A Chronological Analysis of the Kings Who Ruled Over Jerusalem From
606 to 331 B.C.
by Walter T. Robinson II, March 21, 1996, © 1996, 1998, All Rights
Reserved
The historical dates of
the kings have been taken from secular sources such as encyclopedias and
history books.
The dates of these
kings' activities dealing with
Jerusalem
and the Jews have been taken strictly from the Bible.
The Jews used the
beginning of the reign of each king as their basis for recording the dates
of important events.
|
Historical King |
Date (B.C.) |
Ezra’s Record |
Nehemiah's Record |
Nebuchadnezzar 606–561 606-> -> 2:1,
5:14 1st year.
Past references. 7:6 1st year. Past reference.
586, 9th day <- He Conquered Jerusalem in 606.
20 |
(II Kings
24:1–4) <-4th month->
years later, he destroyed the walls in
586. |
586, 5th day <- 28 years later, he also destroyed
the V
(II Kings
25:8–9) <-7th month->
Temple.
Cyrus
II 536–529
536-> 1:1–3:7. 1st year. Ezra's
historical
Born 598(?)—Died
529
overview about the DECREE given to
(Also called “Darius
rebuild the
Temple
in 536 when the Jew-
the Mede” in Daniel
ish return from captivity actually began.
9:1?) Compare
Daniel
2:1–62. The genealogy of all initial
11:1 of the Septuagint
returnees are provided and is the same as
Version. (i.e., LXX)
in Nehemiah 7:7–64 (scribal differences
noted). Zerubbabel led this group and also
laid the foundation of the
Temple. (2:2)
534, 15th–22nd [Note: Ezra did not go to
Jerusalem until
day of the 7th the 7th year of Artaxerxes II.
(7:1–8)]
month-> 3:4–5 They then kept the “Fest of
534, after the Tabernacles.” (3:4)
22nd day of 3:8–4:5. 2nd year. Construction
on
7th month-> the
Temple began in 534 and
slowly
continued for 90 years until 446 till after
the wall was raised up by
Nehemiah.
Cambyses 529–522
(not mentioned) No action. Work continued.
Darius I
(Hystaspis) 521–485
4:5. (passing mention) Work continued.
Xerxes I
(Ahasuerus) 485–466
485-> 4:6. 1st year. A libelous
letter
[He deposed Vashti
in
was written against the Jews working in
482. (Esther 1:3) He
Jerusalem and was sent to “Ahasuerus”
then made Esther queen
478, (?) day in 485. But, it seems he ignored it and
in 478 (2:16) Five years
<- 7th month allowed the work to continue through
later she approached the
his reign and on into that of his son's
king on behalf of her
473, 16th day until probably 446.
people. (3:7, 12 & 5:1)
<-1st month |
11 months later, they
|
were delivered from
473, 13–14th day V
Haman's plans.
(9:15–17) <-12th month
Page – 1
A Chronological Analysis of the Kings Who Ruled Over Jerusalem From
606 to 331 B.C.
by Walter T. Robinson II, March 21,
1996, © 1996, 1998, All Rights Reserved
|
Historical King |
Date (B.C.) |
Ezra’s Record |
Nehemiah's Record |
Artaxerxes I
466–425 446, 6th (?) day
| 1:1–14.
20th year. In 446, Nehemiah
(i.e. Longimanus)
1st month—| |->
| was
given official letters by the king
V saying
he had the legal right to go to
446, 1st
day
Jerusalem and rebuild the walls.
(2:1–11)
5th month—| |->
After securing various materials, he
proceeded to Jerusalem. After surveying
446, 3rd
day
the city, he convinced the people already
5th month—| |->
there to help him rebuild the walls. (2:11–18)
The work began and progressed against
|
opposition and scheming by the people of the
|
surrounding nations. (2:19) Yet, the work
52 days
later
continued until the wall was finished the
|
same year in 446. (2:20–6:15)
5:14 adds
|
that Nehemiah then served as governor of
Jerusalem for 12 years until the 32nd year
446, 25th
day,
of Artaxerxes I's reign in 434.
6th
month
The wall was quickly finished in 52,
Elul—| |->
days on the 25th day of the 6th month, Elul.
(6:15) Nehemiah then appointed two faithful
God fearing men (7:1–2) to watch over
Jerusalem because he was soon to return to
Shushan in Persia
to serve the king as he had
previously promised. (2:6 & 13:6)
However, before returning to Shushan, he
gave a few last instructions to those he had placed
in charge. (7:3) He was also led to take a census
of all who had come out of
Babylon
in 536, realiz-
ing the people were probably going to scatter to
the surrounding villages because no houses had
been built in
Jerusalem so far. (7:4–5) And, to
make sure everyone returned to the proper city of
their inheritance, the census was necessary.
