Herod the Great built the structure over the Cave of the Patriarchs. By Nosson Shulman, Licensed Tour Guide
“Some of the children of Judah (returning from the Babylonian exile) settled in the villages, in their open areas: in Kiryat Arbah (i.e. Hebron) and its suburbs.” (Nehemiah 11:25)
After the destruction of the first Temple in 422 BCE (some say 586 BCE) the Jewish people were exiled to Babylonia. Never before, had a people been driven from their homeland yet observed their customs for more than a few years. It would only be a matter of time until they assimilated and ceased being a distinct nation of their own.
But God had different plans!
Fifty years later the mighty Persian Empire conquered Babylonia and its territory, becoming the new rulers of Israel. Miraculously, during this time the Jewish people had remained a distinct nation who had preserved their religion. Their yearning to return one day to their homeland had never ceased.
The new Persian King Cyrus issued a proclamation that the Jewish people had permission to return to Israel. He even gave them the right to rebuild their Temple.
Photo: The “Cyrus Cylinder”, found in excavations, was the written proclamation allowing Jews to return to Israel. Today, the original is in the British Museum. (Wikimedia Commons)
