105.jpg TABLE OF THE LAST KINGS OF PTOLEMY]

Cyrus, however, was seated on the throne, and the city of
Nebuchadrezzar, unlike that of Sargon and Sennacherib, still continued
to play her part in the world's history. The revenge of Jerusalem had
not been as complete as that of Samaria, and her sons had to content
themselves with obtaining the cessation of their exile. It is impossible
to say whether they had contributed to the downfall of Nabonidus
otherwise than by the fervency of their prayers, or if they had rendered
Cyrus some service either in the course of his preparations or during
his short campaign. They may have contemplated taking up arms in his
cause, and have been unable to carry the project into execution owing
to the rapidity with which events took place. However this may be, he
desired to reward them for their good intentions, and in the same year
as his victory, he promulgated a solemn edict, in which he granted them
permission to return to Judah and to rebuild not only their city, but
the temple of their God. The inhabitants of the places where they were
living were charged to furnish them with silver, gold, materials, and
cattle, which would be needed by those among them who should claim the
benefits of the edict; they even had restored to them, by order of the
king, what remained in the Babylonian treasury of the vessels of gold
and silver which had belonged to the sanctuary of Jahveh. The heads
of the community received the favour granted to them from such high
quarters, without any enthusiasm. Now that they were free to go, they
discovered that they were well off at Babylon. They would have to
give up their houses, their fields, their business, their habits of
indifference to politics, and brave the dangers of a caravan journey of
three or four months' duration, finally encamping in the midst of
ruins in an impoverished country, surrounded by hostile and jealous
neighbours; such a prospect was not likely to find favour with many, and
indeed it was only the priests, the Levites, and the more ardent of
the lower classes who welcomed the idea of the return with a touching
fervour. The first detachment organised their departure in 536,
under the auspices of one of the princes of the royal house, named
Shauash-baluzur (Sheshbazzar), a son of Jehoiachin.* It comprised only a
small number of families, and contained doubtless a few of the captives
of Nebuchadrezzar who in their childhood had seen the temple s