Summary Timeline

Due to the inherent non-chronological nature of the Biblical texts in general, the following is presented to provide a relative timeline and chronology as related to the various texts and events that will be discussed in this book. There are five key points in time that directly relate to the development and evolution of the musical system of the Levites:

1. Exodus, ca. 1,513 B.C.E.
2. Time of David and Solomon, ca. 1,077-998 B.C.E.
3. Time of the exile of Israel into Babylon, ca. 608-529 B.C.E.
4. Revolt of Simon bar Kochba, ca. 132 C.E.
5. Hebrew texts of the Masorites ca. 1,000 C.E.

     As will be discussed throughout this book, the majority of information regarding the musical system of the Levites primarily occurs during the reign of David and within the Psalm manuscripts. In order to simply the timelines, the following is a very simple and condensed summary that may help you keep track of things as they are presented.

Before the Common Era - B.C.E.				Common Era - C.E.
Exodus	David	Exile	year		bar Kochba	Masorites
1,500	1,000	500	0		132	1,000
	Psalm manuscripts

     In other words, it is an easy mnemonic to say; "The Exodus occurred about 3,500 years ago" (approximately 1,500 B.C.E) or "David was king over Israel approximately 3,000 years ago," (about 1,000 B.C.E.), etc. Being able to easily keep things in perspective to our own time, will help you to better see and appreciate the time periods in which the material presented herein occurred.

over 6,000 years ago

First recorded account of musical instruments in the Hebrew texts - Genesis 4:21

approximately 3,500 years ago

Moses

Family of Levi

Raised and educated in the household of Pharaoh - Exodus 2:10

Literate and able to read and write - Exodus 7:14, 34:27, Deuteronomy 31:24

Musically literate and able to read and write music - Deuteronomy 31:22

Composed numerous songs

       Song at the Sea of Reeds- Exodus 15:1-18

       Song of Moses - Deuteronomy 33:1-43

       Prayer of Moses - Psalm 90, Numbers 10:35-36

The Exodus

     Shortly after the Exodus of Israel from Egypt, the family of Levi is separated from the general population of Israel to serve in various capacities within the Tabernacle and later Temple systems. It is from the non-priest members of the Levites that the musical system of David's time would eventually evolve.

Related Reference Material
Biblical books of Exodus, Numbers, Deuteronomy and Numbers
Antiquities of the Jews, 2:346, 4:303 JOS

Time period between the Exodus and the time of David

Levites learn and practice the art of music and instrument construction.

Method of mapping and associating the Hebrew alephbet with fixed pitches established.

System of instrumental music notation established.

approximately 3,000 years ago

Time of David and Solomon

     As one of his first official acts as king over the collective nation of Israel, David incorporates alongside the ritual functions of the priests a formal musical service with select members from the non-priest Levites families. During the time of peace established during his reign as king, David composes and finalizes his compositions (Antiquities of the Jews, 7:305). The works of David are found in 2 Samuel 22:1-51 [parallel manuscript to Psalm 18], 1 Chronicles 16:8-33 [adapted to Psalm 105:1-15 from 1 Chronicles 16:8-22, [adapted to Psalm 96:1-13 from 1 Chronicles 16:23-33], along with many of the Psalm manuscripts that were attributed to him. David assigns specific singers and musicians from the non-priest Levites to minister with song at the Tabernacle, the tent where the Ark was relocated to, and who were to be assigned at Temple to be built by Solomon after his death (1 Chronicles 25:1-31).
     Shortly after Solomon is made king over Israel and after the death of David work on the Temple is formally started in the fourth year of Solomon's reign, four-hundred and eighty years after the Exodus for Egypt (1 Chronicles 29:22-25; 1 Kings 6:1, 6:37; 2 Chronicles 3:1-2).
     The Temple is completed in the eleventh year of Solomon's reign. A year later the Ark and remaining sacred articles from the Tabernacle are relocated to the Temple. The two smaller Levite musical ensembles previously stationed before the tent and the Tabernacle are merged and will permanently minister before the Temple until its destruction and subsequent exile of the nation of Israel into Babylon (1 Kings 6:38; 1 Kings 8:1-9; 2 Chronicles 5:1-10)

Time period of the exile of Israel into Babylon - ca. 608-529 B.C.E.

     For a period of seventy-years, Israel remains in Babylon until the year 529 B.C.E. when Cyrus II issues a decree granting them permission to return to Jerusalem to rebuild their Temple. Only the singers from the lineage of Asaph (Ezra 2:41, 70, 7:7, 7-24, 10:24; Nehemiah 7:1, 7:44, 10:28, 10:39, 11:22-23, 12:28-29, 12:42-47, 13:5, 13:10) are specially listed and recorded as participating in ceremonial activities related to the rebuilding of the Temple and related infrastructure of Jerusalem. This is also one of the few Biblical accounts in which we have coinciding information from secular sources and artifacts (the decree of Cyrus - Ezra 1:1-4, 6:7; 2 Chronicles 36:22-23), Cyrus cylinder - British Museum. Psalm 137 - directly attributable to the time period of the exile.

70 C.E.

The Temple built by Herod in Jerusalem is destroyed by the Romans under Titus and the remaining sacred articles of the Temple; the golden lamp stand, the table of the Bread and the silver trumpets are taken as spoils by the Romans and lost to history. Depicting this event, the Arch of Titus is erected some years later in Rome, Italy to commemorate the destruction of Jerusalem.

132 C.E.

Under Simon bar Kochba a small group of rebels attempt to grapple the control of Jerusalem from the Roman government. Coins are struck over Roman coinage with depictions of the Tabernacle/Temple, the two silver trumpets, and numerous variations of lyres and harps presumably utilized by the Levite musicians.

approximately 1,000 years ago

Hebrew texts of the Masorites

Existing Hebrew texts are compiled and annotated with symbolic notations for pronunciation and cantillation.

     With a basic understanding of the instruments of the Bible and a relative timeline of the events, let us start our journey by going back about 3,500 years ago to one of the pivotal periods of Biblical history and a named Moses. A individual and a time that would help shape not only the course of human history and religion, but also the musical system of the Levites and the songs of the Psalm manuscripts.

Moses, the Exodus and the Levites