Chart of Known Sabbatical Years
from 312 BCE to 139 CE
by W. Glenn Moore
This chart is based upon known Sabbatical years given to us primarily from the books of 1 and 2 Maccabees, as well as the writings of Josephus. It is in perfect alignment with the Talmudic formula which is known to start with the beginning of the Seleucid Era in August of 312 BCE. Here is that Talmudic formula:
In Tosafoth to the Abodah Sarah 9b, it plainly states that this rule applied to the Seleucid era. Since the Seleucid era begins on August 12 of 312 BCE (and since it is very closely aligned with the Jewish fall to fall year which starts in the first or second week of September) it is clear that the Seleucid era is that which is referred to. When the calculations are made (according to this Talmudic rule) the result is repeatedly the same—not only do Sabbatical years always line up as repeating cycles of seven years, but they do so in harmony with the Sabbatical dates which we have already determined to be correct (based upon historical confirmation). These dates are shown below, based upon the Seleucid era.
Dates given in blue are in reference to the Seleucid Era.
Dates below them in black are comparable dates to the dates above them, and reference standard BCE and CE dating within a fall to fall calendar.
Dates given in Large Bold Purple are significant dates related to the ministry of Messiah Yahushua, the time of the Bar Kochba Revolt, and the destruction of the second temple.
Bold Black or Blue dates are projected Sabbatical year dates.
Large Bold Red dates are known to be Sabbatical year dates (documentation references to follow this chart).
Light Green Highlighting is for ease of reading, to keep comparable data together.
Please note that the Talmudic formula requires us to start the count (Seleucid Era) from the 6th year of a repeating seven year cycle. We know this because the formula specifically requires us to either subtract 2 years or add 5 in the formula--that is how we know that this formula requires us to start the Seleucid Era from the 6th year of a Sabbatical cycle. And we know that all of the seven year cycles are continuous because we are to subtract 2 years for every 100 years (which yields the number 98 [2 X 49]). Notice now how everything regarding several known Sabbatical and other historical dates line up perfectly:
1st Year 2nd Year 3rd Year 4th Year 5th Year 6th Year Sabbatical Years Start of Seleucid Era August of 312 BCE 1 SE 2 BCE and CE Era in a Fall to Fall Calendar 312/311 311/310 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 310 309 308 307 306 305 304/303 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 303 302 301 300 299 298 297/296 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 296 295 294 293 292 291 290/289 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 289 288 287 286 285 284 283/284 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 282 281 280 279 278 277 276/275 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 275 274 273 272 271 270 269/268 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 268 267 266 265 264 263 262/261 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 261 260 259 258 257 256 255/254 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 254 253 252 251 250 249 248/247 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 247 246 245 244 243 242 241/240 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 240 239 238 237 236 235 234/233 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 233 232 231 230 229 228 227/226 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 226 225 224 223 222 221 220/219 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 219 218 217 216 215 214 213/212 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 212 211 210 209 208 207 206/205 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 205 204 203 202 201 200 199/198 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 198 197 196 195 194 193 192/191 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 191 190 189 188 187 186 185/184 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 184 183 182 181 180 179 178/177 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 177 176 175 174 173 172 171/170 143 144 145 146 147 148 170 169 168 167 166 165 164/ 150 151 152 153 154 155 156 163 162 161 160 159 158 157/156 157 158 159 160 161 162 163 156 155 154 153 152 151 150/149 164 165 166 167 168 169 170 149 148 147 146 145 144 143/142 171 172 173 174 175 176 142 141 140 139 138 137 136/ 178 179 180 181 182 183 184 135 134 133 132 131 130 129/128 185 186 187 188 189 190 191 128 127 126 125 124 123 122/121 192 193 194 195 196 197 198 121 120 119 118 117 116 115/114 199 200 201 202 203 204 205 114 113 112 111 110 109 108/107 206 207 208 209 210 211 212 107 106 105 104 103 102 101/100 213 214 215 216 217 218 219 100 99 98 97 96 95 94/93 220 221 222 223 224 225 226 93 92 91 90 89 88 87/86 227 228 229 230 231 232 233 86 85 84 83 82 81 80/79 234 235 236 237 238 239 240 79 78 77 76 75 74 73/72 241 242 243 244 245 246 247 72 71 70 69 68 67 66/65 248 249 250 251 252 253 254 65 64 63 62 61 60 59/58 255 256 257 258 259 260 261 58 57 56 55 54 53 52/51 262 263 264 265 266 267 268 51 50 49 48 47 46 45/44 269 270 271 272 273 274 44 43 42 41 40 39 38/ 276 277 278 279 280 281 37 36 35 34 33 32 /30 283 284 285 286 287 288 289 30 29 28 27 26 25 24/23 290 291 292 293 294 295 296 23 22 21 20 19 18 17/16 297 298 299 200 201 202 203 16 15 14 13 12 11 10/9 204 205 206 207 208 209 310 9 8 7 6 5 4 3/2 311 312 313 314 315 316 317 2 1 BCE 1 CE 2 3 4 5/6 318 319 320 321 322 323 324 6 7 8 9 10 11 12/13 325 326 327 328 329 330 331 13 14 15 16 17 18 19/20 332 333 334 335 336 337 338 20 21 22 23 24 25 26/27 Messiah Yahushua begins ministry in the 15th year of Tiberius (Luke 3:1-2) which is 27 CE in the fall based upon non-accession year (inclusive) reckoning.
Messiah Yahushua is crucified on Passover day, a Wednesday, April 25, 31 CE. Daniel 9:24-27 says that "in the midst of the week" the Messiah will cause sacrifice and oblation to cease.
