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The Return from Exile(A)

22 In the first year Cyrus was king of Persia [539–38 bc], the Lord ·had Cyrus [L stirred the heart/spirit of Cyrus to] send an ·announcement to [decree/proclamation throughout] his whole kingdom. This happened ·so the Lord’s message spoken by Jeremiah would come true [to fulfill the word of the Lord in the mouth of Jeremiah]. He wrote:

23 ·This is what Cyrus king of Persia says [T Thus says Cyrus king of Persia]:

The Lord, the God of ·heaven [the heavens], has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has appointed me to build a ·Temple [L house] for him at Jerusalem in Judah. Now may the Lord your God ·be with [accompany; fill] all of you who are his people. You are free to go [C back to Jerusalem at the end of the exile; Ezra 1].

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22 In the first year of Cyrus(A) 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 also 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(B) me to build a temple for him at Jerusalem in Judah. Any of his people among you may go up, and may the Lord their God be with them.’”

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Cyrus Helps the Captives Return

In the first year Cyrus was king of Persia [C 539 bc], the Lord ·caused [L stirred up the spirit of] Cyrus to send an announcement to his whole kingdom and to put it in writing. This happened so the Lord’s ·message [prophecy; L word] ·spoken by [L by the mouth of] Jeremiah would ·come true [be fulfilled]. He wrote:

This is what Cyrus king of Persia says:

The Lord, the God of heaven, has given all the kingdoms of the earth to me, and he has ·appointed [instructed; charged] me to build a ·Temple [L house] for him at Jerusalem in Judah. May God be with all ·of [among] you who are his people. You ·are free to [may] go to Jerusalem in Judah and ·build [or rebuild] the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord, the God of Israel, [L he is the God] who is in Jerusalem. Those who ·stay behind [L survive], ·wherever they live [in those places; C referring to the Jews remaining in exile, to the Jewish remnant who remained in Israel during the exile, or to their non-Jewish neighbors], ·should [must] ·support [help; assist; provide for] those who want to go. Give them silver and gold, ·supplies [goods] and ·cattle [livestock], and ·special gifts [voluntary/freewill offerings] for the ·Temple [L house] of God in Jerusalem.

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Cyrus Helps the Exiles to Return(A)

In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the Lord spoken by Jeremiah,(B) the Lord moved the heart(C) of Cyrus king of Persia to make a proclamation throughout his realm and also to put it in writing:

“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(D) me to build(E) a temple for him at Jerusalem in Judah. Any of his people among you may go up to Jerusalem in Judah and build the temple of the Lord, the God of Israel, the God who is in Jerusalem, and may their God be with them. And in any locality where survivors(F) may now be living, the people are to provide them with silver and gold,(G) with goods and livestock, and with freewill offerings(H) for the temple of God(I) in Jerusalem.’”(J)

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