From 1943 B.C.E. to the Exodus. Exodus 12:40, 41 states that “the dwelling of the sons of Israel, who had dwelt in Egypt, was four hundred and thirty years. And it came about at the end of the four hundred and thirty years, it even came about on this very day that all the armies of Jehovah went out of the land of Egypt.” Whereas most translations render verse 40 in such a way as to make the 430 years apply entirely to the dwelling in Egypt, the original Hebrew allows for the above translation. Also, at Galatians 3:16, 17, Paul associates that 430-year period with the time between the validating of the Abrahamic covenant and the making of the Law covenant. Evidently when Abraham acted on God’s promise, crossing the Euphrates in 1943 B.C.E. on his way to Canaan and actually moving into “the country” to which God directed him, the Abrahamic covenant was validated. (Ge 12:1; 15:18-21) Exactly 430 years after this event, his descendants were delivered from Egypt, in 1513 B.C.E., and in that same year the Law covenant was made with them. Evidence that from early times the period mentioned at Exodus 12:40, 41 was understood to begin counting from the time when the ancestors of the nation made the move to go to Canaan is indicated by the Greek Septuagint rendering: “But the dwelling of the sons of Israel which they dwelt in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan [was] four hundred and thirty years long.”

The period from Abraham’s move to Canaan until Jacob’s going down into Egypt was 215 years. This figure is derived from the following facts: Twenty-five years passed from Abraham’s departure from Haran to the birth of Isaac (Ge 12:4; 21:5); from then to the birth of Jacob was 60 years (Ge 25:26); and Jacob was 130 at the time of his entry into Egypt (Ge 47:9); thus giving a total of 215 years (from 1943 to 1728 B.C.E.). This means that an equal period of 215 years was thereafter spent by the Israelites in Egypt (from 1728 to 1513 B.C.E.). That the Israelites could have multiplied sufficiently in 215 years to have a population including 600,000 “able-bodied men” is demonstrated under the heading EXODUS.​—Ex 12:37.

Jehovah told Abram (Abraham): “You may know for sure that your seed will become an alien resident in a land not theirs, and they will have to serve them, and these will certainly afflict them for four hundred years.” (Ge 15:13; see also Ac 7:6, 7.) This was stated prior to the birth of the promised heir or “seed,” Isaac. In 1932 B.C.E. Ishmael was born to Abram by the Egyptian servant girl Hagar, and in 1918 B.C.E. Isaac was born. (Ge 16:16; 21:5) Counting back 400 years from the Exodus, which marked the end of the ‘afflicting’ (Ge 15:14), would bring us to 1913 B.C.E., and at that time Isaac was about five years old. It appears that Isaac was weaned then and, already “an alien resident” in a land not his, he now experienced the start of the foretold affliction in the form of Ishmael’s “poking fun,” Ishmael being about 19. (Ge 21:8, 9) Although in modern times Ishmael’s mocking of Abraham’s heir might be viewed as inconsequential, such was not the case in patriarchal times. This is evidenced by Sarah’s reaction and God’s approval of her insistence that Hagar and her son Ishmael be sent away. (Ge 21:10-13) The very fact that this incident was recorded in detail in the divine record also points to its marking the commencement of the prophesied 400-year period of affliction that would not end until the Exodus.​—Ga 4:29.

From 1513 B.C.E. to division of kingdom. It was in the “four hundred and eightieth year after the sons of Israel came out from the land of Egypt,” in the fourth year of Solomon’s reign, that construction began on the temple at Jerusalem. (1Ki 6:1) “Four hundred and eightieth” is an ordinal number representing 479 full years plus some additional time, in this case one month. Counting 479 years from the Exodus (Nisan 1513 B.C.E.) brings us to 1034 B.C.E., with the temple construction beginning in the second month, Ziv (corresponding to part of April and part of May). Since this was the fourth year (another ordinal number) of Solomon’s rule, his reign began three full years earlier in 1037 B.C.E. His 40-year rule evidently ran from Nisan 1037 to Nisan 997 B.C.E., with the division of the kingdom taking place in the latter year. The chronological structure for this period would therefore be as shown below.

