Ezra 5:13 Made Simple

KJV ORIGINAL

But in the first year of Cyrus the king of Babylon the same king Cyrus made a decree to build this house of God.

Close to the original. Clear modern English.

✦ MADE SIMPLE

But in the first year when Cyrus was king of Babylon, this same King Cyrus made an official order to rebuild this house of God.

⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE

The writer is explaining that King Cyrus officially commanded the rebuilding of God's temple in Jerusalem during his first year as ruler.

📚 Historical Context

In the 6th century BC, the Jewish people had been exiled to Babylon after the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians, marking a period of captivity and loss of their homeland. King Cyrus of Persia conquered Babylon and, in his first year of rule around 539 BC, issued a decree allowing the exiled Jews to return to Jerusalem and rebuild their Temple, as recorded in the biblical narrative of Ezra. This event fulfilled prophecies from Isaiah and demonstrated God's use of foreign rulers to restore His people.

Explore Similar Verses

Zechariah 5:11

He told me, 'They're building a temple for it in Babylon, and once it's finished, they'll set it up there on its own foundation.'

Jeremiah 51:9

We tried to help Babylon get better, but she refused to heal. Time to walk away and go back to where we came from, her consequences have stacked up so high they're literally touching the sky.

Jeremiah 51:12

Raise the battle flag on Babylon's walls, strengthen the guard, post the lookouts, get the ambush ready, because God has planned this takedown and he's following through on everything he promised would happen to the people of Babylon.

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