Ezra 1

King James Version

Full text for Ezra Chapter 1

1¶ Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, 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, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and [put it] also in writing, saying,

2Thus 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.

3Who [is there] among you of all his people? his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which [is] in Judah, and build the house of the LORD God of Israel, (he [is] the God,) which [is] in Jerusalem.

4And whosoever remaineth in any place where he sojourneth, let the men of his place help him with silver, and with gold, and with goods, and with beasts, beside the freewill offering for the house of God that [is] in Jerusalem.

5¶ Then rose up the chief of the fathers of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests, and the Levites, with all [them] whose spirit God had raised, to go up to build the house of the LORD which [is] in Jerusalem.

6And all they that [were] about them strengthened their hands with vessels of silver, with gold, with goods, and with beasts, and with precious things, beside all [that] was willingly offered.

7Also Cyrus the king brought forth the vessels of the house of the LORD, which Nebuchadnezzar had brought forth out of Jerusalem, and had put them in the house of his gods;

8Even those did Cyrus king of Persia bring forth by the hand of Mithredath the treasurer, and numbered them unto Sheshbazzar, the prince of Judah.

9And this [is] the number of them: thirty chargers of gold, a thousand chargers of silver, nine and twenty knives,

10Thirty basons of gold, silver basons of a second [sort] four hundred and ten, [and] other vessels a thousand.

11All the vessels of gold and of silver [were] five thousand and four hundred. All [these] did Sheshbazzar bring up with [them of] the captivity that were brought up from Babylon unto Jerusalem.

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

In the first year of Cyrus, king of Persia, the LORD stirred his spirit to fulfill Jeremiah's prophecy, prompting him to issue a proclamation. This decree permitted the Jews to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple, encouraging others to provide aid. Consequently, the leaders of Judah and Benjamin, priests, and Levites prepared to depart, receiving substantial support and the return of sacred temple vessels from Cyrus.

Medium Summary

Cyrus, king of Persia, in his first year, was moved by the LORD to issue a proclamation throughout his kingdom, fulfilling the word spoken by Jeremiah. He declared that the LORD God of heaven had charged him to build a house in Jerusalem. Cyrus called upon all Israelites to return to Jerusalem and build the house of the LORD, also instructing those who remained to assist with silver, gold, goods, and beasts. In response, the chief fathers of Judah and Benjamin, along with priests and Levites, whose spirits God had raised, prepared to go. They received significant support from their neighbors, including vessels of silver and gold, goods, and precious things. Furthermore, Cyrus himself brought forth the sacred vessels of the LORD's house, which Nebuchadnezzar had taken, and entrusted them to Sheshbazzar, the prince of Judah, for their return.

Long Summary

In the first year of Cyrus, king of Persia, the divine will of the LORD stirred his spirit, thus fulfilling the prophecy spoken by Jeremiah. Cyrus issued a proclamation throughout his entire kingdom, both orally and in writing, declaring that the LORD God of heaven had bestowed upon him all earthly kingdoms and charged him with the task of building a house for Him in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. He extended an invitation to all of God's people to return to Jerusalem, with God's presence, and commence the construction of the LORD God of Israel's house. Furthermore, Cyrus commanded that any remaining individuals in their places of sojourning should assist those departing with silver, gold, goods, and beasts, in addition to any freewill offerings for the house of God. Consequently, the chief fathers of Judah and Benjamin, along with the priests and Levites, whose spirits God had divinely inspired, rose up to undertake the journey to Jerusalem to build the LORD's house. Those around them provided substantial support, strengthening their hands with various valuable items, including vessels of silver and gold, goods, beasts, and other precious things, beyond what was willingly offered. Significantly, Cyrus the king also retrieved the sacred vessels belonging to the house of the LORD, which Nebuchadnezzar had previously plundered from Jerusalem and placed in the house of his own gods. These vessels were brought forth by Mithredath, the treasurer, and carefully numbered before being handed over to Sheshbazzar, the prince of Judah. The detailed count included thirty chargers of gold, a thousand chargers of silver, twenty-nine knives, thirty basons of gold, four hundred and ten silver basons of a second sort, and a thousand other vessels. The grand total of all gold and silver vessels amounted to five thousand and four hundred, all of which Sheshbazzar transported with the returning captives from Babylon to Jerusalem.

Core Concepts

  • Cyrus's ProclamationKing Cyrus, moved by the LORD, issued a decree permitting the Jewish exiles to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple, fulfilling Jeremiah's prophecy. This proclamation also encouraged financial and material support for the returning exiles.
  • Divine StirringThe LORD actively stirred the spirit of King Cyrus and also the spirits of the chief fathers of Judah and Benjamin, priests, and Levites, motivating them to undertake the rebuilding of the temple. This highlights God's sovereign hand in orchestrating events.
  • Return of Temple VesselsCyrus meticulously returned the sacred vessels of the LORD's house that Nebuchadnezzar had plundered from Jerusalem. These precious items, totaling 5,400, were entrusted to Sheshbazzar for their journey back to Jerusalem.
  • Support for the BuildersThose who remained in Babylon were commanded to assist the returning exiles with silver, gold, goods, and beasts. This communal support, alongside freewill offerings, was crucial for the successful rebuilding effort.
  • Sheshbazzar's RoleSheshbazzar, identified as the prince of Judah, was entrusted by Cyrus with the responsibility of receiving and transporting the returned temple vessels. He led the initial group of captives from Babylon back to Jerusalem.
  • Fulfillment of ProphecyThe entire event, particularly Cyrus's decree, is explicitly stated to be in fulfillment of the word of the LORD spoken by the prophet Jeremiah. This emphasizes the divine plan behind the return from exile.