Here is a
detailed and thorough refutation of the arguments presented by "scholar" for the 607 BCE chronology, demonstrating why the
arguments fail historically, biblically, and logically:
Detailed Refutation of the JW Arguments for 607 BCE
1. Alleged Lack of Scholarly Consensus and the 609 BCE
Starting Point
"Did
you know scholars also date the 70 years from 605 BCE, not 609 BCE? There is no
consensus."
It is misleading to argue a lack of consensus to justify 607 BCE. Scholars
differ between 609 BCE (final Assyrian defeat at Harran) and 605 BCE
(Babylonian victory at Carchemish) as the start of Babylon's 70-year period of
supremacy precisely because both dates have historical significance. However, no
credible scholars propose 607 BCE for Jerusalem's destruction. All
reputable secular historians agree on 586/587 BCE. The uncertainty over 609 vs.
605 BCE does not support 607 BCE, as the JW argument incorrectly
assumes.
The
scholarly dispute concerns when Babylon's dominance began, not when Jerusalem
was destroyed, which is securely dated to 586/587 BCE by overwhelming
historical and archaeological evidence.
2. Interpretation of Jeremiah 25:11 and Babylon’s
Supremacy
"Jer.
25:11 does not emphasize Babylon's supremacy, only Judah’s servitude and
desolation for exactly 70 years."
The text of Jeremiah 25:11 explicitly states:
"This
whole land shall become a ruin and a waste, and these nations shall serve the
king of Babylon seventy years."
The context
clearly indicates a period of regional Babylonian dominance, not
exclusively a 70-year desolation or exile of Judah. Notice the explicit mention
of "these nations" (plural), which includes Judah but is not
limited to it. Thus, Jeremiah's 70 years encompass Babylon’s political and
military dominance, aligning historically from approximately 609 BCE (or 605
BCE) to Babylon’s fall in 539 BCE.
Jeremiah
29:10 supports this: the 70 years conclude when Babylon's rule ends, allowing
Judah’s return—not after the return itself (537 BCE), but upon Babylon’s
fall (539 BCE). Ezra and Daniel also understood the 70 years in terms of
Babylon's dominance ending with its fall, not two years afterward.
3. Misinterpretation of Jeremiah 25:12 and the Timing
of Babylon’s Judgment
"Jeremiah
25:12 clearly states judgment against Babylon commenced only after the 70 years
ended, thus it cannot be 539 BCE but must be 537 BCE."
This interpretation misreads the sequence of events. Jeremiah 25:12 says explicitly:
"Then
after seventy years are completed, I will punish the king of Babylon."
Historically,
Babylon was punished exactly at its fall in 539 BCE by Cyrus the Great,
as confirmed by numerous historical records. There is no delay or
"two-year gap" in Scripture or history. Babylon lost sovereignty
precisely at its conquest in 539 BCE, directly fulfilling Jeremiah's prophecy.
The JW assertion that Babylon’s punishment must begin in 537 BCE is entirely
artificial, unsupported historically and biblically.
4. Alleged Historical, Archaeological, and
Astronomical Support for 607 BCE
"Historically
and theologically, 607 BCE is the only possible date. Josephus, archaeology,
and astronomy confirm this."
Refutation:
- Josephus: Josephus explicitly confirms Jerusalem’s destruction occurred in
Nebuchadnezzar’s 18th regnal year, corresponding historically to 586/587
BCE. Josephus never supports 607 BCE. JW misuse of Josephus
selectively distorts his clear statements (e.g., Antiquities X.7.1).
- Archaeology: Extensive archaeological excavations in Jerusalem universally confirm the
destruction layers dating precisely to 586/587 BCE. No archaeological
evidence supports 607 BCE.
- Astronomy: Astronomical diary VAT 4956 precisely confirms Nebuchadnezzar’s 37th year
as 568/567 BCE, proving the destruction of Jerusalem occurred in 586/587
BCE (his 18th year). The JW attempts to redate VAT 4956 to 588 BCE are
incorrect and discredited by independent astronomers.
