cyrus the great in ezra

CYRUS THE GREAT I EZRA

CYRUS THE GREAT I EZRAWritten and edited by Glenn Pease

EZRA CHAPTER 1 COMME TARY

PREFACE

As with all my commentaries, I quote many authors, and some of them are not named. I will gladly give credit if the author identifies him or

herself. If any author does not desire to have their wisdom shared in this way, they can let me know and I will remove it. My e-mail address [email protected]

This is a verse by verse commentary, but it is also a part of a trilogy aboutthe greatest pagan in the Bible, which was Cyrus the Great. In the

first volume I dealt with Cyrus in Isaiah where he was predicted to be the king who would send God's people back to their homeland in Israel,

and rebuild the temple. In the second volume I give a secular history of this great man that God chose to be his Old Testament Messiah. This

gives us some insight as to why God chose him for this great honor. In thisvolume we deal with the time of the actual carrying out of the

prophecy in the time of Ezra.

I TRODUCTIO TO EZRA


Pastor Harley Howard gives us this excellent introduction to the book: “The book of Ezra covers 2 distinct time periods. The first 6 chapters

cover the 23 years from the edict of Cyrus to the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem (538-515 BC) Chapters 7-10 deal with the events after Ezra returned from Babylon (458 BC). Chapter 4 contains an event which refers to the reign of king Artaxerxes. Ezra was also a contemporary of ehemiah ( ehemiah 8). This is the first of three returns to Israel which was in 538 BC. This return was led by Zerubbabel (538 BC), Ezra 1-6, and Haggai (520) and

Zechariah (520-518 BC). This return was to build the temple. The second group was under Ezra himself, 7-10, in 458 BC. This return was to reform the people. The third group was led by ehemiah (444 BC). This was to rebuild the walls in Jerusalem and the lives of the people. The main purpose of the book was for Israel to respond to the mercy of God by obedience to Him and to His covenant. Israel was taken into Babylonian captivity. 70 years have passed and now,God will give them opportunity to go back to their homeland and

to rebuild the temple.

One of the greatest proofs of the scriptures being the word of God is the fulfillment of predictive prophecy. One of the clearest evidences of

that, and one of the greatest frustrations to those who try to deny the miracles of the bible, is this man Cyrus. Isaiah predicted the existence of

king Cyrus, by name, about 150 years before he was born. In fact, it was in 688 BC that Isaiah made this prediction, that Cyrus would be used


of God to guarantee the return of the remnant of God’s people. The fulfillment of Cyrus coming to the place and time where he would

perform this was 538 BC. Also, because of him, Jerusalem would be restored and the temple would be rebuilt. Isa 44:24-45:5.”

1. In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the LORD spoken by Jeremiah, the LORD moved the heart of Cyrus

king of Persia to make a proclamation throughout his realm and to put it in writing:

1. Cyrus is mentioned 22 times in the Old Testament, and that makes him a major character of the Bible, and that is why I have made him a

major study. God chose him to play an amazing role in his plan, and such a choice demands that we respect God's choice and learn all we can

about this major Bible character. In this text we see God moving in his heart to make a decision that changed the history of his people Israel.

He was moved to put it in writing, and so we see God inspiring the writing of a pagan man that became a part of his inspired Word. Part of

the Bible was actually written by a pagan king, and it was authorized by God himself. The value of this is that it means that a believer may

find many valuable things in the writings of people who are not believers, for unbelievers often have knowledge that is not possessed by

believers. Just as pagans has skills to build the temple that the Jews did


not have, for many a pagan person has insights and wisdom that is not

possessed by believers. God's gifts are not limited to his own people, and so we need to be open to those gifts that come from beyond the

framework of Christians. Plato is a good example of this, and many early Christian scholars studied and quoted him in their expounding

Christian truth. Some called him a Christian before Christ, and some feel the same about Cyrus.

2. We do not stop to think of it, but we are all indebted to unbelievers for the blessings we enjoy. Out whole country is kept going by the oil we

buy from non-Christians and non-Jews, namely the Arabs. So much of the material blessings we enjoy come from China and other lands

where labor is cheaper. There are pagans blessing us every day as a nation and as individuals. God’s people have always been dependent

upon the help of non-believers, and it will always be so, for all of the gifts and resources are never completely in the hands and control of

believers. This is another reason for the wisdom of loving your enemies, for often they have what you need.

A pagan king saved Abraham from a great blunder. A pagan king made it possible for Moses to become the greatest leader of God’s people.

A pagan king made it possible for Joseph to become the savior of his people. A pagan king made it possible for Esther to save God’s people


from being massacred. A pagan king made possible the life and ministry of Daniel. A pagan king ordained that Jesus would be born in

Bethlehem, and thus fulfill prophecy.

3. Josephus, the Jewish historian, wrote that the Jews in Babylon showed Cyrus the prophecies about him, and how he was named over a

hundred years before he was born, and this is what motivated him to fulfill the words that God spoke of him. This is found in Antiquities

11.1.2. This could very well be the way God moved in his heart. One of the texts that he would have been shown was Isaiah 44:28, “who says

of Cyrus, 'He is my shepherd and will accomplish all that I please; he will say of Jerusalem, "Let it be rebuilt," and of the temple, "Let its

foundations be laid." 4. Daniel was serving God and Babylon at this very time. Dan. 1:21, “And Daniel remained there until the first year of King Cyrus.” Dan.

