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Ezra 1

Cyrus sends the Jews back to Jerusalem

1 In the first year that Cyrus, king of Persia, was ruling Babylon, the Lord put a thought in his mind. [ a ] King Cyrus decided to send a message to everybody who lived in his kingdom. His message would cause what God had already spoken to his prophet Jeremiah to become true. [ b ] The message was written down and people took it all over Cyrus's kingdom. It said:

2 ‘This is what Cyrus, the king of Persia says:

The Lord , the God of heaven, has given me power over all the kingdoms of the earth. He has said that I must build a temple for him in Jerusalem, the city that is in Judah. [ c ] 3 Any of God's people who live among you may now return to Jerusalem. I pray that their God will be with them. They must build a temple there for the Lord , Israel's God. He is the God whose home is in Jerusalem. 4 In places where there are some Israelites who want to return, their neighbours must help them with gifts. They should give them silver, gold and other things for their journey. They should also give them animals. They may also give them special gifts for God's temple that is in Jerusalem.’

5 Then the leaders of the families of Judah and Benjamin prepared to return to Jerusalem. The priests and the Levites also prepared to go. God had put a thought in the minds of all those people that they should go. So they prepared everything that they needed to go and build the Lord 's temple in Jerusalem. 6 Their neighbours gave them silver things, gold things and other valuable gifts, as well as animals. They also gave them offerings for the temple.

7 Then King Cyrus brought the valuable things that King Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the Lord 's temple in Jerusalem. [ d ] Nebuchadnezzar had taken them from Jerusalem and brought them to Babylon. He had put them in the temple of his own gods. 8 Cyrus told his officer, Mithredath, to count all the valuable things. Mithredath was the officer who took care of all Persia's riches. As he counted the things, he gave them to Sheshbazzar, the leader of Judah's people.

9 They counted the things and they made this list:

30 gold dishes.

1,000 silver dishes.

29 special tools.

10 30 gold bowls.

410 silver bowls.

1,000 other things.

11 There were 5,400 things made from gold and silver. Sheshbazzar took them all with him when he left Babylon to return to Jerusalem with the other exiles.

Footnotes

  1. 1:1 When we write Lord like this, it is a special name for God. Sometimes people write it as ‘Yahweh’, or as ‘Jehovah’. It is his own name that he told Moses. See Exodus 3:14 . It means ‘I am who I am’. This shows that God has always been there and he always will be there.
  2. 1:1 See Jeremiah 29:10
  3. 1:2 Judah was the most important Israelite tribe.
  4. 1:7 See Daniel 1:1-2 .

Cyrus Helps the Prisoners Return

1 During the first year [ a ] that Cyrus was king of Persia, the Lord caused him to make an announcement. It was written down, and Cyrus ordered that it be read throughout his kingdom. This was done so that what the Lord had told Jeremiah [ b ] years before would now happen. This was the announcement:

2 From King Cyrus of Persia:

The Lord , the God of heaven, gave all the kingdoms on earth to me. And he chose me to build a temple for him at Jerusalem in the country of Judah. 3 If any of God’s people are living among you, I pray God will bless them. You must let them go to Jerusalem in the country of Judah. You must let them go build the Temple of the Lord , the God of Israel, the God who is in Jerusalem. 4 And so in any place where there might be survivors of Israel, the men in that place must support these survivors. Give them silver, gold, animals, and other things. Give them gifts for God’s Temple in Jerusalem.

5 So the family leaders from the tribes of Judah and Benjamin prepared to go up to Jerusalem. They were going to Jerusalem to build the Lord ’s Temple. Also everyone who God had encouraged prepared to go to Jerusalem. 6 All their neighbors gave them many gifts. They gave them silver, gold, animals, and other expensive things. Their neighbors freely gave them all those things. 7 Also, King Cyrus brought out the things that belonged in the Lord ’s Temple that Nebuchadnezzar had taken away from Jerusalem. He had put them in his temple where he kept his false gods. 8 King Cyrus of Persia told Mithredath, the man who keeps his money, to bring those things out. So Mithredath brought them out to Sheshbazzar, the leader of Judah.

