Jewish History

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a9/Kingdom_of_Israel_1020_map.svg/250px-Kingdom_of_Israel_1020_map.svg.png

http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/images/1Temple.jpg

http://www.bible-history.com/archaeology/persia/cyrus-cylinder-photo9.jpg "Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and also put it in writing, saying, Thus says Cyrus king of Persia: All the kingdoms of the earth the LORD God of heaven has given me. And He has commanded me to build Him a house at Jerusalem which is in Judah. Who is among you of all His people? May the LORD his God be with him, and let him go up!" - 2 Chronicles 36:22-23

Who says of Cyrus, 'He is My shepherd, And he shall perform all My pleasure, Saying to Jerusalem, You shall be built," And to the temple, "Your foundation shall be laid." ' - Isaiah 44:28

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ad/Knesset_Menorah_P5200009_Mac.JPG

http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/images/israel/secondtemple.jpg "The countryside like the City was a pitiful cite; for where once there had been a lovely vista of woods and parks there was nothing but desert and stumps of trees. No one - not even a foreigner - who had seen the Old Judea and the glorious suburbs of the City, and now set their eyes on her present desolation, could have helped sighing and groaning at so terrible a change; for every trace of beauty had been blotted out by war, and nobody who had known it in the past and came upon it suddenly would have recognized the place..."
- Josephus Flavious, The Jewish War