Reading Questions to James D. Purvis, "Exile and Return," in H. Shanks, ed., Ancient Israel, revised and expanded (1999), Chapter 6, pp. 201-229.

Study Questions:
1) According to Purvis, what was the point of the story of the deportations as told in the Book of Kings and Jeremiah? What aspects of the story were emphasized to make that point? How is this version of the story changed in the retelling in Chronicles (and Ezra)? Why, in your opinion, does that later version emphasize different elements?
2) What was the religious/civic nature of the Jewish community during the Babylonian captivity? What was the extent of discrimination and repression faced by the Jews in Mesopotamia?
3) Was the deportation to Mesopotamia the only significant aspect of Diaspora? If not name and describe others.
4) What were the political reasons for Cyrus' decision to reverse the deportation?
5) Why was the rebuilding of the Temple advocated by the returnees and protested by the Samaritans?
6) Why were the appointments of Ezra and Nehemiah important to the resurgence of a Jewish state?