Doug -

But from the choices below, I believe the 70 weeks began 445 BCE Artaxerxes OR 457 BCE - Artaxerxes. There are arguments supporting both dates.


Let me make life a little more complicated for you. There were actually FOUR decrees (shown in the order they appear in the Hebrew Bible):

(1) The decree issued by Cyrus (Ezra 1:1-4) in 539 BCE

(2) The decree issued by Darius (Ezra 5:3-7, 6:6-12) in 519 BCE

(3) The decree issued by Artexeres [to Ezra] (Ezra 7:11-26) in 457 BCE

(4) The decree issued by Artexeres [to Nehemiah] (Neh 2:1-8) in 444 BCE


There is a 12-year span between the two choices you have chosen as the possible "starting points". Why can't you select one of these to arrive at a final year, rather than have this ambiguity? I don't think this bodes well for your "formula".

UriYosef