These figures find their basis in texts such as Deuteronomy 2:7; 29:5; Acts 13:21; 2 Samuel 5:4; 1 Kings 11:42, 43; 12:1-20. Some critics call attention to the four periods of 40 years each, occurring in this period, claiming that this is evidence of a ‘mere seeking after symmetry’ on the part of the Bible writers rather than an accurate chronology. To the contrary, whereas the period of Israelite wandering before their entry into Canaan was almost exactly 40 years in fulfillment of the divine judgment recorded at Numbers 14:33, 34 (compare Ex 12:2, 3, 6, 17; De 1:31; 8:2-4; Jos 4:19), the other three periods all may have included fractional figures. Thus, David’s reign is shown to have actually lasted for 40 1⁄2 years, according to 2 Samuel 5:5. If, as seems to have been the practice, regnal years of these kings were counted on a Nisan-to-Nisan basis, this could mean that King Saul’s reign lasted only 39 1⁄2 years, but with the months remaining until the following Nisan being credited to Saul’s reign and hence not officially included in David’s 40 regnal years. Such, at least, was the known practice among Semitic rulers in Mesopotamia, the months intervening between the death of a king and the following Nisan being termed the “accession period” of the succeeding king, but his official first year of rule not beginning to count until the arrival of the month of Nisan.

The length of the period from the entry into Canaan till the end of the period of the Judges is not directly stated, being arrived at only by deduction. That is, by subtracting the 123 years of the known periods (of the wilderness wandering, of Saul and David, and the first three years of Solomon’s reign) from the 479 years intervening between the Exodus and Solomon’s fourth year, 356 years remain.

The manner in which these 356 years (from Israel’s entry into Canaan in 1473 B.C.E. until the start of Saul’s reign in 1117 B.C.E.) are to be apportioned is not stated in the Scriptures. Evidently, however, there is considerable overlapping of time periods. Why? Counted in succession, the various periods of oppression, of judgeships, and of peace as listed in the book of Judges would total 410 years. For these periods to fit into the 356-year time period mentioned earlier, some periods must have been concurrent rather than successive, and this is the view of most commentators. The circumstances described in the Bible accounts lend themselves to this explanation. The oppressions involved different areas of the land and affected different tribes. (MAP, Vol. 1, p. 743) Thus the expression “the land had no further disturbance,” used after recounting the Israelites’ victories over their oppressors, may not in every case embrace the entire area occupied by all 12 tribes but may apply to the portion that the particular oppression primarily affected.​—Jg 3:11, 30; 5:31; 8:28; compare Jos 14:13-15.

At Acts chapter 13 the apostle Paul reviewed God’s dealings with Israel from the ‘choosing of the forefathers’ on through the period in Egypt, the Exodus, the wilderness wandering, the conquest of Canaan, and the distribution of the land, and then stated: “All that during about four hundred and fifty years. And after these things he gave them judges until Samuel the prophet.” (Ac 13:20) Considerable misunderstanding has resulted from the King James rendering of this text, which reads: “And after that he gave unto them judges about the space of four hundred and fifty years, until Samuel the prophet.” However, the most ancient manuscripts (including the Sinaitic, Vatican Manuscript No. 1209, and the Alexandrine), as well as most modern translations (such as JB, Kx, and others; vss 19, 20, AS, RS, AT), all favor the previous translation, which shows the period of the Judges coming after the 450 years. Since the period of “about four hundred and fifty years” had its start with God’s ‘choosing the forefathers’ of Israel, it would seem to have begun in the year 1918 B.C.E. with the birth of Isaac, the original “seed” promised to Abraham. It would therefore end about 1467 B.C.E., when the initial conquest of Canaan reached its conclusion, allowing for the distribution to proceed. Inasmuch as the figure is stated to be approximate, a difference of a year or so would not be of consequence.

