Ezekiel Timeline

Historical Background for Ezekiel The Days of Manasseh   701 BC Sennacherib invades Judah and his army is annihilated. 697 BC Manasseh becomes king of Judah. 681 BC Isaiah is sawed in two. (Hebrews 11:37; Martyrdom of Isaiah 5:1; 2 Kings 21:1-17) 650 Manasseh taken prisoner to the city of Babylon by Ashurbanipal, king of Assyria,because he joined Shamash-Shum-Ukin's rebellion (652-648; 2 Chron. 33:10-20) 648 Manasseh repents and is released Manasseh's son Amon has a son named Josiah.  Josiah would spend the first six years of his life under the influence of his Grandfather's attempt at bringing revival to the nation. Jeremiah is born. 642 Manasseh dies and Amon begins an evil two year reign. (2 Chron. 33:21-25)   The Early Days of Josiah and Jeremiah   640 Amon is assassinated Eight year old Josiah becomes king Jeremiah is also eight years old The prophet Zephaniah is a young boy. The prophet Habakkuk is also a young boy or man. 632 Josiah, 16 years old, begins a personal religious reform (2 Chron. 34:3) Jeremiah has been growing up in Anathoth.  A priestly city north of Jerusalem that is the home of many priest and prophets. 628 Josiah, 20 years old, begins to smash the idols in Judah. (2 Chron. 34:3) Daniel is born. 627 Jeremiah is called by God to stand in the office of a prophet to the people of Judah and the nations. (Jer.1) Nabopoloassar (Nebuchadnezzar's father) rallies the Chaldean tribes against the Assyrians. Jeremiah chapters 1, 2, and 3 are given. Assyria's last great king, Ashurbanipal, dies. 626 Scythians (from the north of Assyria) invade Assyria and weaken the capital of Ninevah.  Ninevah had repented 133 years before in 759 when Jonah had preached to them.  Now they would fall to the Babylonians. Nabopoloassar drives Assyrians out of Babylon. 625 Nabopolassar becomes king of Babylon 624 The prophet Zephaniah gives his book.  He discusses the present Scythian invasioins into Judah, the coming Babylonian destruction and the coming of the day of the Lord.   Josiah Repairs the Temple   623 Josiah repairs the temple (age 25) (2 Chron.34:8) The priest Hilkiah finds the book of the law, the book of Deuteronomy. (2 Chron. 34:14) April 14-21 Josiah celebrates the Passover for the first time and in a way that had never been celebrated since the days of the judges (2 Kings 23:22) Jeremiah 3:6 - 6:30 are given The prophetess Huldah prophecies for Josiah.  It is the same message as Jeremiah's. (2 Chron. 34:23) 622 Jeremiah 11 and 12 are given.  These are followed by chapters 7, 8, 9, 10. EZEKIEL is born Josiah tries to purify the land 612 Ninevah destroyed according to Nahum's prophecy in the Book of Nahum 1:1-3:19 as prophecied in 663-654BC. Babylon and King Nabopolassar become the world power when Ninevah is destroyed. 609 Crowned prince Nebuchadnezzar strikes the death blow to Assyria at Carchemish. Josiah dies slowing down Pharoah Neco who was attempting to get to Carchemish to assist the weak Assyria. Pharoah Neco drives General Nebuchadnezzar out of Carchemish.  Carchemish temporarily becomes an Egyptian stronghold. 608 Jehoahaz, 23 years old, becomes the king of Judah for 3 evil months.  He is Josiah's son. Jehozhaz goes up to Riblah (on Onontes River) and is put in chains by Pharoah Neco and is taken to Egypt and never returns. Neco makes Josiah's oldest son, Jehoiakim, king. Jeremiah is 40 years old. Daniel is 20 years old. Ezekiel is 14 years old. Jeremiah chapters 22, 26, 27  are written. 606 Habakkuk is written.   Daniel Taken Captive in First Captivity   605 General Nebuchadnezzar moves up the east bank of the Euphrates early in August to surprise attack Pharoah Neco at Carchemish. General Nebuchadnezzar drives Neco back into Egypt through going through Israel and past Jerusalem. Nebuchadnezzar takes control of the Middle East. August 16:  Nabopolazzar, Nebuchadnezzar's father, dies in Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar stops pursuing Neco inorder to head back to Babylon to secure his position as the new king. Nebuchadnezzar sets his newly acquired lands in order. Nebuchadnezzar takes members of the royal family from Jews, Phoenicians, Syrians, Egyptians, and more.  These children of royalty are taken back to Babylon as captives. The captives are sent back to Babylon with Nebuchadnezzar's heavily armed military. Nebuchadnezzar takes a personal escort 580 miles back to Babylon in three weeks. Daniel is one of the captives taken from Jerusalem.  Daniel is 23 years old. King Jehoiakim is taken captive also, but will return to the Judean throne. By September 7 Nebuchadnezzar has secured his throne. By October 1 King Nebuchadnezzar is back in Syria. 