6:28, “So Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian.” He could have been the one who showed the

prophecy to Cyrus. This gives us the other side of the coin where believerscan be the helpers and benefactors of the unbelievers. Daniel, and

others of God's people like Joseph became great leaders in pagan nations,and they brought great benefit to those pagan people, for God had

gifted them to do what others could not do. Believers are to benefit the pagan world, and they are to be benefited by the pagan world. This is


clearly revealed in God's Word. 5. Wayne Jackson wrote, “During excavations at Babylon (1879-82), archaeologist Hormuzd Rassam discovered a small (ten inches), clay,

barrel-shaped cylinder that contained an inscription from Cyrus. ow housed in the British Museum, the cylinder reported the king’s policy

regarding captives: “I [Cyrus] gathered all their [former] inhabitants andreturned [to them] their habitations” (Pritchard, 1958, 1:208). As

noted scholar Jack Finegan observed: “The spirit of Cyrus’s decree of release which is quoted in the Old Testament (II Chronicles 36:23;

Ezra 1:2-4) is confirmed by the Cyrus cylinder...” (1946, p. 191).” 6. Gill, “The Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia; who has the hearts of all men in his hands, and even of the kings of the earth,

and can turn them as he pleases; he wrought upon him, put it into his heart, enlightened his mind, showed him what was right, and his duty to

do, and pressed him to the performance of it; so that he could not be easy until he had done it, and he was made thoroughly willing, and even

eager to do it:

6B Gill goes on with extended comments: “The statement of the prophet Jeremiah (Jer_25:11, etc., Jer_29:10; comp. 2Ch_36:21)

concerning the desolation and servitude of Judah is here intended. These seventy years commenced with the first taking of Jerusalem by


ebuchadnezzar, when Daniel and other youths of the seed-royal were carried to Babylon (Dan_1:1-2) in the fourth year of King Jehoiakim;

see the explanation of Dan_1:1. This year was the year 606 b.c.; hence the seventy years terminate in 536 b.c., the first year of the sole rule of

Cyrus over the Babylonian empire. Then “Jahve stirred up the spirit of Coresh,” i.e., moved him, made him willing; comp. with this

expression, 1Ch_5:26 and Hag_1:14. ??????????, “he caused a voice to goforth,” i.e., he proclaimed by heralds; comp. Exo_36:6;

2Ch_30:5, etc. With this is zeugmatically combined the subsequent ??????? ???, so that the general notion of proclaiming has to be taken

from ???? ???, and supplied before these words. The sense is: he proclaimed throughout his whole realm by heralds, and also by written

edicts.

In this edict, however, Cyrus expressly calls the God of heaven by His Israelitish name Jahve, and speaks of a commission from this God to

build Him a temple at Jerusalem. Hence it is manifest that Cyrus consciously entered into the purposes of Jahve, and sought, as far as he was

concerned, to fulfill them. Bertheau thinks, on the contrary, that it is impossible to dismiss the conjecture that our historian, guided by an

uncertain tradition, and induced by his own historical prepossessions, remodeled the edict of Cyrus. There is, however, no sufficient


foundation for such a conjecture. If the first part of the book of Ezra is founded upon contemporary records of the events, this forbids an à

priori assertion that the matter of the proclamation of Cyrus rests upon an uncertain tradition, and, on the contrary, presupposes that the

historian had accurate knowledge of its contents. Hence, even if the thoroughly Israelitish stamp presented by these verses can afford no

support to the view that they faithfully report the contents of the royal edict, it certainly offers as little proof for the opinion that the Israelite

historian remodeled the edict of Cyrus after an uncertain tradition, and from historical prepossessions. Even Bertheau finds the fact that

Cyrus should have publicly made known by a written edict the permission given to the Jews to depart, probable in itself, and corroborated by

the reference to such an edict in Ezr_5:17 and Ezr_6:3. This edict of Cyrus, which was deposited in the house of the rolls in the fortress of

Achmetha, and still existed there in the reign of Darius Hystaspis, contained, however, not merely the permission for the return of the Jews to

their native land, but, according to Ezr_6:3, the command of Cyrus to build the house of God at Jerusalem; and Bertheau himself remarks on

Ezr_6:3, etc.: “There is no reason to doubt the correctness of the statement that Cyrus, at the time he gave permission for the re-settlement

of the community, also commanded the expenses of rebuilding the temple


to be defrayed from the public treasury.” To say this, however, is to

admit the historical accuracy of the actual contents of the edict, since it is hence manifest that Cyrus, of his own free will, not only granted to

the Jews permission to return to the land of their fathers, but also commanded the rebuilding of the temple at Jerusalem. Although, then, this

edict was composed, not in Hebrew, but in the current language of the realm, and is reproduced in this book only in a Hebrew translation, and

although the occurrence of the name Jahve therein is not corroborated byEzr_6:3, yet these two circumstances by no means justify

Bertheau's conclusion, that “if Cyrus in this edict called the universal dominion of which he boasted a gift of the god whom he worshiped as

the creator of heaven and earth, the Israelite translator, who could not designate this god by his Persian name, and who was persuaded that

the God of Israel had given the kingdom to Cyrus, must have bestowed upon the supreme God, whom Cyrus mocked, the name of Jahve, the

God of heaven. When, then, it might further have been said in the document, that Cyrus had resolved, not without the consent of the supreme

