THE POST-EXILIC PERIOD

539 BC
Cyrus the Great conquers Babylon
538 BC
Edict of Cyrus allows Jews to go home and rebuild the temple
Temple articles returned to Jews (Ezra 1:8)
Key Individuals:
Ruler: Cyrus the Great
Jewish leader: Sheshbazzar (prince of Judah, Ezra 1:8)
High priest: Joshua (Jeshua) son of Jehozadak (Haggai 1:1)
537-520 BC
First return to Jerusalem
Temple foundation laid (~536 BC), construction stalls due to opposition (Ezra 4)
Key Individuals:
Ruler: Cyrus the Great (539-530 BC), succeeded by Cambyses II (530-522 BC)
Governor: Zerubbabel
High priest: Joshua
520-518 BC
Prophets Haggai and Zechariah called people to resume building the temple
Key Individuals:
Ruler: Darius I (522-486 BC)
Governor: Zerubbabel
High priest: Joshua
Prophets: Haggai Aug-Dec 520 BC (Haggai 1:1, 2:10); Zechariah begins Nov 520 BC (Zech 1:1)
516 BC
Second Temple is completed and dedicated (Ezra 6:15)
(This marks the end of the 70-year exile (586-516 BC))
Key Individuals:
Ruler: Darius I (522-486 BC)
Governor: Zerubbabel
High priest: Joshua
Prophets: continued prophetic activity from Zechariah
458 BC
Ezra, a priest and scribe, leads a second group of exiles to Jerusalem
He initiates religious reforms, focused on restoring the Law and proper worship
Key Individuals:
Ruler: Artaxerxes I Longimanus (465-424 BC)
High Priest: probably Joiakim, son of Joshua (Neh 12:10)
455-433 BC
Nehemiah, cupbearer to Artaxerxes I, is appointed governor of Judah
Reforms civil and religious life.
Leads the rebuilding of Jerusalem's walls (completed in 52 days, Nehemiah 6:15).
Key Individuals:
Ruler: Artaxerxes I
Leader: Nehemiah
High Priest: Eliashib (Nehemiah 3:1; 13:28)
Prophets: Malachi is likely active during or shortly after Nehemiah's governorship, addressing laxity in temple service and corruption
433 BC
Nehemiah returns to Persia (Nehemiah 13:6) but later comes back to address further issues
435-430 BC
Ministry of Malachi: critiques corrupt priests, lax worship, divorce, and social injustice
Anticipates a future messenger ("Elijah") and the "day of the Lord" (Malachi 3-4).
Key Individuals:
Ruler: Artaxerxes I
Leader: Nehemiah (returning)
High priest: Eliashib
©2025 ccm.co.za
Licensed under Creative Commons CC BY-NC-ND 4.0