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Biblical History Atlas

Historical event dossier · Religious, Construction

The foundation of the Second Temple laid (Ezra 3:8–13)

Researched — not human reviewedRevision 1Last reviewed: not reviewed

Human review pending. 2 items from this dossier are awaiting the project owner's review: “Disputed: was the Second Temple's foundation laid c. 536 under Cyrus (Ezra 3:8) or in 520 under Darius (Haggai; Batten; 1 Esdras)?” (queued 2026-10-13, status open). “Critical-priority finding: foundation of the Second Temple (Ezra 3:8–13), dated c. 536 or 520” (queued 2026-10-13, status open). All classifications on this page are machine-proposed unless marked otherwise. Review happens offline. This site has no review controls.

Biblical references

Text: World English Bible (public domain). The ESV and NKJV are the preferred study translations and are referenced, not reproduced.

Ezra 3:8–13Narration
8 Now in the second year of their coming to God’s house at Jerusalem, in the second month, Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and the rest of their brothers the priests and the Levites, and all those who had come out of the captivity to Jerusalem, began the work and appointed the Levites, from twenty years old and upward, to have the oversight of the work of the LORD’s house. 9 Then Jeshua stood with his sons and his brothers, Kadmiel and his sons, the sons of Judah, together to have the oversight of the workmen in God’s house: the sons of Henadad, with their sons and their brothers the Levites. 10 When the builders laid the foundation of the LORD’s temple, they set the priests in their vestments with trumpets, with the Levites the sons of Asaph with cymbals, to praise the LORD, according to the directions of David king of Israel. 11 They sang to one another in praising and giving thanks to the LORD, “For he is good, for his loving kindness endures forever toward Israel.” All the people shouted with a great shout, when they praised the LORD, because the foundation of the LORD’s house had been laid. 12 But many of the priests and Levites and heads of fathers’ households, the old men who had seen the first house, when the foundation of this house was laid before their eyes, wept with a loud voice. Many also shouted aloud for joy, 13 so that the people could not discern the noise of the shout of joy from the noise of the weeping of the people; for the people shouted with a loud shout, and the noise was heard far away.
Ezra 5:16Reference
16 Then the same Sheshbazzar came and laid the foundations of God’s house which is in Jerusalem. Since that time even until now it has been being built, and yet it is not completed.

Sheshbazzar "laid the foundations".

Haggai 2:18Reference
18 ‘Consider, please, from this day and backward, from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, since the day that the foundation of the LORD’s temple was laid, consider it.

The day of the foundation of the LORD's temple (24/IX of Darius's 2nd year).

Connection: Sheshbazzar "laid the foundations of God's house" — attributed to another leader. (confidence: high)

Biblical account

Layer: Biblical text

In the second month of the second year of their coming, Zerubbabel, Jeshua and the Levites from twenty years old began the work; when the builders laid the foundation, priests with trumpets and Levites with cymbals sang "For he is good"; the people shouted, while old priests, Levites and heads of families who had seen the first house wept aloud, so that the sounds could not be told apart.

Historical overview

Layer: Historical reconstruction · Period: Spring 536/535 BC (Ezra's framework) or 520 BC (Haggai)

Ezra 4:24 says the work stopped until Darius's second year (520); Ezra 5:16 says Sheshbazzar laid the foundations; Haggai 2:18 speaks of the day the foundation of the Temple was laid in the ninth month of Darius's second year, and Zech 4:9 of Zerubbabel's hands laying it.[1, 2, 3]

Kingdoms: Achaemenid Persian Empire, Kingdom of Judah

Date and chronology derivation

Ranges are computed by the project's deterministic chronology engine from the biblical statements and each model's reign anchors. They are reconstructions, not independent dates.