604 Jeremiah chapters 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 35, 36, 25 are written. Jeremiah prophecies to Baruch his scribe. Prophet Uriah flees and is killed. (Jer. 26:20) February, Nebuchadnezzar returns to Babylon. When Nebuchadnezzar returns to Babylon he calls to meet some of the captives as is seen in Daniel 1:14-20. Daniel put into service in Nebuchadnezzar's palace. Nebuchadnezzar has a dream of the statue with head of gold.  Daniel interprets the dream. 603 Jeremiah chapters 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20 occur and are written Aramean, Moabite, Ammonite, Chaldean raiders invade Judah because of the famine mentioned in Jer. 14. (2 Kings 24:2,3) 602 King Nebuchadnezar's younger brother, Nabu-suma-lisir rebels in Babylon. 601 Egypt and Babylon meet on the plain of Gaza for battle. Egypt is driven out of Asia, but Babylon suffers heavy losses in the battle crippling the army. Jehoiakim rebels when he sees that the Babylonians has to return to Babylon.  Jehoiakim stops paying his tribute money to Nebuchadnezzar after having paid it three times since 605. Darius the Mede is born. 600 Nebuchadnezzar stays in Babylon all year rebuilding his military. 599  Judah is being invaded by raiders from the East such as the Chaldeans, Arameans, Moabites, and Ammonites. Cyrus is born. In December Nebuchadnezzar marches out to begin collecting his delinquent tributes from all the countries he had taken.  He begins in Syria.   Nebuchadnezzar Invades Judea for the Second Time   598 Jehoiakim is three years late on his Babylonian tribute payment. Nebuchadnezzar is ready to head South into Judah to collect his tribute. Jehoiakim dies on December 7 and due to the Eastern radiers his body is thrown over the wall of the city and is not buried according to Jeremiah's prophecy in Jeremiah 22:18-19 Jehoiakim's son Jehoiachin becomes king at age 18. Jeremiah prophecies to Jehoiachin in Jeremiah 22:24-30. 597 February Nebuchadnezzar arrives and begins to beseige Jerusalem. March 10 Nebuchadnezzar seizes Jerusalem. Jehoiachin is removed as king and Josiah's third son, Zedekiah, becomes king at the age of 21. In April Nebuchadnezzar heads back to Babylon with 10,000 more captives including Ezekiel and young King Jehoiachin. Ezekiel is 25 years old. Ezekiel settles in the captive's colony on the canal Tel-Abib.  Here he will work with the other captive craftsmen and artisans for the next five years.  At that time he will begin a ministry when God calls him to be a prophet in Babylon. Jeremiah gives chapter 24 Jeremiah writes a letter, chapter 29, and sends it to the captives in Babylon. 596 Nebuchadnezzar fulfills Jeremiah 49:34 when he marches to Carchemish to drive out the Elamite raiders.  He drives them down the Tigris River. Nebuchadnezzar begins a 13 year seige on Tyre.  He never finishes the seige.  Alexander does so in 332.  These prophecies are recorded in Ezekeil 26:2-21. 594 Zedekiah begins to plan a revolt with Edom, Moab, Ammon, Trye and Sidon against Babylon. (Jeremiah 27:3) Nationalistic prophets are whipping up support for the revolt by generalizing scripture and misinterpreting the meaning.  They misinterpret scriptures like these:  Isaiah 37:21-35; Psalm 2; 20; 21; 72. In August Hanahiah gives false prophecy recorded in Jeremiah 28.  In OctoberHanahiah is dead according to Jeremiah's words in Jer. 28:16 Nebuchadnezzar sends for Zedekiah to be brought to Babylon to be interogated him concerning rumors he has heard of another Judean revolt.  He uses his court and the city of Babylon to intimidated him.  Burach's brother, Seraiah, accompanies King Zedekiah to Babylon.   Seraiah is given a scroll  from Jeremiah that contained prophecies of Babylon's eventual fall.  Seraiah is to read it out loud, tie it to a rock, an dthrow it into the Euphrates River. (Jeremiah 50, 51) Jeremiah gives chapters 27, 28, 23, 50, 51. 593 Ezekiel sees his first visions and is placed into the office of a prophet by God on July 5, 593. (Ezekiel 1-3) Ezekiel sits in a trans for 7 days (Ezekiel 3:15,16). Ezekiel acts out the seige of Jerusalem (Ezekiel 4, 5) and prophecies the message of the vision (Ezekiel 6, 7) Ezekiel is 30 years old. Jeremiah is 55 years old. Daniel is 35 years old.  Daniel has been in Babylon for 12 years. 592 Within 14 months Ezekiel has his second vision in chapters 8, 9, and 10. Ezekiel then prophecies and teaches the message of the vision (chapters 8-10) in chapters 11-19 Ezekiel Begins Ministry       593 Ezekiel sees his first visions and is placed into the office of a prophet by God on July 5, 593. (Ezekiel 1-3) Ezekiel sits in a trans for 7 days (Ezekiel 3:15,16). Ezekiel acts out the seige of Jerusalem (Ezekiel 4, 5) and prophecies the message of the vision (Ezekiel 6, 7) Ezekiel is 30 years old. Jeremiah is 55 years old. Daniel is 35 years old.  