| Event | Year | Reference |
| Cyrus king of Persia captures Babylon | 539 B.C. | Dan. 5:30–31 |
| First year of King Cyrus; issues proclamation freeing Jewish exiles to return | 538–537 | Ezra 1:1–4 |
| Jewish exiles, led by Sheshbazzar, return from Babylon to Jerusalem | 537? | Ezra 1:11 |
| Altar rebuilt | 537 | Ezra 3:1–2 |
| Temple rebuilding begins | 536 | Ezra 3:8 |
| Adversaries oppose the rebuilding | 536–530 | Ezra 4:1–5 |
| Temple rebuilding ceases | 530–520 | Ezra 4:24 |
| Temple rebuilding resumes (2nd year of Darius) | 520 | Ezra 5:2; compare Hag. 1:14 |
| Temple construction completed (6th year of Darius) | 516 | Ezra 6:15 |
| Ezra departs from Babylon to Jerusalem (arrives in 7th year of Artaxerxes) | 458 | Ezra 7:6–9 |
| Men of Judah and Benjamin assemble at Jerusalem | 458 | Ezra 10:9 |
| Officials conduct three-month investigation | 458–457 | Ezra 10:16–17 |