537 BC – 530 BC

Model-independent (applies under every chronology model) · precision: undated

How this range was derived

Earliest bound

  1. “Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia” — Cyrus's proclamation permitting the return and the rebuilding of the Temple (Ezra 1; 6:3–5) in regnal year reign of Cyrus II (the Great) (year 1) [reckoned accession, nisan new year] (Ezra 1:1)[4]Assumption: "First year of Cyrus" counted as his first Babylonian year (24 Mar 538 – Mar 537); counting from his rule in Persia would be meaningless here, since the decree presupposes the conquest of Babylon.
  2. “Now these are the children of the province who went up out of the captivity” — The return of the exiles with Zerubbabel and Jeshua; the list of returnees (Ezra 2) after Cyrus's proclamation permitting the return and the rebuilding of the Temple (Ezra 1; 6:3–5) (Ezra 2:1)Assumption: Ezra places the return after Cyrus's decree (1:1–11); 1 Esd 5:1–6 places it under Darius — that reading is recorded as disputed and not modelled.
  3. “in the second year of their coming to God's house at Jerusalem, in the second month” — The foundation of the Second Temple laid (Ezra 3:8–13) years later The return of the exiles with Zerubbabel and Jeshua; the list of returnees (Ezra 2) (Ezra 3:8)Assumption: The "second year of their coming" counted from the arrival; 1–2 years later (operator margin).

Latest bound

  1. reign of Cyrus II (the Great) ended between 12 Aug 530 BC and 31 Aug 530 BC (model-independent)[4, 5]Assumption: Last Cyrus-dated tablets 12 Aug 530; first Cambyses tablet as sole king 31 Aug 530 (Parker & Dubberstein 1942, p. 12). Cyrus's reign as king of Persia began c. 559 BC; this record covers only his rule over Babylon, which the Babylonian documents date by.
  2. “according to the grant that they had from Cyrus King of Persia” — The foundation of the Second Temple laid (Ezra 3:8–13) within reign reign of Cyrus II (the Great) (Ezra 3:7)Assumption: Ezra's framework places 3:1–13 in Cyrus's reign (cf. 4:5). This is the text's chronology; the alternative placement under Darius is recorded as disputed.

View on the timeline →

What else was happening? (model-independent)

  • Daniel's refusal of the king's food and the ten-day test (Dan 1:8–16): 606 BC – ?
  • Nebuchadnezzar's golden image on the plain of Dura (Dan 3:1–7): 603 BC – ?
  • Nebuchadnezzar's decree honouring the God of the three Judeans (Dan 3:28–30): 603 BC – ?
  • The refusal of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and the fiery furnace (Dan 3:8–27): 603 BC – ?
  • Daniel continues until the first year of King Cyrus (Dan 1:21): 538 BC – 537 BC
  • Cyrus II (the Great) (reign): 539 BC – 530 BC
  • The thirty-day decree and Daniel in the lions' den (Dan 6:4–23): 539 BC – ?
  • Darius appoints 120 satraps and three chief officials (Dan 6:1–3, 28): 539 BC – ?
  • The accusers punished; Darius's decree honouring the God of Daniel (Dan 6:24–27): 539 BC – ?
  • Cyrus's proclamation permitting the return and the rebuilding of the Temple (Ezra 1; 6:3–5): 538 BC – 537 BC
  • Gabriel comes at the evening offering with the word of the seventy weeks (Dan 9:20–27): 539 BC – 536 BC
  • Daniel reads Jeremiah's seventy years and prays (Dan 9:1–19): 539 BC – 536 BC
  • Daniel's vision by the Tigris in the third year of Cyrus (Dan 10:1–11:1): 536 BC – 535 BC
  • The closing dialogue by the river: the oath, the numbers and Daniel's dismissal (Dan 12:5–13): 536 BC – 535 BC
  • Gedaliah governs from Mizpah and is assassinated (2 Kgs 25:22–26): 589 BC – ?
  • Cyrus returns the Temple vessels to Sheshbazzar; the first return (Ezra 1:5–11): 538 BC – 530 BC
  • The altar rebuilt in Jerusalem and the Feast of Booths kept (Ezra 3:1–7): 538 BC – 530 BC
  • The return of the exiles with Zerubbabel and Jeshua; the list of returnees (Ezra 2): 538 BC – 531 BC
  • Opposition from the people of the land; the Temple work ceases until Darius's second year (Ezra 4:1–5, 24): 537 BC – 519 BC
  • Accusations to Ahasuerus and the Rehum–Shimshai letter to Artaxerxes; the city's rebuilding stopped (Ezra 4:6–23): 537 BC – ?

Ancient and modern geography

Location confidence assumes the event as described. Whether it occurred is assessed in the claims below.

