Help | Bible Timeline

Welcome to the Bible Timeline

This interactive timeline lets you explore biblical events, historical periods, people, empires, and related world-history context across time. I originally started gathering dates for the timeline while teaching a class through the Bible at church, but eventually I outgrew the timeline app and options I had been using.

I coded this completely custom timeline application with the help of AI in Summer 2026. The majority of the images provided are from my own exploration of museums around the world and excavations in Israel, but there are also some from other sources when appropriate.

Getting Around

Click and drag the timeline to move through history. Drag left or right to move through years, and drag up or down to see items above or below the central date line.

On desktop, hover over the timeline to see the approximate date under your pointer. The small overview strip in the lower-left corner shows where you are within the selected view. Click or drag in that strip to jump to another part of the view.

On mobile, drag with one finger to move around, pinch to zoom, and use the bottom action bar for Time, Zoom, Display Mode, and Eras.

Views and Search

View Menu View Menu: Choose a saved view focused on selected groups, events, periods, eras, and display settings.
Search Timeline Search Timeline: Search event and period titles. Advanced Search can also filter by view, group, Bible reference, date range, description text, images, and Bible references.

Time and Zoom

Compress Time Compress Time: Fit more years across the screen.
Expand Time Expand Time: Spread years farther apart.
Zoom Out Zoom Out: See more of the canvas at once.
Zoom In Zoom In: Move closer for more detail.

Display Modes

Timeline Mode Timeline Mode: The main visual timeline.
Table Mode Table Mode: A sortable table view of the selected timeline content.
Photo Mode Photo Mode: An image-focused view for browsing photos connected to timeline items.

Timeline Controls

Compact Layout Compact Layout: Reduce vertical spacing between items.
Expand Layout Expand Layout: Return to normal spacing.
Show or Hide Eras Show or Hide Eras: Toggle soft background era bands on or off.
Center Timeline Center Timeline: Return to the saved center of the selected view.
Full Screen Full Screen: Expand the timeline to fill the screen.
Exit Full Screen Exit Full Screen: Leave full screen mode.
Help Information Help Information: Open this help page.
Mobile Menu Mobile Menu: Open extra controls on smaller screens.
Copy Link Copy Link: Copy a shareable link to your current timeline view. The link preserves the selected View, display mode, time scale, zoom level, center position, Compact Layout, Eras visibility, and any open event or group popup.

Events, Periods, Groups, and Eras

Periods appear as horizontal bars across a range of years. Single-date events appear as compact labels near their date. Groups collect related events and periods. Eras appear as soft background bands behind the timeline.

The central date line helps separate items arranged above or below the line. Dates use BCE and CE.

A camera icon means images are attached. A Bible reference icon Bible References means Bible references are attached.

Details Popups

Previous Event Previous Event and Next Event Next Event: Move through nearby items without closing the popup.
View in Timeline View in Timeline: Jump back to the item on the timeline.
Copy Link Copy Link: Copy a direct link to the item.
Close Close: Close the popup. Escape also closes popups.

Images

When an item has multiple images, use thumbnails or the image arrows to move through them. Click the main image to open a larger viewer.

Previous Image Previous Image: Show the previous image.
Next Image Next Image: Show the next image.

Table Mode

Table Columns Table Columns: Choose which columns are visible. Your choices are saved in your browser.
Jump To Top Jump To Top: Return to the top of the table.
Click column headers to sort by name, date, group, image count, or first Bible reference.

Bible References

Bible references can open a small preview of the biblical text when available. Longer reference lists may be grouped so they are easier to read.

Tour and Feedback

Use Take Tour from the Help page toolbar to walk through the main timeline features.

Use the Requests, Corrections, and Suggestions form below to send corrections, feature ideas, or other feedback.