5. Nebuchadnezzar’s Seven-Year Madness and
Chronological Gap
"Nebuchadnezzar’s
seven-year madness creates a chronological gap."
Nebuchadnezzar's seven-year illness in Daniel 4 is nowhere described as
creating a gap in Babylonian history. Babylonian administrative texts
from this period show continuous governance, clearly disproving any
interruption in Nebuchadnezzar’s reign. The JW insertion of a seven-year gap is
a completely unsubstantiated and artificial attempt to justify their
chronological misalignment.
6. Misrepresentation of Carl Olof Jonsson’s (COJ) Work
"COJ
barely mentions the 70-year exile, ignoring its reality."
Carl Olof Jonsson extensively
discusses the 70-year period, analyzing all relevant biblical texts (Jeremiah
25, 29, Daniel 9, Ezra 1, 2 Chronicles 36). He convincingly demonstrates that
the 70 years were Babylon’s dominance, not Judah’s specific exile. The JW
assertions grossly misrepresent Jonsson’s thorough and careful scholarship.
7. Claims of 607–537 BCE Exile and Return
"607–537
BCE perfectly fits the exile and return dates."
The biblical and historical record explicitly refutes this claim. Cyrus issued
his decree to release the Jews in 538 BCE, historically attested by the
Cyrus Cylinder. Most scholars agree the actual return occurred by 537 BCE.
Counting back exactly 70 years aligns with Babylon’s dominance (609/605–539
BCE), not 607 BCE. The JW timeline artificially compresses historical events
and misdates key events, such as Nebuchadnezzar's reign, contrary to
overwhelming external evidence.
8. Jeremiah 52:28-30 – Further Deportations After 607
BCE
"Jeremiah
52:30 mentions a deportation in Nebuchadnezzar’s 23rd year (602 BCE), showing
the land wasn't desolate since 607 BCE."
This inadvertently disproves the JWs' own claim. Jeremiah 52 clearly refers to
deportations after the initial 597 BCE exile. If Jerusalem had been destroyed
and made completely desolate in 607 BCE, no further deportations could have
occurred years later. This passage instead confirms the multiple-stage exile
and contradicts a singular 607 BCE destruction.
9. Alleged "Interpolation" of the 609 BCE
Date in Babylonian Chronicles
"The Babylonian
Chronicle BM 21901 doesn't contain 609 BCE; this is a scholarly
interpolation."
This claim shows misunderstanding or misrepresentation. The Babylonian
Chronicles (especially ABC3 and ABC4) clearly document Nabopolassar’s decisive
victory over Assyria at Harran (609 BCE), firmly establishing this date
historically. No interpolation is involved; rather, clear Babylonian historical
records support this date explicitly.
10. Calculating the "Gentile Times" and the
"2520 Years"
"The
Gentile Times calculation using 360-day prophetic years (7x360=2520) proves the
607–1914 chronology."
The JW "Gentile Times" prophecy depends entirely on 607 BCE, which
has been comprehensively disproven historically, astronomically,
archaeologically, and biblically. Even accepting symbolic "prophetic
years," the foundational 607 BCE date is factually invalid. Without 607
BCE, the entire 1914 prophetic calculation collapses.
Conclusion
The JW
argument for a 607 BCE date for Jerusalem’s destruction fails at every level of
scrutiny:
- It misreads Jeremiah’s
prophecy.
- It contradicts explicit
historical and astronomical evidence.
- It distorts scholarly research
and misrepresents reputable historians.
- It artificially inserts
chronological gaps without evidence.
- It selectively quotes and
misrepresents historical sources like Josephus and Babylonian Chronicles.
The
scholarly consensus—backed by a convergence of biblical, historical,
archaeological, and astronomical evidence—is clear: Jerusalem fell in 586/587
BCE, and Babylonian supremacy (the 70 years) lasted from approximately 609 BCE
to 539 BCE.