God, to provide for the rebuilding of the temple at Jerusalem, - and such a reference to the supreme God might well occur in the

announcement of a royal resolution in a decree of Cyrus, - the Israelite translator could not again but conclude that Cyrus referred to Jahve,


and that Jahve had commanded him to provide for the building of the temple.” For if Cyrus found himself impelled to the resolution of

building a temple to the God of heaven in Jerusalem, i.e., of causing the temple destroyed by ebuchadnezzar to be rebuilt, he must have

been acquainted with this God, have conceived a high respect for Him, and have honored Him as the God of heaven. It was not possible that

he should arrive at such a resolution by faith in Ahuramazdâ, but only bymeans of facts which had inspired him with reverence for the God of

Israel. It is this consideration which bestows upon the statement of Josephus, Antt. xi. 1. 1, - that Cyrus was, by means of the predictions of

Isaiah, Isa_41:25., Isa_44:28; Isa_45:1., who had prophesied of him by name 200 years before, brought to the conviction that the God of the

Jews was the Most High God, and was on this account impelled to this resolution, - so high a degree of probability that we cannot but esteem

its essence as historical.

For when we consider the position held by Daniel at the court of Darius the Mede, the father-in-law of Cyrus, - that he was there elevated to

the rank of one of the three presidents set over the 120 satraps of the realm, placed in the closest relation with the king, and highly esteemed

by him (Dan 6), - we are perfectly justified in adopting the opinion that Cyrus had been made acquainted with the God of the Jews, and with


the prophecies of Isaiah concerning Coresh, by Daniel.Granting, then, that the edict of Cyrus may have been composed in the current language of the realm, and not rendered word for word in

Hebrew by the biblical author of the present narrative, its essential contents are nevertheless faithfully reproduced; and there are not

sufficient grounds even for the view that the God who had inspired Cyruswith this resolution was in the royal edict designated only as the

God of heaven, and not expressly called Jahve. Why may not Cyrus have designated the God of heaven, to whom as the God of the Jews he

had resolved to build a temple in Jerusalem, also by His name Jahve? According to polytheistic notions, the worship of this God might be

combined with the worship of Ahuramazdâ as the supreme God of the Persians.”

2 "This is what Cyrus king of Persia says: " 'The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and he has appointed

me to build a temple for him at Jerusalem in Judah.

1. Here we see Cyrus acknowledges that the Lord, the God of heaven gavehim his empire. This is an expression of humility. He does not say I

am the greatest because I am just an amazing general, and more skilled than anyone else. He admits that he is a recipient of God's guidance

and grace. He does not take it on himself to build a temple, but says that


God has appointed him to do it. He is under the influence and

guidance of God in all he is doing.

2. In II Chron. 36:22-3 these same two verses are repeated. “22 In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the

LORD spoken by Jeremiah, the LORD moved the heart of Cyrus king of Persia to make a proclamation throughout his realm and to put it in

writing: 23 "This is what Cyrus king of Persia says: " 'The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and he has

appointed me to build a temple for him at Jerusalem in Judah. Anyone of his people among you, may the LORD his God be with him, and let

him go up.'

3. Clarke has a statement that caught my eye. He wrote, “It is not unworthy of remark, that in all the books written prior to the captivity,

Jehovah is called The Lord of Hosts; but in all the books written after the captivity, as 2 Chronicles, Ezra ehemiah, and Daniel, he is styled

The God of Heaven. The words however have the same meaning.” These words of Cyrus had an impact on the very language men used to

refer to the God of the Bible. He was the God of heaven, and Jesus added to that the prayer, “Our Father who art in heaven.” The title, the

God of Heaven is used 9 times in this book, more than in any other book of the bible.


3 Anyone of his people among you—may his God be with him, and let himgo up to Jerusalem in Judah and build the temple of the LORD, the

God of Israel, the God who is in Jerusalem.

1. In this verse he sounds more like a pagan, for he seem to make the God of Israel the God of that land only, and this was the way people

thought in that day. Gods were in charge of certain nations and cities, andthe God of Israel was the God of that land. However, we also read

in verse one that he knows this God as the God of heaven, and so we see both his greater view of God and his limited view coming out in what

he has written.

1B. There are differences of opinion as to the reality of Cyrus's faith. Washe a believer in the God of Israel or not. Some like Maclaren

answer, “Cyrus’s proclamation sounds as if he were a Jehovah-worshiper, but it is to be feared that his religion was of a very accommodating

kind. It used to be said that, as a Persian, he was a monotheist, and would consequently be in sympathy with the Jews; but the same cylinder

already quoted shatters that idea, and shows him to have been a polytheist, ready to worship the gods of Babylon. He there ascribes his

conquest to ‘Merodach, the great lord,’ and distinctly calls himself that god’s ‘worshiper.’ Like other polytheists, he had room in his pantheon


for the gods of other nations, and admitted into it the deities of the conquered peoples.”

2. He is giving complete freedom for all Jews to go back to their homeland, and this was the fulfillment of what God had the prophets predict

would happen. The charter that Cyrus wrote, which is displayed at the British Museum, and a replica of the charter is on display at the United

ations in ew York says, “When my soldiers in great numbers peacefully entered Babylon…I did not allow anyone to terrorize the people…I

kept in view the needs of people and all its sanctuaries to promote their well-being..Freed all the slaves. I put an end to their misfortune and

slavery.” It was not just the Jews that he freed and treated with the greatest respect, but all of the people that had been captured and

enslaved in Babylon.

