Chapters of the Bible

King Hezekiah calls for a nationwide celebration of the Passover, extending the invitation to the surviving people of the northern kingdom of Israel, leading to great rejoicing.

The revival continues as the people destroy pagan altars and begin bringing their tithes and offerings to the Temple, restoring the Levites' support and the financial stability of the Temple.

Assyrian King Sennacherib threatens Jerusalem. Hezekiah prays fervently, and the prophet Isaiah assures him of deliverance. God sends an angel to destroy the entire Assyrian army.

King Manasseh repents during his Babylonian captivity. His son, Amon, reigns wickedly but is assassinated. The people make his young son, Josiah, king.

King Josiah leads a massive spiritual reformation, destroying pagan worship sites. The Book of the Law is discovered in the Temple, prompting King Josiah to lead a covenant renewal.

King Josiah organizes a great Passover celebration, restoring the Temple service to its intended glory. Josiah is tragically killed in a battle against Pharaoh Neco.

The final, brief, wicked reigns of Judah's last kings—Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin, and Zedekiah—lead to the city's collapse. King Nebuchadnezzar destroys the Temple and takes the people into exile in Babylon.

King Cyrus of Persia issues a decree permitting the Jewish exiles to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the Temple, fulfilling Jeremiah's prophecy. Zerubbabel leads the first wave of returnees.

This chapter provides the complete list of the 42,360 Jewish exiles, servants, singers, and priests who returned from Babylon to Judah under the decree of King Cyrus.

The returned exiles first rebuild the altar and restart the daily sacrifices. They then lay the foundation of the new Temple, leading to great celebration and weeping among the old men.

The enemies of Judah (local inhabitants) try to join the rebuilding project and are rejected. They then secretly work to hinder and discourage the builders, eventually persuading the King of Persia to issue a stop-work order.

After a fifteen-year delay, the prophets Haggai and Zechariah encourage the discouraged people to resume the Temple rebuilding. The Persian governor, Tattenai, investigates the work.