Ezra 2: Once An Exile, Always An Exile?

All through history people have been exiled (sent away) from their homeland. Many of them remained exiled for the rest of their lives. The people of Israel had been taken away starting in 722/21 B.C. The people of Judah had been taken away starting in 606 B.C. It was now about 536 B.C., and Cyrus was giving them permission to go home. God had promised through the prophets that this would happen after the land had 70 years of rest (Jeremiah 25). As always, He kept His word.