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 lo8 Outlines of EiLvopean History only ; now, in exile, they perceived for the first time that he was king of all the earth and righteous ruler of all the nations. We call belief in such a god monotheism, which is a Greek word meaning " one-god-ism." This belief denies the existence of all other gods. To reach the belief in such a god the Hebrews had passed through a long development and discipline, lasting many centuries, during which they had outgrown many imper- fect ideas, thus illustrating the words of the greatest of Hebrew teachers, " First the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear." ^ The Hebrews While the Hebrews were exiles in Babylonia, the victories of Exile; the Cyrus (p. 96) Overthrew their Chaldean lords and gave to the ment^^^^ Hebrews Persian masters instead. With great humanity the Persian kings allowed the Hebrew exiles to return to Palestine, their native land. At different times enough of them went back to Jerusalem to rebuild the city on a very modest scale. Their leaders restored the temple, and the old worship there was resumed. These men arranged and copied the ancient writings of their fathers, such as the stories of the patriarchs or the speeches of Amos (p. 106). They also added other writings of their own. All these writings, in Hebrew, form the Bible of the Jews at the present day. They have also become a sacred book for all Christians and translated into English, they are called the Old Testament. They form the most precious legacy which we have inherited from the older Orient before the coming of Christ (p. 300). Decline of It should be remembered, then, that one of the most impor- Pcrsis. ' end of political tant things which we owe to the Persians was their restoration of^the^Orfent ^^ ^^^ Hebrews to Palestine. For the oriental world as a (333 B.C.) whole, Persian rule meant about two hundred years of peaceful prosperity (ending about 333 B.C.). The Persian kings, how- ever, as time went on, were no longer as strong and skillful as Cyrus and Darius. They loved luxury and ease and left the task of government to their governors and officials. The result 1 The words of Jesus ; see Mark iv, 28.