340 341 343 344 345 /28 28 29 30/ 31 32 33/34 346 347 348 349 350 351 352 34 35 36 37 38 39 40/41 353 354 355 356 357 358 359 41 42 43 44 45 46 47/48 360 361 362 363 364 365 366 48 49 50 51 52 53 54/55 367 368 369 370 371 372 373 55 56 57 58 59 60 61/62 374 375 376 377 378 379 62 63 64 65 66 67 Second Temple is likely destroyed Av. 9 and 10 (the spring), in 70 CE, based upon the testimony of Josephus and the Seder Olam. According to the chronological alignment of Sabbatical dates given by Josephus, that would be in a post-Sabbatical year. The Seder Olam concurs with that conclusion.
382 383 384 385 386 387 70 71 72 73 74 75/76 388 389 390 391 392 393 394 76 77 78 79 80 81 82/83 395 396 397 398 399 400 401 83 84 85 86 87 88 89/90 402 403 404 405 406 407 408 90 91 92 93 94 95 96/97 409 410 411 412 413 414 415 97 98 99 100 101 102 103/104 416 417 418 419 420 421 422 104 105 106 107 108 109 110/111 423 424 425 426 427 428 429 111 112 113 114 115 116 117/118 430 431 432 433 434 435 436 118 119 120 121 122 123 124/125 437 438 439 440 441 442 443 125 126 127 128 129 130 131/132 According to Jerome’s compilation of the Chronican of Eusebius, the Bar Kochba revolt began in the 16th year of Emperor Hadrian, which is most likely dated to the spring of the year 133 CE.
A Sabbatical year based upon a rental lease contract (Mur 24E).
445 446 447 448 449 132/ 133 134 135 136 137
[Note: Please go to the actual Jubilee Calendar spreadsheet for the relevant table.]
Documentation for the above Sabbatical year dates:
‡149 SE (164/163 BCE) is a known Sabbatical Year based upon 1 Maccabees 6:20-49 and 2 Maccabees 13:1, in connection with the same recorded event in Josephus' writings (Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, Book 12, Chapter 9, Section 5)
¤177 SE (136/35 BCE) is a known Sabbatical Year based upon Josephus, Antiquities, xiii, 8, 1. (See A Treatise on the Sabbatical Cycle and the Jubilee, p. 46-48, Benedict Zuckermann, Hermon Press, NY., 1866 (Reprinted in 1974).
^275 SE (38/37 BCE) is a known Sabbatical Year based upon Josephus, Antiquities, xiv., 16, 2.; Antiquities xv., 1, 2.; and Clinton, Fasti Hellenici, iii, 220. (See A Treatise on the Sabbatical Cycle and the Jubilee, p. 45-46, Benedict Zuckermann, Hermon Press, NY., 1866 (Reprinted in 1974). In this year Herod attacks and takes Jerusalem.
∫381 SE (69/70 CE) is the year the second temple was destroyed, and based upon the documentation given in the next reference below it was destroyed in a post-Sabbatical year.
§380 SE (68/69 CE) is a known Sabbatical Year based upon the Talmud (B. Taanith, 29a) which states that the second temple was destroyed in a post-Sabbatical year (which would be 381 SE). Rabbi Jose ben Khalapha states that the Sabbatical Year took place in the year prior to the destruction of the temple (Seder Olam, 30).
*444 SE (132/133 CE) is believed to be a Jubilee Year based upon the first year of the Bar Kochba Revolt. According to Jerome’s compilation of the Chronican of Eusebius, the Bar Kochba revolt began in the 16th year of Emperor Hadrian. The most likely way this event was dated is by the Roman method of counting the years which begins in August. Using this method, the 16th year of Hadrian would have begun in August of 132. (Die Chronik des Hieronymous. In Die griechischen christlichen Schriftsteller der ersten Jahrhunderte, Eusebius VII, by Rudolf Helm, Akademie-Verlag, Berlin, 1984.) The exact date it began is uncertain, but that revolt was in full bloom by the spring of 133 CE. We know this because of a document from that period which identified the first year of the revolt. It says: 'On the first of Iyyar, Year 1 of the redemption of Israel by Simeon Bar Kosiba, prince of Israel.' (Israel Exploration Journal, Kanael B., “Notes on the Dates Used During the Bar Kokhba Revolt,” 1971, p. 41.) Iyyar is the month which corresponds to April/May. The phrase “Year 1 of the redemption” is a significant clue which clearly indicates a Jubilee Year. The dating of events from “Year 1 of the redemption” clearly places that year in a year of Jubilee. While the revolt of Bar Kochba did not officially begin until the Spring of 133 CE, unofficially it probably had already begun some months earlier, late in the year 132 CE. Therefore, it started within the year 132/33 of the Fall-to-Fall Jewish civil calendar. See Wikepedia article on Simon Bar Kokhba, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simon_bar_Kokhba
†450 SE (138/39) is a Sabbatical Year connected with the Bar Kochba Revolt. Bar Kochba made a land lease agreement in the second year of his revolt specifying 5 years of harvest to be followed by the Sabbatical year. A rental contract dated to the era of the Bar Kochba revolt (labeled as “Mur 24E”), show that in the second year of the revolt five years of harvest would be collected before the next Sabbatical year. This contract was found among several contracts in the caves of Wadi Murabba’ near Bethlehem. This property was seized by the Jews during the revolt, which began sometime between the Fall of 132 and the Spring of 133 CE and lasted about two and a half years. They are dated on Shevat 20, year two of the Kochba revolt (which is about the month of January or February of the year 134 CE). The Sabbatical year in question would then be the year 138/139 CE, which translated into the Seleucid Era would be the year 450. (See "The Calendar of Sabbatical Cycles During the Second temple and the Early Rabbinic Period," by Ben Zion Wacholder, 1973, Hebrew Union College Annual 44, p. 177.)