The Holy Bible - 2 Chronicles

While it is not known when or where exactly The Book of Chronicles was written, it is speculated that it was written around 537 BC. The second Book of Chronicles details the reign of King Solomon, who was the son of King David. He ruled over Jerusalem as a just and prosperous king. Solomon built the temple as instructed by his father. After a 40-year rule, King Solomon died and thus began the reign of his son, Rehoboam. During the rule of King Rehoboam, the key tribes of Jews in Jerusalem rebelled against him, resulting in the division of the kingdom, except the tribes of Judah and Benjamin. The book goes on to detail the capture of Jerusalem by the Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar II in 586 BC. He appointed Zedekiah as a ruler after idol worshipping became rampant there. Many years later when the Egyptian armies attacked Jerusalem, Zedekiah sided with them and rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar II against the counsel of Prophet Jeremiah. This is when Nebuchadnezzar II ordered the total destruction of Jerusalem, including the entire city and the temple. The people and their possessions were taken captive by Nebuchadnezzar II. In 539 BC, Babylon was captured by King Cyrus of Persia. Under his rule, the captive Jews were released and allowed to return to Jerusalem, where they rebuilt the temple that had earlier been destroyed. In other words, it is a story of hope. Where once the Jews had rebelled against King Solomon in Jerusalem, they adopted the Babylonian culture and thrived there peacefully. In return, they were allowed to return to Jerusalem.