Ezra 1:2 "This is what Cyrus king of Persia says: 'The LORD, the God of heaven, who has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, has appointed me to build a house for Him at Jerusalem in Judah.

◄ Ezra 1:2 ►

New International Version
“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 me to build a temple for him at Jerusalem in Judah.

New Living Translation
“This is what King Cyrus of Persia says: “The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth. He has appointed me to build him a Temple at Jerusalem, which is in Judah.

English Standard Version
“Thus says Cyrus king of Persia: The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah.

Berean Standard Bible
“This is what Cyrus king of Persia says: ‘The LORD, the God of heaven, who has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, has appointed me to build a house for Him at Jerusalem in Judah.

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
Thus says Cyrus king of Persia: All the kingdoms of the earth the LORD God of heaven has given me. And He has commanded me to build Him a house at Jerusalem which is in Judah.

New American Standard Bible
“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 me to rebuild for Him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah.

NASB 1995
“Thus says Cyrus king of Persia, ‘The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and He has appointed me to build Him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah.

NASB 1977
“Thus says Cyrus king of Persia, ‘The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and He has appointed me to build Him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah.

Legacy Standard Bible
“Thus says Cyrus king of Persia, ‘Yahweh, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and He has appointed me to build Him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah.

Amplified Bible
“Thus says Cyrus king of Persia, ‘The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and He has appointed me to build Him a house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah.

Christian Standard Bible
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 house at Jerusalem in Judah.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
This is what King Cyrus of Persia says: “The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and has appointed me to build Him a house at Jerusalem in Judah.

American Standard Version
Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, All the kingdoms of the earth hath Jehovah, the God of heaven, given me; and he hath charged me to build him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah.

English Revised Version
Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, All the kingdoms of the earth hath the LORD, the God of heaven, given me; and he hath charged me to build him an house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
This is what King Cyrus of Persia says: The LORD God of heaven has given me all the kingdoms of the world. And he has ordered me to build a temple for him in Jerusalem (which is in Judah).

Good News Translation
"This is the command of Cyrus, Emperor of Persia. The LORD, the God of Heaven, has made me ruler over the whole world and has given me the responsibility of building a temple for him in Jerusalem in Judah.

International Standard Version
AN OFFICIAL STATEMENT FROM CYRUS, KING OF PERSIA All of the kingdoms of the earth have been given to me by the LORD God of Heaven, and he specifically charged me to build a temple for him in Jerusalem, which is in Judah.

Majority Standard Bible
?This is what Cyrus king of Persia says: ?The LORD, the God of heaven, who has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, has appointed me to build a house for Him at Jerusalem in Judah.

NET Bible
"Thus says King Cyrus of Persia: "'The LORD God of heaven has given me all the kingdoms of the earth. He has instructed me to build a temple for him in Jerusalem, which is in Judah.

New Heart English Bible
"Thus says Kurush king of Persia, 'The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and he has commanded me to build him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah.

Webster's Bible Translation
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 a house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah.

World English Bible
“Cyrus king of Persia says, ‘Yahweh, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and he has commanded me to build him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah.

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
“Thus said Cyrus king of Persia: YHWH, God of the heavens, has given all kingdoms of the earth to me, and He has laid a charge on me to build a house for Him in Jerusalem, that [is] in Judah;

Young's Literal Translation
Thus said Cyrus king of Persia, All kingdoms of the earth hath Jehovah, God of the heavens, given to me, and He hath laid a charge on me to build to Him a house in Jerusalem, that is in Judah;

Smith's Literal Translation
Thus said Cyrus king of Persia, All the kingdoms of the earth Jehovah gave to me, the God of the heavens; and he charged upon me to build for him a house in Jerusalem which is in Judah.

Catholic Translations

Douay-Rheims Bible
Thus saith Cyrus king of the Persians: The Lord the God of heaven hath given to me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he hath charged me to build him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judea.

Catholic Public Domain Version
“Thus says Cyrus, the king of the Persians: The Lord, the God of heaven, has given all the kingdoms of the earth to me, and he himself has instructed me that I should build a house for him in Jerusalem, which is in Judea.