From 997 B.C.E. to desolation of Jerusalem. A helpful guide to the overall length of this period of the kings is found at Ezekiel 4:1-7 in the mimic siege of Jerusalem that the prophet Ezekiel carried out at God’s direction. Ezekiel was to lie on his left side for 390 days to “carry the error of the house of Israel,” and on his right side for 40 days to “carry the error of the house of Judah,” and each day was shown to stand for a year. The two periods (of 390 years and of 40 years) thus symbolized evidently stood for the length of Jehovah’s forbearance with the two kingdoms in their idolatrous course. The Jewish understanding of this prophecy, as presented in the Soncino Books of the Bible (commentary on Ezekiel, pp. 20, 21) is: “The guilt of the Northern Kingdom extended over a period of 390 years ([according to the] Seder Olam [the earliest postexilic chronicle preserved in the Hebrew language], [and Rabbis] Rashi and Ibn Ezra). Abarbanel, quoted by Malbim, reckons the period of Samaria’s guilt from the time when the schism took place under Rehoboam . . . until the fall of Jerusalem. . . . The right [side, on which Ezekiel lay] indicates the south, i.e. the Kingdom of Judah which lay to the south or right. . . . Judah’s corruption lasted forty years beginning soon after Samaria’s fall. According to Malbim, the time is reckoned from the thirteenth year of the reign of Josiah . . . when Jeremiah began his ministry. (Jer. i. 2).”​—Edited by A. Cohen, London, 1950.

From the division of the kingdom in 997 B.C.E. to the fall of Jerusalem in 607 B.C.E. was 390 years. While it is true that Samaria, the capital of the northern kingdom, had already fallen to Assyria in 740 B.C.E., in Hezekiah’s sixth year (2Ki 18:9, 10), it is probable that some of the population fled into the southern kingdom before the Assyrians’ advance. (Note also the situation in Judah following the division of the kingdom as described at 2Ch 10:16, 17.) But, more important, the fact that Jehovah God continued to keep the Israelites of the exiled northern kingdom in view, the messages of his prophets continuing to include them long beyond the fall of Samaria, shows that their interests were still represented in the capital city of Jerusalem and that its fall in 607 B.C.E. was an expression of Jehovah’s judgment against not Judah alone but the nation of Israel as a whole. (Jer 3:11-22; 11:10-12, 17; Eze 9:9, 10) When the city fell, the hopes of the nation as a whole (with the exception of the few who maintained true faith) suffered collapse.​—Eze 37:11-14, 21, 22.

In the chart that follows, this 390-year period is adhered to as a sound chronological guide. A summation of the years listed for all the reigns of the kings of Judah from Rehoboam to Zedekiah gives a total of 393 years. Whereas some Biblical chronologers endeavor to synchronize the data concerning the kings by means of numerous coregencies and “interregnums” on the Judean side, it appears necessary to show only one coregency. This is in the case of Jehoram, who is stated (at least in the Masoretic text and some of the oldest manuscripts of the Bible) to have become king “while Jehoshaphat was king of Judah,” thus giving some basis for assuming a coregency. (2Ki 8:16) In this manner the overall period comes within the 390-year limit.

The chart is not intended to be viewed as an absolute chronology but, rather, as a suggested presentation of the reigns of the two kingdoms. The ancient inspired writers were dealing with facts and figures well known to them and to the Jewish people then, and the different chronological viewpoints adopted by the writers at certain points presented no problem. Such is not the case today, and hence we may be satisfied with simply setting out an arrangement that harmonizes reasonably with the Biblical record.

From 607 B.C.E. to return from exile. The length of this period is fixed by God’s own decree concerning Judah, that “all this land must become a devastated place, an object of astonishment, and these nations will have to serve the king of Babylon seventy years.”​—Jer 25:8-11.

The Bible prophecy does not allow for the application of the 70-year period to any time other than that between the desolation of Judah, accompanying Jerusalem’s destruction, and the return of the Jewish exiles to their homeland as a result of Cyrus’ decree. It clearly specifies that the 70 years would be years of devastation of the land of Judah. The prophet Daniel so understood the prophecy, for he states: “I myself, Daniel, discerned by the books the number of the years concerning which the word of Jehovah had occurred to Jeremiah the prophet, for fulfilling the devastations of Jerusalem, namely, seventy years.” (Da 9:2) After describing the conquest of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar, 2 Chronicles 36:20, 21 states: “Furthermore, he carried off those remaining from the sword captive to Babylon, and they came to be servants to him and his sons until the royalty of Persia began to reign; to fulfill Jehovah’s word by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had paid off its sabbaths. All the days of lying desolated it kept sabbath, to fulfill seventy years.”

