The Reign of King Herod 

Wacholder by several months. If the capture of the city occurred at the earlier date, the Sabbatical year would 

be 43/42 

B.C.

 (Nisan to Nisan), instead of 44/43 

B.C.

 (Tishri to Tishri). Now, if the Sabbatical year occurred 

at the later date, then the years would be 36/35 

B.C.

 (Nisan to Nisan). This turns out not to be the case, so the 

next Sabbatical year becomes 37/36 

B.C.

 (Tishri to Tishri), due in part to the influence of Herod over the 

selection of the Jewish high priests (see chapter 16). 

    For the purposes of this chapter's argument, we will consider all of the above chronologies of the Sabbatical 

years. The chart below summarizes the years which can be ruled out as the year of the capture of Jerusalem. 

Years 

Possible year for capture of Jerusalem?  

45 

B.C.

No; not the summer of a Sabbatical year; and Tishri 10 fell in Oct. 

44   

 Maybe; it is the summer of a Sabbatical year per Zuckermann 

43   

 Maybe; it is the summer of a Sabbatical year per Wacholder/Conte 

42   

No; Tishri 10 fell in Oct., and not the summer of a Sabbatical year. 

41   

No; not a Sabbatical year; 

40   

No; Tishri 10 fell in Oct., and not a Sabbatical year. 

39   

No; not a Sabbatical year; 

38   

No; not the summer of a Sabbatical year 

37   

No; Tishri 10 fell in Oct. 

36   

 Maybe; it is the summer of a Sabbatical year per Wacholder 

35   

No; not a Sabbatical year; 

34 

B.C.

No; Tishri 10 fell in Oct., and not a Sabbatical year. 

    In 44 

B.C.

, the new moon of March 20 at 06:46 JST would be visible as a new crescent on the evening of 

March 21, placing Nisan 1 on March 22. The result is that Tishri 1, in the subsequent autumn, occurs early 

enough so that Tishri 10 would still fall in September.

751

    In 43 

B.C.

, the astronomical new moon of March 9 at 08:38 hours JST would not be visible as a  crescent 

until the evening of March 10, after sunset, at the earliest. Thus, Nisan 1 would coincide with March 11 and 

Nisan 14 would coincide with March 24, not long after the Spring Equinox of March 23 at 07:59 hours JST. 

This early date for Passover leads to an early date for the start of Tishri in the following autumn. The new 

moon of September 2 at 06:21 hours JST would be visible by the evening of September 3, after sunset. This 

makes Thursday, Sept. 4 the first day of Tishri. The Day of Atonement on Tishri 10 would then coincide with 

September 13 in 43 

B.C.

    In 36 

B.C.

, the new moon of March 21 at 20:36 JST would be visible as a new crescent on the evening of 

March 22 or 23, placing Nisan 1 on March 23 or 24. The result is that Tishri 1, in the subsequent autumn, 

occurs early enough so that Tishri 10 would still fall in September.

752

    Based on the above considerations, the years 44, 43 and 36 

B.C.

 are the only years during this time period 

(from 45 

B.C.

 to 34 

B.C.

 inclusive) which fit the details given by Josephus for the capture of Jerusalem at the 

beginning of Herod's reign. To choose between these dates, we must now look at the evidence for the year of 

Herod's death. 

The Length of Herod's Reign 

    Josephus describes Herod's reign as lasting 34 years, from his capture of Jerusalem to his death. At the time 

that Herod captured Jerusalem, he also took prisoner its former ruler, Antigonus, and sent him to Marc 

Antony, who eventually had him beheaded.

753

 Josephus counts Herod's actual reign over Jerusalem as 

beginning with his capture of Jerusalem and Antigonus' death, and ending with Herod's own death.  When 

he had done those things he died having reigned, since he had procured Antigonus to be slain, thirty four 

years .  

754

    When speaking of the deaths of the emperors of Rome, Josephus gives the exact length of their reign in 

years, months, and days. For example, he wrote that the reign of Augustus Caesar lasted  fifty seven years, 

besides six months and two days .  

755

 Notice that Josephus is not here using any kind of system by which he 

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