6th Century BC (Post-Destruction of Jerusalem)
The Israelites were experiencing the aftermath of the Babylonian conquest, which led to the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple, and the beginning of the Babylonian Exile.
Babylon, under King Nebuchadnezzar, was the dominant empire, having conquered Judah and exiled many of its inhabitants.
Jerusalem, the capital of Judah, which lay in ruins after the Babylonian siege. The exiles were taken to Babylon, located in modern-day Iraq.
The Jewish people were grappling with the loss of their homeland, the destruction of their central place of worship, and the challenge of maintaining their faith and identity in a foreign land.
Nebuchadnezzar
King of Babylon who conquered Jerusalem and initiated the exile.