In the first year of Cyrus the king the same Cyrus the king made a decree concerning the house of God at Jerusalem, Let the house be builded, the place where they offered sacrifices, and let the foundations thereof be strongly laid; the height thereof threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof threescore cubits;
In the first year of King Cyrus's reign, that same King Cyrus made an official order about God's temple in Jerusalem: 'Let the temple be built in the place where they used to offer sacrifices, and let its foundation be laid strong and solid. Let it be sixty cubits high and sixty cubits wide.'
This verse records King Cyrus's official decree authorizing the Jewish people to rebuild God's temple in Jerusalem with specific dimensions and a strong foundation.
📚 Historical Context
This decree was issued around 538 BC by Cyrus the Great of Persia after he conquered Babylon. The Jewish people had been in exile for about 70 years, and their temple in Jerusalem had been destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 BC. Cyrus was known for allowing conquered peoples to return to their homelands and rebuild their religious sites.
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