Cyrus

Biblical Record

Cyrus was king of the Persian Empire and is known in general history as Cyrus II or Cyrus the Great. His conquest of Babylon is commonly dated to around 539 BC.

• Decree of return: According to 2 Chronicles 36:22–23 and Ezra 1:1–4, in the first year of Cyrus the Lord stirred up his spirit. He issued a proclamation directing the people of Judah to return to Jerusalem and build the temple. Scripture presents this event as the fulfillment of Jeremiah's prophecy.
• Return of the temple vessels: According to Ezra 1:7–11, Cyrus returned to Sheshbazzar the temple vessels that Nebuchadnezzar had carried away.
• Reaffirmation of the decree: In Ezra 4–6, when the rebuilding of the temple met opposition, Cyrus's decree was again confirmed as its basis (Ezra 6:3–5).
• Prophetic books: Isaiah 44:28 calls him "my shepherd," and Isaiah 45:1 calls him the Lord's "anointed." The Book of Daniel records that Daniel continued until the first year of Cyrus (Daniel 1:21) and prospered in the reign of Cyrus (Daniel 6:28).

Significance Within Scripture

Cyrus was a foreign king who did not know God (Isaiah 45:4). Scripture nevertheless portrays him as an instrument for accomplishing God's purposes. The term "anointed" (Hebrew mashiach) refers to a person, such as a king or priest, whom God has appointed for a particular task. Its use for a Gentile is rare in the Old Testament. The New Testament does not mention Cyrus directly.

Interpretations and Debates

• Date of composition of Isaiah: Conservative interpreters hold that the prophet Isaiah foretold Cyrus, even by name, long before he appeared, and they cite this as an example of the certainty of prophecy. Most historical-critical scholars regard Isaiah 40 onward as the work of a different author writing around the time of the exile (the so-called "Second Isaiah"), composed after the rise of Cyrus had been witnessed. The former view is widely accepted in Korean churches.
• Cyrus Cylinder: A clay cylinder discovered in the nineteenth century states that Cyrus returned the images of the gods and the inhabitants of conquered lands to their original places. For this reason it is frequently cited as background material supporting the biblical account of the return. However, the cylinder does not mention Judah or Jerusalem directly, and it exalts Marduk, the god of Babylon. Some therefore caution that it can hardly be treated as evidence that Cyrus worshiped the Lord.
• Later traditions: The first-century Jewish historian Josephus wrote that Cyrus issued his decree after reading Isaiah's prophecy. This tradition is not found in the biblical text. Interpreters also differ on whether the wording of the decree in Ezra 1:2 represents Cyrus's personal confession of faith or a diplomatic expression of respect for the gods of conquered peoples.

In the Korean Church

In Korean churches, Cyrus is frequently cited to illustrate God's sovereignty and providence, showing that God directs history even through rulers who are not believers. In expository preaching on Ezra and in sermons on Isaiah 45, he is treated alongside Zerubbabel as a principal figure in the account of the return and the rebuilding of the Jerusalem temple. He is also introduced in Sunday school lessons on the end of the exile and the return to the homeland.