Era
Dating in the Old Testament
The Old Testament contains no fixed, continuous dating system comparable to the modern era system (BC/AD or BCE/CE). Instead, events are dated relative to other events or to the reigns of kings. The Exodus serves as the most significant reference point: the construction of Solomon's temple is dated to "the four hundred and eightieth year after the people of Israel came out of the land of Egypt" (1 Kings 6:1). Aaron's death is similarly dated from the Exodus (Numbers 33:38).
Other landmark events occasionally serve as chronological anchors. Amos dates his prophecy to "two years before the earthquake" (Amos 1:1), an event apparently so well remembered that it needed no further explanation. Ezekiel dates his visions from the beginning of the Babylonian captivity (Ezekiel 1:2; 33:21; 40:1).
Regnal Dating
The dominant system throughout the monarchy was dating by the regnal years of kings, following the universal custom of the ancient Near East. Egypt, Babylon, and Assyria all organized their chronologies around royal reigns, and Israel adopted the same practice once the monarchy was established. The books of Kings consistently date events with formulas like "in the third year of Asa king of Judah" (1 Kings 15:33) or "in the eighteenth year of King Jeroboam" (1 Kings 15:1).
After the exile, Jews naturally adopted the regnal years of the Persian kings under whose rule they lived. Ezra dates the completion of the temple "in the sixth year of the reign of Darius" (Ezra 6:15), and Nehemiah times his mission to "the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes" (Nehemiah 2:1).
The Seleucid Era
The first formal era widely used by the Jewish people was the Seleucid era, which began in 312 BC with the rise of the Seleucid dynasty. This dating system became common throughout Syria and Palestine and persisted for centuries even after the Seleucid kingdom fell. The books of Maccabees employ this era: the first year of Simon Maccabee's independence is identified as the 170th year of the Seleucid era (1 Maccabees 13:41-42).
When Simon secured Jewish independence from the Seleucid king Demetrius II in 141-140 BC, the Jews began dating documents from the beginning of his rule (1 Maccabees 13:42), establishing a brief era of their own. Whether subsequent Hasmonean rulers maintained a continuous era or simply used individual regnal years remains uncertain.
The Theological Significance of Time
While the Bible does not employ a formal era system, it presents a deeply theological understanding of time. History is not cyclical or random but moves purposefully from creation toward consummation. Paul describes Christ's coming as occurring "when the fullness of time had come" (Galatians 4:4), indicating that God's redemptive plan unfolds according to a divine timetable.
The biblical narrative itself creates a theological chronology: creation, fall, the call of Abraham, the Exodus, the monarchy, the exile, the return, and the coming of Christ. Each stage marks a new phase in God's relationship with humanity. The author of Hebrews contrasts the old and new eras: "In many and various ways God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son" (Hebrews 1:1-2).
The Christian Era
The practice of dating history from the birth of Christ (Anno Domini) was introduced by the monk Dionysius Exiguus in the sixth century AD and gradually replaced other dating systems in the Christian world. Though this system was a later development, it reflects the theological conviction that the coming of Christ is the central event of human history — the pivot around which all other dates are organized.
The Bible's own approach to time measurement, while lacking a formal era, consistently emphasizes that God is the Lord of history, ordering events according to His sovereign purposes and bringing them to completion in His appointed time.
Biblical Context
The Bible dates events by the Exodus (1 Kings 6:1; Numbers 33:38), earthquakes (Amos 1:1), the exile (Ezekiel 1:2), and the regnal years of kings (throughout 1-2 Kings, Ezra, Nehemiah). The Seleucid era appears in 1 Maccabees 13:41-42. Theological concepts of time and eras appear in Galatians 4:4, Hebrews 1:1-2, and Ephesians 1:10.
Theological Significance
The Bible's approach to time reflects its core conviction that history is governed by God's sovereign purposes. Events are dated not by abstract eras but by acts of God (the Exodus, the exile) and the reigns of rulers He raises up and brings down. The coming of Christ is presented as the definitive turning point of all history — the moment 'when the fullness of time had come' — giving theological meaning to the entire human timeline.
Historical Background
Ancient Near Eastern civilizations dated events by regnal years. The Seleucid era (beginning 312 BC) was the first widely used fixed era in the Jewish world. Local eras existed in Phoenician cities like Tyre (from 126 BC) and Sidon (from 112 BC). The Roman era was used by officials but did not displace local systems. The Anno Domini system was introduced by Dionysius Exiguus in AD 525 and gradually became standard in the Western world, eventually being adopted globally alongside the secular BCE/CE designation.