Ezra1

In the first year of Cyrus, king of Persia, the LORD stirred his spirit to fulfill Jeremiah's prophecy, prompting him to issue a proclamation. This decree permitted the Jews to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple, encouraging others to provide aid. Consequently, the leaders of Judah and Benjamin, priests, and Levites prepared to depart, receiving substantial support and the return of sacred temple vessels from Cyrus.
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Cyrus' Proclamation to Rebuild the Temple

1
Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, 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, ​
2
Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, The LORD God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and he hath charged me to build him an house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. ​
3
Who is there among you of all his people? his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and build the house of the LORD God of Israel, (he is the God,) which is in Jerusalem. ​
4
And whosoever remaineth in any place where he sojourneth, let the men of his place help him with silver, and with gold, and with goods, and with beasts, beside the freewill offering for the house of God that is in Jerusalem. ​

The Exiles Prepare to Return

5
Then rose up the chief of the fathers of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests, and the Levites, with all them whose spirit God had raised, to go up to build the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem. ​
6
And all they that were about them strengthened their hands with vessels of silver, with gold, with goods, and with beasts, and with precious things, beside all that was willingly offered.

The Restoration of the Temple Vessels

7
Also Cyrus the king brought forth the vessels of the house of the LORD, which Nebuchadnezzar had brought forth out of Jerusalem, and had put them in the house of his gods; ​
8
Even those did Cyrus king of Persia bring forth by the hand of Mithredath the treasurer, and numbered them unto Sheshbazzar, the prince of Judah. ​
9
And this is the number of them: thirty chargers of gold, a thousand chargers of silver, nine and twenty knives,
10
Thirty basons of gold, silver basons of a second sort four hundred and ten, and other vessels a thousand.
11
All the vessels of gold and of silver were five thousand and four hundred. All these did Sheshbazzar bring up with them of the captivity that were brought up from Babylon unto Jerusalem. ​

Study Notes for Ezra 1

Verse 1

This verse establishes God's sovereign control over world history. The seventy-year Babylonian exile (c. 605–536 BC) was ending exactly as predicted by the prophet Jeremiah (Jer. 29:10), demonstrating that the LORD uses even pagan kings (like Cyrus) to fulfill his covenant promises.

Verse 2

Cyrus' decree acknowledges 'the LORD God of heaven,' a standard title used by the Jews. While Cyrus was a polytheist, the language here likely reflects either the influence of Jewish advisors (like Daniel) or a diplomatic recognition of the God of the people he was addressing.

Verse 3

The specific command to 'go up' (a technical term for traveling to Jerusalem) and 'build the house' highlights the priority of restoring the covenant community's relationship with God, centered geographically in Jerusalem.

Verse 4

This mandate ensures the returnees are not impoverished upon arrival and mirrors the support given to the Israelites when they left Egypt (Exod. 12:35-36). The required financial aid shows that the rebuilding was a joint effort between those returning and those remaining.

Verse 5

The response is not merely human initiative but divine intervention. God 'stirred up the spirit' of the leaders and the people, mirroring how he stirred Cyrus (v. 1), emphasizing that the success of the return depended entirely on God’s active involvement.

Verse 7

The return of the sacred vessels, which Nebuchadnezzar had desecrated and displayed as trophies of Babylonian dominance (2 Kings 25:13-17), symbolizes the reversal of the exile and the restoration of God's honor over the gods of Babylon.

Verse 8

Sheshbazzar is identified as the 'prince of Judah' and the initial leader of the first wave of returnees. He was appointed by Cyrus to oversee the journey and the transfer of the valuables, serving as the first governor.

Verse 11

The meticulous counting and return of the 5,400 vessels validated the legitimacy of the returning community and ensured the continuity of proper Temple worship rituals, reinforcing God’s faithfulness to his people.

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