Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, All the kingdoms of the earth hath the LORD God of heaven given me; and he hath charged me to build him an house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Who is there among you of all his people? The LORD his God be with him, and let him go up.
This is what Cyrus, king of Persia, says: 'The LORD God of heaven has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has given me the responsibility to build him a temple in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Who among you belongs to his people? May the LORD his God be with him, and let him go up there.'
King Cyrus is announcing that God has commanded him to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem and is giving permission for God's people to return home to do this work.
📚 Historical Context
This proclamation came around 538 BC when the Persian king Cyrus conquered Babylon and issued a decree allowing the Jewish exiles to return to their homeland after 70 years of captivity. Cyrus was known for his policy of religious tolerance and allowing displaced peoples to return to their native lands. This marked the beginning of the restoration period when the Jews could rebuild Jerusalem and the temple that had been destroyed by the Babylonians.
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