Prophets In Time Order
Conventional Bibles present the writings of the hebrew scriptures in the order used by the King James Bibles, which is based on Rabbinical teaching. A problem with this ordering is that writings are jumbled in time flow, making overall comprehension of ancient events more difficult for the new reader.
This page presents them in a chronological order. Because the individual authors did not include dates in their works, but may have referred to a contemporaneous monarch, and because over two millenia have passed since their writing, there is no agreement between scholars as to the exact dates. Even the time periods of some of the authors are in dispute. Obadiah might be listed before the Assyrian invasion by some, and after that invasion by others. However, the general ordering is helpful for time context.
The classification shown here uses periods - From the split off of the northern ten tribes ("Israel") from the kingdom ruled by Solomon, leaving the remaining three southern tribes ("Judah"), until the invasion by the Assyrians resulting in the removal of the ten tribes ( 2 Kings 17:18 ). Approximately 721 BCE
- The period between the exile of the Northern Kingdom by Assyria to the exile of the Southern Kingdom to Babylon. Approximately 587 BCE
- While Judah was in Babylon, until circa 535 BCE
- After the return from Babylon
After King Solomon until the Invasion by Assyria
Approximately 830 - 720 BCE
After the Conquest of Israel Until the Conquest of Judah
Approximately 720 - 600 BCE
After the Conquest by Babylonians Until the Release by the Persians
Approximately 600 - 520 BCE
Approximately 520 - 430 BCE
Other writings from this period are: Some of the prophets, e.g. Moses, are not included in this page, which concentrates on the Major Prophets and the Minor Prophets.
Time order in this version is in accordance with Survey of the Old testament by Paul N Benware. Some sources use different datings.
Copyright Selwyn Russell 1995, 1997, 2005, 2006, 2007, ..., 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2025
Latest update: May 2025
URL of this page: http://www.rkjv.org/RKJV/TO/toProphets.html. See also rkjv.net, rkjv.info