Exile and redemption are concepts that have been central to Jewish life for centuries, with the biblical story of the Babylonian Exile and the destruction of the Second Temple serving as a historical survey. The biblical narrative revolves around the concept of collective expulsion, temporary exile, and a future return to Jerusalem, the native city. The exile is likened to pregnancy, while the Redemption is likened to birth. The acquisition of Egypt’s wealth is part of the comprehensive spiritual mission of the Jewish people in the world, and it helps explain the Jewish exile of our time.
The Jewish exile of our time seeks to address the empowerment and expansion of Israel and the silence of Jewish leadership in the United States. The survival of the religious community of exiles in Babylonia demonstrates the rootedness and widespreadness of the religion. The self-transformation of Esther and the Jewish community of Persia illustrates the importance of recognizing the influences of other cultures, including subtle economic influences.
Exile is not just a theo-political doctrine but also a regime of affect, defining the subjective, emotional experience of individual Jews. Most Jews who returned were poor Jews, viewing the exile as “spiritual regeneration” or “divine punishment for sins”. The decentralization of power created unrest within separatist groups of Judaism, as different groups argued over what practices were correct and the weightiest transgressions in the Torah.
The biblical plot evolves around the ideas of collective expulsion, temporary exile, and a future return to Jerusalem, the native city endowed with divine power.
📹 The Judean Exile to Babylonia | The Jewish Story | Unpacked
When the Jewish people were exiled following the destruction of the First Temple, they seemed set to disappear from history.
Where did the Jews go after being exiled?
The Jewish people have always been present in the land of Israel, with some remaining in the country during Jewish exile while others settled around the world and became the Jewish diaspora. Jewish communities existed in the Four Holy Cities: Jerusalem, Hebron, Safed (Tzfat), and Tiberias. Jerusalem is the most sacred, known for the Western Wall, while Hebron is associated with the Cave of the Patriarchs, the traditional burial site of important Biblical figures.
Safed became the center of Jewish mysticism in the sixteenth century, and Tiberias is notable for the Jerusalem Talmud during the Byzantine Period. Israel was under Jewish leadership for hundreds of years in antiquity, beginning with the unified Jewish kingdom under King Saul, David, and Solomon. The kingdom was divided into the Northern Kingdom and the Southern Kingdom, both of which remained under Jewish rule. The Northern Kingdom was conquered by the Assyrian Empire in 722 BCE, while the Southern Kingdom remained under Jewish rule until 586 BCE when the Babylonian Empire conquered it, exiling many Jews.
How did Judaism change after the exile?
The Torah’s laws on dietary restrictions, Sabbath, circumcision, rituals, and ethics became crucial for maintaining Jewish identity after the exile of the temple in Jerusalem. Jews began to distinguish themselves from Gentiles across the diaspora by keeping kosher, honoring the Sabbath, and getting circumcised. The biblical commands, once centered on temple rituals, shifted to be practiced within homes and communities. Studying these scriptures became increasingly important, with local scribes, rabbis, and scholars acting as interpreters of scripture and law.
The local rabbi became the authority on living a lifestyle approved by the Torah, while scribes prioritized reading scripture for the public. The synagogue became the place for studying sacred texts. By Jesus’ time, this “text culture” approach had developed into the enthusiastic Rabbinic debate about tradition over ethics and the meaning of Torah, leading to early commentaries like the Talmud. The emergence of biblical analysis and scholarship within the Jewish community was only possible due to the Exile diaspora, which shifted Judaism’s focus from the temple to the text.
How did the Israelites get out of exile?
The Persian Cyrus the Great ended the exile of the Israelites in 538 BCE, following his capture of Babylon. The exile ended with the return of Zerubbabel the Prince and Joshua the Priest, who constructed the Second Temple from 521 to 516 BCE. Archaeological evidence supports Nebuchadnezzar’s siege of Jerusalem, capture of its king, appointment of another, and plundering of the city in 597 BCE. Nebuchadnezzar’s reign was marked by his rule over the city and the establishment of the Second Temple.
How does out of exile end?
The film “Gabe” is a low budget B-movie that falls short in the final act, with a series of incomprehensible scenes and a confusing bank robbery gone sour. The film had a decent score and good cinematography, but writer and director Kyle Kauwika Harris failed to direct his cast properly, with Adam Hampton being the worst and most unconvincing character. The film needed editing and cutting down due to the lack of meaty narrative to fill in the 107-minute runtime and the snail-speed pacing, making it feel longer.
