Timeline: Israel in Babylonian Exile

634 BCE

Nebuchadnezzar born to Nabopolassar (Babylonian general for Assyria)

Nebuchadnezzar II was the son of a Babylonian general in Assyrian army, Nabu-apla-usur (Nabopolassar)

Period: 626 BCE to 539 BCE

Neo-Babylonian Empire (626 - 539 B.C.)

NOTE: The Jews don't get to start coming home until the Neo-Babylonian Empire has been ended.

Period: 626 BCE to 605 BCE

Nabopolassar King of Babylon

612 BCE

Nineveh falls to Babylonian/Mede coalition

609 BCE

Neo-Assyrian empire ends (911-609 B.C.)

606 BCE

Israel conquered by Babylon

Israel incorporated into Babylon

605 BCE

Egyptians, Pharaoh Necho II fall to Nebuchadnezzar

Period: 605 BCE to 562 BCE

Nebuchadnezzar II King of Babylon (605 - 562 B.C.)

Longest ruling monarch of Neo-Babylonian Empire. Nebuchadnezzar spoke to the gods in his inaugural address, saying, “O merciful Marduk, may the house that I have built endure forever, may I be satiated with its splendor, attain old age therein, with abundant offspring, and receive therein tribute of the kings of all regions, from all mankind.” (Kerrigan, 39).

586 BCE

Babylonians destroy Jerusalem; Jews exiled

The Babylonians raze Jerusalem and tear down the first (Solomon's) Temple. They take complete control and exile the people of Judah including Daniel, Ezekiel, Jeremiah into captivity in Babylon.

Period: 550 BCE to 539 BCE

Cyrus II King of Achaemenids (550 - 539 B.C.)

King of Achaemenid Empire before it conquered Babylon

Period: 539 BCE to 530 BCE

Cyrus II (539-530 B.C.)

King of Babylon in the Achaemedan (Persian) Empire

Period: 539 BCE to 331 BCE

Babylonian-Achaemenidean (Persian) Empire (539-331 B.C.)

Ended by Alexander pillaging Babylon

538 BCE

Cyrus II commands rebuilding of Temple

Cyrus II sends Zerubbabel (grandson of Jeconiah or Pedaiah; lineage of king David) and Joshua (High Priest) back to Jerusalem to lay the foundation for and build the Temple again. (See Is. 45:1-14; Cyrus may have been read this passage and it influenced him to release the Jews to build God's Temple again)

Period: 538 BCE to 515 BCE

Jews Wave I - Temple Rebuild (538 - 515 B.C.)

Period: 530 BCE to 522 BCE

Cambyses II (530 - 522 B.C.)

King of Babylon in the Achaemedan (Persian) Empire

525 BCE

Phoenicia (Lebanon) subjugated by Babylon

Which means, also subjugated into the Persian (Achaemenids)

Period: 522 BCE to 486 BCE

Darius I (522-486 B.C.)

King of Babylon in the Achaemedan (Persian) Empire

520 BCE

Haggai prophecy 1: "Your work stoppage is delaying the Temple" 6/1/520BC

Delivered to Zerubbabel governor of Judah, Joshua the High Priest, and "all the remnant of the people." God confronts all of them for not working on the Temple but instead working on their own needs and accommodations. Says to ask themselves why they are hungry, droughted and poor despite their best efforts. Says this is by God's command because of their misordered priorities. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-zYnOxAuPaTMEvlREMRXFn9bo6UnwNjZO-nHeM84UUo/edit?usp=sharing

520 BCE

Hag #2: "I am with you" affirmation 7/21/520BC

4 weeks after they restart work on the Temple, God gives them an another word encouraging on their rebuilding of both this Temple, and God's building of the final Temple. Full description is in Hag 2:1-9, at: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1knbEv3EH9WEOQYIouPTpiqfjl2KFWci8drhImTXdXBc/edit?usp=sharing

520 BCE

Leaders restart Temple work 23 days after Hag #1 6/24/520BC

Haggai 1:12-15 describes this: https://docs.google.com/document/d/10sH2a3WFQuiFpEFkrbBzsvlg65RhmvMqJ3JaNP6kj-A/edit?usp=sharing

520 BCE

Hag #3: "offerings unclean but I bless" 9/24/520BC

Contents in Unlocked Literal Bible translation: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1XrgzyCaMO2lYgyOC8vOiXO9AMOUxMgtooK1vEVyox-Q/edit?usp=sharing

520 BCE

Foundation of Temple finished (9/24/520BC)

God refers to this accomplishment in Haggai's word# 3: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1XrgzyCaMO2lYgyOC8vOiXO9AMOUxMgtooK1vEVyox-Q/edit?usp=sharing

520 BCE

Hag #4: "Will replace kings w Zerub" 9/24/520BC

See text of Word 4 in: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1kDl-V5gQ-oLfXkP9Ue5Pyvo3WoLX3ARRfC-8RZsBNzU/edit?usp=sharing

515 BCE

First Passover in Temple, via "Haggai's prophesying"

"commemorating their forefathers' release from Egyptian bondage" (Ezr. 6:19). On the third day of the eleventh month of the sixth year of Darius' reign (Ezr. 6:14-15)

Period: 486 BCE to 465 BCE