2B. Isaac Wise, “The Assyrians and Babylonians, were their enemies and captors, polytheists and idolaters, devotees of Zabaism. The Medo

-Persians avenged those wrongs, were no idolaters, and approached nearest the Monotheism of Israel by the reforms of Zoroaster under

Darius and Cyrus.” In other words, the Jews were delighted that Babylonfell to Cyrus, for he was a good and godly man that had won the

favor of God, and had a lot of sympathy for their faith and hard situation.


3. We get a good insight into the character of Cyrus from ancient writing. For example, Xenophon, the Greek historian wrote highly of the

way Cyrus ruled among men. He wrote, “These nations he ruled, though they spoke neither the same language with himself nor with one

another; yet he was able to extend the fear of himself over a great part of the world that he astonished all, and no one attempted anything

against him. He was able to inspire all with so great a desire of pleasing him, that they ever desired to be governed by his opinion;and he

attached to himself so many nations as it would be a labor to enumerate, which way soever we should Commence our course from his palace,

whether towards the east, west, north, or south. 5. With respect to this man, therefore, as worthy of admiration, I have inquired what he was

by birth, what qualities he possessed from nature, and with what education he was brought up, that he so eminently excelled in governing

men.” “In the Alcibiades, Plato has Socrates, reading young Alcibiades' mind, suggests that Cyrus is probably the only leader he would

accept to take as a model.” In the light of these quotes of the ancients, it is easy to believe that he was gracious and generous to these people

that he could have treated with contempt. He cared about people and their freedom, and that is one of the main reasons he became a king

himself. His grandfather was a king of Media, and he was cruel and ruthless. He conquered him and took the throne, and went on to liberate


people all over the world from rulers who oppressed the people.

4. Henry, “It will be proper for us here to consider, 1. What was the state of the captive Jews in Babylon. It was upon many accounts very

deplorable; they were under the power of those that hated them, had nothing they could call their own; they had no temple, no altar; if they

sang psalms, their enemies ridiculed them; and yet they had prophets among them. Ezekiel and Daniel were kept distinct from the heathen.

Some of them were preferred at court, others had comfortable settlementsin the country, and they were all borne up with hope that, in due

time, they should return to their own land again, in expectation of which they preserved among them the distinction of their families, the

knowledge of their religion, and an aversion to idolatry. 2. What was the state of the government under which they were. ebuchadnezzar

carried many of them into captivity in the first year of his reign, which was the fourth of Jehoiakim; he reigned forty-five years, his son Evil-

merodach twenty-three, and his grandson Belshazzar three years, which make up the seventy years. So Dr. Lightfoot, It is charged upon

ebuchadnezzar that he opened not the house of his prisoners, Isaiah 14:17. And, if he had shown mercy to the poor Jews, Daniel told him it

would have been the lengthening of his tranquillity, Daniel 4:27. But the measure of the sins of Babylon was at length full, and then


destruction was brought upon them by Darius the Mede and Cyrus the Persian, which we read of, Daniel 5:31 Darius, being old, left the

government to Cyrus, and he was employed as the instrument of the Jews' deliverance, which he gave orders for as soon as ever he was

master of the kingdom of Babylon, perhaps in contradiction to ebuchadnezzar, whose family he had cut off, and because he took a pleasure

in undoing what he had done, or in policy, to recommend his newly-acquired dominion as merciful and gentle, or (as some think) in a pious

regard to the prophecy of Isaiah, which had been published, and well known, above 150 years before, where he was expressly named as the

man that should do this for God, and for whom God would do great things (Isaiah 44:28,45:1, &c.), and which perhaps was shown to him by

those about him. His name (some say) in the Persian language signifies thesun, for he brought light and healing to the church of God, and

was an eminent type of Christ the Sun of righteousness. Some say that his name signifies a father, and Christ is the everlasting Father.”

4 And the people of any place where survivors may now be living are to provide him with silver and gold, with goods and livestock, and with

freewill offerings for the temple of God in Jerusalem.' "

1. Pagan people are urged to support the people of God in getting the


temple rebuilt. We read in EZRA 3:7 “Then they gave money to the

masons and carpenters, and gave food and drink and oil to the people of Sidon and Tyre, so that they would bring cedar logs by sea from

Lebanon to Joppa, as authorized by Cyrus king of Persia.” The pagan people not only gave the materials to rebuild, but they gave themselves

to provide the labor in building the temple of God. This whole account makes it clear that God is not opposed to using pagans for his purpose.

He is not legalistic in saying that only godly people can be involved in building this temple for his glory. Let the gentiles have their share in it,

for they are more skilled than the Jews, and they will do a far better job of it. If a non-believer has the greater skill over a believer, it is just

common wisdom to use the non-believer for the purpose. A believer with no gift for the task will not build for the glory of God, but will make a

mess of it, and end up with a product that cannot match the beauty of the many pagan temples. God want his temple built to perfection, and

to be a work that symbolizes his perfection. This is a job for the best and most skillful men, and not some amateurs.

2. He could have forced them to be slaves in building a temple to a pagan god right there in Babylon, but he chose to set them free to return

to their land and built a temple to their God. In contrast to the king of Egypt who fought to the end with God to keep his people as slaves

doing his will rather than the will of God. This is a rare thing to see in a


powerful person like Cyrus. He had the power to do anything that he

wanted for himself, but we see him giving up all of the resources that could have been his to rebuild the temple of God.

