However, the hope of Israel, going back to the prophets, was that one day God would restore the twelve tribes, bring them back together, forgive the sins that led to Israel’s exile, defeat Israel’s enemies, bring forth a new Davidic King, inaugurate a new covenant, and build a new temple. There would be great agricultural fecundity, and the nations would flock to Zion to worship Israel’s God as well. Furthermore, another crucial element of that hope was that YHWH himself would return to Zion.
