Alethia
No where in the bible is the exile and and the 70 years connected even if its used in the same sentence. Babylon was used by Jehovah for 70 years to over thrown the surrounding nations. The fact that the exile was less than 70 years is irrelevent and does not contradict the scriptures in any way.
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What nonsense. Are you saying that the word exile ' does not occur in the Bible, particularly in the OT? And if the 70 years were not connected to an exile then what was it connected to? Jehovah used Babylon to punish Judah by means of an exile for a period of 70 years and you cannot rewrite history.
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When you understand that the 70 years is "for Babylon" and not 'for Israel' you also understand the 70 years was finished when Babylon was overthrown in 539BCE. The 70 years began when Babylon conquered Assyria in 609BCE. Makes total sense and no need for vague ideas and 20 year gaps.
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The 70 years were certainly for Babylon as they were brought into servitude to Babylon and were exiled at Babylon for 70 years. The 70 years had not ended with the Fall of Babylon in 539 BCE because they were still in Babylon as an exiled people until their release from captivity-servitude-domination in 537 BCE event in Cyrus' 1st year fulfilled the 70 years.
The 70 years could not have begun in 609 BCE with the Fall of Assyria as the prophecy by Jeremiah was not given at that time but later with Neb's first year and Jehoiakim's 4th year- Jer. 25:1.
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Also, the fact that the 70 years is "for Babylon" does not mean israel was to be punished for 70 years.
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The fact is that Judah was in servitude to Babylon for a fixed period of 70 years during which they were at or in Babylon.
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As others have said it really comes down to reading the scriptures accurately in order to avoid misinterpretation.
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Absolutely. Plain reading of the text and understanding the text by means of exegesis.
scholar JW
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