In the Jewish tradition the ninth day of month ‘AV’, the fifth month according to the Old Testament, considered to be the day when the Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem and burned the first Temple, in 586 B.C.E.

However, not many people know that this date is not found in the Bible. If we read the description of Jerusalem’s destruction in 2 Kings 25, we will find a different date:

“ וּבַחֹדֶשׁ הַחֲמִישִׁי, בְּשִׁבְעָה לַחֹדֶשׁ–הִיא שְׁנַת תְּשַׁע-עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה, לַמֶּלֶךְ נְבֻכַדְנֶאצַּר מֶלֶךְ-בָּבֶל: בָּא נְבוּזַרְאֲדָן רַב-טַבָּחִים, עֶבֶד מֶלֶךְ-בָּבֶל–יְרוּשָׁלִָם. וַיִּשְׂרֹף אֶת-בֵּית-יְהוָה, וְאֶת-בֵּית הַמֶּלֶךְ; וְאֵת כָּל-בָּתֵּי יְרוּשָׁלִַם וְאֶת-כָּל-בֵּית גָּדוֹל, שָׂרַף בָּאֵשׁ. וְאֶת-חוֹמֹת יְרוּשָׁלִַם, סָבִיב–נָתְצוּ כָּל-חֵיל כַּשְׂדִּים, אֲשֶׁר רַב-טַבָּחִים. וְאֵת יֶתֶר הָעָם הַנִּשְׁאָרִים בָּעִיר, וְאֶת-הַנֹּפְלִים אֲשֶׁר נָפְלוּ עַל-הַמֶּלֶךְ בָּבֶל, וְאֵת, יֶתֶר הֶהָמוֹן–הֶגְלָה, נְבוּזַרְאֲדָן רַב-טַבָּחִים. וּמִדַּלַּת הָאָרֶץ, הִשְׁאִיר רַב-טַבָּחִים, לְכֹרְמִים, וּלְיֹגְבִים”

“Now on the seventh day of the fifth month, which was the nineteenth year of King Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard, a servant of the king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem. He burned the house of the LORD, the king’s house, and all the houses of Jerusalem; Even every great house he burned with fire. So all the army of the Chaldeans who were with the captain of the guard broke down the walls around Jerusalem. Then the rest of the people who were left in the city and the deserters who had deserted to the king of Babylon and the rest of the people, Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried away into exile. But the captain of the guard left some of the poorest of the land to be vine-dresser and plowmen.”(2 Kings 25:8-12)

If we read Jeremiah 52:12-13, the date of the Temple’s destruction is different also then the ninth of “AV”,as written:

” וּבַחֹדֶשׁ הַחֲמִישִׁי, בֶּעָשׂוֹר לַחֹדֶשׁ, הִיא שְׁנַת תְּשַׁע-עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה, לַמֶּלֶךְ נְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּר מֶלֶךְ-בָּבֶל–בָּא, נְבוּזַרְאֲדָן רַב-טַבָּחִים, עָמַד לִפְנֵי מֶלֶךְ-בָּבֶל, בִּירוּשָׁלִָם. וַיִּשְׂרֹף אֶת-בֵּית-יְהוָה, וְאֶת-בֵּית הַמֶּלֶךְ; וְאֵת כָּל-בָּתֵּי יְרוּשָׁלִַם וְאֶת-כָּל-בֵּית הַגָּדוֹל, שָׂרַף בָּאֵשׁ”

“Now on the tenth day of the fifth month, which was the nineteenth year of King Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, Nebuzaradan the captain of the bodyguard, who was in the service of the king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem. He burned the house of the LORD, the king’s house and all the houses of Jerusalem; Even every large house he burned with fire”

The Sages of Israel needed to find a solution for the contradiction between the dates written above. They said: on the seventh the Babylonians entered the temple, on the ninth they burned the temple and on the tenth the Temple was burned completely.

What do you think about this problem of periodization in the Bible and the solution of the sages? Share your thoughts with me! Have a great week, Eli

Hebrew-Transcription –Translation

חֹדֶשׁ-chōdeš- Month

שָׂרַף- śāraf-He burned

שִׁבְעָה- šiv’āh-Seven

בֶּעָשׂוֹר-be’āśôr- In the tenth

בָּא-bā’- He came

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