The Proclamation of Cyrus
(2 Chronicles 36:22–23; Isaiah 45:1–25)
The first three verses of Ezra are nearly...
The first three verses of Ezra are nearly identical to 2 Chronicles 36:22–23. This suggests a connection between the books.
1In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, to fulfill the word of the LORD spoken through Jeremiah, the LORD stirred the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia to send a proclamation throughout his kingdom and to put it in writing as follows:
2“This is what Cyrus king of Persia says:
‘The LORD, the God of heaven, who has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, has appointed me to build a house for Him at Jerusalem in Judah.
3Whoever among you belongs to His people, may his God be with him, and may he go to Jerusalem in Judah and build the house of the LORD, the God of Israel; He is the God who is in Jerusalem. 4And let every survivor, wherever he lives, be assisted by the men of that region with silver, gold, goods, and livestock, along with a freewill offering for the house of God in Jerusalem.’”
As with Cyrus's heart (Ezra 1:1), God inspired...
As with Cyrus's heart (Ezra 1:1), God inspired Israel’s leaders.
Few priests and Levites responded (see Ezra 2:36–42). Most responders were from the tribes of Judah and Benjamin. Persian documents show many Jews stayed in Babylon, where they had homes, businesses, and relatives. A dangerous four-month journey back to Jerusalem, now a desolate city inhabited by foreigners, was not appealing compared to their comfortable life in Babylon. It was easier to give valuable gifts and voluntary offerings to those who returned.
As with Cyrus's heart (Ezra 1:1), God inspired Israel’s leaders.
Few priests and Levites responded (see Ezra 2:36–42). Most responders were from the tribes of Judah and Benjamin. Persian documents show many Jews stayed in Babylon, where they had homes, businesses, and relatives. A dangerous four-month journey back to Jerusalem, now a desolate city inhabited by foreigners, was not appealing compared to their comfortable life in Babylon. It was easier to give valuable gifts and voluntary offerings to those who returned.
5So the family heads of Judah and Benjamin, along with the priests and Levites—everyone whose spirit God had stirred—prepared to go up and rebuild the house of the LORD in Jerusalem.
6And all their neighbors supported them with articles of silver and gold, with goods and livestock, and with valuables, in addition to all their freewill offerings.
Cyrus Restores the Holy Vessels
7King Cyrus also brought out the articles belonging to the house of the LORD that Nebuchadnezzar had carried away from Jerusalem and placed in the temple of his gods. 8Cyrus king of Persia had them brought out by the hand of Mithredath the treasurer, who counted them out to Sheshbazzar the prince of Judah.†
5,400 gold and silver articles: The numbers listed...
5,400 gold and silver articles: The numbers listed only total 2,499 items. A similar account in the apocryphal book 1 Esdras 2:13–15 lists 5,469 items, while a list by the Jewish historian Josephus in Antiquities 11.15 lists 5,220 objects. Ezra’s shorter list shows the types of items included but does not list every item. Keeping track of consecrated utensils helped prevent confusion with pagan utensils used for worshiping other gods.
9This was the inventory:
30 gold dishes,†
1,000 silver dishes, 29 silver utensils,
1030 gold bowls,
410 matching silver bowls,
and 1,000 other articles.
11In all, there were 5,400 gold and silver articles. Sheshbazzar brought all these along when the exiles went up from Babylon to Jerusalem.