Jerusalem came under final siege in Zedekiah’s 9th year (609 B.C.E.), and the city fell in his 11th year (607 B.C.E.), corresponding to Nebuchadnezzar’s 19th year of actual rule (counting from his accession year in 625 B.C.E.). (2Ki 25:1-8) In the fifth month of that year (the month of Ab, corresponding to parts of July and August) the city was set afire, the walls were pulled down, and the majority of the people were led off into exile. However, “some of the lowly people of the land” were allowed to remain, and these did so until the assassination of Gedaliah, Nebuchadnezzar’s appointee, whereupon they fled into Egypt, finally leaving Judah completely desolate. (2Ki 25:9-12, 22-26) This was in the seventh month, Ethanim (or Tishri, corresponding to parts of September and October). Hence the count of the 70 years of desolation must have begun about October 1, 607 B.C.E., ending in 537 B.C.E. By the seventh month of this latter year the first repatriated Jews arrived back in Judah, 70 years from the start of the full desolation of the land.​—2Ch 36:21-23; Ezr 3:1.

From 537 B.C.E. to conversion of Cornelius. In the second year of the return from exile (536 B.C.E.), the foundation of the temple was relaid in Jerusalem, but the rebuilt temple was not completed until the sixth year of the reign of Darius I (Persian). (Ezr 3:8-10; 6:14, 15) Since Darius did not establish himself in Babylon until defeating the rebel Nebuchadnezzar III in December of 522 and shortly afterward capturing and killing him in Babylon, the year 522 B.C.E. may be viewed as the accession year of King Darius I. His first regnal year, then, began in the spring of 521 B.C.E. (Babylonian Chronology, 626 B.C.–A.D. 75, p. 30) Darius’ sixth year therefore began April 12, 516 B.C.E., and continued until the end of March of 515 B.C.E. On this basis, Zerubbabel’s rebuilding of Jehovah’s temple was completed on March 6 of 515 B.C.E.

The next date of major importance is the 20th year of Artaxerxes (Longimanus), the year Nehemiah received permission to go and rebuild Jerusalem. (Ne 2:1, 5-8) The reasons for favoring the date of 455 B.C.E. for this year as against the popular date of 445 B.C.E. are considered in the article PERSIA, PERSIANS. The events of this year that involve the rebuilding of Jerusalem and its walls mark the starting point of the prophecy concerning the “seventy weeks” at Daniel 9:24-27. The weeks there are clearly “weeks of years” (Da 9:24, RS, AT, Mo), totaling 490 years. As demonstrated under the heading SEVENTY WEEKS, the prophecy pointed to Jesus’ appearance as the Messiah in the year 29 C.E.; his death at “the half of the week” or in the middle of the last week of years, that is, in 33 C.E.; and the end of the period of God’s special favor to the Jews in 36 C.E. Thus, the 70 weeks of years closed with the conversion of Cornelius, 490 years from the year 455 B.C.E.​—Ac 10:30-33, 44-48; 11:1.

Jesus’ appearance as the Messiah came in the precise year foretold, perhaps about six months after John the Baptizer began his preaching in “the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar.” (Lu 1:36; 3:1, 2, 21-23) Since the Roman Senate named Tiberius emperor on September 15 of 14 C.E., his 15th year ran from the latter part of 28 C.E. well into 29 C.E. (See TIBERIUS.) The evidence, then, is that Jesus’ baptism and anointing took place in the fall of the year 29 C.E.

Since Jesus was “about thirty years old” at the time of his baptism in 29 C.E. (Lu 3:23), his birth took place 30 years earlier, or about the fall of the year 2 B.C.E. He was born during the reign of Caesar Augustus and the Syrian governorship of Quirinius. (Lu 2:1, 2) Augustus’ rule ran from 27 B.C.E. to 14 C.E. The Roman senator P. Sulpicius Quirinius was governor of Syria twice, the first time evidently coming after P. Quintilius Varus, whose term as legate of Syria ended in 4 B.C.E. Some scholars place Quirinius’ first governorship in 3-2 B.C.E. (See REGISTRATION.) Herod the Great was then king of Judea, and we have seen that there is evidence pointing to the year 1 B.C.E. as the likely time of his death. Thus, all the available evidence, and particularly the Scriptural references, indicate the fall of 2 B.C.E. for the human birth of God’s Son.

