OBADIAH:

• Not held by many, but shows that Edom attacked Judah repeatedly

• Vv. 11-14 suggest invasion on the level of Babylonian invasion
• See Ps. 137:7; Ez. 25:12-14; 35:1-15. Edom clearly helped Babylon and profited greatly from it.
• Similarities with Obadiah and Jeremiah; however, vv. 10-14 not found in Jer. 49

• 2 Kgs 8:20-22; 2 Chr. 21:16-17
• Placed early in order of Min. Pro.
• Makes him a contemporary with Elijah – 1 Kgs 18:1-6; Jewish trad. said 2 Kgs 4:1 refers to Obadiah
• Joel and Obadiah have similarities – Joel 3:3,5,6; see also Amos 1:6-12 – all 3 likely written about the same time
• 2 Chr. 20:1-34: Edom joined with Moab and Ammon and attacked Judah under Jehoshaphat (872-848 BC). It failed, but shows that this was a common occurrence, not just in 586 BC.

We are most unsure about Joel. There are no clear statements in Joel to give us an idea of when it was written.

1.         After Babylonian exile in 5 th cent.

• No mention of idolatry/Baal worship, which were common themes pre-exile.
• “Israel” used for South; normally used post-exile.
• Elders are mentioned; not a king - but other books don't mention a king for major portions of the book, so not necessarily an issue.
• Assyria/Babylon not mentioned, thus written after – but why mention Egypt and Edom in 3:19, they were non-factors after exile.
• Exiles mentioned in 3:6-7 – but, Israelites exiled at times before Assyria and Babylon
• Greece mentioned in 3:6 along with Philistia and Phoenicia. Greece not a power until post-exile (some even suggest Joel was written 4 th or 3 rd cent. because of this verse) – but trade with Greece as early as 8 th cent. mentioned in extra-biblical literature
• Assume locusts are not literal but figurative

• No mention of Israel or Samaria; makes sense post-722 BC
• LXX has Joel after Micah in order, thus suggesting 701 BC
• Assume locusts are not literal but figurative

• Elders are mentioned, not a king; could be when Joash was young – he became king at age 7; other books don't mention a king for major portions of the book, so not necessarily an issue.
• Cannot be during exile because sacrifices were taking place – ch. 1
• Placed early in order of Min. Pro. – 2 nd
• Day of the LORD a common theme before exile
• Assyria and Babylon not mentioned; thus before they came
• Philistia and Phoenicia in 3:4, Egypt and Edom in 3:19 and Sabeans in 3:8 – all common enemies pre-exile
• Assumes locusts are literal, Joel then uses the literal event for a spiritual lesson

Conclusion: Unsure, but Joel was most likely written 835-830 BC; from and to the South
Theme: Warning that the Day of LORD includes judgment on God's people, thus they need to repent.

JONAH:

1.         2 Kgs 14:25 – during Jeroboam II (793-753)
2.         Contemporary with Elisha, Amos, Hosea and maybe Micah
3.         Position in Scripture
4.         Similarities with Joel 2:13-14 – Jon. 3:9; 4:2 (Some even suggest maybe Joel actually wrote the book)
5.         From and to North
6.         It is uncertain when exactly Jonah wrote the book. He certainly wrote it pre-722 BC, but when we are not sure.

Conclusion: My inclination is Jonah wrote it many years before 722 BC, maybe as early as 775BC before Amos wrote his book. Life was good, travel was still relatively safe and Assyria had to have time to repent and then forget God's grace to them before they come in and destroy Israel. But many good scholars say after Amos and maybe after Hosea. I could see maybe after Amos, but not after Hosea.

Theme: God's grace to all men.

AMOS:

1.         1:1 – Uzziah (792-740) and Jeroboam II (793-753)
2.         Contemporary with Jonah, Hosea, Micah and maybe Isaiah
3.         The time of prosperity began earlier in Jeroboam II's reign. There had to be time for apathy, indifference, pride and arrogance in their own achievements to set in. Thus most date Amos 760-750 BC. The pride and arrogance of Jonah lead some to place him later too, about 750 BC, which may very well be the case.
4.         From South, to North.

Theme: A “Covenant Lawsuit” against Israel primarily for their sins of idolatry and social injustice.

HOSEA:

1.         1:1 – Jeroboam II (793-753), Uzziah (792-740), Jotham (750-732), Ahaz (735-715) and Hezekiah (715-686).
2.         Contemporary with Jonah, Amos, Isaiah, Micah
3.         Hosea clearly wrote nearer to the Fall of Israel, maybe in the 730's or 720's before 722 BC. He survived the invasion and continued to minister in the South.
4.         From and to North.

Theme: God's judgment for Israel's unfaithfulness to Him; God's grace to His unfaithful bride.

MICAH:

1.         1:1 - Jotham (750-732), Ahaz (735-715) and Hezekiah (715-686).
2.         Contemporary with Isaiah, Hosea, Amos and maybe Jonah
3.         Micah likely wrote parts of book to the North pre-722 BC and the rest to the South pre-701 BC.
4.         From South, to North and South.

