Timeline of Old Testament Events

Our Old Testament timeline offers believers a valuable roadmap for navigating the vast and storied landscape of Scripture’s earliest narratives. By situating key events and figures in a clear chronological framework, we gain fresh perspective on how God orchestrated His redemptive plan through eras of creation, covenants, conquests, and captivity. This method of studying Scripture shines light on the divine thread tying together everything from Adam’s first breath in Eden to the return of God’s people from Babylonian exile. As we trace these pivotal moments in order, we discover not only a cohesive story of humanity’s struggle and redemption, but also an ongoing revelation of God’s steadfast faithfulness, His eternal wisdom, and His enduring desire to dwell among His people.

2270 BC

Tower of Babel

In disobedience to God’s command to fill the earth (Genesis 9:1), the people, all sharing one language, decided to settle and build a city; they found a plain in the land of Shinar. The people had two goals, to build for ourselves a city, and to build a tower whose top will reach into heaven. It appears the tower is an essential part of the object of building a city and a tower, namely to make for ourselves a name. Current historical and archeological evidence shows the Tower of Babel was most likely located at Eridu in Mesopotamia. Mankind was in defiance of God’s will that the entire earth should be populated. If left unchecked, they would undertake more deeds of evil and defiance. So, God confused their language so that they will not understand one another’s speech and scattered them abroad from there over the face of the whole earth; and they stopped building the city. The confusion of language occurred in the fourth generation after the flood, about the time of the birth of Peleg (Genesis 10:25).