3. Clarke, “Every one was at liberty to go, but none was obliged to go. Thus their attachment to God was tried; he whose heart was right with

God went; he who was comfortably settled in Babylon, might go if he chose. Those who did not go, were commanded to assist their brethren

who went.” “...with money to bear the expenses of his journey, with goodsto furnish his house, or trade with, when he came to Judea, and

with cattle to carry him, and his goods, and to till the ground with, when he came thither; and the men exhorted to this are either the Gentiles

that dwelt in the cities where these poor Jews were, or the richer : Jews, who chose as yet not to go up until they saw how things would

succeed; and are therefore called upon to assist their brethren who had a will, but not ability.”

4. Henry, “ He subjoins a brief for a collection to bear the charges of such as were poor and not able to bear their own, Ezra 1:4. "Whosoever

remaineth, because he has not the means to bear his charges to Jerusalem, let the men of his place help him." Some take it as an order to the

king's officers to supply them out of his revenue, as Ezra 6:8. But it may mean a warrant to the captives to ask and receive the alms and


charitable contributions of all the king's loving subjects. And we may suppose the Jews had conducted themselves so well among their

neighbors that they would be as forward to accommodate them because they loved them as the Egyptians were because they were weary of

them. At least many would be kind to them because they saw the government would take it well. Cyrus not only gave his good wishes with

those that went (Their God be with them, Ezra 1:3), but took care also to furnish them with such things as they needed. He took it for granted

that those among them who were of ability would offer their free-will offerings for the house of God, to promote the rebuilding of it. But,

besides that, he would have them supplied out of his kingdom. Well-wishers to the temple should be well-doers for it.”

5 Then the family heads of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests and Levites—everyone whose heart God had moved—prepared to go up and

build the house of the LORD in Jerusalem.

1. God had to move his own people as well as the pagan king, for many may have been too comfortable in their new land to want to move

back to a land so damaged by warfare.

2. Jamison, “The paternal and ecclesiastical chiefs of the later captivity, those of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, with some also from other

tribes (1Ch 9:3), who retained their attachment to the pure worship of


God, naturally took the lead in this movement. Their example was

followed by all whose piety and patriotism were strong enough to brave the various discouragements attending the enterprise. They were

liberally assisted by multitudes of their captive countrymen, who, born in Babylonia or comfortably established in it by family connections or

the possession of property, chose to remain. It seems that their Assyrian friends and neighbors, too, either from a favorable disposition toward

the Jewish faith, or from imitation of the court policy, displayed hearty good will and great liberality in aiding and promoting the views of the

emigrants.”

3. Gill, “and the priests and the Levites: whose presence was necessary both to direct in the building of the temple, and to animate to it, and to

set the vessels in their proper places; and particularly to assist in the setting up of the altar, and to offer sacrifices on it, which was the first

thing done when come to Jerusalem, (Ezra 3:2,3) with all them whose spirit God raised to go up, to build the house of the Lord, which is in

Jerusalem; God, who "works" in men "both to will and to do", wrought powerfully by his Spirit on their hearts, inclined their minds, and

made them willing to go up, and set about this work; and such a divine, powerful, and efficacious operation upon them, was necessary to

engage them in it, since the embarrassments, difficulties, discouragements, and objections, were many: some of them were well


settled, and

had contracted a pleasing acquaintance with many of their neighbors, and indeed to most of them it was their native place; and as for Judea

and Jerusalem, they knew nothing of but what their fathers had told them; the way to it unknown, long, and dangerous, at least fatiguing and

troublesome to their wives and children; and Judea and Jerusalem desolate and in ruins, and in the hands of enemies, from whom they had

reason to expect trouble.”

4. Henry, “The priests and Levites were (as became them) with the first that set their faces again towards Zion. If any good work is to be

done, let ministers lead in it. Those that accompanied them were such as God had inclined to go up. The same God that had raised up the

spirit of Cyrus to proclaim this liberty raised up their spirits to take the benefit of it; for it was done, not by might, nor by power, but by the

Spirit of the Lord of hosts, Zechariah 4:6. The temptation perhaps was strong to some of them to stay in Babylon. They had convenient

settlements there, had contracted an agreeable acquaintance with the neighbors, and were ready to say, It is good to be here. The

discouragements of their return were many and great, the journey long, their wives and children unfit for traveling, their own land was to

them a strange land, the road to it an unknown road. Go up to Jerusalem!And what should they do there? It was all in ruins, and in the midst


of enemies to whom they would be an easy prey. Many were wrought upon by these considerations to stay in Babylon, at least not to go with

the first. But there were some that got over these difficulties, that ventured to break the ice, and feared not the lion in the way, the lion in the

streets; and they were those whose spirits God raised. He, by his Spirit and grace, filled them with a generous ambition of liberty, a gracious

affection to their own land, and a desire of the free and public exercise of their religion. Had God left them to themselves, and to the counsels

of flesh and blood, they would have staid in Babylon; but he put it into their hearts to set their faces Zionward, and, as strangers, to ask the

way thither (Jeremiah 50:5); for they, being a new generation, went out like their father Abraham from this land of the Chaldees, not

knowing whither they went, Hebrews 11:8. ote, Whatever good we do, itis owing purely to the grace of God, and he raises up our spirits to

the doing of it, works in us both to will and to do. Our spirits naturally incline to this earth and to the things of it. If they move upwards, in any

good affections or good actions, it is God that raises them.

