John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 1:1
Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia ,.... Not in the first of his reign over Persia, for he had been many years king over that, and now had all the kingdoms of the earth given him, Ezra 1:2 , but over Babylon, and the dominions belonging to it, which commenced with Darius upon the taking of Babylon; he reigned in all thirty years, as Cicero F7 De Divinatione, l. 1. from a Persian writer relates; or twenty nine, according to Herodotus F8 Clio, sive, l. 1. c. 214. ; but... read more
Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Ezra 1:1-4
It will be proper for us here to consider, 1. What was the state of the captive Jews in Babylon. It was upon many accounts very deplorable; they were under the power of those that hated them, had nothing they could call their own; they had no temple, no altar; if they sang psalms, their enemies ridiculed them; and yet they had prophets among them. Ezekiel and Daniel were kept distinct from the heathen. Some of them were preferred at court, others had comfortable settlements in the country, and... read more