Bible Verses About Cyrus

Now in the first year of Koresh king of Persia, so that the word of ADONAI spoken by Yirmeyahu might be fulfilled, ADONAI activated the spirit of Koresh king of Persia to proclaim throughout his entire kingdom, and put in writing as well:

"Here is what Koresh king of Persia says: ADONAI, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms on earth, and he has charged me to build him a house in Yerushalayim, in Y'hudah. Whoever there is among you of all his people, may ADONAI his God be with him! He may go up . . . ."

In the first year of Koresh king of Persia, in order for the word of ADONAI prophesied by Yirmeyahu to be fulfilled, ADONAI stirred up the spirit of Koresh king of Persia to make a proclamation throughout his whole kingdom, which he also put in writing, as follows:

"Here is what Koresh king of Persia says: ADONAI, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms on earth; and he has charged me to build him a house in Yerushalayim, in Y'hudah.

Whoever there is among you of all his people, may his God be with him! He may go up to Yerushalayim, in Y'hudah, and build the house of ADONAI the God of Isra'el, the God who is in Yerushalayim.

Let every survivor, no matter where he lives, be helped by his neighbors with silver, gold, goods and animals, in addition to the voluntary offering for the house of God in Yerushalayim."

The heads of fathers' clans in Y'hudah and Binyamin, along with the cohanim, the L'vi'im, and indeed all whose spirit God had stirred, set out to go up and rebuild the house of ADONAI in Yerushalayim.

All their neighbors supported them by giving them articles of silver, gold, goods, animals, and valuables, besides all their voluntary offerings.

In addition, Koresh the king brought out the vessels from the house of ADONAI which N'vukhadnetzar had taken from Yerushalayim and put in the house of his god.

Koresh king of Persia had Mitr'dat the treasurer bring them out and make an inventory of them for Sheshbatzar the prince of Y'hudah.

The list was as follows: Gold basins 30 Silver basins 1,000 Knives 29

Gold bowls 30 Silver bowls of a different kind 410 Other vessels 1,000

In all there were 5,400 articles of gold and silver. Sheshbatzar took all of them along when the exiles were brought up from Bavel to Yerushalayim.

But in the first year of Koresh king of Bavel, Koresh the king gave authorization to rebuild this house of God.

Moreover, the gold and silver articles belonging to the house of God, which N'vukhadnetzar had removed from the temple in Yerushalayim and brought to the temple of Bavel, Koresh the king took out of the temple in Bavel; they were turned over to a man named Sheshbatzar, whom he had appointed governor.

I will stir up against them the Medes, who cannot be tempted by silver or bought off with gold.

Their bows will tear young men to pieces, they will have no pity on the fruit of the womb, their eye will not spare children."

Thus Bavel, that jewel of kingdoms, the pride and glory of the Kasdim, will be like S'dom and 'Amora when overthrown by God.

It will never again be inhabited, never lived in through all generations. Arabs will not pitch tents there nor shepherds bring their flocks.

But wildcats will lie there, their houses will be full of owls, ostriches will live there, and wild goats will dance there.

Jackals will howl in their palaces and wild dogs in their temples of delight. Its time is close at hand, its days will not last long.

Thus says ADONAI to Koresh, his anointed, whose right hand he has grasped, so that he subdues nations before him and strips kings of their robes, so that doors open in front of him, and no gates are barred:

"I will go ahead of you, levelling the hills, shattering the bronze gates, smashing the iron bars.

I will give you treasures hoarded in the dark, secret riches hidden away, so that you will know that I, ADONAI, calling you by your name, am the God of Isra'el.

It is for the sake of Ya'akov my servant, yes, for Isra'el my elect, that I call you by your name and give you a title, although you don't know me.