New American Bible
“Thus says Cyrus, king of Persia: ‘All the kingdoms of the earth the LORD, the God of heaven, has given to me, and he has charged me to build him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah.

New Revised Standard Version
“Thus says King Cyrus of Persia: The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem in Judah.

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
Thus says Cyrus king of Persia: The LORD God of heaven has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has commanded me to build him a house in Jerusalem, which city is in Judah.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
“Thus says Kurash the King of Persia: LORD JEHOVAH God of Heaven gave me the kingdoms of the Earth and commanded me to build him a house in Jerusalem, the city which is in Yehuda.

OT Translations

JPS Tanakh 1917
Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia: All the kingdoms of the earth hath the LORD, the God of heaven, given me; and He hath charged me to build Him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Thus said Cyrus king of the Persians, The Lord God of heaven has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has given me a charge to build him a house in Jerusalem that is in Judea.

Additional Translations ...

Audio Bible

Context

The Proclamation of Cyrus
…1In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, to fulfill the word of the LORD spoken through Jeremiah, the LORD stirred the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia to send a proclamation throughout his kingdom and to put it in writing as follows: 2“This is what Cyrus king of Persia says: ‘The LORD, the God of heaven, who has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, has appointed me to build a house for Him at Jerusalem in Judah. 3Whoever among you belongs to His people, may his God be with him, and may he go to Jerusalem in Judah and build the house of the LORD, the God of Israel; He is the God who is in Jerusalem.…

Berean Standard Bible · Download

Cross References

2 Chronicles 36:22-23
In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, to fulfill the word of the LORD spoken through Jeremiah, the LORD stirred the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia to send a proclamation throughout his kingdom and to put it in writing as follows: / “This is what Cyrus king of Persia says: ‘The LORD, the God of heaven, who has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, has appointed me to build a house for Him at Jerusalem in Judah. Whoever among you belongs to His people, may the LORD his God be with him, and may he go up.’”

Isaiah 44:28
who says of Cyrus, ‘My shepherd will fulfill all that I desire,’ who says of Jerusalem, ‘She will be rebuilt,’ and of the temple, ‘Let its foundation be laid.’”

Isaiah 45:1
This is what the LORD says to Cyrus His anointed, whose right hand I have grasped to subdue nations before him, to disarm kings, to open the doors before him, so that the gates will not be shut:

Jeremiah 25:12
But when seventy years are complete, I will punish the king of Babylon and that nation, the land of the Chaldeans, for their guilt, declares the LORD, and I will make it an everlasting desolation.

Jeremiah 29:10
For this is what the LORD says: “When Babylon’s seventy years are complete, I will attend to you and confirm My promise to restore you to this place.

Jeremiah 33:7
I will restore Judah and Israel from captivity and will rebuild them as in former times.

Daniel 9:2
in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, understood from the sacred books, according to the word of the LORD to Jeremiah the prophet, that the desolation of Jerusalem would last seventy years.

Haggai 1:1
In the second year of the reign of Darius, on the first day of the sixth month, the word of the LORD came through Haggai the prophet to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, stating

Zechariah 1:1
In the eighth month of the second year of Darius, the word of the LORD came to the prophet Zechariah son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo, saying:

1 Kings 8:50
May You forgive Your people who have sinned against You and all the transgressions they have committed against You, and may You grant them compassion in the eyes of their captors to show them mercy.

2 Kings 24:14
He carried into exile all Jerusalem—all the commanders and mighty men of valor, all the craftsmen and metalsmiths—ten thousand captives in all. Only the poorest people of the land remained.

2 Kings 25:11
Then Nebuzaradan captain of the guard carried into exile the people who remained in the city, along with the deserters who had defected to the king of Babylon and the rest of the population.

Nehemiah 1:3
And they told me, “The remnant who survived the exile are there in the province, in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire.”

Nehemiah 2:8
And may I have a letter to Asaph, keeper of the king’s forest, so that he will give me timber to make beams for the gates of the citadel to the temple, for the city wall, and for the house I will occupy.” And because the gracious hand of my God was upon me, the king granted my requests.

