Babylonian Captivity and Return

After the era of the Kings Jerusalem is beseiged and ultimately conquered and destroyed by the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar II. Many Jews were deported to Babylon: the Babylonian Captivity or Babylonian Exile.

The Exile lasted for two and a half century, from 586 until 332 BC. After fifty years of captivity, groups of Jews were allowed to return, when Babylon had been conquered by the Persian king Cyrus.

Under leaders such as Nehemiah and Ezra, city and temple were rebuilt.