Daniel's "70 Weeks," Part 2

A Chronological Analysis of the Kings Who Ruled Over Jerusalem From 606 to 331 B.C.

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

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A Chronological Analysis of the Kings Who Ruled Over Jerusalem From 606 to 331 B.C.

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.

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A Chronological Analysis of the Kings Who Ruled Over Jerusalem From 606 to 331 B.C.

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 &