The call and offer of the gospel are like Cyrus's proclamation. Deliverance is preached to the captives, Luke 4:18. Those that are bound

under the unrighteous dominion of sin, and bound over to the righteous judgment of God, may be made free by Jesus Christ. Whoever will, by


repentance and faith, return to God, his duty to God, his happiness in God, Jesus Christ has opened the way for him, and let him go up out of

the slavery of sin into the glorious liberty of the children of God. The offer is general to all. Christ makes it, in pursuance of the grant which

the Father has made him of all power both in heaven and in earth (a much greater dominion than that given to Cyrus, Ezra 1:2) and of the

charge given him to build God a house, to set him up a church in the world, a kingdom among men. Many that hear this joyful sound choose

to sit still in Babylon, are in love with their sins and will not venture upon the difficulties of a holy life; but some there are that break through

the discouragements, and resolve to build the house of God, to make heaven of their religion, whatever it cost them, and they are those whose

spirit God has raised above the world and the flesh and whom he has made willing in the day of his power, Psalms 110:3. Thus will the

heavenly Canaan be replenished, though many perish in Babylon; and thegospel-offer will not be made in vain.”

6 All their neighbors assisted them with articles of silver and gold, with goods and livestock, and with valuable gifts, in addition to all the

freewill offerings.

1. Henry, “Cyrus having given order that their neighbors should help them, they did so, Ezra 1:6. All those that were about them furnished


them with plate and goods to bear the charges of their journey, and to help them in building and furnishing both their own houses and God's

temple. As the tabernacle was made of the spoils of Egypt, and the first temple built by the labors of the strangers, so the second by the

contributions of the Chaldeans, all intimating the admission of the Gentiles into the church in due time. God can, where he pleases, incline the

hearts of strangers to be kind to his people, and make those to strengthen their hands that have weakened them. The earth helped the

woman. Besides what was willingly offered by the Jews themselves who staid behind, from a principle of love to God and his house, much was

offered, as one may say, unwillingly by the Babylonians, who were influenced to do it by a divine power on their minds of which they

themselves could give no account.”

2. Here we see a pagan people helping out the Jews in the need for resources to go back and build the temple. It was freely given and speaks

highly of the Jews in captivity in relating well to their pagan neighbors.

7 Moreover, King Cyrus brought out the articles belonging to the temple of the LORD, which ebuchadnezzar had carried away from

Jerusalem and had placed in the temple of his god. [a]

1. Cyrus is returning all of the great treasures of the Temple that had


been carried away, and had been kept in the temple of a pagan God. All

God's holy things that were dedicated to his worship alone had been in the temple of a pagan god for all these 70 years of captivity. God had

to suffer humiliation with his people in their captivity by all of his holy possessions being held captive in this pagan temple. What a blessing

that Cyrus set them free along with God's people.

2. Henry, “How this proclamation was seconded by Cyrus himself. To give proof of the sincerity of his affection to the house of God, he not

only released the people of God, but restored the vessels of the temple, Ezra 1:7,8. Observe here, 1. How careful Providence was of the

vessels of the temple, that they were not lost, melted down, or so mixed with other vessels that they could not be known, but that they were all

now forthcoming. Such care God has of the living vessels of mercy, vesselsof honor, of whom it is said (2 Timothy 2:19,20), The Lord knows

those that are his, and they shall none of them perish. 2. Though they had been put into an idol's temple, and probably used in the service of

idols, yet they were given back, to be used for God. God will recover his own; and the spoil of the strong man armed shall be converted to the

use of the conqueror.”

3. Jamison, “Though it is said (2Ki 24:13) that these were cut in pieces, that would not be done to the large and magnificent vases; and, if


they had been divided, the parts could be reunited. But it may be doubtedwhether the Hebrew word rendered cut in pieces, does not signify

merely cut off, that is, from further use in the temple.”

8 Cyrus king of Persia had them brought by Mithredath the treasurer, who counted them out to Sheshbazzar the prince of Judah.

1. Henry, “Judah had a prince, even in captivity. Sheshbazzar, supposed to be the same with Zerubbabel, is here called prince of Judah; the

Chaldeans called him Sheshbazzar, which signifies joy in tribulation; but among his own people he went by the name of Zerubbabel--a

stranger in Babylon; so he looked upon himself, and considered Jerusalem his home, though, as Josephus says, he was captain of the life-

guard to the king of Babylon. He took care of the affairs of the Jews, and had some authority over them, probably from the death of

Jehoiachin, or Jeconiah, who made him his heir, he being of the house of David. 4. To him the sacred vessels were numbered out (Ezra 1:8),

and he took care for their safe conveyance to Jerusalem, Ezra 1:11. It would encourage them to build the temple that they had so much rich

furniture ready to put into it when it was built. Though God's ordinances,like the vessels of the sanctuary, may be corrupted and profaned by

the ew-Testament Babylon, they shall, in due time, be restored to their primitive use and intention; for not one jot or tittle of divine

institution shall fall to the ground.”


1B. “Or Mithridates, a name common with the Persians, from their god Mithras, the sun they worshiped:”

2. Clarke, “This was probably the Chaldean name of him who was originally called Zerubbabel: the former signifies joy in affliction; the

latter, a stranger in Babylon. The latter may be designed to refer to his captive state; the former, to the prospect of release. Some think this

was quite a different person, a Persian or Chaldean, sent by Cyrus to superintend whatever officers or men Cyrus might have sent to assist

the Jews on their return; and to procure them help in the Chaldean provinces, through which they might be obliged to travel.”

