Book excerpt: The starting point for this book is the widespread belief that Palestine was completely depopulated after Nebuchadnezzar's destruction of Jerusalem in 586 BC, until 583 BC, when the exiles returned from Babylonia. The author points out that this belief is based ultimately on the Bible itself, which has resulted in a biased view of that period of history. Furthermore, he argues, current terminology in scholarly readings of the Bible, such as exile, return and restoration have hindered the understanding of what actually happened in Judah during the 6th century. Archaeological excavations have now demonstrated beyond a doubt the continued existence of a considerable Israelite material culture during the exile and post-exilic periods in the Negev, particulary in the area of Benjamin and the Judean Hills, and probably in Jerusalem.