Term for Identification: Babylonian Captivity

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The Answer is The term "Babylonian Captivity" refers to a period in Jewish history during which a number of people from the ancient Kingdom of Judah were captives in Babylonia. This event is also known as the Babylonian Exile. It began with the first deportation of Jews from Jerusalem to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar II in 597 BCE, following the siege of Jerusalem. The captivity continued with a second deportation in 587/586 BCE after the destruction of Solomon's Temple and the conquest of Jerusalem, and it lasted until approximately 538 BCE.

The Babylonian Captivity had a profound impact on Jewish life and culture. During this period, the Jewish people were forced to adapt to life in a foreign land, which led to significant religious and social changes. It was during the exile that much of the Hebrew Bible was compiled and edited, and the foundations of modern Judaism were laid as the exiles sought to preserve their religious identity away from their homeland.

The exile ended when the Persian king Cyrus the Great conquered Babylon and issued a decree in 538 BCE that allowed the Jews to return to Judah. This return is known as the end of the Babylonian Captivity, and it led to the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem, an event that is chronicled in the biblical books of Ezra and Nehemiah.

Term for Identification: Babylonian Captivity

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