Section 1 - Addenda

Ezekiel's Timeline and the Seven Days

While it may seem that the seven-day period mentioned in Ezekiel 3:15 should be combined with the 430-day siege in the interval between Ezekiel 1:1-3 and Ezekiel 8:1, a closer look at the text reveals a different story. Here's why:

1. Key Details Related to the 5^th Day of the 4^th Month: The passage in Ezekiel 1:1-3 specifies three key details associated with the "5^th day of the 4^th month":
   • "The word of Jehovah came to Ezekiel" on that day.
   • "The hand of Jehovah came upon" Ezekiel on the same day.
   • Both of these events occurred while Ezekiel was dwelling among the exiles at the Chebar River.
2. The Dwelling Period: In Ezekiel 3:14-16, the prophet writes that after he first saw the heavenly chariot, "the spirit carried me and took me away." He then begins to dwell among the exiles at the Chebar River. It's then, at the end of seven days of dwelling among them, that Ezekiel mentions that "the word of Jehovah came" to him. Finally, "the hand of Jehovah came upon" Ezekiel, as he reports in Ezekiel 3:22.

Therefore, the context of Ezekiel's account makes it clear that the three key details associated with the 5^th day of the 4^th month of Ezekiel 1:1-3 do not occur until the end of the seventh day of dwelling among the exiles. This sequence of events helps us to better understand the timeline more accurately. The events described in Ezekiel 3:22 must have taken place on the "5^th day of the 4^th month".↩︎

A Twelve-Month Annual Calendar: Insight from the Hebrew Scriptures

Several passages in the Hebrew Scriptures provide detailed descriptions of the administrative, labor, and military structures of the ancient Israelites. These accounts, particularly 1 Kings 4:7, 1 Kings 5:13-14, and 1 Chronicles 27:1-15, provide valuable insights into the organization and functioning of their society. Notably, they regularly mention months and annual cycles, but make no mention of leap months. This raises intriguing questions about the specific calendar system used by the ancient Israelites.

Arguments against a calendar that uses leap months:

1. Lack of references to leap months: The detailed nature of these biblical accounts suggests that important details wouldn't be left out. If leap months were essential to their calendar, wouldn't they be mentioned? The omission of leap months strengthens the argument for a simpler, 12-month system.

2. Predictability and regularity: The passages describe systems based on predictable and regular annual cycles. The administrative structure in 1 Kings 4:7, with its monthly quotas and logistical complexities, wouldn't work effectively with unpredictable leap months. Similarly, the labor management system of 1 Kings 5:13-14, with its three-month rotation and seasonal considerations, would be thrown off balance by the disruptions caused by leap months.

3. Military organization: 1 Chronicles 27:1 indicates that 12 monthly divisions were sufficient for year-round military service, directly supporting a 12-month yearly calendar.

Supporting Evidence:

A 12-month calendar aligns with the details described in these biblical accounts. These passages directly support a 12-month interpretation without the need for complex explanations involving leap months.

While the lack of definitive proof leaves room for debate, the detailed nature of these accounts and the absence of any mention of leap months suggest a strong case for the ancient Israelites using a simple and consistent 12-month calendar system.↩︎

Aligning Time and Tradition

I've created a new calendar inspired by the book of Ezekiel. It has 368 days in a year, divided into 12 months. One of the possible problems with this calendar is that it would quickly get out of sync with the solar year, but even our calendar isn't perfect. We use "leap years" of 366 days to correct for this small difference.

Ezekiel's calendar works similarly. Normally it has 368 days, but adjustments are sometimes made to stay in sync with the seasons. One idea is to shorten every 4th year by 11 days, making it 357 days. This aligns the calendar with the seasons over 4 years, like this:

$$\frac{(368 \times 4) - 11}{4} = 365 \frac{1}{4}$$

Using such a system, the lunar and solar calendars would converge over a period of 76 years (19 cycles of 4 years). This results in a span of 76 years where the amount of time in 912 calendar months would almost exactly equal the amount of time in 940 lunar months. This is important because in ancient times, lunar months (about 29.53 days) were a crucial element in time keeping.

Another advantage is a special 28-year cycle. After 28 years (7 cycles of 4 years), the days of the week align with the same dates again. This allows people to predict, years in advance, whether a particular calendar date will fall on a particular day of the week. For example, if the 1^st day of the 1^st month is a Sunday in a given year, it will be a Sunday again in 28 years. This would be necessary to coordinate priestly services in the temple, which were scheduled in weekly intervals.

In the Bible, King David divided the priests into 24 groups to serve weekly in the temple on a rotating basis. With this calendar, each group's temple week would begin again on the same date after 224 years (8 cycles of 28 years). For example, if Jehoiarib's group starts a temple week on the 1^st day of the 1^st month, they'll start again on the same date 224 years later.

The 28-year cycle is also related to the Jubilee tradition, which divides time into 50-year periods. The last year of the 25^th cycle would be 700 years, marking the 14^th Jubilee.

While Ezekiel's calendar may seem unusual, it's a well-organized way of keeping track of time. Its potential for planning and scheduling religious activity makes it an interesting idea to consider.↩︎

28-Year Cycle and Calendar Alignments

The proposed calendar system has a 28-year cycle that aligns weekdays with specific dates. This system is potentially related to biblical events, specifically the account of the manna in Exodus 16.

The account describes manna beginning on the 16^th day of the second month in 1513 B.C.E., with the weekly Sabbath following seven days later, which would be a Saturday in modern terms. To achieve a seven-day gap between the beginning of the manna and the establishment of the Sabbath, the 16^th day of the second month must be a Sunday.

This alignment is possible in the proposed 28-year cycle by making the 1^st day of the 1^st month a Sunday in the 1^st position of the cycle. This makes the 16^th day of the 2^nd month a Sunday in the 9^th position of the cycle.

The Dwelling Period of the Israelites:

Exodus 12:40-41 states that the Israelites' 430-year dwelling period ended on the 14^th day of the 1^st month in 1513 B.C.E., with emphasis on the exact day. If we place 1513 B.C.E. in the 9^th position of the cycle and count backward 430 years, we find 1943 B.C.E. in the 27th position of the cycle. This makes the 14^th day of the 1^st month the same day of the week in both years: Tuesday.

Using the 28-year cycle and counting backward 430 years not only aligns the calendar date but also the day of the week across centuries, potentially supporting this calendar system.

Ezra and the Journey from Babylon:

Ezra 7:9, 8:15, and 8:31 give the dates when a group of Jews left Babylon for Jerusalem. They gathered at a river on the 1^st day of the 1^st month in 468 B.C.E. They then camped for three days. After camping for three days, they began to prepare for the journey. Finally, they began the journey on the 12^th day of the 1^st month and completed it when they reached Jerusalem on the 1^st day of the 5^th month.

Placing 1513 B.C.E. in the 9^th position of the cycle and counting forward 1,045 years places 468 B.C.E. in the 18^th position. This calculation would mean that their three-day encampment ended on a Sabbath, and both their departure and arrival occurred on the day following a Sabbath.

These alignments have practical significance. Having a Sabbath preceding the preparation for the journey is consistent with the notion of a day of rest before embarking on a major undertaking. In addition, Jewish tradition restricted travel on the Sabbath. In the context of a long journey with hundreds of people, it would be logical to plan departures and arrivals on the day after a Sabbath. The biblical account aligns with the calendar system in this way also.