The Gentile Times Reconsidered Chronology Christ

494 THE GENTILE TIMES RECONSIDERED
Furuli’s date: Shabatu 1 = 22 February 587 BCE:
Furuli’s date for Shabatu 1 is 22 February 587 BCE. And it is true that the moon on that day
was “in the Swallow.” One problem with this date, however, is that the new moon at sunset
was so close to the sun (less than 10 o ) that it most probably was invisible. The conjunction
had occurred earlier on the same Julian day, at c. 01:26. Besides, Jupiter was between Aries
and Pisces, far away from Sagittarius where it is placed by the tablet.
(10) ´Rev. line 12: “Month XII, the first (of which followed the 30 th of the preceding
month), the moon became visible behind Aries while the sun stood there; sunset to
moonset: 25 o [100 minutes], measured; earthshine; the north wind blew.”
Addaru 1 = 14/15 March 567 BCE:
In 568/567 BCE the first day of month XII (Addaru) fell on 14/15 March 567 BCE. On
day 14 the distance between sunset (at c. 18:06) and moonset (at c. 19:50) was 104 minutes
(26 o ), which is very close to the Babylonian measurement, 25 o (100 minutes). The distance
between the moon and the sun was long enough for the moon to become visible before
sunset (“while the sun stood there”). At that time the moon stood about 15 o southeast of α
Aries, thus partially behind and partially below the most brilliant star in Aries. This roughly
agrees with the position given on the tablet.
Furuli’s date: Addaru 1 = 24 March 587 BCE:
Furuli’s date for Addaru 1 is 24 March 587 BCE. Of the position of the moon Furuli says
(p. 321): “The moon was 13 o to the left of (behind) Aries, so the fit is excellent.” This is not
quite correct. About 86 minutes (c. 21.5 o ) before sunset (“while the sun stood there”), the
moon stood about 7 o to the south of (below) the nearest star in Aries (δ Aries) and about
20 o to the southeast of (i.e., partially below and partially behind) α Aries. This position is not
very exact, but acceptable.
(11) ´Rev. line 13: “Night of the 2 nd , the moon was balanced 4 cubits [8 o ] below η Tauri.”
Addaru 2 = 15/16 March 567 BCE:
In 567 BCE the 2 nd of Addaru fell on 15/16 March. In the night of the 15 th , at c. 19:00, the
moon was 4 cubits (8 o ) directly to the south of (below) η Tauri, also known as Alcyone, the
most brilliant star in the star cluster Pleiades. This position agrees exactly with that given on
the tablet.
Furuli’s date: Addaru 2 = 25 March 587 BCE:
Furuli dates Addaru 2 to 25 March 587 BCE. In the night of that day, at c. 19:00, the moon
was about 10.5 o southeast of η Tauri, a position that does not agree very well with that given
on the tablet. The fit is definitely not “excellent” as Furuli (p. 321) claims it is.
(12) ´Rev. line 14: “Night of the 7 th , the moon was surrounded by a halo; Praesepe and α
Leonis [stood] in [it ….]”
Addaru 7 = 20/21 March 567 BCE:
In 567 BCE the 7 th of Addaru fell on 20/21 March. In the night of the 20 th /21 st the moon
stood between α Leonis and Praesepe, the latter being an open star cluster close to the
centre of the constellation of Cancer. As they lie about 23 o apart, the halo must have
covered a large area in the sky. The next line (line 15), in fact, goes on to state that “the halo
surrounded Cancer and Leo.” As the moon stood between these two constellations, its
position agrees with that given on the tablet.
Furuli’s statement (p. 322) that Cancer “is either the constellation or the zodiacal sign that
covers 30 o of the heaven” is anachronistic, as the zodiacal belt was not divided into signs of
30 o each until much later, in the Persian era.