446,
7th
The census was finished shortly, and by
month—| |->
the beginning of 7th month, most of the people
had left
Jerusalem to live in the surrounding
20th year. Non-Jews from
cities. (7:73)
Jerusalem sent
the king a letter,
Nehemiah then returned to the king in
in the Syrian language, claiming
Persia and continued to serve as the governor
the Wall he had allowed the in
absentia. (13:6)
` Jews to build was going to
be
446, ? month-> used in a rebellion. As a
result |
4:7–24 the king ordered a halt to all
|
work on the
Temple.
(4:7–14) V
Xerxes
II 425–424
(not mentioned) Took no action.
Page – 2
A Chronological Analysis of the Kings Who Ruled Over Jerusalem From
606 to 331 B.C.
by Walter T. Robinson II, March 21,
1996, © 1996, 1998, All Rights Reserved
|
Historical King |
Date (B.C.) |
Ezra’s Record |
Nehemiah's Record |
Darius
II 423–404
421-> 4:24–5:2. 2nd year. By the
king's 2nd [12:1–22. Past reference indicating it was dur-
(i.e. Nothius)
year, the work on the
Temple had sat idle ing this time Zerubbabel, the
son of Shealtiel,
(Halley's date
423–405)
for many years. Finally, the prophets led rose up once more
in Jerusalem and
resumed
[Haggai 1:1–4 says the
in resuming the work again. This caused the work during the
reign of Darius II. (12:22)
people's houses were up,
the Persian satrap, Tatnai, to investigate This group was to
complete the
Temple begun in
yet the Temple still lay
and ask about the wall which was raised in 536 by Zerubbabel
himself. (12:22) He was
in ruins in 2nd yr., 6th
421, 1st day up. (5:3) The ensuing investigation
finally accompanied by another Ezra, (12:1, 13) and the
month, & 1st day. In 1:8
<-6th month proved that Cyrus had indeed
decreed prophet named Zechariah (12:16). However,
the LORD commanded
for the Jews in Jerusalem
to rebuild the there were other prophets already there,
who—
them to resume building
Temple. (5:4–6:5)
with Zechariah and other prophets—resumed
it. And, 1:14–15 says
As a result, that same year (421), the work on the
Temple and
encouraged the
they did so in the 6th
421, 24th day the king issued a DECREE to complete
others to also do so.]
month and 24th day.]
<-6th month the work according to the previous de-
crees made by Cyrus II, Darius II, and *
Author's note: I realize my reckoning means
417, 12th month,
Artaxerxes I. (6:6–14)
Zerubbabel would have to have been very old.
Adar-> The
Temple was finished in 4 years For instance, his name means “descended or born
in the 12th month of the king's 6th year, in
Babylon” just as Matthew 1:12 records. If he
which was in 417. (6:15).
[Zerubbabel is had been 20 years old in 536, he would have been
416, 1st month not mentioned as living any more. ->
*] 139 in 417 when the
Temple was finally finished.
14th day on for The Jews then dedicated the
Temple
Even though such an age was somewhat un-
50 days-> and kept the Passover and the
Feast of usual by this time, it was not unheard
of—even as
(Lev. 23:5–16) Unleavened Bread for 50 days.
(6:16–22) some living into the early hundreds are even heard
of today.
Artaxerxes
II 404–359
7:1–10:44. 7th year. 20 years after the
And, there are some Biblical references which
(Halley's date
405–358) 397, 1st day
of
Temple was finished and
dedicated, in
seem to indicate some old people who had formerly
the 1st month-> 397, on the 1st day of the 1st month,
of lived in captivity could possibly return at the
end
the 7th year of the king (7:6–9), the of the
period of captivity which came about when
king gave a DECREE for all those still Ezra led
the last group out of Babylon.
in
Babylon to return to
Jerusalem—if
One such passage is found in Zechariah who
they desire to do so. (Ezra
7:13)
was mentioned by Nehemiah in
12:16. Zechariah
The king also DECREED for Ezra actually said, “Thus
saith the Lord of hosts; There
397, 1st day the priest to go to
Jerusalem
and serve
shall yet old men and old women dwell in the
and 5th as the official scribe. (7:21)
He arrived
streets of
Jerusalem, and every man with his staff
month-> the 1st day of the 5th month
(7:8–9) in his hand for very age.
(Zechariah 8:4) “Very
Ezra then provides the genealogy of age” literally means a
“multitude of days.” Even
the last ones to come to
Jerusalem
from thought it does not denote just how many, it does
Babylon with him. (8:1–14) He also gives indicate “very many”
which means very old age.
a brief history of the trip from Babylon In
addition, another passage seems to indicate
and also describes an inventory of goods Zechariah may have been on
the verge of giving up
397, 4th day the king had provided for them to
carry on seeing the
Temple finished—perhaps because of
and 5th to Jerusalem.
(8:15–36) old age. 4:6–8 actual
says the Temple
was not to
month-> On the fourth day after he
arrived to be finished by Zerubbabel's own physical ability
(8:33), he once more took inventory of the —but by God's Spirit.