3. Jamison, “that is, Zerubbabel, son of Salathiel (compare Ezr 3:8; 5:16).He was born in Babylon, and called by his family Zerubbabel, that

is, stranger or exile in Babylon. Shesh-bazzar, signifying "fire-worshipper," was the name given him at court, as other names weregiven to

Daniel and his friends. He was recognized among the exiles as hereditary prince of Judah.”

4. Keil, “This officer counted them out to the prince of Judah Sheshbazzar, undoubtedly the Chaldee name of Zerubbabel. For, according to

Ezr_5:14, Ezr_5:16, ????????? was the governor (????) placed by Cyrus over the new community in Judah and Jerusalem, and who,


according to Ezr_1:11 of the present chapter, returned to Jerusalem at the head of those who departed from Babylon; while we are informed

(Ezr_2:2; Ezr_3:1, Ezr_3:8, and Ezr_4:3; Ezr_5:2) that Zerubbabel was not only at the head of the returning Jews, but also presided as

secular ruler over the settlement of the community in Judah and Jerusalem. The identity of Sheshbazzar with Zerubbabel, which has been

objected to by Schrader and öldeke, is placed beyond a doubt by a comparison of Ezr_5:16 with Ezr_3:8, etc., Ezr_5:2 : for in Ezr_5:16

Sheshbazzar is named as he who laid the foundation of the new temple in Jerusalem; and this, according to Ezr_5:2 and Ezr_3:8, was done

by Zerubbabel. The view, too, that Zerubbabel, besides this his Hebrew name, had, as the official of the Persian king, also a Chaldee name, is

in complete analogy with the case of Daniel and his three companions, who, on being taken into the service of the Babylonian king, received

Chaldee names (Dan_1:7). Zerubbabel, moreover, seems, even before his appointment of ???? to the Jewish community in Judah, to have

held some office in either the Babylonian or Persian Court or State; for Cyrus would hardly have entrusted this office to any private

individual among the Jews.”

9 This was the inventory: gold dishes 30 silver dishes 1,000 silver pans [b] 29


1. There is no certainty as to what all of these were used for, but it is obvious that some were for catching blood, and others for carrying away

ashes, and still others for holding parts of the sacrifice that would be offered and then later taken to the table to be eaten by the priest. Some

would also be used for the washing of the hands.

10 gold bowls 30 matching silver bowls 410 other articles 1,000

1. This comes to a total of 2499 articles in this verse, but the next verse bumps it up to 5400 that were turned over to Israel to take back to the

rebuilt temple in Jerusalem. If you had these gold and silver articles todayyou would be a very rich person. The difference is likely that the

ones here are all the large gold and silver items, and the larger number would be those things that are small and of far less value than the

major ones of this verse. These were items that would be visible, and the larger number of things would be put in boxes or drawers where they

would only be taken out when needed.

11 In all, there were 5,400 articles of gold and of silver. Sheshbazzar brought all these along when the exiles came up from Babylon to

Jerusalem.


1. Jamison, “All the Jewish exiles did not embrace the privilege which the Persian king granted them. The great proportion, born in Babylon,

preferred continuing in their comfortable homes to undertaking a distant,expensive, and hazardous journey to a desolate land. or did the

returning exiles all go at once. The first band went with Zerubbabel, others afterward with Ezra, and a large number with ehemiah at a still

later period.”

Cyrus continues to play a role in other chapters of Ezra. I will just list these other passages with a brief comment on some texts so it can be

seen what an impact Cyrus had on the future of Israel in their homeland.

Ezra 3:7, Then they gave money to the masons and carpenters, and gave food and drink and oil to the people of Sidon and Tyre, so that they

would bring cedar logs by sea from Lebanon to Joppa, as authorized by Cyrus king of Persia.

Cyrus knew where the best masons and carpenter were, and he authorized them to help build the temple in Jerusalem. These skilled people of


Tyre are used over and over again by God's people to do this kind of work. The Jews had much to thank Cyrus for in providing this help, for

had they done it on their own it never would have been accomplished. They had neither the resources nor the skilled labor to do it.

Ezra 4:3-5, But Zerubbabel, Jeshua and the rest of the heads of the families of Israel answered, "You have no part with us in building a

temple to our God. We alone will build it for the LORD, the God of Israel, as King Cyrus, the king of Persia, commanded us."

Enemies of the whole project tried to get in on the building of the temple, presumably to sabotage the building. The Jewish leaders were not

stupid, and the knew this would be a big mistake. They refused their help stating that Cyrus commended them to do the building. They had

their orders straight from the top, and they were not going to change them.

4 Then the peoples around them set out to discourage the people of Judahand make them afraid to go on building.

The opponents of the project became angry and pursued the strategy of discouraging the people by many comments on how slow it all was,

and what a sacrifice of time for such a futile goal. Plus they were threatening harm to those who persisted in the project. It was not a pleasant

situation. Some of the Jews probably felt it was too dangerous to go to work, and this slowed down the project even more.


5 They hired counselors to work against them and frustrate their plans during the entire reign of Cyrus king of Persia and down to the reign of

Darius king of Persia.

These enemies were persistent, and they even hired help to frustrate the Jews for many years. This slowed the progress so much that they

were not yet finished when Cyrus died, and this added a complication, forthe knowledge of why this project was authorized was no longer

common knowledge as it was in the day of Cyrus.

Ezra 5:13-17

13 "However, in the first year of Cyrus king of Babylon, King Cyrus issued a decree to rebuild this house of God.