Daniel has been in Babylon for 12 years. 592 Within 14 months Ezekiel has his second vision in chapters 8, 9, and 10. Ezekiel then prophecies and teaches the message of the vision (chapters 8-10) in chapters 11-19 591 Ezekiel's third dated message (Ezekiel 20:1 589 January 10 Ezekiel 24.  Ezekiel sees the boiling kettle and Ezekiel's wife dies. Pharoah Hophra promise Judah that Egypt will help in Zedekiah's revolt. 588 January 15, Babylon marches against Judah (Jeremiah 25:3).  Nebuchadnezzar begins his final attack on Jerusalem. 2 Kings 25:1 587 Nebuzar-Adan begins reigning with NEbuchadnezzar. Nebuzar-Adan is in charge of the Jerusalem seige. January 12, Ezekiel's sixth dated message, in Ezekiel 29:1 Egypt comes to Jerusalem's adi and the Babylonians leave Judah to fight Paroah Hophra. Jeremiah attempts to leave Jerusalem during the break in the seige to go to the territory of Benjamin to buy some property (Jeremiah 37) Jeremiah is put in a vaulted cell in a dungeon. (Jeremiah 37) Jeremiah is put in the courtyard by King Zedekiah (Jeremiah 37:21) Jeremiah has a dream of Israel's pleasant future whiile he is in the courtyard (Jeremiah 30-31) Jeremiah buys the field while he is in the courtyard (Jeremiah 32) Jeremiah promises restoration (Jeremiah 33) King Zedekiah sends for Jeremiah. (Jeremiah 21) Jeremiah is thrown into the cistern (Jeremiah 38) Jeremiah gives Zedekiah final warning, slaves are released to defend themselves but are taken back (Jeremiah 34)   Jerusalem Falls   586 July, there is no food left inside Jerusalem. July 18, Babylon breaks through the walls.  It had been a 21/2 year seige. Ezekiel prophecied that Zedekiah will come to Babylon but he will not see Babylon (Ezekiel 12:13) Jeremiah 39 and 52 occur August 14, Nebuzar-Aden returns to burn Jerusalem. Psalm 94 is written Psalm 74 is written Psalm 79 is written Lamentations is written. Ezekiel's twelth dated message in Ezekiel 33:21 Nebuzar-Adan finds and releases Jeremiah from chains. Jeremiah is invited to go to Babylon as a royal guest. Jeremiah elects to stay in Judah. Jeremiah is given provisionis and a gift (money) from King Nebuchadnezzar (Jeremiah 40) Gedaliah is made governor in Judah for King Nebuchadnezzar. Gedaliah is assassinated by the Ammonites on October 7. Remaining Jews flee to Egypt for what they think will be safety Jeremiah prophecies against the Jews in Egypt and to Egypt itself.  He says that Nebuchadnezzar will be to take Egypt. 571 April 26, Ezekiel prophecies that Nebuchadnezzar would invade Egypt (Ezekiel 29:19 570 Ezekiel's last recorded prophecy at the age of 52. Daniel 4, Nebuchadnezzar's dream of a great tree and is warned of pride. 569 Nebuchadnezzar invades Egypt in fulfillment of:  Jeremiah 43:8-13; 46:13-26 and Ezekiel 29:19 Jeremiah is taken back to BAbylon by Nebuchadnezzar. Jeremiah is 79 years old Daniel is 59 years old. Babylon   569-563 Nebuchadnezzar is in exile and goes insane. Babylonian government continues without Nebuchadnezzar possibly under the leadership of wisemen such as Daniel. 562 Nebuchadnezzar repents and glorifies God.  Nebuchadnezzar becomes a believer and is saved.  This all happens in August. Nebuchadnezzar is restored to his throne. September, Nebuchadnezzar dies a believer. 561 Evil Merodach, Nebuchadnezzar's son, begins to reign. Evil Merodach releases 55 year old Judean King Jehoiachin from a 36 year prison term 560 Jeremiah dies at the age of 88 559 Cyrus begins reigning in Persia 556 Nebuchadnezzar's son in law begins to reign.  His name is Nabonidus.  He married Nebuchadnezzar's daughter Nitocris.  They have a son name Belshazzar. 553 Daniel 7, Daniel has the dream of four beasts. Belshazzar begins reigning for his dad because his dad has gone west into Arabia to gain more land. 551 Daniel 8, Daniel has a vision of a ram and a goat. (Darius and Alexander the Great from the 300's) End of Daniel's Life   539 Daniel 5, Cyrus overthrows Babylon at Belshazzasr's party Daniel 9, 10, 11 538 Cyrus allows the Jews to return to Judah Daniel 6, Daniel is thrown into the lions' den Daniel is 90 years old Ezra chapter 1 occurs 536 Rebuilding of the temple is begun.  Altar is built and the foundation is laid Daniel's last recorded year.  He dies at about 92 years of age. 516 The temple is completed by Zerubbabel 476 Queen Esther is still in Persia 457 Ezra returns and has a revival to the law and to God 445 Nehemiah returns to rebuild the wall 440 Ezra is written 432 Malachi is written 430 Nehemiah is written