1:1 Now in the {a} first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the {b} mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the {c} spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and [put it] also in writing, saying,(a) After he and Darius had won Babylon.(b) Who promised deliverance to them after 70 years were past, Jeremiah 25:12.(c) That is, moved him and gave him heart. read more
THE CAPTIVES OF JUDAH LIBERATED (vv. 1-11) When the Medes and Persians defeated Babylon, Darius the Mede was ruler, and not until Cyrus the Persian took the throne was liberty proclaimed to Judah. This was God's time, as He had foretold by Jeremiah (Jeremiah 25:12) and Isaiah (Isaiah 44:28). The proclamation of Cyrus is definite and specific, that he was persuaded that the Lord God of heaven had commanded him to build a house at Jerusalem. It seems rather strange that a Gentile king would be... read more
BACK TO THE HOMELAND CYRUS’ PROCLAMATION (Ezra 1:0 ) Babylon has had its days, and with its downfall has come that of the Assyrian Empire. The Medes and Persians, with Cyrus at their head, are now in power, and in the providence of God, Daniel, the Jewish prophet and statesman, has influence at this court, as in that of Nebuchadnezzar. By a study of the earlier prophets, especially Jeremiah, he has become aware that the time is nigh for the captivity of Judah to end and his people to... read more
Chapter 1 1. Now [And] in the first year of Cyrus [in Babylon] king of Persia [Cyrus became king 559 b.c.], that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah [whose writings Daniel consulted] might be fulfilled, the Lord stirred up [probably through the instrumentality of Daniel] the spirit of Cyrus [so named by God more than a hundred years before he was born ( Isa 44:28 )] king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying, 2. Thus... read more
CONTENTS The book of Ezra, from the commencement of it to the conclusion, contains a very interesting record in the history of the church. It opens with the proclamation of Cyrus, king of Persia, to permit the Jews to return from their captivity in Babylon to Jerusalem. Here is an account of the return of certain of the people. The rebuilding of the temple; and the vessels of the temple, carried away in the captivity, brought back and restored. Ezra 1:1 This first year of Cyrus was immediately... read more
In. Hebrew, "And (Calmet) or But in, " as [in] 2 Paralipomenon xxxvi. 22. (Haydock) --- Thus the historical works are connected. Spinosa infers, from this book being inserted after Daniel in the Hebrew Bible, that the same author wrote both. But the order of the books in the Septuagint and Vulgate is far more natural, (Calmet) and this has often varied in Hebrew, &c. (Kennicott) See 2 Paralipomenon xxxvi. 23. (Haydock) --- First. The design was only put in execution the following year.... read more
1-4 The Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus. The hearts of kings are in the hand of the Lord. God governs the world by his influence on the spirits of men; whatever good they do, God stirs up their spirits to do it. It was during the captivity of the Jews, that God principally employed them as the means of calling the attention of the heathen to him. Cyrus took it for granted, that those among the Jews who were able, would offer free-will offerings for the house of God. He would also have them... read more
Ezra 1 THE CLOSING VISION, granted to the prophet Daniel, was given to him in the third year of Cyrus, king of Persia. If now we open our Bibles at the book of Ezra, we are carried back to the first year of that great monarch, whom the prophet Isaiah mentioned by name some two centuries before he ascended the throne. If we turn to Isa_44:28 , we read the prediction of what he would do. Ezr_1:2 records his doing what Isaiah foretold. The opening verse of the chapter refers to the prophecy of... read more
The Proclamation of Cyrus v. 1. Now, in the first year of Cyrus, king of Persia, after the conquest of the Babylonian empire, the new empire, including Persia, Media, Babylonia, and Chaldea, having been founded in 536 B. C. that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, Jeremiah 25:12-1 Chronicles :, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus, king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, by having special couriers cry out the message, and put... read more
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Arno Gaebelein's Annotated Bible - Ezra 1:1-11
Analysis and Annotations I. THE RETURN UNDER ZERUBBABEL AND THE REBUILDING OF THE TEMPLE CHAPTER 1 1. The proclamation of Cyrus (Ezra 1:1-4 ) 2. The response of the chiefs of Judah and Benjamin (Ezra 1:5-6 ) 3. The vessels of the house of the LORD restored (Ezra 1:7-11 ) Ezra 1:1-4 . Cyrus (meaning “the Sun”) the King of Persia was, according to ancient historians, the son of Cambyses, Prince of Persia, and Mandam, daughter of Astyages, King of the Median Empire. The theory that he was... read more