Matthew 1:17
In all, then, there were fourteen generations from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the exile to Babylon, and fourteen from the exile to the Christ.

Treasury of Scripture

Thus said Cyrus king of Persia, The LORD God of heaven has given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and he has charged me to build him an house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah.

Lord God

1 Kings 8:27
But will God indeed dwell on the earth? behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house that I have builded?

2 Chronicles 2:12
Huram said moreover, Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, that made heaven and earth, who hath given to David the king a wise son, endued with prudence and understanding, that might build an house for the LORD, and an house for his kingdom.

Isaiah 66:1
Thus saith the LORD, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest?

hath given

Jeremiah 27:6,7
And now have I given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, my servant; and the beasts of the field have I given him also to serve him…

Daniel 2:37,38
Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory…

Daniel 4:25,32
That they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and they shall wet thee with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over thee, till thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will…

he hath charged

Isaiah 44:26-28
That confirmeth the word of his servant, and performeth the counsel of his messengers; that saith to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be inhabited; and to the cities of Judah, Ye shall be built, and I will raise up the decayed places thereof: …

Isaiah 45:1,12,13
Thus saith the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him; and I will loose the loins of kings, to open before him the two leaved gates; and the gates shall not be shut; …

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Ezra 1

1. The proclamation of Cyrus for the building of the temple
5. The people provide for their return
7. Cyrus restores the vessels of the temple to Sheshbazzar

Berean Study Bible

This is what Cyrus king of Persia says
The introduction of Cyrus, the king of Persia, is significant in the biblical narrative. Historically, Cyrus the Great was a remarkable ruler known for his vast empire and progressive policies, including religious tolerance. The Hebrew name for Cyrus is "Koresh," and his mention here highlights the fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy (Isaiah 44:28, 45:1) that a ruler named Cyrus would facilitate the return of the Jewish exiles and the rebuilding of the temple. This underscores the sovereignty of God in using even foreign kings to accomplish His divine purposes.

The LORD, the God of heaven
This phrase emphasizes the monotheistic belief in Yahweh, the covenant God of Israel, who is also recognized as the supreme deity over all creation. The title "God of heaven" reflects a common ancient Near Eastern expression acknowledging divine authority over the cosmos. It is noteworthy that Cyrus, a pagan king, acknowledges Yahweh in this way, suggesting a recognition of God's supreme power and possibly indicating the influence of Jewish exiles in Persia.

has given me all the kingdoms of the earth
Cyrus attributes his vast empire to the providence of God, acknowledging that his authority and success are divinely ordained. This reflects a biblical theme where God is the ultimate source of power and authority, as seen in Daniel 2:21, where God is described as the one who "removes kings and establishes them." Cyrus's recognition of this divine gift aligns with the biblical understanding that earthly rulers are instruments in God's hands.

and has appointed me
The use of the word "appointed" suggests a divine commissioning or calling. In the Hebrew context, this implies that Cyrus's role is not merely political but also spiritual, as he is chosen by God to fulfill a specific purpose. This appointment echoes the biblical theme of God raising leaders to accomplish His will, as seen in the accounts of Moses, David, and other key figures.

to build a house for Him
The "house" refers to the temple in Jerusalem, a central place of worship and the symbol of God's presence among His people. The rebuilding of the temple is a pivotal moment in Jewish history, representing restoration and renewal after the Babylonian exile. This task given to Cyrus highlights the importance of the temple in maintaining the covenant relationship between God and Israel.

