garyneal
Post 1373
Nowhere in the Bible does it state that the seventy years ended in 539 BCE. This is simply an interpretation just as it is with the statement that the seventy years ended in 537 BCE for this also is an interpretation. Chronology is about two things: Methodology and Interpretation. The seventy years as to its nature and chronology is also interpretation. Plain and Simple.
Your tabulation of Jeremiah 25 is flawed becuase you must recognize that verses 9-11 is addressed to Judah and verses 12-14 is addressed to Babylon. What these two sections have in common is the seventy years for this is the 'fulcrum' of both sets of prophecies. Also your first section makes no mention of Judah making the theme of that section Babylon as is the case with the second section this is another mistake. Judah and its inhabitants is the subject of the first section and Babylon is the subject of the second section.
Your analysis that the seventy years ended in 539 BCE is read into the text by you and there is nothing in the text that suggest your viewpoint. In fact the text has nothing to say about what the ending of the seventy years as such. We have to read Jeremiah 29:10 which tells us more about the event and timing of the seventy years. Further, Ezra, Daniel , Zechariah and Josephus quite clearly show that the seventy years ended in 537 BCE with the Return from Exile.
scholar JW