Related pages
Introduction
This is a time-line of the period following the return from exile in Babylon. It shows the main events in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah, as well as the ministry of the post-exilic prophets, Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi.
Year BC |
Kings of Persia |
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Details |
540 |
Cyrus II |
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Cyrus conquered Babylon (539), Decree of Cyrus (538) |
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First return |
Sheshbazzar (538)(Ezra 1:11) 42,360 Jews, 7337 servants. Zerubbabel - governor. Jeshua - high priest.
Altar set up, Feast of Booths, Temple foundation laid (Ezra 3:1-7,10) |
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535 |
Opposition (Ezra 4:1-4) |
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Temple rebuilding ceased for 16 years |
People preoccupied with building their own houses (Hag 1:4) |
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530 |
Cambyses II |
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525 |
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520 |
Darius I |
Haggai & Zechariah urge people to complete the temple (520) (Ezra 5:1) |
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Tattenai sent letter to Darius (Ezra 5:3) |
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Darius found Decree of Cyrus (Ezra 6:1-12) |
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Temple Completed & Dedicated, Passover (516) (Ezra 6:13-22) |
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515 |
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510 |
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505 |
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500 |
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495 |
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490 |
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485 |
Xerxes I Ahasuerus |
Letter to Xerxes (485) (Ezra 4:6) |
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Story of Esther |
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480 |
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475 |
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470 |
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465 |
Artaxerxes I |
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Letter to Xerxes (485) (Ezra 4:6) |
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Answer from Artaxerxes (Ezra 4:17-23) |
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460 |
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Second return - Ezra(458) (Ezra 7-8). |
1500 Jews + 38 Levites & 220 helpers
To appoint magistrates & judges, & to teach the law (7:25)
Dissolved mixed marriages (Ezra 9-10)
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455 |
Ministry of Malachi |
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450 |
Opposition - letter to Artaxerxes (Ezra 4:7-23) |
Rehum & Shimshai |
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445 |
Third return - Nehemiah (445)(Neh 2:1-11) |
City walls rebuilt (Neh 6:15) |
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Opposition - Sanballat, Tobiah & Geshem. Ezra read the law (444)- Neh 8) |
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Nehemiah governor 445 - 433 (5:14) |
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440 |
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435 |
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Nehemiah returned to Persia, back to Jerusalem (433) (Neh 13:6) |
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