. ▁Fil mer ▁and ▁Stein mann , ▁for ▁example , ▁propose ▁that ▁Her od ▁died ▁in ▁ 1 ▁BC , ▁and ▁that ▁his ▁he irs ▁back dated ▁their ▁reign s ▁to ▁ 4 ▁or ▁ 3 ▁BC ▁to ▁assert ▁an ▁over la pping ▁with ▁Her od ' s ▁rule , ▁and ▁bol ster ▁their ▁own ▁legit im acy . ▁In ▁Joseph us ' ▁account , ▁Her od ' s ▁death ▁was ▁preced ed ▁by ▁a ▁lun ar ▁eclipse ▁and ▁followed ▁by ▁Pass over . ▁An ▁eclipse ▁took ▁place ▁in ▁ 4   BC ▁on ▁March ▁ 1 3 , ▁about ▁ 2 9 ▁days ▁before ▁Pass over , ▁and ▁this ▁eclipse ▁has ▁been ▁suggested ▁ ▁as ▁the ▁one ▁referred ▁to ▁by ▁Joseph us . ▁There ▁were ▁however ▁other ▁e cli ps es ▁during ▁this ▁period , ▁and ▁there ▁are ▁pro ponents ▁of ▁ 5   BC ▁and ▁the ▁two ▁e cli ps es ▁of ▁ 1 ▁BC ▁occurr ing ▁January ▁ 1 0 ▁and ▁December ▁ 2 9 . ▁Nevertheless , ▁most ▁sch ol ars ▁favour ▁a ▁birth ▁year ▁for ▁Jesus ▁between ▁ 6 ▁and ▁ 4 ▁BC . ▁ ▁Sub t ract ing ▁Jesus ' ▁age ▁of ▁" about ▁ 3 0 ▁years " ▁when ▁pre aching ▁Another ▁approach ▁to ▁estim ating ▁Jesus ' ▁year ▁of ▁birth ▁is ▁based ▁on ▁the ▁statement ▁in ▁Luke ▁ 3 : 2 3 ▁that ▁he ▁was ▁" about ▁ 3 0 ▁years ▁of ▁age " ▁when ▁starting ▁his ▁min istry . ▁Jesus ▁began ▁to ▁pre ach