The first two acts had a cohesive narrative, but the story had nothing new or unique. The film also had many unnecessary subplots and familiar genre tropes, making it feel cliched. The film’s slow pacing and lack of meaty narrative made it feel more like a movie than a movie.
How did the Jews return from exile?
The Babylonian Captivity was a forced detention of Jews in Babylonia following the Neo-Babylonian Empire’s conquest of Judah in 598/7 and 587/6 BC. The captivity ended in 538 BC when Cyrus the Great granted permission for the Jews to return to Palestine. Historians agree that several deportations occurred, but not all Jews were forced to leave their homeland. Some Jews chose to remain in Babylonia, making it the first of numerous Jewish communities living permanently in the Diaspora.
Some scholars cite 597 BC as the date of the first deportation, while others suggest it was after the destruction of Jerusalem in 586. The exile lasted for around 70 years, with some citing dates from 608 to 538 and others from 586 to around 516 BC.
What happened after the exile?
Post-exile, Judah was politically rebuilt as a Persian satrapy, ruled by a priestly elite who remigrated from Babylonia. Their views and attitudes were shaped by the religious blueprints for reconstruction drafted during the exile. This period has become proverbial, with Protestant reformer Martin Luther referring to it as a period of spiritual enslavement of the Church to the pontiff in Rome. This period is now coming to an end in Luther’s own reform, where he assumes the posture of a prophet or messianic king, bringing about redemption.
The Babylonian exile of the Jews became symbolic because during and after the exile, the exiled Judahites developed an unprecedented creative energy, leading to the final editing of the Pentateuch, deuteronomistic works of history, prophetic books, and the composition of new literature. These works reflected the concerns of the returnees from Babylon more directly than older literature. The priests and scribes of the exilic community decisively shaped what we consider the biblical world view, whether through careful reverential editing or the composition of new works.
What is exile and return in Judaism?
The concept of exile in the rabbinic tradition represents a persistent yet evolving phenomenon. It is characterised by a complex interplay of suffering, divine appeal and the return of the Jewish people to their God and land.
How did the Jews maintain their identity while in exile?
The Jewish diaspora maintained their identity through the establishment of synagogues, the compilation of the Torah, and the formation of a sizable Jewish community.
What does the Torah say about exile?
The Torah promises Israel that they will repent at the end of their exile and be redeemed immediately. This redemption is due to the mercy of the creator towards the Gerim, who draw them near and convert them to the seed of Israel. This will enable their Aliya to join the land of Israel, and they will receive rest from their enemies and dwell securely. This fulfillment of the verse “And He will give you rest from all your enemies surrounding you” is a testament to the divine mercy.
What were the challenges of the Jews during exile in Babylon?
In 586 B. C., those who were taken captive and resettled in Babylon following the fall of Jerusalem faced a significant dilemma: whether to assimilate into the local culture and customs or to maintain their identity and way of life. The choice had profound implications for their sense of self and their relationship with the surrounding community.
When the Jews were in exile, what were they permitted to do?
In the face of considerable pressure to assimilate into Babylonian culture during their period of exile, the Jewish people nevertheless succeeded in preserving their religious traditions, including prayer, dietary restrictions, and adherence to their laws, as evidenced by sources from within their own religious tradition.
📹 Jewish History – Exile and Creation of the Torah (5a of 20 sessions)
The Babylonian exile in the 6th century BCE inspired crucial transformations in Jewish belief and identity. And it was likely in exile …
Eh, the Book of Chronicles suggests the 10 other tribes weren’t necessarily lost. There were those who still came down to Jerusalem for the Passover during Hezekiah’s reign. Historic evidence also suggests that many refugees from the north settled in the Southern Kingdom, increasing the population of Jerusalem and requiring the construction of tunnels for water supply. The Tribe of Simeon was located in the south and very likely got assimilated by the Tribe of Judah. Levites were definitely taking care of the Temple.
Even though I’m a Christian, I have an admiration for both Jews AND Muslims. I may not share the same beliefs, from a theological standpoint, but I will say this, I admire the strength and cohesion of both communities… and, yes I realize that there are divisions in both peoples such as pro-Zionist vs. anti-Zionist, or violent Islamic sectors vs. peaceful Islamic sects. I admittedly know little about Islam or Judaism, but from what it seems like, at least here in the US, those of us of Christian faith need to start standing up for OUR beliefs. Why is it that so-called “christians,’ (with a lower-case “C”) are openly embracing blasphamous things, forbidden by the Scriptures in the name of “tolerance” or “being WOKE” due to atheistic, leftist bullies, while the Jew and the Muslim blatantly REJECT that which goes against their beliefs, regardless of how the “woke” crowd feels about it, and regardless of any name-calling or false accusations?! Now, I know plenty of strong fellow Christians who absolutely refuse to go against the scriptures no matter what, but at the same time, I know even more individuals who claim to be “Christians” who are willing to compromise their beliefs in favor of “being accepted,” or “being tolorant” and “not wanting to hurt peoples’ FEELINGS!” Well, personally, I care far more about what the Lord thinks of me, than I do about how another man or woman thinks about me. Doing right by the Lord matters more to me than “not hurting the feelings” of another person.
