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Ezra 1:1-4
English Standard Version
Ezra 1:1-4
English Standard Version
The Proclamation of Cyrus
1 (A)In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, (B)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, so (C)that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom and also put it in writing:
2 “Thus says Cyrus king of Persia: The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and (D)he has charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. 3 Whoever is among you of all his people, may his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and rebuild the house of the Lord, the God of Israel—(E)he is the God who is in Jerusalem. 4 And let each survivor, in whatever place he sojourns, be assisted by the men of his place with silver and gold, with goods and with beasts, besides freewill offerings for the house of God that is in Jerusalem.”
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Ezra 1:1-4
New International Version
Ezra 1:1-4
New International Version
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)
Ezra 5:12-6:5
English Standard Version
Ezra 5:12-6:5
English Standard Version
12 (A)But because our fathers had angered the God of heaven, he (B)gave them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, the Chaldean, who destroyed this house and carried away the people to Babylonia. 13 (C)However, in the first year of Cyrus king of Babylon, Cyrus the king made a decree that this house of God should be rebuilt. 14 (D)And the gold and silver vessels of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple that was in Jerusalem and brought into the temple of Babylon, these Cyrus the king took out of the temple of Babylon, and they were delivered to one whose name was (E)Sheshbazzar, whom he had made governor; 15 and he said to him, “Take these vessels, go and put them in the temple that is in Jerusalem, and let the house of God be rebuilt on its site.” 16 Then this (F)Sheshbazzar came and (G)laid the foundations of the house of God that is in Jerusalem, and from that time until now it has been in building, and it is (H)not yet finished.’ 17 Therefore, if it seems good to the king, (I)let search be made in the royal archives there in Babylon, to see whether a decree was issued by Cyrus the king for the rebuilding of this house of God in Jerusalem. And let the king send us his pleasure in this matter.”
The Decree of Darius
6 Then Darius the king made a decree, and (J)search was made in Babylonia, in the house of the archives where the documents were stored. 2 And in Ecbatana, the citadel that is (K)in the province of Media, a scroll was found on which this was written: “A record. 3 In the first year of Cyrus the king, Cyrus the king issued a decree: Concerning the house of God at Jerusalem, let the house be rebuilt, the place where sacrifices were offered, and let its foundations be retained. Its height shall be sixty cubits[a] and its breadth sixty cubits, 4 (L)with three layers of great stones and one layer of timber. Let the cost be paid from the royal treasury. 5 And also (M)let the gold and silver vessels of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took out of the temple that is in Jerusalem and brought to Babylon, be restored and brought back to the temple that is in Jerusalem, each to its place. You shall put them in the house of God.”
Footnotes
- Ezra 6:3 A cubit was about 18 inches or 45 centimeters
Ezra 5:12-6:5
New International Version
Ezra 5:12-6:5
New International Version
12 But because our ancestors angered(A) the God of heaven, he gave them into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar the Chaldean, king of Babylon, who destroyed this temple and deported the people to Babylon.(B)
13 “However, in the first year of Cyrus king of Babylon, King Cyrus issued a decree(C) to rebuild this house of God. 14 He even removed from the temple[a] of Babylon the gold and silver articles of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple in Jerusalem and brought to the temple[b] in Babylon.(D) Then King Cyrus gave them to a man named Sheshbazzar,(E) whom he had appointed governor, 15 and he told him, ‘Take these articles and go and deposit them in the temple in Jerusalem. And rebuild the house of God on its site.’
16 “So this Sheshbazzar came and laid the foundations of the house of God(F) in Jerusalem. From that day to the present it has been under construction but is not yet finished.”
17 Now if it pleases the king, let a search be made in the royal archives(G) of Babylon to see if King Cyrus did in fact issue a decree to rebuild this house of God in Jerusalem. Then let the king send us his decision in this matter.
The Decree of Darius
6 King Darius then issued an order, and they searched in the archives(H) stored in the treasury at Babylon. 2 A scroll was found in the citadel of Ecbatana in the province of Media, and this was written on it:
Memorandum:
3 In the first year of King Cyrus, the king issued a decree concerning the temple of God in Jerusalem:
Let the temple be rebuilt as a place to present sacrifices, and let its foundations be laid.(I) It is to be sixty cubits[c] high and sixty cubits wide, 4 with three courses(J) of large stones and one of timbers. The costs are to be paid by the royal treasury.(K) 5 Also, the gold(L) and silver articles of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took from the temple in Jerusalem and brought to Babylon, are to be returned to their places in the temple in Jerusalem; they are to be deposited in the house of God.(M)
Isaiah 44:28-45:6
English Standard Version
Isaiah 44:28-45:6
English Standard Version
28 who says of (A)Cyrus, ‘He is (B)my shepherd,
and he shall fulfill all my purpose’;
saying of Jerusalem, ‘She shall be built,’
(C)and of the temple, ‘Your foundation shall be laid.’”
Cyrus, God's Instrument
45 Thus says the Lord to (D)his anointed, to Cyrus,
(E)whose right hand I have grasped,
to subdue nations before him
and (F)to loose the belts of kings,
to open doors before him
that gates may not be closed:
2 “I will go before you
and (G)level the exalted places,[a]
(H)I will break in pieces the doors of bronze
and cut through the bars of iron,
3 (I)I will give you the treasures of darkness
and the hoards in secret places,
that you may know that it is I, the Lord,
the God of Israel, (J)who call you by your name.
4 For the sake of my servant Jacob,
and Israel my chosen,
(K)I call you by your name,
(L)I name you, though you do not know me.
5 (M)I am the Lord, and there is no other,
besides me there is no God;
(N)I equip you, though you do not know me,
6 (O)that people may know, from the rising of the sun
and from the west, that there is none besides me;
I am the Lord, and there is no other.
Footnotes
- Isaiah 45:2 Masoretic Text; Dead Sea Scroll, Septuagint level the mountains
Isaiah 44:28-45:6
New International Version
Isaiah 44:28-45:6
New International Version
28 who says of Cyrus,(A) ‘He is my shepherd
and will accomplish all that I please;
he will say of Jerusalem,(B) “Let it be rebuilt,”
and of the temple,(C) “Let its foundations(D) be laid.”’
45 “This is what the Lord says to his anointed,(E)
to Cyrus,(F) whose right hand I take hold(G) of
to subdue nations(H) before him
and to strip kings of their armor,
to open doors before him
so that gates will not be shut:
2 I will go before you(I)
and will level(J) the mountains[a];
I will break down gates(K) of bronze
and cut through bars of iron.(L)
3 I will give you hidden treasures,(M)
riches stored in secret places,(N)
so that you may know(O) that I am the Lord,
the God of Israel, who summons you by name.(P)
4 For the sake of Jacob my servant,(Q)
of Israel my chosen,
I summon you by name
and bestow on you a title of honor,
though you do not acknowledge(R) me.
5 I am the Lord, and there is no other;(S)
apart from me there is no God.(T)
I will strengthen you,(U)
though you have not acknowledged me,
6 so that from the rising of the sun
to the place of its setting(V)
people may know(W) there is none besides me.(X)
I am the Lord, and there is no other.
Footnotes
- Isaiah 45:2 Dead Sea Scrolls and Septuagint; the meaning of the word in the Masoretic Text is uncertain.
English Standard Version (ESV) 
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
New International Version (NIV) 
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