The Bible is used in both the Christian, and Jewish religions.

It has been studied for centuries by many archeologists, scholars and historians alike.

Spans across thousands of years, possibly from 2900 B.C – 110 A.D

It’s large time frame has made it difficult to prove or disprove that the Bible has historicity.

o 2900 B.C – Believed to be the estimated year that the Tigris-Euphrates Rivers flooded heavily in Sumer, possibly causing the story of Noah’s Ark to be recorded.

o 2100 B.C – 1450 B.C – Known as the “Patriarchal Period” of the Bible

o 2100 B.C – Religiously accepted as the estimated date of the Creation Story.

o 1730 B.C – Biblical estimate of when the Israelites were enslaved in Egypt

o 1479 – 1425 B.C - Reign of Tuthmosis III in Egypt. He is theorized to possibly have been ruler of Egypt when the ten plagues were recorded.

o 1279-1213 B.C – Reign of Rameses II in Egypt. He is also theorized to possibly have been ruling Egypt when the ten plagues were recorded.

o 1450 – 970 B.C – Known as the “Tabernacle Period” of the Bible.

o 37 B.C – 4 B.C – Herod the Great rules Judea

o 7 – 8 B.C – Historically theorized as time when John the Baptist was born, though in Josephus, John the Baptist appears to have been born after Jesus

o 4 B.C – Historically accepted as the year Jesus was born

o 33 A.D – Widely accepted as the approximate year that Jesus was crucified by the Romans

o 1909 A.D – Ipuwer Papyrus translated

Biblical account tells of a flood after forty days and forty nights of rain that destroys all of earth. God tells Noah to build and ark and load all animals in two by two.

Scientists have theorized that the Tigris-Euphrates River in Egypt probably flooded badly around 2900 B.C.

Some historians theorize that Noah was actually a Sumerian King named Ziusudra who worked on a river barge carrying animals. When the river flooded and his barge broke loose, this inspired the story of Noah.

Some Scientists theorize this is the place where the story of Noah’s Ark was inspired. It has not been

proven concretely however and no pieces of this so called ark have ever been verified.

LIST OF 10 PLAGUES: The book of Exodus tells of ten plagues falling upon Egyptians as a punishment for enslaving the Isralites.

Many historians theorized that these events occurred sporadically, but were recorded together.

Another school of thought suggests the events were a chain reaction effect from an algae infestation in the river.

1. The river Nile turning to blood

2. Infestation of Frogs3. Infestation of lice/gnats4. Infestation of flies/wild

animals5. Plague of pestilence6. Boils/disease7. Hail8. Infestation of locusts9. Darkness10. Death of first born Egyptian

sons

Discovered in the early 19th century by archeologists and translated in 1909, this work documents plagues occurring such as the Nile

turning to blood. This work is regarded by historians are one of the only real accounts of any sort of plague like occurrences in ancient Egypt, but does prove perhaps that there is some historicity to the

Bible’s accounts.

King Herod the Great who ruled Judea from 37 B.C – 4 B.C was a ruthless ruler, said to have killed several of his wives and even his sons.

Book of Matthew tells of Herod ordering all baby boys under two years of age killed, in hopes he would kill Jesus, who he fears will take his place as King of the Jews.

The historian Josephus who recorded history during Herod’s reign does not record this actual incident, but historians say that it would not be out of character.

King Herod the Great

Hebrew scholar Josephus recorded history in the early 1st century. He does record that Jesus and John the Baptist did indeed exist.

John the Baptist is said in the Bible to be older than Jesus, however Josephus records him to be younger than Jesus

Historians say that perhaps since many calendars were used, his calculations were off, or perhaps the Bible is not chronologically accurate – it is not known for sure.

In the New Testament, John the Baptist is told to have baptized Jesus

in the river of Jordan.

Since the Bible spans such a vast time period, proving exact dates is nearly impossible.

The Bible is still studied today, and archeologists continue to look for clues as to whether it can be used as a historical book or not.

It may be impossible to prove or disprove all of the stories in the Bible, and is a matter of opinion.

Best, Robert M. Noah's Ark and the Ziusudra Epic: Sumerian Origins of the Flood Myth. Fort Myers, FL: Enlil, 1999. Print.

Bratcher, Dennis. "Palestine Under the Herods New Testament Era." Cresourcei.org. 2013. Web. 14 Apr. 2013. <http://www.cresourcei.org/herodrule.html>.

Goldberg, G.J. "John the Baptist and Josephus." John The Baptist In the New Testament and Josephus. Josephus.org, 2010. Web. 14 Apr. 2013. <http://www.josephus.org/JohnTBaptist.htm>.

Lendering, Jona. "Flavius Josephus." Livius.org. Web. 14 Apr. 2013. <http://www.livius.org/jo-jz/josephus/josephus.htm>.

New American Revised Bible School & Church Edition, Red/Burgundy Marbled. Wichita: Fireside Bible Pub, 2004. Print.

Platt, Steve. "The Ten Plagues of Egypt." Steveplatt.net. 1998. Web. 14 Apr. 2013. <http://www.publications.steveplatt.net/tenplagues.htm>.

Zecher, Henry. "One Man Showed the Old Testament Might Be Accurate History After All." Henryzecher.com. 2006. Web. 14 Apr. 2013. <http://www.henryzecher.com/plagues.htm>.