| Speaker: Rusty Kennedy Series: Ezra / Nehemiah |
Ezra – Nehemiah Timeline
- 609 BC – Medes & Babylonians conquered the Assyrians
- Cyrus reigned from 559-530 BC
- 539 BC – Cyrus defeated Babylonians
- Babylon today is Iraq
- 538 BC - Cyrus decrees that Israelites can return to Jerusalem (Ezra 1)
- 536 BC – Altar and Temple construction begins (Ezra 3)
- 535-520 BC – Temple construction stopped (Ezra 4)
- 522-486 BC – Darius Reign
- 520 BC – Temple construction resumes (Ezra 5)
- 515 BC – Temple is completed (Ezra 6)
- 486–465 BC - Xerxes Reign
- 465–425 BC - Artaxerxes Reign
- 464–446 BC – Construction in Jerusalem stopped (Ezra 4)
- 458 BC – Ezra leads exiles to Jerusalem
- 444 BC – Artaxerxes sends Nehemiah to Jerusalem (Nehemiah 2)
- 444 BC – Ezra reads the Law (Nehemiah 8)
- 433 BC – Nehemiah returns to Artaxerxes in Persia (Nehemiah 13)
- 432 BC – Nehemiah returns to Jerusalem to enforce the Law (Nehemiah 13)
Nehemiah - means “Yahweh comforts”; the name comes from the same root word as the name Nahum, meaning “comfort.”[1]
Nehemiah 1
- Nehemiah is the only historical book written primarily in the first person.[2]
- Chislev – Hebrew month for Nov-Dec
- 20th year of the reign of Artaxerxes would have been 445 BC
- Chapter 2 starts at the month of Nisan (March-April)
- 4 months of prayer and fasting and mourning.
- Exodus 20 – Ten commandments.
- Redeemed them from slavery of Egyptians.
- Exodus 32 refers to God’s strong hand in redeeming them from Pharaoh and Egypt.
- A cup-bearer was an officer of high rank in royal courts, whose duty it was to serve the drinks at the royal table.
- On account of the constant fear of plots and intrigues, a person must be regarded as thoroughly trustworthy to hold this position.
- He must guard against poison in the king's cup, and was sometimes required to swallow some of the wine before serving it.
- His confidential relations with the king often gave him a position of great influence.
- The position of cup bearer is greatly valued and given to only a select few throughout history.
- Qualifications for the job were not held lightly but of high esteem valued for their beauty and even more for their modesty, industriousness and courage.
Bob Hamp – January 3, 2015
[1] Barry, J. D., Heiser, M. S., Custis, M., Mangum, D., & Whitehead, M. M. (2012). Faithlife Study Bible (Ne 1:1). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.
[2] Barry, J. D., Heiser, M. S., Custis, M., Mangum, D., & Whitehead, M. M. (2012). Faithlife Study Bible (Ne 1:1). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.
- 609 BC – Medes & Babylonians conquered the Assyrians
- Cyrus reigned from 559-530 BC
- 539 BC – Cyrus defeated Babylonians
- Babylon today is Iraq
- 538 BC - Cyrus decrees that Israelites can return to Jerusalem (Ezra 1)
- 536 BC – Altar and Temple construction begins (Ezra 3)
- 535-520 BC – Temple construction stopped (Ezra 4)
- 522-486 BC – Darius Reign
- 520 BC – Temple construction resumes (Ezra 5)
- 515 BC – Temple is completed (Ezra 6)
- 486–465 BC - Xerxes Reign
- 465–425 BC - Artaxerxes Reign
- 464–446 BC – Construction in Jerusalem stopped (Ezra 4)
- 458 BC – Ezra leads exiles to Jerusalem
- 444 BC – Artaxerxes sends Nehemiah to Jerusalem (Nehemiah 2)
- 444 BC – Ezra reads the Law (Nehemiah 8)
- 433 BC – Nehemiah returns to Artaxerxes in Persia (Nehemiah 13)
- 432 BC – Nehemiah returns to Jerusalem to enforce the Law (Nehemiah 13)
Nehemiah - means “Yahweh comforts”; the name comes from the same root word as the name Nahum, meaning “comfort.”[1]
Nehemiah 1
- Nehemiah is the only historical book written primarily in the first person.[2]
- Chislev – Hebrew month for Nov-Dec
- 20th year of the reign of Artaxerxes would have been 445 BC
- Chapter 2 starts at the month of Nisan (March-April)
- 4 months of prayer and fasting and mourning.
- Exodus 20 – Ten commandments.
- Redeemed them from slavery of Egyptians.
- Exodus 32 refers to God’s strong hand in redeeming them from Pharaoh and Egypt.
- A cup-bearer was an officer of high rank in royal courts, whose duty it was to serve the drinks at the royal table.
- On account of the constant fear of plots and intrigues, a person must be regarded as thoroughly trustworthy to hold this position.
- He must guard against poison in the king's cup, and was sometimes required to swallow some of the wine before serving it.
- His confidential relations with the king often gave him a position of great influence.
- The position of cup bearer is greatly valued and given to only a select few throughout history.
- Qualifications for the job were not held lightly but of high esteem valued for their beauty and even more for their modesty, industriousness and courage.
Bob Hamp – January 3, 2015
[1] Barry, J. D., Heiser, M. S., Custis, M., Mangum, D., & Whitehead, M. M. (2012). Faithlife Study Bible (Ne 1:1). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.
[2] Barry, J. D., Heiser, M. S., Custis, M., Mangum, D., & Whitehead, M. M. (2012). Faithlife Study Bible (Ne 1:1). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.
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