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Glossary Definition of word.
historical setting
Historical setting is an aspect of setting that pertains to when events occur and when characters live or interact. A historical setting is a point in time. Literary characters cannot see nor touch their historical setting because historical setting pertains to time which is intangible, but all human actions must occur in time. Historical settings might be past, present, or future. Historical settings might be described as specific spans or moments in time:
The Old Testament books are set between approximately 6,000 BC to 400 BC (a span of history mostly considered ancient antiquity). The New Testament books are set between approximately AD 30 to AD 100 (a span of history completely considered classical antiquity).
Westerners along with most of the world uses the Julian calendar system developed in AD 525 by Dionysius Exiguus. We represent years in relation to the presumed birth date of Jesus Christ. Years prior to Christ's birth are indicated as Before Christ (BC); years subsequent to Christ's birth are indicated as Anno Domini (AD).
In contrast, the Hebrew calendar reset to zero with their exodus from Egyptian slavery. God commanded His people: "This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you" (Ex. 12:2; cf., Jdg. 11:26; 1Ki. 6:1).
Most frequently, most biblical writers indicated time relative to the reign of the dominate king of the day: "In the eighteenth year of Nebuchadrezzar" (Jer. 52:29). Time was also measured relative to major events: "in the days of Uzziah king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel, two years before the earthquake" (Am. 1:1). The dating of the prophetic books (viz., Isaiah to Malachi) often utilizes cross referencing the placement of the prophet or key events in the historical books of 1 Kings, 2 Kings, 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther. Searching for the word year in a concordance will locate most historical markers.
See setting, geographical setting, and social setting to learn more. |
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