Jerusalem is one of the oldest and most fought over cities in the world. As the spiritual center of Judaism and home to important sites like the Western Wall and the Dome of the Rock, Jerusalem has been destroyed and rebuilt many times throughout its long history. According to the Bible, Jerusalem was destroyed at least twice, besieged over 20 times, attacked more than 50 times, and captured and recaptured 44 times. Here is an overview of the major destructions and rebuildings of Jerusalem based on accounts in the Bible.
1. Destruction by Babylonians in 587 BC
The first destruction of Jerusalem is recorded in 2 Kings 25. After rebelling against Babylon, the city was besieged by King Nebuchadnezzar for over two years. With famine and disease rampant, the walls were eventually breached in 587 BC. Nebuchadnezzar’s army destroyed the city’s temples and buildings and exiled many Jews to Babylon. According to Jeremiah 52, the Babylonians broke down the city walls and burned down structures including the temple, the king’s palace, and all the houses. This destruction is known as the Siege of Jerusalem (587 BC).
2. Rebuilding the city after the Babylonian captivity
After 70 years of Babylonian captivity, the Jews were allowed to return to Jerusalem and rebuild it under the Persian King Cyrus the Great. He issued a decree around 538 BC allowing exiles to return home and rebuild the Temple (Ezra 1:1-4). Under leaders like Zerubbabel, Ezra, and Nehemiah, the returnees rebuilt the altar and laid the Temple’s foundation (Ezra 3). Despite opposition, the Second Temple was finished around 515 BC (Ezra 6:15). The city’s walls and gates were also rebuilt under Nehemiah’s leadership (Nehemiah 1-7). This allowed Jerusalem to once again function as a political and religious center for the Jews.
3. Destruction by the Romans in 70 AD
The next major destruction came in 70 AD at the hands of the Romans, led by Emperor Titus. After the Jewish revolt in 66 AD, the Romans laid siege to Jerusalem and eventually breached the walls and sacked the city. As Jesus predicted, the magnificent temple was utterly destroyed (Matthew 24:1-2). The Jewish historian Josephus wrote that Titus ordered the entire city and temple to be demolished, except for the highest tower and part of the western wall. Over 1 million people died during the siege from violence, famine, disease, and more. Those captured were enslaved or scattered, marking the start of the Jewish diaspora.
4. Jerusalem rebuilt as a Roman city
After quelling the First Jewish Revolt, the Romans eventually rebuilt Jerusalem as a Roman city called Aelia Capitolina in around 130 AD. The Jewish population was banned from entering. Pagan temples were built over the destroyed Jewish temple’s ruins. Jerusalem became a provincial capital in the Roman province of Syria Palaestina. Hadrian also rebuilt Jerusalem’s walls, but they were located to purposely exclude the Old City and Temple Mount.
5. Recaptured by the Byzantine Empire
During later Roman times, control over Jerusalem fluctuated between the Byzantine Empire and the Persian Sassanid Empire. The Byzantines gained control in 629 AD under Emperor Heraclius after his victories over the Sassanid Empire. Jerusalem then came under Byzantine rule for over 300 years. The Jews were still banned from the city, but it became an important Christian pilgrimage site. Many churches were built, including the original Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
6. Conquered by Islamic forces
In 637 AD, just a few years after Muhammad’s death, the Islamic Caliphate conquered Jerusalem under Caliph Umar Ibn al-Khattab after a lengthy siege. Rather than destroy the city, Umar entered Jerusalem peacefully and signed treaties to guarantee religious freedom and rights. The Islamic rulers allowed Jews to return and build synagogues. The Dome of the Rock was later completed in 691 AD under the Umayyad Caliph Abd al-Malik.
7. Captured by Crusaders
European Crusaders conquered Jerusalem in 1099 after a nearly 5-week siege during the First Crusade. They ruthlessly massacred much of the population and established the Kingdom of Jerusalem. The Dome of the Rock and Al-Aqsa mosque were converted into a church and palace. The city became the capital of the crusader kingdom and a major Christian pilgrimage destination. Muslim shrines were destroyed or repurposed and Jews and Muslims were banished from the city.
8. Returned to Muslim control
In 1187, the prominent Muslim leader Saladin recaptured Jerusalem after a successful siege during the Battle of Hattin. Rather than take revenge, Saladin spared civilians and Christian holy sites. Muslim control was reestablished, and Saladin permitted Jewish and Christian settlers. Jerusalem became the capital of the Ayyubid dynasty established by Saladin. Muslim holy sites like the Dome of the Rock were restored. The city continued switching between Muslim and Christian Crusader rule until the Crusaders were completely expelled from the Holy Land in 1291.
9. Conquered by the Ottomans
The Ottoman Empire seized control of Jerusalem in 1517 during the reign of Selim I. It would remain under Ottoman control for 400 years, until the end of World War I in 1917. While taxes on non-Muslims were burdensome and there were tensions between religious communities, scholars agree Jerusalem prospered during much of the Ottoman period as city walls, buildings, infrastructures were repaired and religious freedom allowed. The Ottomans rebuilt the city walls in 1535-42 after centuries of disrepair.
10. British Mandate period
After Ottoman defeat in World War I, the British took control of Jerusalem in 1917. The British Mandate of Palestine was officially approved in 1922 by the League of Nations. This included provisions to establish a national home for the Jewish people in Palestine. During this time, tensions escalated between Arab residents and increasing Jewish settlers immigrating during the Mandate period. Focused around Jerusalem, this would eventually culminate in the 1948 Arab-Israeli War after the British withdrew from the Mandate in 1948.
11. Divided city under Jordanian and Israeli control
As a result of the 1948 Arab-Israeli war, Jerusalem was divided between Israel in the west and Jordan in the east. West Jerusalem became the capital of Israel while East Jerusalem came under Jordanian control. The Old City and many holy sites fell on the Jordanian side, while Israel controlled Hebrew University and the Knesset. During this period from 1949-67, the two halves of the city were separated by barbed wire and fortifications, with minimal interaction between them.
12. Reunified under Israel
In 1967, Israel captured East Jerusalem from Jordan during the Six Day War. The city was fully reunited under Israel’s control. While Israel declared Jerusalem its unified capital in 1980, most countries still do not recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and consider East Jerusalem occupied territory. The status of Jerusalem remains one of the core issues at the heart of the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
In summary, according to Biblical and historical accounts, Jerusalem has been destroyed at least twice, besieged over 20 times, attacked more than 50 times, and captured and recaptured 44 times over its thousands of years of history. The city holds religious and historical significance for Jews, Christians, and Muslims which has made it a perpetual focal point of regional wars and struggles for control throughout the centuries.