Bible Roadmap

Age 9 of 14

Babylonian Exile

605 – 539 BC

Dating: Babylonian Chronicles; 539 BC fixed

Relevance

Jerusalem was destroyed and Judah carried to Babylon as the LORD had warned by the prophets (). Jeremiah prophesied seventy years (), and Daniel understood by books the number of the years ().

Key events

  1. 605 BC · fixed by historical record

    Battle of Carchemish

    Nebuchadrezzar smites the army of Pharaoh-necho at Carchemish ().

  2. c. 605 BC

    Daniel carried to Babylon

    In the third year of Jehoiakim, Nebuchadnezzar besieges Jerusalem; Daniel and his companions are taken ().

  3. c. 593 BC

    Ezekiel's call by the river Chebar

    In the fifth year of king Jehoiachin's captivity the heavens are opened ().

  4. c. 586 BC

    Gedaliah slain

    Ishmael smites Gedaliah, the governor appointed by Babylon; the people flee to Egypt ().

  5. Reign of Nebuchadnezzar

    The fiery furnace

    Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego are delivered from the furnace ().

  6. c. 561 BC

    Jehoiachin released

    In the 37th year of his captivity, Evil-merodach lifts up the head of Jehoiachin ().

  7. 539 BC · fixed by historical record

    Belshazzar's feast; Babylon falls

    The handwriting on the wall; in that night Belshazzar is slain (; ). The Nabonidus Chronicle records the fall of Babylon to Cyrus.

  8. Reign of Darius

    Daniel in the lions' den

    God shuts the lions' mouths ().

Rulers and empires

562–560 BC

Evil-merodach (Amel-Marduk)

556–539 BC

Nabonidus

Co-ruler until 539 BC

Belshazzar

539 BC (Daniel 5:31)

Darius the Median

Key people

Companions of Daniel

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego

Refused to serve the golden image ().

Governor of Judah

Gedaliah

Appointed by Nebuchadnezzar ().

Prophets

  • DanielBabylon and PersiaWrote: Daniel

    Continued unto the first year of king Cyrus ().

  • EzekielThe exilesWrote: Ezekiel

    A priest among the captives by the river of Chebar ().

  • HabakkukJudahWrote: Habakkuk

    "The just shall live by his faith" ().

  • ObadiahEdomWrote: Obadiah

    The vision of Obadiah concerning Edom ().

Books written during or about this period

2 Kings (ch. 24–25) · Jeremiah · Lamentations · Ezekiel · Daniel · Habakkuk · Obadiah · Psalm 137