The Lord also promised
goods they had brought from
Babylon. that he would actually finish the
Temple. (For
(8:33–36)
other refs. see, Gen. 47:9, Ex 34:7, & Josh. 24:29.)
Page – 3
A Chronological Analysis of the Kings Who Ruled Over Jerusalem From
606 to 331 B.C.
by Walter T. Robinson II, March 21,
1996, © 1996, 1998, All Rights Reserved
|
Historical King |
Date (B.C.) |
Ezra’s Record |
Nehemiah's Record |
|
Shortly after Ezra arrived in
Jerusalem, the
397, 1st day
| people
came and asked him to read from the book
and 7th
V of Moses.
(8:1) Thus, on the 1st day of the 7th
month—| |->
month of 397 he began reading the Law and
teaching the people how to understand and obey
all therein. (8:2)
It is also noted that the people gathered
for these official matters at a place called the
“street.” (8:1, 3 and 16).
In addition, each person now had a house
covered with a roof—indicating significant time
had past and the rebuilding of the city was
finally complete. (8:16)
397,
15th–22nd
The people then kept the “Feast of Taber-
day of the
7th
nacles” under booths as in the times of Joshua, the
month—| |->
son of Nun. (8:17–18) [Leviticus 23:34, says this
feast was held from the 15th–22nd day of the
397, 24th
day
7th month, Ethanim. (Note: By now the
Temple
and
7th
had been finished and ready for 20 years.)]
month—| |->
On the 24th day of the month (9:1), some
of the people left their strange wives and families
at home and joined the others in a solemn assembly
to confess their sins and the iniquities of their
their ancestors. (9:2) They also recounted the
past blessings of God upon their nation. (9:3–37)
The people then made a covenant with God and all
the leaders signed it. (9:38)
Those signing the
covenant are then listed, including Nehemiah, the
Levites, the non-Jewish Nethinim—and all the
others who had separated from the those of the
land by keeping the law of God. (10:1, 9, 28–30)
The people solemnly promised to obey all the
laws of God. (10:28–29) They also promised not
to intermarry with those who do not worship the
God of Israel.
(10:30) Moreover, they also made
several other ordinances to obey God. (10:31–39)
Next, 1/10 of the people volunteered to live in
the city. The rest took up residence in the cities
around Jerusalem. Numerous other people were
placed into various types of ministries. (11:1–11:36)
Nehemiah then provides an old list of names
of priests, Levites, and prophets who had earlier
came from Babylon during the reign of Darius II
from 423–404 (12:1–22) He then names those
who had served even earlier as various ministers.
Page – 4
A Chronological Analysis of the Kings Who Ruled Over Jerusalem From
606 to 331 B.C.
by Walter T. Robinson II, March 21, 1996, © 1996, 1998, All Rights
Reserved
|
Historical King |
Date (B.C.) |
Ezra’s Record |
Nehemiah's Record |
| sometime
during the time Nehemiah served as
| governor
from 446–434 (12:23–26) during which
V another Ezra
served as priest and official scribe.
397, 7th
month
(12:26) He then stops speaking of the past.
after (?) the
24th
Nehemiah then resumes speaking of the
day—| |->
present year when the wall was dedicated in
(Perhaps 20th
day
397. (12:27–47)
and 8th
month?)
Once more Nehemiah begins to speak of a
noteworthy past event. This time there was an
embarrassing situation in which someone had set
up special living quarters in the Temple for Tobiah
during the time Nehemiah had been in Babylon (?)
serving the king. (13:6) But, when he had recently
come back to Jerusalem in the 5th month of 397,
he threw all of Tobiah's personal belongings out
and had the special chamber fumigated. (13:7–9)
Still recounting what he found when he first
came back to
Jerusalem,
Nehemiah said he initially
discovered that the Levites and other
Temple work-
ers had left the city so they could provide for
themselves. Thus, the
Temple services were being
neglected. (13:10–12) However, he corrected the
problem by setting up the
Temple treasury so the
people would began giving tithes again. (13:13–14)
He also mentioned the past violations of the
Sabbath which he also corrected. (13:15–22)
397, 17th day Some four months after Ezra
initially Nehemiah also recounted how certain Jews
9th month-> arrived, he was informed how some of
the had temporarily separated themselves from those
(10:6–8) ministers had taken up with those from
the who did not keep the Law after Ezra had originally
surrounding lands, even though a covenant read it in the
hearing of the people. (13:1–3) Yet,
forbidding this had been signed by the he later
observed them being back with their
people a little less then 2 months earlier! strange wives
and children who could not even
This left him astonished and caused speak Hebrew—let alone
read, hear and unders-
him to rend his garments as he began lead- stand, or observe
the Law. (13:23–24)
ing the people in mourning over their |
transgression.
(9:1–4) |
He then confessed the past sins of V
the people as he praised God for His
mercy and for providing the new “house
of God” and “wall.” He also mentioned
the other “desolations” which had also
been repaired.
(9:5–9)
Ezra then confesses the people's cur-
rent sin of marrying the ungodly from the
(Continued on next page)
