The Return to Zion: The History of the Jews' Return to Israel from Exile

The story of the ancient Israelites in Egypt is one of the most famous stories in the world, and one of the most contentious from a historical standpoint. Today, most people know about the relationship between the ancient Israelites and the Egyptians from the Old Testament book of Exodus, and the numerous feature films that often depict the dealings between the two peoples in contentious ways. Eventually, the separate Hebrew tribes united together as a type of confederation, allies who made a treaty (covenant) to provide military aid for one another when threatened by an enemy state. But it was only under the charismatic leadership of David that the 12 tribes united into a single political entity. Scholars refer to the period encompassing the reign of David and his son Solomon as the United Monarchy. As important as the kingdom of Israel was for several hundred years, its lifespan was limited by its size, which was determined by its location. The Israelites were located among several different peoples, many of whom were closely related, constantly struggled with them to acquire more land, and fought to keep what they had. Eventually, larger and more powerful kingdoms – such as Egypt, Assyria, and Babylon – were too much for the Israelites to resist, as their armies were too large, and the geopolitical games the Israelites once successfully used were eventually used against them. Jerusalem was uninhabited for much of the 6th century B.C. This period is known as the exile to Babylon, and Bible scholars believe that it was during those years that the Jewish people came into contact with several stories and legends that would later be incorporated into their sacred writings. A generation later, Achaemenid Persian Emperor Cyrus the Great allowed the Jews who so wished to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple and reestablish their nation.