What year did Judah's captivity end, allowing the Jews to return to Jerusalem?

What year did Judah's captivity end, allowing the Jews to return to Jerusalem?

• A. 586 B.C.
• B. 539 B.C.
• C. 520 B.C.
• D. 500 B.C.

Answer: (B)

The year that marks the end of Judah's captivity and the return of the Jews to Jerusalem is 539 B.C. This significant event occurred when Cyrus the Great, the ruler of the Persian Empire, conquered Babylon. The Babylonian exile began in 586 B.C. when Jerusalem was destroyed, but Cyrus's decree in 539 B.C. permitted the Jewish exiles to return to their homeland and rebuild the temple in Jerusalem, thus ending their captivity. This return was pivotal in the restoration of the Jewish community and religion in Jerusalem after decades of displacement. The other years presented do not align with this crucial event in Jewish history; for example, 586 B.C. marks the beginning of the captivity rather than its end, while 520 B.C. and 500 B.C. are related to later events during the rebuilding efforts but do not signify the end of the captivity.

The year that marks the end of Judah's captivity and the return of the Jews to Jerusalem is 539 B.C. This significant event occurred when Cyrus the Great, the ruler of the Persian Empire, conquered Babylon. The Babylonian exile began in 586 B.C. when Jerusalem was destroyed, but Cyrus's decree in 539 B.C. permitted the Jewish exiles to return to their homeland and rebuild the temple in Jerusalem, thus ending their captivity. This return was pivotal in the restoration of the Jewish community and religion in Jerusalem after decades of displacement. The other years presented do not align with this crucial event in Jewish history; for example, 586 B.C. marks the beginning of the captivity rather than its end, while 520 B.C. and 500 B.C. are related to later events during the rebuilding efforts but do not signify the end of the captivity.