9 This is what Mithredath brought out of the Lord’s Temple: 30 gold dishes, 1000 silver dishes, 29 knives and pans, 10 30 gold bowls, 410 silver bowls similar to the gold bowls, and 1000 other dishes.

11 All together, there were 5400 things made from gold and silver. Sheshbazzar brought them all with him when the prisoners left Babylon and went back to Jerusalem.

Footnotes

  1. Ezra 1:1 first year That is, 538 B.C.
  2. Ezra 1:1 what the Lord had told Jeremiah See Jer. 25:12-14.

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.

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.

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.

Cyrus’ Proclamation

1 ( A ) Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he ( B ) sent a proclamation throughout his kingdom, and also put it in writing, saying:

2 “This is what Cyrus king of Persia says: ‘The Lord , the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and ( C ) He has appointed me to rebuild for Him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. 3 Whoever there is among you of all His people, may his God be with him! [ a ] Go up to Jerusalem which is in Judah and rebuild the house of the Lord , the God of Israel; ( D ) He is the God who is in Jerusalem. 4 And every survivor, at whatever place he may [ b ] live, the people of [ c ] that place are to support him with silver and gold, with equipment and cattle, together with a [ d ] voluntary offering for the house of God which is in Jerusalem.’”

Holy Vessels Restored

5 Then the heads of fathers’ households of Judah and Benjamin and the priests and the Levites rose up, ( E ) everyone whose spirit God had stirred to go up to rebuild the house of the Lord which is in Jerusalem. 6 And all of those around them [ e ] ( F ) encouraged them with articles of silver, with gold, with equipment, cattle, and with valuables, aside from everything that was given as a [ f ] voluntary offering. 7 ( G ) Also King Cyrus brought out the articles of the house of the Lord , ( H ) which Nebuchadnezzar had carried away from Jerusalem and put in the house of his gods; 8 and Cyrus, king of Persia, had them brought out by the hand of Mithredath the treasurer, and he counted them out to ( I ) Sheshbazzar, the leader of Judah. 9 Now this was their number: thirty ( J ) gold dishes, a thousand silver dishes, twenty nine [ g ] duplicates; 10 thirty gold bowls, 410 silver bowls of a second kind, and a thousand other articles. 11 All the articles of gold and silver totaled 5,400. Sheshbazzar brought them all up with the exiles who went up from Babylon to Jerusalem.

Footnotes

  1. Ezra 1:3 Lit he is to go up
  2. Ezra 1:4 Or reside as a stranger
  3. Ezra 1:4 Lit his
  4. Ezra 1:4 Or freewill offering
  5. Ezra 1:6 Lit strengthened their hands
  6. Ezra 1:6 Or freewill offering
  7. Ezra 1:9 Heb obscure; other possible meanings are knives, censers

Cyrus Helps the Exiles to Return ( A )

1 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:

2 “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. 3 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. 4 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 )

5 Then the family heads of Judah and Benjamin, ( K ) and the priests and Levites—everyone whose heart God had moved ( L ) —prepared to go up and build the house ( M ) of the Lord in Jerusalem. 6 All their neighbors assisted them with articles of silver and gold, ( N ) with goods and livestock, and with valuable gifts, in addition to all the freewill offerings.

7 Moreover, King Cyrus brought out the articles belonging to the temple of the Lord , which Nebuchadnezzar had carried away from Jerusalem and had placed in the temple of his god. [ a ] ( O ) 8 Cyrus king of Persia had them brought by Mithredath the treasurer, who counted them out to Sheshbazzar ( P ) the prince of Judah.

9 This was the inventory:

gold dishes 30
silver dishes 1,000
silver pans [ b ] 29
10 gold bowls 30
matching silver bowls 410
other articles 1,000

11 In all, there were 5,400 articles of gold and of silver. Sheshbazzar brought all these along with the exiles when they came up from Babylon to Jerusalem.

Footnotes

  1. Ezra 1:7 Or gods
  2. Ezra 1:9 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
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