[Chart on pages 464-466]

OUTSTANDING DATES During the Period of the Kings of Judah and of Israel

NOTE: This chart is meant to provide a helpful outline of key events in connection with the kings of Judah and of Israel. The Bible record of years that the kings of Judah ruled was allowed to govern when fixing other dates. The dates given for rulership of Judean kings extend from the spring of the stated year to the spring of the following year. Dates for the reigns of kings of the kingdom of Israel were coordinated with those for Judah. There are numerous synchronisms provided in the Bible, and these were taken into account in arriving at these dates.

High priests and prophets that are named in the Bible record in connection with the various kings are listed here. But the list is by no means complete. The Aaronic priesthood officiated first at the tabernacle and then at the temple apparently without a break in the line down till the time of the Babylonian exile. And the Bible indicates that, in addition to the prophets that are named, many more served in this sacred office.​—1Ki 18:4; 2Ch 36:15, 16.

THE TWELVE-TRIBE KINGDOM

Dates B.C.E.

SAUL began to rule as king over all 12 tribes (40 years)

Prophet: Samuel

High priests: Ahijah, Ahimelech

1117

Birth of David

1107

Samuel completed book of Judges

c. 1100

Samuel completed book of Ruth

c. 1090

Book of 1 Samuel was completed

c. 1078

DAVID began to rule as king of Judah at Hebron (40)

Prophets: Nathan, Gad, Zadok

High priest: Abiathar

1077

David became king over all Israel; made Jerusalem his capital

1070

Gad and Nathan completed 2 Samuel

c. 1040

SOLOMON began to rule as king (40)

Prophets: Nathan, Ahijah, Iddo

High priests: Abiathar, Zadok

1037

Construction of Solomon’s temple began

1034

Temple built by Solomon in Jerusalem was completed

1027

Solomon wrote Song of Solomon

c. 1020

Solomon wrote book of Ecclesiastes

b. 1000

KINGDOM OF JUDAH

Dates B.C.E.

KINGDOM OF ISRAEL

REHOBOAM began to rule as king (17 years); nation split into two kingdoms

Prophets: Shemaiah, Iddo

997

JEROBOAM began to rule as king over the northern 10 tribes, apparently first from Shechem, then from Tirzah (22 years)

Prophet: Ahijah

Shishak of Egypt invaded Judah and took treasures from temple in Jerusalem

993

ABIJAH (ABIJAM) began to rule as king (3)

Prophet: Iddo

980

ASA evidently began to rule (41), but his first regnal year counted from 977

Prophets: Azariah, Oded, Hanani

978

c. 976

NADAB began to rule as king (2)

c. 975

BAASHA assassinated Nadab and then began to rule as king (24)

Prophet: Jehu (son of Hanani)

Zerah the Ethiopian came against Judah in war

967

c. 952

ELAH began to rule as king (2)

c. 951

ZIMRI, a military chief, assassinated Elah and then ruled as king (7 days)

c. 951

OMRI, chief of the army, began to rule as king (12)

c. 951

Tibni became king over part of the people, further dividing the nation

c. 947

Omri overcame Tibni’s opposition and became sole ruler in Israel

c. 945

Omri bought the mountain of Samaria and built his capital there

c. 940

AHAB began to rule as king (22)

Prophets: Elijah, Micaiah

JEHOSHAPHAT evidently began to rule (25), but his first regnal year counted from 936

Prophets: Jehu (son of Hanani), Eliezer, Jahaziel

High priest: Amariah

937

c. 920

AHAZIAH, son of Ahab, ‘became king’ (2); evidently his father was still living;

Ahaziah’s years of rulership may count from c. 919

Prophet: Elijah

Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat became associated in some way with his father in the government

c. 919

c. 917

JEHORAM, son of Ahab, began to rule as sole king of Israel (12); but in at least one text the brief reign of his brother Ahaziah, who died sonless, also may have been credited to Jehoram

Prophet: Elisha

JEHORAM became official coregent with Jehoshaphat, from which time Jehoram’s kingship may be counted (8)

Prophet: Elijah

913

Jehoshaphat died and Jehoram became sole ruler

c. 911

AHAZIAH, son of Jehoram, began to rule (1), though perhaps anointed to kingship in c. 907

High priest: Jehoiada

c. 906

ATHALIAH usurped the throne (6)

c. 905

JEHU, a military chief, assassinated Jehoram and then began to rule (28); but it seems that his years of kingship counted from c. 904

