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(biblical-inerrancy)=
Article 10 of the {cite}noauthor_chicago_1978 says:
We affirm that inspiration, strictly speaking, applies only to the autographic text of Scripture, which in the providence of God can be ascertained from available manuscripts with great accuracy. We further affirm that copies and translations of Scripture are the Word of God to the extent that they faithfully represent the original.
We deny that any essential element of the Christian faith is affected by the absence of the autographs. We further deny that this absence renders the assertion of Biblical inerrancy invalid or irrelevant.
:::{prf:definition} Inspired Autographs :label: inspired-autographs
The original autographic text of Scripture were inspired by the Holy Spirit. :::
:::{prf:definition} Faithful Transmission :label: faithful-transmission
The providence of God can be ascertained from available manuscripts with great accuracy. :::
There are two manuscript traditions that will be used for this historical study: the Masoretic Hebrew Text and the Septuagint. Both of these will be considered when making any assessment of an historical event.
This denies that only one of these traditions has to be completely accepted over the other. One is permitted to pick and choose with confidence that one can reach the truth because it has been faithfully transmitted.
:::{prf:axiom} Bible :label: bible-inerrant-faithful
The Bible is the Word of God coming inspired autographs and faithfully transmitted. :::
:::{prf:definition} Consistent Biblical Chronology :label: consistent-chronology
A consistent biblical chronology is internally consistent with events mentioned in the Bible and it is consistent with synchronisms between events that actually happened in the ANE relative chronologies. :::
:::{prf:axiom} ANE Events :label: ane-events The events recorded during the times of the Hebrew kings and recorded in the chronologies actually happened. :::
From this first axiom one can derive the following theorem.
:::{prf:definition} The Thiele-McFall-Young Chronology of Kings :label: thiele-mcfall-young
The biblical chronology for the book of Kings originally constructed
by Edwin {cite}thiele_mysterious_1983, corrected by
Leslie {cite}mcfall_translation_1991 with a final correction by Rodger C. {cite}young_when_2003.
:::
:::{prf:theorem} :label: consistent-chronology-exists There exists a consistent chronology of Hebrew kings :::
:::{prf:proof} :class: dropdown
Assume there exists a point in the Biblical chronology where the Bible contradicts itself. This implies the Bible is false. This contradicts . Therefore, no such point of inconsistency in the Biblical chronology exists.
Assume the Biblical chronology cannot be found. This implies that the Bible has not been faithfully transmitted. This also contradicts .
Hence a consistent biblical chronology exists and can be found.
The Thiele-McFall-Young chronology of Kings is evidence that
at least one consistent biblical chronology exists.
:::
What the above theorem claims is that the set of consistent biblical chronologies is not empty.
There is at least one consistent biblical chronology in that set.
This book presents such a biblical chronology and demonstrates is consistency.
However, there may be other consistent biblical chronologies although I am not aware of any.
This book intends to test other chronologies by identifying all of the chronological
points of Hebrew kings that any alternate chronology would have to meet. {cite}thiele_mysterious_1983
:::{prf:conjecture} Uniqueness of the Kings chronology :label: only-one-chronology There is only one consistent biblical chronology of the Hebrew kings, specifically, the one preseented by Thiele, McFall and Young. :::
Rodger C. Young proved this conjecture true. {cite}young_when_2003
I will provide another proof after the data becomes available.
If this proof is correct, then alternate chronologies of the Hebrew Kings are incorrect somewhere.
One of the goals of this study is to automate a way to identifying where the error lies.
:::{prf:conjecture} Uniqueness of the pre-Kings chronology :label: only-one-pre-chronology There is only one consistent biblical chronology of the the biblical events prior to Kings :::
This second conjecture is still open. In this book I will list a complete set of consistent chronologies prior to Kings pointing out where the decision points exist and propose what I think is the best chronology.