Jerusalem's first temple was built by King David's son Solomon on the summit of Mount Moriah (1Chronicles 22:14, 29:4; 2Chronicles 3:1). Completed around 960 B.C., the temple was burned, pillaged and destroyed by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon (2Kings 24:13; 2Chronicles 36:7) in 585 B.C. The foundations of Jerusalem's second temple were laid about 535 B.C. by Jewish exiles returning from captivity in Babylon. When Herod the Great was appointed by Rome as ruler of Judea (c. 37 B.C.) the unfinished temple had stood for about five hundred years. During this period the building suffered from natural decay as well as from the assaults of hostile armies. In 18 B.C. Herod, desirous of gaining the favor of the Jews, began work to finish the temple. The second temple (also known as Herod's temple) was fully completed in 65 A.D. Less than a decade after the temple's completion, however, Roman legions took the city of Jerusalem by storm. In spite of the strenuous efforts made by military commander Titus (later Emperor Titus) to preserve the temple, his soldiers set fire to it in several places. The final destruction of the temple started on the 9th of Ab (Hebrew month) in Hebrew year (civil) 3831 and was completed on the 10th of Ab. These dates equate to Saturday, August 4th and Sunday, August 5th in 70 A.D. The destruction of Jerusalem's first and second temple, though many years apart, began on the same calendar day: the 9th of Ab. | 