THE SIX DECREES - Showing which start date gives the correct 483 year period end date.
| Decree number |
References | The decree | To whom | By whom | Year of reign | Source reference |
BC | Years before/after BC 458 |
| Daniel 9:20-27 | In the 1st. year of reign of Cyrus' deputy *Darius (the Mede) Daniel is given the 70x7s (490 years) prophecy, [*Cyaxares] | <940/946/947> |
Autumn |
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| 1 | Isaiah 44:28,45:13 2 Chronicles 36:22-23 Ezra 1:1-3 |
Build the temple. | Ezra | Cyrus | 1st | <949> | Spring 536 |
Too early by 78 years |
| Ezra 4:7-12-16 | Objection raised to building the city and its walls. | Artaxerxes (Artaphernes) king of Persia | The Samaritans | <1002/1009> | 522 | |||
| 2 | Ezra 4:17-21-24 | Stop all the work until ordered by Artaxerxes. | Artaxerxes king of Persia | <1003> | Autumn 522 |
Not relevant | ||
| Ezra 4:24 | All work stopped until Darius (son of Hystaspes*) 2nd.year of reign. | *<1006> | ||||||
| Haggai 1:1-4-15 | City houses are already finished but the temple work is on
hold.. Haggai instructs the Jews to resume building the temple. |
520 | ||||||
| Darius (also called Ahasuerus*) enthroned as king of Persia | <1007> *<1027> | 521 | ||||||
| 3 | Ezra 6:1-5 | Search for Cyrus' decree | Darius | <1022> | Winter 519 |
Not relevant | ||
| 4 | Ezra 6:6-14 (Ezra 4:21 & 6:14) |
Resume work according to Cyrus' decree. | Ezra | Darius (and Artaxerxes) |
<1024/1025> | Winter 519 |
Too early by 61 years | |
| Ezra 6:15-18 | Temple completed and dedicated in the twelth month (Adar.) | <1033> | February 515 |
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| See note 3 |
Artaxerxes I (Longinamus) made co-regent by Xerxes | <1177> | Autumn 475 | |||||
| See note 3 |
Ezra 7:6,11-26 | Ezra authorised to administer God's Law2 | Ezra | Artaxerxes I (Longinamus) |
Co-regency 7th |
Winter 467 |
Too early by 13 years | |
| Xerxes died in August 465. Artaxerxes (Longinamus) acceded to the throne in August BC 465. | August 465 |
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| See note 3 |
Nehemiah receives news of the sad state of the city walls. | <1227> | Winter 455 |
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| See note 3 |
Nehemiah 2:1-6 | Rebuild the city walls4 | Nehemiah | Artaxerxes I (Longinamus) |
Co-regency 20th |
<1228> | Spring 454 |
Too early by 4 years |
| 5 | Ezra 7:6,11-26 | Ezra authorised to administer God's Law2 | Ezra | Artaxerxes I (Longinamus) |
Full regency 7th |
Winter 458 |
The exact year | |
| Nehemiah receives news of the sad state of the city walls. | Winter 445 |
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| 6 | Nehemiah 2:1-6 | Rebuild the city walls4 | Nehemiah | Artaxerxes | Full regency 20th |
Spring 444 |
Too late by 14 years | |
NOTES:
1 Source references within chevron brackets, e.g. <1033>, refer to
numbered paragraphs in "The Annals Of The World" revised by Larry and Marion
Pierce, ISBN: 089051-360-0
2 Authorising Ezra to administer God's law from Jerusalem re-instated
Israel as one nation and restored Jerusalem to God's intended role as the
nation's capital city.
3 Some date Artaxerxes rule from when he became co-regent. However this is
unlikely because he is called "king of kings" in. Ezra 7:12 and has
seven councillors. Ezra 7:14,15.
4 However God had promised to be a wall of fire around Jerusalem. Zechariah
2:4-5.