

Exile and Return -- 7.1 - 7.5
The final portion of the Old Testament (chronologically) is the books dealing with the Babylonian Exile and return. These books include Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Ezekiel, Daniel, Haggai and Zechariah. In this section, we will cover the historical background that is common to all of these books, so we do not need to repeat the same facts in each book.
Let us first summarize chronology of this period:
722 BC -- Assyrian captivity (capture of Samaria, destruction of Israel)
605 -- Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon began his rule
he besieged Jerusalem (reign of Jehoiakim)
Daniel was taken captive to Babylon
597 -- Nebuchadnezzar conquered Jerusalem
10,000 people taken captive (reign of Jehoiachin)
593 -- Ezekiel began his prophetic ministry in Babylon
586 -- destruction of Jerusalem (reign of Zedekiah)
605 - 537 EXILE
555 -- Nabonidus began his rule
550 -- Belshazzar (son and co-regent) began his rule
539 -- Daniel deciphered writing on the wall
Cyrus of Persia entered Babylon
538 -- Cyrus' edict of return
537 -- 1st return of Jews under Sheshbazzar
536 -- work of rebuilding the Temple started
522 -- Darius 1 of Persia began his rule
520 -- Zechariah and Haggai prophesied
516 -- Temple completed
60 years of inactivity in Jerusalem
485 -- Xerxes began rule
483 -- Esther made queen
465 -- Artaxerxes began his rule
458 -- Ezra arrived in Jerusalem
445 -- Nehemiah arrived in Jerusalem as governor
Wall of Jerusalem completed
433 -- Nehemiah returned to Susa temporarily
430 -- Malachi began his prophetic ministry