at Jerusalem in Judah
Jerusalem, the city of David, holds profound significance as the spiritual and political center of Jewish life. Its mention here reaffirms its status as the chosen city where God's name dwells (1 Kings 11:36). The reference to Judah situates the narrative within the historical and geographical context of the post-exilic period, emphasizing the return of the Jewish people to their ancestral homeland as part of God's redemptive plan.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 2. - Thus saith Cyrus. Persian inscriptions do not ordinarily commence in this way; but the formula "says Darius the king," "says Xerxes the king" is frequent in them. King of Persia. So the Behistun inscription: "I am Darius, the great king, the king of kings, the king of Persia." The Lord God of heaven, Yehovah Elohey hashshamayim. "God of heaven" seems to have been a usual title of the Supreme Being among the Persians (see below, Ezra 6:9, 10; Ezra 7:12, 23), and perhaps designated Ormuzd in contradistinction to Ahriman, who was lord of the infernal regions. The use of the term "Jehovah," instead of Ormuzd, is remarkable, and was probably limited to the Hebrew transcript of the proclamation. Hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth. An acknowledgment that they have received and hold their royal power from Ormuzd is universal on the part of all the Persian kings who have left inscriptions of any length; but they do not often indulge in such a hyperbole as this of Cyrus. Artaxerxes Ochus, however, calls himself "king of this world" (Rawlinson, 'Cuneiform Inser.,' vol. 1. p. 341). The mention of the "kingdoms of the earth" is appropriate, since Cyrus had not inherited his empire, but built it up by the conquest of a vast number of independent states ('Herod.' 1. passim). His earn feeling that God had in all cases given him the victory harmonizes with the statement of Isaiah in Isaiah 45:1. He hath charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem. The he is emphatic, and is expressed by αὐτὸς in the Septuagint and ipse in the Vulgate. He himself, Jehovah-Elohim, has given it me in charge to build him a house. Most critics rightly explain by referring to Isaiah 44:28, and accepting the statement of Josephus ('Ant. Jud.,' 11:1) that the passage was shown to Cyrus shortly after his capture of Babylon. He understood the prophecy as a command, and proceeded to obey it. Which is in Judah. The addition of this clause marks strongly the oblivion into which the ruined city had fallen. Apparently, it was necessary, to recall its situation to men's minds by an express mention of the province whereof it had been the capital. Note the repetition of the clause in the next verse.

Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

“This is what
כֹּ֣ה (kōh)
Adverb
Strong's 3541: Like this, thus, here, now

Cyrus
כֹּ֚רֶשׁ (kō·reš)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3566: Cyrus -- a person king

king
מֶ֣לֶךְ (me·leḵ)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 4428: A king

of Persia
פָּרַ֔ס (pā·ras)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 6539: Persia -- a country in west Asia which conquered Babylon

says:
אָמַ֗ר (’ā·mar)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

‘The LORD,
יְהוָ֖ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

the God
אֱלֹהֵ֣י (’ĕ·lō·hê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative

of heaven,
הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם (haš·šā·mā·yim)
Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 8064: Heaven, sky

who
וְהֽוּא־ (wə·hū-)
Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1931: He, self, the same, this, that, as, are

has given
נָ֣תַן (nā·ṯan)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5414: To give, put, set

me
לִ֔י (lî)
Preposition | first person common singular
Strong's Hebrew

all
כֹּ֚ל (kōl)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

the kingdoms
מַמְלְכ֣וֹת (mam·lə·ḵō·wṯ)
Noun - feminine plural construct
Strong's 4467: Kingdom, sovereignty, dominion, reign

of the earth,
הָאָ֔רֶץ (hā·’ā·reṣ)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 776: Earth, land

has appointed
פָקַ֤ד (p̄ā·qaḏ)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 6485: To visit, to oversee, muster, charge, care for, miss, deposit

me
עָלַי֙ (‘ā·lay)
Preposition | first person common singular
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

to build
לִבְנֽוֹת־ (liḇ·nō·wṯ-)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 1129: To build

a house
בַ֔יִת (ḇa·yiṯ)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1004: A house

for Him
ל֣וֹ (lōw)
Preposition | third person masculine singular
Strong's Hebrew

at Jerusalem
בִּירוּשָׁלִַ֖ם (bî·rū·šā·lim)
Preposition-b | Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 3389: Jerusalem -- probably 'foundation of peace', capital city of all Israel

in Judah.
בִּֽיהוּדָֽה׃ (bî·hū·ḏāh)
Preposition-b | Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 3063: Judah -- 'praised', a son of Jacob, also the southern kingdom, also four Israelites

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OT History: Ezra 1:2 Thus says Cyrus king of Persia All (Ezr. Ez)