14 He even removed from the temple [b] of Babylon the gold and silver articles of the house of God, which ebuchadnezzar had taken from

the temple in Jerusalem and brought to the temple [c] in Babylon. "Then King Cyrus gave them to a man named Sheshbazzar, whom he had

appointed governor,

15 and he told him, 'Take these articles and go and deposit them in the temple in Jerusalem. And rebuild the house of God on its site.'

16 So this Sheshbazzar came and laid the foundations of the house of God


in Jerusalem. From that day to the present it has been under

construction but is not yet finished."

17 ow if it pleases the king, let a search be made in the royal archives of Babylon to see if King Cyrus did in fact issue a decree to rebuild

this house of God in Jerusalem. Then let the king send us his decision in this matter.

Esra 6 The Decree of Darius 1 King Darius then issued an order, and they searched in the archives stored in the treasury at Babylon. Here we see the importance of record keeping, for had there been no copyof the command of Cyrus, the enemies of Israel could have

stopped the building of the temple.

2 A scroll was found in the citadel of Ecbatana in the province of Media, and this was written on it: Memorandum: 3 In the first year of King Cyrus, the king issued a decree concerning the temple of God in Jerusalem: Let the temple be rebuilt as a place to

present sacrifices, and let its foundations be laid. It is to be ninety feet [a] high and ninety feet wide, Here is new information that we did not have before. Cyrus not only commanded it to be build, but he had specific plans. 4 with three courses of large stones and one of timbers. The costs are to be


paid by the royal treasury. 5 Also, the gold and silver articles of the house of God, which ebuchadnezzar took from the temple in Jerusalem and brought to Babylon,

are to be returned to their places in the temple in Jerusalem; they are to be deposited in the house of God. 6 ow then, Tattenai, governor of Trans-Euphrates, and Shethar-Bozenaiand you, their fellow officials of that province, stay away from

there. Here is an official cease and desist from interfering with this project of the Jews. It is authorized by Cyrus himself, and no petty ruler is going

to go against that authority and live to tell about it. 7 Do not interfere with the work on this temple of God. Let the governor of the Jews and the Jewish elders rebuild this house of God on its

site. 8 Moreover, I hereby decree what you are to do for these elders of the Jews in the construction of this house of God: The expenses of these

men are to be fully paid out of the royal treasury, from the revenues of Trans-Euphrates, so that the work will not stop. 9 Whatever is needed—young bulls, rams, male lambs for burnt offerings to the God of heaven, and wheat, salt, wine and oil, as requested by

the priests in Jerusalem—must be given them daily without fail, 10 so that they may offer sacrifices pleasing to the God of heaven and pray for the well-being of the king and his sons. 11 Furthermore, I decree that if anyone changes this edict, a beam is to bepulled from his house and he is to be lifted up and impaled on it.


And for this crime his house is to be made a pile of rubble.

12 May God, who has caused his ame to dwell there, overthrow any king or people who lifts a hand to change this decree or to destroy this

temple in Jerusalem. I Darius have decreed it. Let it be carried out with diligence.Darius was in full conformity with the command of Cyrus, and he made ita federal crime to try and change his orders by one iota. This order

of Cyrus stands absolutely as the law of the land, and woe be to any who say it is old and outmoded law. It is as fresh as the blood that will

from your body if you try to defy it.

Completion and Dedication of the Temple 13 Then, because of the decree King Darius had sent, Tattenai, governor of Trans-Euphrates, and Shethar-Bozenai and their associates

carried it out with diligence. 14 So the elders of the Jews continued to build and prosper under the preaching of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah, a descendant of Iddo.

They finished building the temple according to the command of the God of Israel and the decrees of Cyrus, Darius and Artaxerxes, kings of

Persia. 15 The temple was completed on the third day of the month Adar, in the sixth year of the reign of King Darius. 16 Then the people of Israel—the priests, the Levites and the rest of the exiles—celebrated the dedication of the house of God with joy. 17 For the dedication of this house of God they offered a hundred bulls, two hundred rams, four hundred male lambs and, as a sin offering for


all Israel, twelve male goats, one for each of the tribes of Israel. 18 And they installed the priests in their divisions and the Levites in their groups for the service of God at Jerusalem, according to what is

written in the Book of Moses.

The Passover

19 On the fourteenth day of the first month, the exiles celebrated the Passover. 20 The priests and Levites had purified themselves and were all ceremonially clean. The Levites slaughtered the Passover lamb for all the

exiles, for their brothers the priests and for themselves. 21 So the Israelites who had returned from the exile ate it, together with all who had separated themselves from the unclean practices of their

Gentile neighbors in order to seek the LORD, the God of Israel. 22 For seven days they celebrated with joy the Feast of Unleavened Bread, because the LORD had filled them with joy by changing the

attitude of the king of Assyria, so that he assisted them in the work on the house of God, the God of Israel.

CO CLUSIO

God used other pagans in the Bible to achieve his purpose, but none can match Cyrus the Great. He was given titles that none other was

given, and he had more power to change the history of God's people thanany other. He was not only great in the eyes of the world as a world


conqueror, but great in the eyes of God as a unique servant of God's plan for his people. His decree to set Israel free to return to Israel and to

rebuild the city and temple takes up more space in the Word of God than any other act of a pagan ruler. Cyrus was indeed the greatest pagan

in the Bible.

cyrus the great in ezra

Spiritual