Overview
The biblical chronology largely uses numbers which were significant to the authors: the basic numbers are 12, 40 (a "generation"), and 480 (12 generations of 40 years); other significant numbers include 10, 20, 60, and 100.
The main events of the biblical chronology are the Creation (Year 0 AM), the birth and summoning of Abraham, the Exodus, the construction of the Temple of Solomon, the Edict allowing the return of the Jews to Jerusalem which, according to Ezra, was issued by Cyrus the Great during the first year of his conquest of Babylon, and the rededication of the Temple during the Maccabaean period. The following table is from Seder Olam Rabbah:
| Event | Year AM | Year BCE (non-biblical) | Span |
|---|---|---|---|
| Creation of Adam | 0 | 3924 BCE | 0 |
| Birth of Abram (Genesis 11:26) | 1948 | 1976 BCE | 1948 |
| Promise to Abraham | 2018 | 1906 BCE | 70 |
| Birth of Isaac | 2048 | 1876 BCE | 30 |
| Descent into Egypt | 2238 | 1686 BCE | 190 |
| Exodus from Egypt (Exodus 12:40) | 2448 | 1476 BCE | 210 (430 from Promise to Abraham; 400 from Birth of Isaac) |
| Foundation of Solomon's Temple (1 Kings 6:1) | 2928 | 997 BCE | 480 |
| Destruction of Temple | 3338 | 587 BCE | 410 |
| Return from exile (Ezra 1:2-4) | 3390 | 535 BCE | 52 |
The underlying chronology is built on a special calendar termed the Jubilees calendar, which has exactly 52 (not 54) weeks, and 364 (not 365) days, so that each day is on the same date each month (the first day of each month, for example, is always a Wednesday, which was a major festival-day).
Read more about this topic: Chronology Of The Bible