605 BC - Babylonian King Nabopolassar (founder of the Chaldean Empire 605-562 B.C.) sends his eldest son Nebuchadnezzar II to stomp on the Egyptians. On the way back from a massive victory, they attack Judah which had aligned itself with Egypt. The attack is cut short when Nabopolassar suddenly dies. Nebuchadnezzar II rushes back home to ensure control of the throne. First deportation takes place (including a young lad named Daniel, Dan 1:1).

597 BC - Babylon attacks the troublesome little state of Judah; 2nd deportation is very extensive (2Kgs 24:8-16). King Jehoiakim dies. Jehoiachin reigns but is brought captive to Babylon and kept for 37 years. Ezekiel is also brought to Babylon at this time.

587 BC - Judah continues to be an annoyance, always ranting about their God, Yahweh. Babylon has no more patience for this: Jerusalem is destroyed; 3rd deportation takes place. The army hangs around into 586 BC making certain that everything including the Temple is totally destroyed and even the walls and gates are burned with fire. (2Kgs 25:1-12; Psalm 137).

582–575 BC - [estimated date] Nebuchadnezzar II, believing his own press reports and failing to acknowledge the one true God, suffers from insanity for seven years (Dan 4).

561 BC - Nebuchadnezzar II dies, the empire passes to his son Amel-Marduk (Evil-Merodach - 2Kgs 25:27). King Jehoiachin is released from captivity after spending 37 years under house arrest in Babylon.

555–539 BC - Nabonidus reigns in Babylon. He is the last Chaldean ruler of Babylon. However, he spends the final ten years of his reign at his time-share condo in Arabia (Teima) and leaves his son Belshazzar in charge of Babylon. The kid blows it big time and realizes it when he sees the writing on the wall.

550 BC - Cyrus II defeats Astyages, king of the Medes. The Medes accept Cyrus readily.

547 BC - Cyrus II conquers Croesus, king of the Lydians.

539/8 BC - Cyrus II takes control of Babylonia absorbing it into the massive Persian Empire. He decrees that the Jews may return to their homeland!

538 BC - A small but loyal group returns. It doesn't take long for their initial enthusiasm to slam head-on into tough circumstances. Everything had been destroyed: The Temple, the city walls, their homes --everything is rubble. Foreigners had moved in and they aren't pleased to see the Jews return. There is very little commerce or infrastructure. Feeding their own families becomes a full-time, difficult task. This isn’t the way they had envisioned their triumphant return to their sacred homeland.

Zerubbabel is political leader from the line of David, Joshua is high priest from the line of Aaron.

522 BC - Darius I becomes King of Persia.

520 BC - Temple founded.

Work stops once obstacles arise. The Jews divert their attention to themselves -- vision drift.

Two prophets, Haggai (“Build My Temple”) and Zechariah (“Don't Be Afraid, You Are My People”), motivate them to continue construction.

516 BC - Temple completed! (70 years after its destruction).

510 BC - A small republic is established in Rome.

485–465 BC - Xerxes I King of Persia. His reign ends abruptly by his assassination in August. He was murdered by his own political aids.

465–424 BC - Artaxerxes I Longimanus rules Persia.

457 BC - Ezra leads a second group of exiles to Jerusalem. He is known as a powerful scholar of God’s law. He leads reforms dealing with foreign wives (& their false gods). While Ezra has grasped God’s vision personally, he seems to lack the social and political savvy necessary to inspire those around him.

445 BC - Nehemiah, assigned as governor of Judea, travels to Jerusalem (from Susa) with a personal mission to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, which would serve to restore dignity and honor to the sacred land.

Nehemiah has political clout and a strong vision of God's mission. He leads and inspires others. The walls of Jerusalem are re-built in 52 days, much to the surprise of surrounding hostile peoples.

Nehemiah also deals with social justice, foreign wives, and reforms surrounding the Temple. When he returns to Susa, the people rather quickly fall back into bad behaviors.

435 BC - Malachi warns God's people of the dangers of apathy, challenges their doubts, and assures them they are God's people.

433–430 BC - Nehemiah’s second term as governor. Upon his return, he is horrified that the people have backslidden from the many reforms he had previously implemented.

331 BC - Alexander conquers Palestine.

323 BC - Alexander the Great dies. His empire is divided among his four generals (not quite that simply, but roughly accurate)..

- Ptolemy gets Egypt and control of Jerusalem.

198 BC - Seleucid King Antiochus III (Babylon/Syria) battles the Ptolemies and gains control of Palestine.

187 BC - Seleucus IV takes the throne. Control of the Jews tightens. Conflict and pressure to conform to the Hellenistic society now surrounding them. Jews polarize around those wanting to modernize and those who abhor the idea.

175 BC - Antiochus IV Epiphanes takes the throne.

169 BC - Antiochus IV loots the Temple to help ailing finances and disrupt the troublesome Jews.

168 BC - The Maccabean Revolt begins.