2 Chronicles 36:22-23
Christian Standard Bible
The Decree of Cyrus
22 In the first year of King Cyrus of Persia,(A) in order to fulfill the word of the Lord spoken through[a] Jeremiah,(B) the Lord roused the spirit of King Cyrus(C) of Persia to issue a proclamation throughout his entire kingdom and also to put it in writing:
23 This is what King Cyrus of Persia says: The Lord, the God of the heavens, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and has appointed me to build him a temple at Jerusalem in Judah. Any of his people among you may go up, and may the Lord his God be with him.
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- 36:22 Lit Lord by the mouth of
2 Chronicles 36:22-23
New English Translation
Cyrus Allows the Exiles to Go Home
22 In the first year[a] of King Cyrus of Persia, in fulfillment of the Lord’s message spoken through Jeremiah,[b] the Lord motivated[c] King Cyrus of Persia to issue a proclamation[d] throughout his kingdom and also to put it in writing. It read:
23 “This is what King Cyrus of Persia says:
‘The Lord God of heaven has given me all the kingdoms of the earth. He has appointed me to build a temple for him in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Anyone of his people among you may go up there, and may the Lord his God be with him.”
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- 2 Chronicles 36:22 sn The first year of Cyrus would be ca. 539 b.c. Cyrus reigned in Persia from ca. 539-530 b.c.
- 2 Chronicles 36:22 tn Heb “by the mouth of Jeremiah.”sn See Jer 25:11; 29:10.
- 2 Chronicles 36:22 tn Heb “stirred the spirit of.” The Hebrew noun רוּחַ (ruakh, “spirit”) has a broad range of meanings (see BDB 924-26 s.v.). Here, it probably refers to (1) “mind” as the seat of mental acts (e.g., Exod 28:3; Deut 34:9; Isa 29:24; 40:13; Ezek 11:5; 20:32; 1 Chr 28:12; cf. BDB 925 s.v. 6) or (2) “will” as the seat of volitional decisions (e.g., Exod 35:5, 22; Pss 51:12, 14; 57:8; 2 Chr 29:31; cf. BDB 925 s.v. 7). So also in Ezra 1:5. The entire phrase “stirred the spirit” has been rendered as “motivated” to better reflect normal English.
- 2 Chronicles 36:22 tn Heb “a voice.” The Hebrew noun קוֹל (qol, “voice, sound”) has a broad range of meanings, including the metonymical (cause—effect) nuance “proclamation” (e.g., Exod 36:6; 2 Chr 24:9; 30:5; 36:22; Ezra 1:1; 10:7; Neh 8:15). See BDB 877 s.v. 3.a.2.
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