I am reading Isaiah 40 and onward with my Quaker Bible Study group. We realized that we needed more historical context to really understand what we are reading. The power of keeping one’s culture and religion in a foreign land was and is so critical. Jews set an example. This is very helpful. I look forward to exploring more of you articles. Thank you!
Why only about 30 seconds on Daniel and no mention of Hananiah, Mishael or Azariah? Their survival of the fiery furnace and Nebuchadnezzar witnessing a divine intervention matching those young Hebrews’ accurate prophecy of that very event certainly made it possible for the diaspora Jews and faith in the one true God to survive at least into Cyrus’ reign as Daniel did, no?
6.3 million of the world’s 6.5 million Tibetans live in the People’s Republic of China, mostly in the Tibet Autonomous Region and several other Tibetan autonomous prefectures, all located within the native lands of the Tibetan people. In other words, 97% of Tibetans live in their ancestral lands and 3% live in diaspora. How does this constitute an “exile”? How is this in any way comparable to the Babylonian Exile? That’s ridiculous.
Are the Jewish People Still in Exile? Being Jewish means attaining the sensation of two contrasting forces in nature, the egoistic force, which is our human nature, and its opposite altruistic force, which is the force of nature itself. The attainment of these two forces define the people who, first under Abraham, developed this feeling of reality. They became known as the people of Israel, and later, as the Jews. At a certain point, around 2.000 years ago, they lost the sensation of the two forces and lived solely in the egoistic force. That is the meaning of being in exile. Exile has no geographic connotations, i.e. leaving some geographic Land of Israel. It is rather a matter of an inner exile, that we lack the sensation of the altruistic nature—the quality of love, bestowal and connection—in our relations. When we departed from this sensation, we then entered our period of exile and ceased to exist as the people of Israel.
AM A JUDEAN from EASTERN AFRICA ah LEVI . Some ISRAELITES USED the Kush (Sudan)route and settled at the lake side of Lake Victoria which supplies Nile with water others migrated alot from ethopia ( aksum)and settled at the Mountain ⛰️ regions of buganda,tanganyika,congo am talking way before 1890 coz thats when colonialist put administration boundaries in the AFRICAN LAND and called MY HOME COUNTRY kenya 🇰🇪
I think Ahad HaAm’s quote needs to be revised to “more than the Jews have kept the Torah, the Torah has kept the Jews”. I’m not particularly religious, but even from a secular perspective, without our Torah we’d have long gone extinct. It’s the only reason why we haven’t assimilated into other nations.
Great article but I need to correct one detail at 8:52: Haman (boo)’s lot and decree traditionally took place in the middle of Nisan and he was executed a few days later. 23rd of Sivan was traditionally when the decree of Esther and Mordechai went out that the Jews could defend themselves on the 13th of Adar.
It’s God’s plan.. To send them to every part of the earth..to show gentiles the things of the God of Israel (the real God). After that they will come back to Israel.. Aliyah. Then He will judge the world. Jews disobedience is also a part of God’s plan. Jews are innocent. That’s how God protected them Shalom 💞
Those who believe in God and completely surrender to Him and take refuge under His protection, He protects them against all odds. God is with all those who are persecuted and tortured. God does His justice in His unique ways. It is not only for a certain human race, He does it for all. His response depends on how we approach Him and request Him to protect. Jews are one of the best believers (in God) on this planet.