PlaceConnection to this eventLocation identification
JerusalemJerusalem (Old City / City of David)Temple siteLocation confidence: certainPleiades representative point: certain[6]

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Claims, evidence and classifications

Each claim is classified on its own. A classification describes the evidence for that specific claim, not for the event as a whole.

The foundation of the Second Temple was laid in the second year after the return under Cyrus (c. 536/535 BC), before the work stopped until 520.

DisputedOwner review pendingHistorical reconstructionIn owner review queue

Ezra 3:8 with 4:24 and 5:16 supports an early foundation; Keil (535/534) and Ryle (536) defend it, Ryle answering three objections. Batten places the foundation in 520 on the basis of Haggai and Zechariah and regards Ezra 3:6b–4:3 as a displaced parallel; 1 Esdras and Josephus place the scene in Darius's reign; Kosters (reported by both) rejected it as unhistorical. No external evidence dates the foundation.

Supporting

  • The foundation of the new temple laid B.C. 535 or 534.[2]Strength: indirect·p. 55·Claim checked
  • "In all probability, in the year 536"; objections from Ezra 5:2, Hag 2:18 and Ezra 5:16 answered.[1]Strength: indirect·Introduction·Claim checked

Challenging

  • Foundations laid 24/IX of Darius's second year, 520 B.C.; the Chronicler placed the account under Cyrus.[3]Strength: indirect·pp. 40–41, 114–115·Claim checked
  • Foundation in the second year after Zorobabel's coming, which 1 Esdras places under Darius.[7]Strength: direct·1 Esd 5:56–57 with 5:1–6·Claim checked
  • The work was done "at the command of Darius"; foundations laid on the first day of the second month of the second year.[8]Strength: direct·Ant. 11.4.1–2·Claim checked

Research date 2026-10-13

Some who saw the foundation laid had seen Solomon's Temple, destroyed about fifty years earlier.

Historically plausibleMachine-proposedExternal evidence

The interval from 587/586 to c. 536 (or to 520) is 50–67 years; Keil notes that some old men were still alive in Darius's second year (Hag 2:3). The claim is plausible on the interval alone.

Supporting

  • The older men might have seen the former house; some were still living in Darius's second year (Hag 2:3).[2]Strength: indirect·p. 55·Claim checked

Research date 2026-10-13

Evidence by type

The same evidence regrouped by kind of source. Each item names the claims it bears on.

Archaeological evidence

None recorded for this event.

Scientific findings

None recorded for this event.

Ancient documents

Modern news and announcements

None recorded for this event.

Reference works and summaries

Historical disputes and competing reconstructions

Disputed claims: The foundation of the Second Temple was laid in the second year after the return under Cyrus (c. 536/535 BC), before the work stopped until 520.

  • Foundation laid c. 536/535 under Cyrus; work then stopped until 520

    C. F. Keil (1873): B.C. 535 or 534; H. E. Ryle (1893): "in all probability" 536; D. Guzik

    Ezra 5:2 "began to build" means resumption; Hag 2:18 dates the prophet's word, not the foundation; Ezra 5:16 credits Sheshbazzar, the leader at the time.[1, 2, 9]

  • The foundation scene belongs to 520 under Darius; the Chronicler placed it under Cyrus

    L. W. Batten (1913)

    Haggai and Zechariah know of no earlier foundation; Ezra 3:6b–4:3 parallels the Aramaic account of the 520 rebuilding.[3]

  • Under Darius, in the second year after Zorobabel's arrival

    1 Esdras 5:56–57; Josephus Ant. 11.4.1–2

    Both place Zorobabel's return under Darius, so "the second year of their coming" falls in his reign.[7, 8]

  • Unhistorical

    W. H. Kosters (as reported by Batten and Ryle)

    Rejected the account; Batten answers that the passage is a displaced but genuine parallel.[1, 3]

