As the Jews returned from the Babylonian exile (starting in 537 BC) and the events of the Old Testament drew to a close, wine was "a common beverage for all classes and ages, including the very young; an important source of nourishment; a prominent part in the festivities of the people; a widely appreciated medicine; an essential provision and the wine that the vineyards produced was a valued commodity in ancient times, both for local consumption and for its value in trade.or any fortress; and an important commodity," and it served as "a necessary element in the life of the Hebrews." • • Raymond, p. 23: " was a common beverage for all classes and ages, even for the very young. Wine might be part of the simpelest meal as well as a necessary article in the households of the rich. • </ref> Wine was also used ritualistically to close the Sabbath and to celebrate weddings, circumcisions, and Passover.