Prophet: Elisha

JEHOASH, son of Ahaziah, began to rule as king (40)

High priest: Jehoiada

898

876

JEHOAHAZ began to rule as king (17)

c. 862

Jehoash evidently became associated in the kingship with his father, Jehoahaz

c. 859

JEHOASH, son of Jehoahaz, began to rule as sole king of Israel (16)

Prophet: Elisha

AMAZIAH began to rule as king (29)

858

Jehoash of Israel captured Amaziah, breached the wall of Jerusalem, and took treasures from temple

a. 858

c. 844

JEROBOAM II began to rule as king (41)

Prophets: Jonah, Hosea, Amos

Book of Jonah was written

UZZIAH (AZARIAH) began to rule as king (52)

Prophets: Hosea, Joel (?), Isaiah

High priest: Azariah (II)

829

Book of Joel was perhaps written

c. 820

Uzziah ‘became king’ in some special sense, possibly now free from domination of Jeroboam II

c. 818

Book of Amos was written

c. 804

c. 803

ZECHARIAH ‘began to reign’ in some sense, but evidently the kingship was not fully confirmed as his until c. 792 (6 months)

c. 791

SHALLUM assassinated Zechariah and then ruled as king (1 month)

c. 791

MENAHEM assassinated Shallum and then began to rule, but it seems that his years of kingship counted from c. 790 (10)

c. 780

PEKAHIAH began to rule as king (2)

c. 778

PEKAH assassinated Pekahiah and then began to rule as king (20)

Prophet: Oded

JOTHAM began to rule as king (16)

Prophets: Micah, Hosea, Isaiah

777

AHAZ evidently began to rule (16), but his first regnal year counted from 761

Prophets: Micah, Hosea, Isaiah

High priest: Urijah (?)

762

Ahaz evidently became tributary to Tiglath-pileser III of Assyria

c. 759

c. 758

HOSHEA assassinated Pekah and then ‘began to reign’ in place of him, but it seems that his control became fully established or possibly he received the backing of the Assyrian monarch Tiglath-pileser III in c. 748 (9 years)

HEZEKIAH evidently began to rule (29), but his first regnal year counted from 745

Prophets: Micah, Hosea, Isaiah

High priest: Azariah (II or III)

746

a. 745

Book of Hosea was completed

742

Assyrian army began siege of Samaria

740

Assyria conquered Samaria, subjugated Israel; northern kingdom came to its end

Sennacherib invaded Judah

732

Book of Isaiah was completed

a. 732

Book of Micah was completed

b. 717

Compiling of Proverbs was completed

c. 717

MANASSEH began to rule as king (55)

716

AMON began to rule as king (2)

661

JOSIAH began to rule as king (31)

Prophets: Zephaniah, Jeremiah, the prophetess Huldah

High priest: Hilkiah

659

Book of Zephaniah was written

b. 648

Book of Nahum was written

b. 632

JEHOAHAZ ruled as king (3 months)

628

JEHOIAKIM began to rule as king, tributary to Egypt (11)

Prophets: Habakkuk (?), Jeremiah

628

Book of Habakkuk was perhaps written

c. 628

Nebuchadnezzar II makes Jehoiakim tributary to Babylon

620

JEHOIACHIN began to rule as king (3 months 10 days)

618

Nebuchadnezzar II took Jewish captives and temple treasures to Babylon

617

ZEDEKIAH began to rule as king (11)

Prophets: Jeremiah, Ezekiel

High priest: Seraiah

617

Nebuchadnezzar II invaded Judah again; siege of Jerusalem began

609

Walls of Jerusalem were breached on 9th day of 4th month

607

Jerusalem and temple were burned on 10th day of 5th month

607

Last Jews abandoned Judah about middle of 7th month

607

Jeremiah wrote book of Lamentations

607

Book of Obadiah was written

c. 607

NOTE: After Samaria was captured, the ten tribes of the kingdom of Israel were taken into exile. But the land was not left desolate, as was the case with Judah following the destruction of Jerusalem in 607 B.C.E. The king of Assyria moved people from Babylon, Cuthah, Avva, Hamath, and Sepharvaim into the cities of Israel to dwell there. Their descendants were still there when the Jews returned to Jerusalem in 537 B.C.E. to rebuild the temple.​—2Ki 17:6, 24; Ezr 4:1, 2.