{"id":37163,"date":"2025-12-23T07:00:41","date_gmt":"2025-12-23T12:00:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.biblicalarchaeology.org\/?p=37163"},"modified":"2025-12-23T08:14:31","modified_gmt":"2025-12-23T13:14:31","slug":"herods-death-jesus-birth-and-a-lunar-eclipse","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.biblicalarchaeology.org\/daily\/people-cultures-in-the-bible\/jesus-historical-jesus\/herods-death-jesus-birth-and-a-lunar-eclipse\/","title":{"rendered":"Herod\u2019s Death, Jesus\u2019 Birth and a Lunar Eclipse"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Herod<\/a>

Giotto, Adoration of the Magi<\/em>, c. 1306.<\/p><\/div>\n

Both Luke and Matthew mention Jesus\u2019 birth<\/a> as occurring during Herod\u2019s reign<\/a> (Luke 1:5; Matthew 2:1). Josephus relates Herod\u2019s death to a lunar eclipse<\/a>. This is generally regarded as a reference to a lunar eclipse in 4 B.C. Therefore it is often said that Jesus was born in 4 B.C.<\/p>\n

But physics professor John A. Cramer, in a letter to BAR<\/strong>, has pointed out that there was another lunar eclipse visible in Judea\u2014in fact, two\u2014in 1 B.C., which would place Herod\u2019s death\u2014and Jesus\u2019 birth\u2014at the turn of the era. Below, read letters published in the Q&C section of BAR<\/strong> debating the dates of Herod\u2019s death, Jesus\u2019 birth and to which lunar eclipse Josephus was referring.<\/p>\n

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When Was Jesus Born?<\/h4>\n

Q&C, BAR<\/strong>, July\/August 2013<\/a><\/p>\n

Let me add a footnote to Suzanne Singer\u2019s report on the final journey of Herod the Great (Strata, BAR<\/strong>, March\/April 2013<\/a>): She gives the standard date of his death as 4 B.C. [Jesus\u2019 birth is often dated to 4 B.C. based on the fact that both Luke and Matthew associate Jesus\u2019 birth with Herod\u2019s reign\u2014Ed.<\/strong>] Readers may be interested to learn there is reason to reconsider the date of Herod\u2019s death.<\/p>\n

This date is based on Josephus\u2019s remark in Antiquities <\/em>17.6.4 that there was a lunar eclipse shortly before Herod died. This is traditionally ascribed to the eclipse of March 13, 4 B.C.<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, this eclipse was visible only very late that night in Judea and was additionally a minor and only partial eclipse.<\/p>\n

There were no lunar eclipses visible in Judea thereafter until two occurred in the year 1 B.C. Of these two, the one on December 29, just two days before the change of eras, gets my vote since it was the one most likely to be seen and remembered. That then dates the death of Herod the Great into the first year of the current era, four years after the usual date.<\/p>\n

Perhaps the much-maligned monk who calculated the change of era was not quite so far off as has been supposed.<\/p>\n

John A. Cramer
\nProfessor of Physics
\nOglethorpe University
\nAtlanta, Georgia<\/p>\n\n\n\t\t

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FREE ebook: The First Christmas: The Story of Jesus\u2019 Birth in History and Tradition<\/strong>. Download now.<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t