The Dalai Lama was a horrible slave master that did horrific things to his people. The comparison to the Jews is probably not the best one. And Tibetans weren’t exiled from Tibet, many still live there, and speak and learn their native language and culture in school. It was the religious aristocracy that was exiled. Tibetan culture is thriving in Tibet today, and anybody that wants to “free Tibet” doesn’t understand what that actually means – a return to the open air slave market centered around the king Dalai Lama
It’s the one true God that should be credited. Even in the end times He will be faithful to his promises to this chosen nation because of His character. I just hope they will come to know the son who came not just for a chosen nation but for the whole world. “And this is what God has testified: He has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have God’s Son does not have life.” 1 John 5:11-12
So if Jews are so spiritual and followed the letter of the Juwish Bibile, why does Gid keep punishing them again and again? My view of religion is it leads people to live good moral lives, that should protect them from harm! What an irony such people get punished repeatedly? Why do Jews follow such a punishing God and his teachings? If u do good, u should not be punished in my POV; I’m lost here😢
I am not certain about this, but it is a theory that I have come up with.’, which makes sense. In Iran having a guest and treating him well is very much part of the custom. And quite naturally if a guest who eats the food that is provided by the host and yet plans to kill or harm the host is seen as one of the worst offences one can do. So for Esther to invite Haman as a guest not once but twice and have Hanan eat and still for him to have plans to kill his host, paints him as a double faced person that is not to be trusted. An honourable man who intends to kill his host or to kill the hosts wife would clearly refuse to eat and drink. By eating and drinking and then once the plans were made obvious she proved that Haman Lacked basic morality.
What were the generations from David to the Babylonian Captivity? 1 Chronicles 3:1-16 lists 18 generations from David to Jeconiah. But the New Testament says there were 14 generations. And Josias begat Jechonias and his brethren, about the time they were carried away to Babylon. Matthew 1:6-11 So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David until the carrying away into Babylon are fourteen generations; and from the carrying away into Babylon unto Christ are fourteen generations. Matthew 1:17
Please everyone just search Cyrus the great, you all have been lied to by the movies and persian depicted in Hollywood and 300 movies alexander movies persian were the good guys with democracy and tolerance forgiveness and our history ilwas erwrityen by our enemy at that time even though we were alies before at cyrus the great time afterwards. you know who and for the reasons that… ahmmmm…. Just search for yourself you won’t believe me if i tell you. We persian were the good guys with the form of government and democracy.
So from what I can tell because of the history of the Jews and the Jewish people and the vast territories that they lived in the Jewish people are a whole lot of different ethnicities of people that Jews sounds more like a religion than a certain type of people, they are Africans, Asians, Persians, Russians, Europeans, all kinds of different breeds of people that just can’t get along with each other and that is why I believe that there will never ever be peace in that particular part of the world because there was never ever meant to be peace in that particular part of the world in my view.
FYI Babylonian did that twice but you should know that Babylonian didn’t do that for no reason. Anyways, no wonder Jewish (Israel) hate Iraq that much and did their best to compile the world biggest armies to destroy Iraq and they never ever did or will do the same with Iran, there is a historical background behind that.
In Islam, it is said in ahadiths that jews will come in power in the end of times. And as we can see how powerful and influential they are on USA on IT, facebook, instagram and many others. So, this itself shows that Islam is the true religion . And jews survived this much because before they were the people of God with some problems but they had many prophets in them
If anyone really believes that Jewish people really survived with their old religion. There’s overwhelming evidence that most Jews are survivors of Khazar converts. Khazars were Turkic and Hunnic from remnants. No disrespect, but that story is well known among academics. Maybe I am wrong, only few are from Khazar converts and most of them are original Jewish descendants. But the point I am making is most people who were Jews at some point assimilated to the cultures they had been living long, like Greek speaking cities in antiquity period.
Canaanites were the first people to settle in the land of Palestine. They were there and remained there ever since through their descendants, today they are called Palestinians. They were there before prophet Abraham migrated to the land of Canaan. You just talk about the Israelites kingdom and intentionally ignore that there were people from that land not just those of Jacob’s lineage. The Palestinians are semites, Ashkenaz Jews (Most of Israelis today) are originally European and are not of the lineage of Jacob.
Why does story look similar to what is happening to Africans today? I’m an African and living in Europe and this story resonates with me more than everything. Not only are we living in a foreign country in the name of better life, but our ancestors too were enslaved and many of us find it hard to return to our country due to various reasons
I can’t believe you talk about Esther as though it were actual history with a straight face! It’s as though you live in a separate universe from history and archaeology. I believed in the flattened fundamentalist view of the Tanach until I couldn’t anymore. It strains credulity. If you’re drinking the koolaid, I guess I don’t blame you for believing, but aren’t you curious what the actual evidence points to?
