But Jehovah’s prophet Isaiah also said that Cyʹrus would give the command for Jerusalem and its temple to be built again. Did Cyʹrus give this command? Yes, he did. This is what Cyʹrus tells the Israelites: ‘Go, now, to Jerusalem and build the temple of Jehovah, your God.’ And this is just what these Israelites are on their way to do.

But not all the Israelites in Babylon can make the long trip back to Jerusalem. It is a long, long trip of about 500 miles (800 kilometers) and many are too old or too sick to travel so far. And there are other reasons why some people don’t go. But Cyʹrus tells those that don’t go: ‘Give silver and gold and other gifts to the people who are going back to build Jerusalem and its temple.’

So, many gifts are given to these Israelites who are on their way to Jerusalem. Also, Cyʹrus gives them the bowls and the cups that King Neb·u·chad·nezʹzar had taken from Jehovah’s temple when he destroyed Jerusalem. The people have a lot of things to carry back with them.

After about four months of traveling, the Israelites get back to Jerusalem right on time. It is just 70 years since the city was destroyed, and the land was left completely empty of people. But though the Israelites are now back in their own country they will have some hard times, as we will learn next.

MANY thousands of people make the long trip from Babylon to Jerusalem. But when they arrive, Jerusalem is just a big ruin. Nobody lives there. The Israelites have to build everything all over again.

One of the first things that they build is an altar. This is a place where they can make animal offerings, or gifts, to Jehovah. A few months later the Israelites begin building the temple. But enemies living in lands nearby don’t want the Israelites to build it. So they try to frighten them to make them stop. Finally, these enemies get the new king of Persia to make a law to stop the building work.

Years pass. Now it has been 17 years since the Israelites came back from Babylon. Jehovah sends his prophets Hagʹgai and Zech·a·riʹah to tell the people to start building again. The people trust in God’s help, and they obey the prophets. They start to build again, even though a law says that they are not to do it.

So a Persian official named Tatʹte·nai comes and asks the Israelites what right they have to build the temple. The Israelites tell him that when they were in Babylon, King Cyʹrus told them: ‘Go, now, to Jerusalem and build the temple of Jehovah, your God.’

Tatʹte·nai sends a letter to Babylon and asks if Cyʹrus, who is now dead, really said that. Soon a letter from the new king of Persia comes back. It tells that Cyʹrus really said it. And so the king writes: ‘Let the Israelites build the temple of their God. And I command you to help them.’ In about four years the temple is finished, and the Israelites are very happy.

Many more years pass. It is now almost 48 years since the temple was finished. The people in Jerusalem are poor, and the city and God’s temple do not look very pretty. Back in Babylon, the Israelite Ezʹra learns about the need to fix up God’s temple. So do you know what he does?

Ezʹra goes to see Ar·ta·xerxʹes, the king of Persia, and this good king gives Ezʹra many gifts to take back to Jerusalem. Ezʹra asks the Israelites in Babylon to help him carry these gifts to Jerusalem. About 6,000 people say they will go. They have a lot of silver and gold and other precious things to carry with them.

Ezʹra is worried, because there are bad men along the way. These men might take away their silver and gold, and kill them. So Ezʹra calls the people together, as you can see in the picture. Then they pray to Jehovah to protect them on their long trip back to Jerusalem.

Jehovah does protect them. And after four months of traveling, they arrive safely in Jerusalem. Doesn’t this show that Jehovah can protect those who trust in him for help?