Theme: Warning of God's Judgment on Israel. Also, that Judah should not feel smug, warning them that they might be destroyed too.

ZEPHANIAH:

1.         1:1 – Josiah (640-609)
2.         Contemporary with Jeremiah, Nahum and maybe Habakkuk
3.         Likely written before Josiah's reforms in 622 BC and definitely before destruction of Assyria in 612 BC (2:13).
4.         From and to South.

Theme: The Day of the LORD will mean destruction for Judah. No warning – a certain event.

NAHUM:

1.         1:1 – written to Nineveh, capital of Assyria
2.         Contemporary with Jeremiah, Zephaniah and Habakkuk
3.         Thus, it had to have been written prior to 612 BC. Also 3:8-10 speaks of the Fall of Thebes, which happened in 663 BC; thus it was written after this event.
4.         2:1; 3:14, 19 suggest that it was written close to 612 BC.
5.         From South to Nineveh.

Theme: God's judgment on Nineveh.

HABAKKUK:

1.         No clear reference in book.
2.         Contemporary with Jeremiah, Nahum and maybe Zephaniah
3.         The book speaks of Babylon coming to destroy Judah, thus it had to have been written prior to 586 BC and likely prior to 605 BC – Babylon's first invasion of Judah. Babylon defeated Assyria and Egypt in 605 BC prior to invading Judah.
4.         Therefore, many people date Habakkuk at this time. Some will suggest even as early as 630 BC, but closer to the event seems to make more sense. 5.         From and to South.

Theme: God tells Habakkuk that He will use Babylon to judge Judah and Habakkuk does not like it. He wonders how God can use a sinful people to judge God's people.

HAGGAI:

1.         1:1 – Aug. – Nov./Dec. 520 BC
2.         Contemporary of Zechariah
3.         From and to South

Theme: Haggai encourages the people to rebuild the temple post-exile.

ZECHARIAH:

1.         1:1 – Oct. 520 – 480 BC
2.         Contemporary of Haggai
3.         From and to South.

Theme: Zechariah also encourages the people to rebuild the temple post-exile.

MALACHI:

1.         No clear reference in book.
2.         Maybe as early as 458 BC when Ezra returned because of emphasis on the Torah in both books.
3.         But likely after Nehemiah returns in 445 BC or during his absence in 433-432 BC because of many similarities in both books.
4.         Some suggest after 430 BC.
5.         Most likely somewhere between 445-430 BC.
6.         From and to South.

Theme: The people were breaking the Covenant and thus they were receiving the curses of the Covenant. Malachi calls them to repentance.
 
 
 
 
 

ELIJAH:

1.         Ministered 875 – 848 BC.
2.         1 Kgs 17 - 2 Kgs 2; primarily ministered during King Ahab (874 –853) in Israel.

ELISHA:

1.         Ministered 848 – 797 BC.
2.         2 Kgs 2 – 13; ministered during Joram, Jehu, Jehoahaz and Jehoash in Israel.

ISAIAH:

1.         Ministered appr. 740-680 BC.
2.         Ministered during Kings Pekah and Hoshea in Israel and Jotham, Ahaz, Hezekiah and Manasseh in Judah.
3.         Ministered alongside Jonah, Amos, Hosea and Micah.
4.         He is believed to have been martyred by Manasseh by being sawed in two (Hb. 11:37; Jewish tradition)
5.         From South, to North and South.

JEREMIAH:

1.         Ministered appr. 626-586 BC.
2.         Ministered during Kings Josiah, Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin and Zedekiah up to and including the Fall of Jerusalem.
3.         Ministered alongside Zephaniah, Nahum and Habakkuk.
4.         He is believed to have been taken to Egypt were he ministered and died.
5.         He also wrote Lamentations and maybe even 1 & 2 Kgs.
6.         From and to South.

DANIEL:

1.         Ministered appr. 605 – 530 BC.
2.         Taken to Babylon during the 1 st invasion in 605 BC.
3.         Ministered alongside Ezekiel.
4.         His writings were clearly written over a long period of time while in Babylon.

EZEKIEL:

1.         Ministered 593 – 571 BC.
2.         Taken to Babylon during the 2 nd invasion in 597 BC.
3.         Ministered alongside Daniel.
4.         Written in exile to Jews there and in Jerusalem.
 
 

My approach regarding Jewish tradition in dating the prophets (and other issues) is the Jews were a whole lot closer to the original events than we are. They had biases, yes, but so do we, and most Old Testament scholars' biases are antithetical to the Scriptures. Therefore, I accept the Jewish tradition unless there is clear and reasonable evidence indicating they were wrong.

The normal approach of the prophets was to have sections of judgment followed by sections of grace and restoration. God punishes because of covenant disobedience and blesses because of His covenant grace. Thus, there can be confusing places where one section talks of grace and the next about judgment, or vice versa - you sometimes see it in succeeding verses. Both themes are important.