Expulsion from one’s native land or home, often decreed by conquerors. The Hebrew word means “a departing.” The Israelites experienced two major exiles. The northern ten-tribe kingdom was taken into exile by the Assyrians, and later the southern two-tribe kingdom was taken into exile by the Babylonians. Remnants of both exiles were returned to their land under Cyrus, the Persian ruler.​—2Ki 17:6; 24:16; Ezr 6:21.