.
612 - 539
Period when Babylon is a world empire.
608 - 586 B.C.
Book of Lamentations written.
605
King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon makes his first attack of Jerusalem. Taken captive are the prophet Daniel and his companions.
605 - 530
Book of Daniel written.
597
Jerusalem attacked second time by Babylon. Judah's king is taken prisoner, Zedekiah set up as puppet king (2Kings 24 - 25).
597 - 570
Book of Ezekiel written.
586
Nebuchadnezzar attacks Jerusalem a third time. He destroys city and burns the temple. Judah goes into captivity (2Kings 24 - 25).
559 - 530
Cyrus the Great reigns as King of the Persian Empire.
555 - 539
Nabonidus reigns as last Babylonian king .
539
King Nabonidus fights, surrenders to Persian king Cyrus the Great. The first part of Daniel's 70 weeks prophecy (Daniel 9:24 - 26), the duration of which is seven weeks (49 prophetic years, see our article on the number 49), begins with "the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem" (Daniel 9:25). This command, which allowed captive Jews to return to Judea and rebuild Jerusalem (and its temple), was issued by Cyrus in 539 B.C. (Ezra 1:1 - 4).
539 - 331
Period when Persia is a world empire.
521 - 486
Darius I the Great is Persian King.
516
The rebuilding of Jerusalem's temple is completed.
500s - 400s
Ezra and the Great Assembly complete the canonization of the Old Testament.
c. 480
Book of Esther written.
c. 455
Books of Ezra, 1Chronicles and 2Chronicles are written.
c. 430
Book of Nehemiah written.
336 - 323 B.C.
Alexander the Great, King of Macedon, builds and rules his world empire.
331
Persian King Darius III is defeated in battle by Alexander the Great. Persia falls.
175
Antiochus IV Epiphanes becomes king of Hellenistic Seleucid Empire. He begins to force Greek culture into Judea.
167
Mattathias, a Jewish priest in Jerusalem, starts a revolt against the Seleucids.
164
Judas Maccabeus (Judah the Maccabee), son of Mattathias, leads Jewish dissidents to victory over the Seleucids. The Maccabean dynasty rules and influences the history of the land of Israel for the next roughly 130 years.
147
Judea gains its independence.
63
Roman troops occupy Judea in the land of Israel. Jerusalem falls.
60 - 54
A coalition between Julius Caesar, Pompey and Crassus governs the Roman Republic.
44 B.C.
Julius Caesar is assassinated.
37
Herod the Great becomes King of Judea through Rome.
27
The Roman Republic ends. Augustus Caesar becomes Roman Emperor.
20
Herod the Great begins work to rebuild Jerusalem's temple.
5
Jesus is born in Bethlehem.
c. 4
Herod the Great dies. The land he ruled over in Israel is divided up amond his sons Herod Antipas, Herod Archelaus and Philip the Tetrarch (Herod Philip II).