Sometime around 700 BC, God inspired the prophet Isaiah to write a prophecy concerning His anointed, Cyrus, King of Persia. Through Isaiah, God declares that Cyrus would act for Him upon earth, conquering kingdoms, rebuilding Jerusalem and the Temple, and shepherding His people. God would go before Cyrus, even holding his hand, granting him fame, riches, and power as only He can. Isaiah writes that God would dry up the rivers for Cyrus so that he could subdue nations. Fifth-column members opened before him the double doors, ensuring the gates would not be shut. Because Belshazzar and his court were unaware of the Persian assault on Babylon during a public festival, Cyrus' troops gained control swiftly. The Cyrus Cylinder reports that the inhabitants of Babylon bowed to Cyrus and kissed his feet, jubilant that he had received the kingship. As was his policy, Cyrus allowed his vassal states to retain their cultural and religious identities, advanced funds for the repair of public buildings, particularly temples, and reversed the Babylonian policy of forced relocation, permitting descendants to return to their homelands. Thus, Cyrus' decree in 538 BC, returning the Jews to Judea and authorizing the rebuilding of the Temple, aligned with his usual practices. Since the Jews had no idols to restore, he returned the Temple articles that Nebuchadnezzar had taken to Babylon after Jerusalem's fall. These acts fulfilled Isaiah's prophecy that Cyrus, not for price nor reward, would rebuild Jerusalem and the Temple, as well as allow the exiles to return to their land. After conquering Babylon, Cyrus continued his conquests, attempting to expand his empire beyond the northeastern frontier. There, he met the nomadic Massagetae, led by Queen Tomyris. Initially successful, Cyrus was ultimately defeated and killed in battle in 530 BC, after which his son Cambyses succeeded him on the throne.

The Persian Empire, successor to Babylon, reversed the long-standing Policy of Enforced Resettlement practiced by earlier Mesopotamian powers. Unlike their predecessors, the Medo-Persians chose not to continue the forced relocations, earning credit for a more humanitarian approach. Cyrus, king of Persia, played a pivotal role in this shift, implementing a policy that allowed displaced peoples, including the Jews, to return to their homelands. This was not limited to the Jews but extended to other groups within the Persian Empire, reflecting a broader tolerance for religious coexistence. Under Cyrus's decree, the return of the Jews began, marking a significant moment as approximately 50,000 Jews, Levites, and Benjaminites returned under leaders like Sheshbazzar and Zerubbabel, with additional returns under Ezra and Nehemiah in subsequent years.

After seventy years in Babylonian captivity, the Jews began returning to Canaan. Under Ezra and Nehemiah, the wall around Jerusalem was rebuilt, and the Temple was restored under Zerubbabel and Joshua. Though the southern kingdom of Judah saw some return and restoration, the northern ten tribes of Israel never returned to their homeland. Instead, they migrated north and west into the European continent, eventually spreading into various regions across the globe. The Bible reveals through numerous prophecies that a second exodus will occur, in which God's people will return to the land promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. This momentous event will overshadow the first exodus from Egypt, marking a significant restoration for both houses of Israel and Judah during a time of unprecedented crisis known as Jacob's Trouble.