Request: The Mysterious Numbers of the Hebrew Kings, by Edwin R. Thiele

Agree. Here are a couple of reviews:

The Mysterious Numbers of the Hebrew Kings. By Edwin R. Thiele. University of Chicago Press, Chicago. 298 pages. $6.00.

The vexing problems connected with the chronology of the kings of Israel and Judah have occupied the energy of scholars for many years. More recent studies by such scholars as F. X. Kugler in 1922, Julius Lewy in 1927, Sigmund Mowinckel in 1932 and Max Vogelstein in 1944 have shed much light on the difficulties involved, but it remained for Edwin R. Thiele to offer perhaps the soundest solution to many of the complexities, especially in the difficult period between Jehu and Menahem. The basic work of Thiele was first published in the Journal of Near Eastern Studies III
BSac 108:431 (Jul 51) p. 378 (1944), pp. 137-186, in a study entitled, “The Chronology of the Kings of Judah and Israel.”

Thiele’s larger work is invaluable in that it makes a careful analysis of Old Testament chronological data, defending their essential reliability, and sets forth the complex chronological principles employed by the Hebrew scribes. Scholars have customarily treated the chronology of the Hebrew monarchies in Kings and Chronicles as largely erroneous, in their attempts to harmonize it with the fixed dates of Babylonian and Assyrian history. Thiele, however, constructively arrives at a chronological scheme containing internal harmony and squaring with established dates of contemporary documents. This he does, not by a simple scheme (which is impossible since many complex factors are involved), but by an elaborate series of coregencies, calendaric variations and shifts, different modes of computing regnal years, etc. Professor Thiele’s methods are (we believe) sound and his conclusions are constructive. His valuable study is a vital contribution to the subject of Biblical chronology and will most certainly have a wide sphere of usefulness in an extremely difficult area of Old Testament research.

Professor Merrill F. Unger

Bibliotheca Sacra 108, no. 431 (1951): 376–378.

This is the final paragraph of a longer review In Westminster Theological Journal 14, No. 2

We have read Thiele’s book with profound admiration and consider it a masterpiece of Biblical scholarship. In our praise of it we could easily employ superlatives and still remain within the bounds of truth. On the whole, the chronology of the Hebrew monarchies can now be regarded as definitely settled. This is a feat for which Thiele deserves the thanks not only of the Old Testament scholars but also of all who are interested in Biblical studies. No matter how complex Thiele’s system of computing the regnal years may appear at first sight, once it is understood it will be found to be quite simple and reasonable. Here and there the validity of an argument might be doubted but in no case would the elimination of a contestable argument invalidate or jeopardize his general conclusion, since he usually fortifies every point by a series of considerations. One of the major by-products of Thiele’s investigation will be a growing respect for the accuracy of the Hebrew historians and for the soundness of the sacred text. We heartily recommend this book to every student of the Bible and hope that the author will find it possible some day to favor us with a work on the chronology of the entire Old Testament.

Alexander Heidel
The Oriental Institute, The University of Chicago


Westminster Theological Journal 14, no. 2 (1951): 151.

Jeff Jackson said:

If you're interested in chronological charts similar to Thiele's, checkout out logosres:SYNOTJACKSON and go to any section labeled "Chronology"

Thanks for pointing this out, Jeff.

Bump.