Why Did the Returning Judeans Need Their Own Stories?
When Babylon conquered Jerusalem in 587/586 BCE, the impact on Judah was devastating. Jerusalem was captured, its walls and major buildings were destroyed, and the temple, the centre of religious life, was burned. The Judean monarchy came to an end, and leading members of the population, including administrators, priests, skilled workers and members of the elite, were taken to Babylon. Judah was no longer an independent kingdom. It became a province under Babylonian control. It is important not to imagine that every person in Judah was deported. Many people remained in the land, especially farmers and poorer communities. At the same time, a large and influential Judean community developed in Babylon. This meant that Judean identity was now divided across different places: some were trying to survive in a damaged homeland, while others were building new lives in exile. For those in Babylon, exile was more than a political defeat. It raised painful religious questions. If Jerus...