750 BC* | Isaiah prophesied that Cyrus would release Israel to return to Jerusalem (Isaiah 44:28) |
721 BC | Assyria exiles Israel under Sennacherib |
626–539 BC | Babylonian Empire |
606 BC | The first deportation of Jewish captives to Babylon, Daniel taken to Babylon |
606–536 BC | 70 years in which the Jewish captives were in Babylon |
600 BC* | Jeremiah prophesied that the captivity in Babylon would last for 70 years (Jer. 29:10-14) |
603 BC | Daniel chapter 2 vision (Nebuchadnezzar) |
597 BC | The second deportation of Jewish captives to Babylon, including Ezekiel |
586 BC | Jerusalem and the temple destroyed (by Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon) |
586 BC | The third deportation of Jewish captives to Babylon |
553–539 BC | Belshazzar’s reign |
553 BC | Daniel received his 1st vision – Daniel 7 |
551 BC | Daniel received his 2nd vision – Daniel 8 |
539–331 BC | Persian Empire |
539 BC | King Cyrus of Persia conquered Babylon |
538 BC | First year of Darius the Mede |
538 BC | King Cyrus’ decree issued, allowing the exiles to return to Israel |
538 BC | Daniel received his 3rd vision (while reading Jeremiah 29) – Daniel 9 (70-weeks prophecy) |
536 BC | Daniel received his 4th vision – Daniel 10-12 |
536 BC | The Jewish exiles arrived in Jerusalem (to build the temple with Zerubbabel |
520 BC | The Jerusalem temple was restarted (after a 16-year delay) – Haggai and Zechariah |
516 BC | The Jerusalem temple construction was completed |
458 BC | King Artaxerxes’ decree to Ezra starts the 70 weeks (Ezra 4:12, 21; 7:12-26). |
445 BC | Artaxerxes’ decree to Nehemiah |
409 BC | Ezra and Nehemiah finish initial rebuilding Jerusalem |
407 BC | New governor of Judah takes over from Nehemiah (from “The Elephantine Papyri”) |
331–146 BC | Greek Empire |
323 BC | Death of Alexander the Great, 32 years old |
175–164 BC | Reign of Antiochus Epiphanes (desecrated the temple, foreshadows the Antichrist) |
167–160 BC | Maccabean Revolt |
146 BC–1453 AD | Roman Empire – east and west |
146 BC–476 AD | Roman Empire – western division |
330–1453 AD | Roman Empire – eastern division |
26/27 AD | Start of Jesus’ ministry |
29/30 AD | Crucifixion of Jesus |
66–73 AD | Jewish-Roman war |
70 AD | Destruction of Second Temple and Jerusalem by Rome (Titus) |
(*dates are approximate, since the precise date is unknown)