An Outline of Major Post-Exilic Events in the Old Testament

 I. CONQUEST AND EXILE

       1) The Conquest of Israel by Assyria (Shalmaneser III): 
            722 B.C. (2 Kings 17:4-6)
       2) The Conquest of Judah by Babylon (Nebuchadnezzar): 
            586 B.C. (2 Chron. 36:13-21)

II. THE POST-EXILIC PERIOD

       1) The First Return from Captivity: 538 B.C.
            ▸Ezra 1-6
            ▸Led by: Zerubabel (Ezra 2:2). Sheshbazzar was the 
              governor of Judah (1:8). Jeshua (3:1-6) was the high 
              priest.
            ▸Edict issued by King Cyrus of Persia after he captured 
              Babylon
            ▸Number of exiles that returned: 49,697
            ▸The restoration of the Temple began, and was finished 
               in  516 B.C.

[Haggai/Zechariah: 520 B.C.; Esther: 483 B.C. (in the third year of the reign of Xerxes)]

       2) The Second Return from Captivity: 458 B.C.
            ▸Ezra 7-10
            ▸Led by: Ezra
            ▸Number of exiles that returned: 1,758

       3) The Third Return from Captivity: 445 B.C.
            ▸Nehemiah 1-13
            ▸Led by Nehemiah
            ▸Number of exiles that returned: Unknown
            ▸The wall rebuilt in 52 days

[Malachi: 433 B.C.]