I have to admit that I am not the best when it comes to
math but even I know that the following does not add up…
The WTS says Josiah reigned for 31 years:
[Insight on the Scriptures,
Volume 2 p. 118
Toward the close of Josiah’s
31-year reign (659-629 B.C.E.),]
[“All Scripture Is Inspired
of God and Beneficial” p. 73
The
people now make Amon’s son Josiah king. During his 31-year reign, he briefly
reverses Judah’s plunge toward destruction ‘by walking in all the way of David
his forefather.’]
They state that his reign was
from 659 – 629. Well that is only 30 years NOT 31 years. Also they say the 13th
year of his reign was 647 but being that they claim he began his reign in 659
then his 13th year would be 646 NOT 647. For it to be 647 the reign
start would need to be 660.
[Insight on the Scriptures,
Volume 1 p. 1013
During the reign of Judah’s
good king Josiah (659-629 B.C.E.),]
[Insight on the
Scriptures, Volume 2 p. 30-31
Commissioned as Prophet. Jeremiah was called to be a prophet when a young man, in 647 B.C.E.,
in the 13th year of the reign of King Josiah of Judah (659-629 B.C.E.).]
The WTS says Jehoiakim ruled 11 years but claim
it was from 628-618, that is 10 years NOT 11.
[Insight on the Scriptures,
Volume 1 p. 1269
Jehoiakim’s third year of his
11-year reign over Judah]
[Insight on the Scriptures,
Volume 1 p. 708
King of Judah (628-618 B.C.E.) whom Pharaoh Nechoh placed upon the throne, changing
his name to Jehoiakim.]
Insight on the Scriptures,
Volume 1 p. 1268
Jehoiakim’s bad rule of about 11
years (628-618 B.C.E.) was marked by injustices, oppression, and murder.
[Jeremiah 25:1 The word that came to Jeremiah
concerning all the people of Judah in (624) the fourth year of Je·hoiʹa·kim+ son of Jo·siʹah, the king of Judah, which
(624) was the first year of King Neb·u·chad·nezʹzar of Babylon.]
If according to the WTS Jehoiakim began to reign
in 628 then his 4th year would have been 624 NOT 625. That also
means that Neb’s 1st year was 624…let’s see if that WTS agrees with
that:
[it-2 pp. 480-482
Nebuchadnezzar ruled as king
for 43 years (624-582 B.C.E.), this period including the “seven times”
during which he ate vegetation like a bull.]
Well
it seems they do agree with that start as 624 but they are off on their math
again because they say he ruled for 43 years but 624 – 582 is 42 years.
And if Neb’s 1st
year was 624 then his 18th year was 606, so he besieged Jerusalem in
606 NOT 607.
[Jeremiah 32:1 The word that came to Jeremiah from
Jehovah in the tenth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, which was (606) the eighteenth year of Nebuchadrezzar.
(624- 582) 2 Now at that time the king of Babylon’s
army was besieging Jerusalem;]
Now let’s compare secular history arithmetic:
Josiah – reign 640 – 609 = 31 years exactly
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Josiah
Jehoiakim - reign 609 - 598 = 11 years exactly
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jehoiakim
Nebuchadnezzar – reign 605 - 562 = 43 years
exactly
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nebuchadnezzar_II
[Jeremiah 25:1 The word that came to Jeremiah
concerning all the people of Judah in (605) the fourth year of Je·hoiʹa·kim
(609 –598) son of Jo·siʹah, (640 – 609) the king of Judah, which (605) was the
first year of King Neb·u·chad·nezʹzar (605 - 562 of Babylon.]
[Jeremiah 32:1 The word that came to Jeremiah from
Jehovah in the tenth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, which was (587) the eighteenth year of Nebuchadrezzar.
(605- 562) 2 Now at that time the king of Babylon’s
army was besieging Jerusalem;]
605 – 18 = 587 besieged Jerusalem
