Centuries earlier the Assyrians and later the Babylonians had exiled the Jews from their homeland. As early as the fifth century B.C.E., there were Jewish communities in the 127 provinces of the Persian Empire.
فَقَبْلَ قُرُونٍ ،‏ أَخَذَ ٱلْأَشُّورِيُّونَ ثُمَّ ٱلْبَابِلِيُّونَ ٱلشَّعْبَ ٱلْيَهُودِيَّ إِلَى ٱلسَّبْيِ .‏