Gershon Galil, «The Chronological Framework of the Deuteronomistic History», Vol. 85 (2004) 413-421
This article points out that the series of the minor judges were not included in the deuteronomistic edition of the Book of Judges, and therefore did not form part of the Dtr’s chronology. In the author’s opinion the Dtr constructs a chronological framework spanning 480 years from the Exodus to the establishment ofthe Temple (1Kgs 6,1) and correlates it with the chronological data in Deuteronomy–Samuel.
The Chronological Framework of the Deuteronomistic History 415
Moore (following Nöldeke), excludes from his calculations most of the
years of foreign domination, as well as the years of the “usurpers†(Saul and
Abimelech), basing his chronological scheme mainly on the tenures of the
Israelite leaders of this period (8). He proposes the following figures for the
main Israelite leaders of the pre-monarchic period: Moses – 40 years, Joshua
– 40, Othniel – 40, Ehud – 80, Barak – 40, Gideon – 40, the Minor Judges
with Jephthah – 76, Samson – 20, Eli – 20 (=LXX), Samuel (40). This
proposal is clearly mistaken: one cannot claim that the Dtr, on the one hand,
composed the theological framework of the book of Judges, and on the other
excluded most of the periods of oppression, which are so important and
central in the same theological framework.
Noth suggests that the Dtr sums up the whole chronology of the pre-
monarchic period in 1 Kgs 6,1 (9). In his opinion, the Dtr was extremely and
consistently interested in chronological questions, and this is further proof
that the Dtr is a single author and his work is self-contained. Noth assumes
overlapping figures for the Philistine oppression and late interpolations added
by post-deuteronomistic editors. He points out that the Dtr meant to provide
an unbroken chronology, and offers the following chronological scheme:
40 years of wandering in the wilderness; five years for the conquest of
Cisjordan; Cushan-rishathaim/ Othniel – 48 years; Eglon/Ehud – 98;
Jabin/Deborah – 60; Midian/Gideon – 47; Abimelech – 3; Tola and Jair – 45;
Ammonite oppression – 18; Jephthah, Ibzan, Elon, Abdon – 31; Philistine
oppression – 40; Saul – 2; David – 40; Solomon – 4 or 3, if Solomon’s first
year coincided with David’s last. Noth’s proposals are very problematic, as
he himself had noticed. He claims that in two places the Dtr uses an artificial
conception in order to reach the total of 480. But in fact, the problem lies with
Noth’s proposals not with the Dtr’s system, since Noth omitted the period of
Samuel from his calculations, as well as the years of the last stages of Joshua
and the elders that outlived him.
Richter proposed another solution (10). He also assumes overlapping
figures for the period of the judges (mainly for the time of Samson and Eli),
suggesting the following reconstruction of the figure 480 (counting backwards
from the establishment of the Temple): 46 years of the reigns of Solomon (4),
David (40) and Saul (2); 136 years of “judges in the strict sense†(characterized
by the formulae: larcyAta fpvyw or larcyAta fpv awhw): Eli (40), Samson (20),
and the “minor Judges†(76); 200 years of the “Savior†judges (characterized
by the formula: ≈rah fqvtw): Gideon (40), Barak and Deborah (40), Ehud (80)
and Othniel (40); 53 years of oppression: before Gideon (7), Deborah (20),
Ehud (18), and Othniel (8); 40 years in the desert; and only five years for the
period of Joshua and the elders. This proposal, like Noth’s, is untenable, since
Richter also omits the period of Samuel, and gives Joshua only five years.
(8) G.F. MOORE, A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on Judges (ICC; Edinburgh
1895) xl-xliii.
(9) M. NOTH, The Deuteronomistic History (JSOTSS 15; Sheffield 1981) 18-25,
104-107.
(10) W. RICHTER, Die Bearbeitungen des “Retterbuchs†in der deuteronomischen
Epoche (Bonn 1964) 132-141; see also R.G. BOLING, Judges (AB; Garden City, NY
1975) 23.