Related passages and events

FromRelationshipToBasis
this eventDirect referencehigh · Biblical textEzra 5:16Sheshbazzar "laid the foundations of God's house" — attributed to another leader.
this eventThematic parallelhigh · Biblical textHaggai 2:18"From the day that the foundation of the LORD's temple was laid" — in Darius's second year; read by Batten as the date of the foundation, by Ryle as the date of the prophecy.[1, 3]
this eventThematic parallelhigh · Biblical textHaggai 2:3"Who is left among you who saw this house in its former glory?" — the old men's weeping.
this eventThematic parallelhigh · Biblical textZechariah 4:9–10"The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house"; "the day of small things".
this eventFollowed byhigh · Biblical textDarius I confirms Cyrus's decree and orders the Temple completed (Ezra 6:1–12)After opposition the work resumed under Darius, whose search confirmed Cyrus's decree (Ezra 4–6).
this eventThematic parallelhigh · Biblical textThe rebuilt Temple completed on 3 Adar of Darius's sixth year (Ezra 6:15)The Temple begun here was completed on 3 Adar of Darius's sixth year (Ezra 6:15).
this eventThematic parallelmedium · Biblical textNebuzaradan burns the Temple and Jerusalem (5th month of Nebuchadnezzar's 19th year)Old men "who had seen the first house" — destroyed in 587/586.

Prophetic relationships

No prophecy or proposed-fulfillment relationships have been recorded for this event.

Commentary references

Layer: Interpretation. This is commentary, not historical evidence.

Guzik notes that the second month was when Solomon began his Temple (Kidner) and links the weeping of the old men with Hag 2:1–9 and Zech 4:8–10.[9]

Unanswered questions and research gaps

  • Post-1913 studies of the Haggai–Ezra chronology not read.

Research process

6 logged searches
DateQueryWhereUseful
2026-10-13Ryle 1893 Introductionweb fetch1
2026-10-13Keil 1873 p. 55web fetch1
2026-10-13Batten 1913 pp. 40–41, 114–115web fetch1
2026-10-13WEB 1 Esdras 5:56–65local text1
2026-10-13Josephus Ant. 11.4.2web fetch1
2026-10-13Enduring Word Ezra 3web fetch1

Sources

  1. 1.
    Ryle, Herbert Edward. The Books of Ezra and Nehemiah, with Introduction, Notes and Maps (Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges). Cambridge University Press, 1893. archive.orgClaim checkedScholarly commentaryRead through the Internet Archive OCR text.Verification log
  2. 2.
    Keil, C. F., Taylor, Sophia (trans.). Biblical Commentary on the Books of Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther (Clark's Foreign Theological Library). T. & T. Clark, Edinburgh, 1873. archive.orgClaim checkedScholarly commentaryRead through the Internet Archive OCR text.Verification log
  3. 3.
    Batten, Loring W.. A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Books of Ezra and Nehemiah (International Critical Commentary). T. & T. Clark / Scribner, 1913. archive.orgClaim checkedScholarly commentaryRead through the Internet Archive OCR text.Verification log
  4. 4.
    Parker, Richard A., Dubberstein, Waldo H.. Babylonian Chronology 626 B.C.–A.D. 45 (SAOC 24). University of Chicago Press (Oriental Institute). archive.orgClaim checkedAcademic monographRead through the Internet Archive OCR text of the Oriental Institute PDF; OCR has digit errors (e.g. "589" for 539) checked against context. The 1956 revised edition was not consulted.Verification log
  5. 5.
    Lendering, Jona (ed.). ABC 7 (Nabonidus Chronicle) — English translation on Livius.org. Livius.org. www.livius.orgClaim checkedAncient primary textFull translation page read. The page gives no museum number and no Julian dates.Verification log
  6. 6.
    Pleiades contributors. Ierusalem/Hierosolyma — Pleiades place 687928. Pleiades (pleiades.stoa.org). pleiades.stoa.orgClaim checkedInstitutional databaseRepresentative point read from the Pleiades JSON record: lon 35.234978, lat 31.7771895.Verification log
  7. 7.
    World English Bible (translators). World English Bible — Apocrypha/Deuterocanon (1 Esdras 5). eBible.org. ebible.orgClaim checkedAncient primary textGreek parallel to Ezra 2–3; quoted only briefly.Verification log
  8. 8.
    Josephus, Whiston, William (trans.). Josephus, Antiquities 11.3.10 and 11.4.1–2 (trans. W. Whiston). Project Gutenberg #2848. www.gutenberg.orgClaim checkedAncient primary textVerification log
  9. 9.
    Guzik, David. Ezra 3 — Enduring Word Bible Commentary. Enduring Word. enduringword.comClaim checkedTheological commentaryInterpretive resource — not historical corroboration.Verification log