Re: When was the book of Daniel written?
Posted: Fri Dec 22, 2017 10:39 pm
Thanks Karl. I see what you mean.kwrandolph wrote:No. Nebuchadnezzar arrived in Judea in the third year, but when cross-referencing to other passages, he didn’t capture Jerusalem itself until the 11th year of Jehoiakim. Then reading 2 Chronicles 36 further, that was 11 years before the final destruction of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar.SteveMiller wrote:Could the 70 year captivity have begun with the first carrying away by Nebuchadnezzar in the 3rd year of Jehoiakim (Dan 1:1-2), when some of the vessels of the temple were carried away, and when Daniel was carried away captive? That was 19 years before the complete destruction of the temple in the 10th year of Zedekiah.
In ancient times, sieges of cities could often last years. Even over a decade. Cities tried to store enough food to outlast a siege. Further, how long did it take for Nebuchadnezzar to pacify the countryside and outlying fortified cities before he moved against Jerusalem itself? So an eight year siege by Nebuchadnezzar’s troops is not out of the question.
Dan 1:1-2 seems like Nebuchadnezzar took Jerusalem in the 3rd year of Jehoiakim, but 2Ki 24:1 says Jehoiakim only served Nebuchadnezzar 3 years, so that would mean Nebuchadnezzar captured Jerusalem in the 8th year of Jehoiakim. Why do you say the 11th year?
2Chron 36:21, which you brought up, indicates that the 70 years started with the destruction of Jerusalem in the 10th year of Zedekiah.
But how do you reconcile that with
Jer 29:10 For thus says the LORD, 'When seventy years have been completed for Babylon, I will visit you and fulfill My good word to you, to bring you back to this place.
Jer 29:10 was given before the destruction of Jerusalem. It seems to be shortly after Jeconiah was taken captive (v2), which would be 10 years before the destruction. Yet Jer 25:10 sounds like the 70 years have already begun. There it sounds like the 70 years began with Jeconiah's captivity.