Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD spoken by the mouth of Jeremiah might be accomplished, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying,
In the first year that Cyrus was king of Persia, the LORD wanted to fulfill what He had promised through the prophet Jeremiah. So the LORD moved Cyrus's heart to make an announcement throughout his entire kingdom, and he also put this announcement in writing, saying:
God is showing His faithfulness by moving the heart of a foreign king to fulfill His promises that were spoken through the prophet Jeremiah.
📚 Historical Context
This verse marks the end of the 70-year Babylonian exile that began when Jerusalem was destroyed in 586 BC. Cyrus the Great of Persia had conquered Babylon in 539 BC and was known for his policy of allowing conquered peoples to return to their homelands and rebuild their temples. The prophet Jeremiah had earlier prophesied that the exile would last 70 years, and God was now fulfilling that promise through this pagan king.
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