The Gentile Times Reconsidered Chronology Christ

The Length of Reigns of the Neo-Babylonian Kings 151
The careers of scribes, temple administrators, slaves, business
men, and others may be followed for decades, in some cases
through almost the whole Neo-Babylonian period and on into the
Persian era. Thousands of dated documents give insight into the
business, legal, religious, family and other activities of these
individuals. Many texts deal with matters that extend over weeks,
months, or even years, such as inventories, lease of land or houses,
instalments of debts, hire of slaves and livestock, run-away slaves,
court proceedings, and so on.
The activities of some individuals may be followed through
almost their whole lives. But never do we find that their activities
cross the established chronological borders of the period into some
unknown twenty-year period that the Watch Tower Society would
add to the Neo-Babylonian era. The insertion of these twenty years
would, in fact, not only distort the understanding of the careers,
activities, and family relations of many individuals, but it would
also give many of them abnormal life spans.
(6) Chronological interlocking joints
Sometimes a text may contain activities and dates that intersect
two or more consecutive reigns in a way that chronologically ties
them together and excludes every possibility of inserting extra
kings and years between them.
As was demonstrated in this particular section, quite a number
of such documents exist that interlock each reign with the next
throughout the whole Neo-Babylonian period. Although eleven documents
of this kind were presented earlier, a close examination of the tens
of thousands of unpublished tablets from the Neo-Babylonian
period would probably multiply the number. Those presented,
however, suffice to show that the length of the whole Neo-
Babylonian era may be securely established by the aid of such
“chronological joints” alone.
(7) Synchronisms with the contemporary Egyptian
chronology
The chronology of contemporary Egyptian kings provides an
excellent test of Neo-Babylonian chronology, as there are four
synchronisms tied to it, three of which are given in the Bible.
These synchronisms are of the utmost importance, as the
contemporary chronology of Egypt has been established
independently of the chronologies of other nations of that time. Yet it
was shown that the Egyptian chronology is in complete harmony
with the data given by Berossus, the Royal Canon, and all the