Headed for Exile? It has been more than two months since the general election in Israel took place. Although the results showed a clear winner, and no one disputes the integrity of the election process, the tensions in Israeli society seem to be growing all the time. There is talk of civil disobedience, apprehension of politicians who incite against the government, and repetitive mentioning of the words “civil war.” A well-known journalist even said that nothing will change until a lot of metaphoric, and even real blood is spilt. As has happened many times before, the people of Israel’s worst, if not only enemy is internal division, internal hatred. No ruler has ever vanquished us unless we first annihilated one another. We are at a crossroads once again, and once again, we seem to be choosing the path of pain. The fact that we all know our history and what has been our bane throughout the ages, makes no difference. No argument or reasoning will convince us to make concessions, or even negotiate with our dissenters. Our attitude has always been totalitarian: Either our rivals accept that we are right and relinquish all their claims, or we fight them to the death. Politicians who expressed one opinion only a few years ago, now express the complete opposite opinion only because their position has changed from being in the government to being in the opposition, or the other way around. Every issue—from Israel’s judicial system through its economy to its security and defense—is subject to political position.
The Dalai Lama operated a Theocracy where he is the Supreme Ruler. He lived a lavished life in his beautiful palace adorned with finer things of life while servants, peasants, and soldiers lived a meager existence. The Dalai Lama may claim to have attain spirituality, but those living under his ruthlessness and expediency know the man has no conscience, mercy, or empathy. Essentially, the Dalai Lama is crook, a used car salesman, or a fraud.
European Jewish people are converts. They are not sons and daughters of Jacob! The Israelites are black peoples! They are not African, but they are Black! The rest are early converts from thousands of years ago! King Herod was a Jew only because his grandfather Converted 100 years prior to being ordained King by the Roman’s! He wasn’t a Judean! Herod was a convert! That’s why he looked Greek because he was! Being a Jew is not an ethnicity it’s a nationality in Europe. But the Israelites from Judah are original Jews and they were Black skinned people!
Do not waste time in searching religion, there is only one true religion, that is Islam.please read holy Quran in your, language so you can under stand, and second read book on prophet Mohammad peace be upon him life .The best man kind person in the universe,including other holy prophets like Abraham,Moses,Jesus peace be upon them.
My first reaction is to blurt out “You people are fu(&$d in the head”. And I won’t retract that. But aren’t we all. But my God I’d hate to have your God. He hasn’t really looked out for you guys. AT ALL! And you keep blaming yourselves! If that’s not a victim psychosis I don’t know what is. At what point do you sit back and say “this God ain’t cuttin it!?”
Hello Rabbi, hello all. I just wanted to complement you on your excellent content. I really enjoy perusal all of it including your discussions. I have a huge interest in ancient history and religion, especially in the near East and you are always accurate and unbiased. I found your articles via my interest in perusal the lectures on this website by Professor Israel Finkelstein, having read several of his books. I wish I could join in your discussions, but I fear the time difference between you in U.S and me in the U.K would be a major issue. I wanted to suggest a YouTube website that would compliment your articles. You often touch on other historical events going on in the near East that have had a huge effect on Jewish religion and history. You usually describe these events as best you can within the time limits you have. This content can add more depth and context. They produce accurate and unbiased educational articles in a straightforward and easy to understand format. The website I recommend is ‘History with Cy’. The website specialises in the ancient history of the Near East. Take a look it’s a great website especially if your new to the subject. Keep up the good work and I look forward to perusal all your future content.
Ezra (at 8:03) seems to place the Name in the mouth of Cyrus. And yet the famous Cylinder says Nabonidus was thrown down for blasphemy against Marduk and Cyrus was raised by Marduk. Begging the question, What is the relationship between the concept of Yahweh and Marduk the son of Enki? And what is the relation to the one “broken in pieces” according to Jeremiah 50:2?
I like this. But what happened to the priests of the other gods at the Deuteronomic purge? And what happened to those farmers that were allowed to remain in Juda while the upper class was deported to Babylon? And I doubt the story about the Assyrian total deportation of the entire Israelite people — the Tanakh is ambiguous about that, and there were (are) the Samarians …
Have you done, or are you planning on doing, a article covering the triad of the Ten Commandments? I thought it was curious that of the three passages which depict the story (Deut 5, Exodus 20, Exodus 34) the first two accounts are nearly identical only differing in the reason given for observing the Sabbath if I recall. But the Ex 34 passage gives a wildly different list of commandments that no one that I know of would recognize as being the “Ten Commandments”, despite it being the only passage of the three that actually refers to them using that phrase within the text itself. I don’t read Hebrew, so I am forced to rely on English translations of the text. Is there some context in the original language that I am missing? Or is this possibly just that the Ex 34 passage is so focused on Jewish festivals and dietary requirements that the Christians sort of overlooked it and emphasized the Ex 20 passage with its more generalized moral/ethical rules so it became the one that many people were familiar with?