Edict of Cyrus

Biblical Text

The Edict of Cyrus is the command issued by Cyrus, king of Persia, in the first year of his reign. It permitted the people of Judah who had been taken to Babylon to return to Jerusalem and build the temple. The term "edict" comes from outside the Bible; the New Korean Revised Version calls the command a joseo, a written royal proclamation, and the KJV speaks of a "proclamation" that Cyrus "put also in writing" (Ezra 1:1). The command appears in three places in Scripture.

• 2 Chronicles 36:22-23: At the very end of Chronicles, only the opening portion of the command is briefly recorded.
• Ezra 1:1-4: Cyrus proclaims that the LORD God of heaven has given him all the kingdoms of the earth and has charged him to build a house in Jerusalem. He then directs that any of God's people may go up and that those who remain behind should assist them with silver, gold, and offerings. This passage is followed by the account of the temple vessels that Nebuchadnezzar had carried away being returned to Sheshbazzar (Ezra 1:7-11).
• Ezra 6:3-5: When work on the temple was obstructed, this Aramaic record was found during the reign of King Darius in the palace at Achmetha (Ecbatana) in the province of Media. It specifies the height and breadth of the temple, directs that the expenses be paid from the royal treasury, and orders the return of the vessels.

Background

Cyrus was the founder of the Persian Empire, and he issued this command after conquering Babylon. It brought the period of the Babylonian exile to an end. In the late nineteenth century the Cyrus Cylinder was discovered among the ruins of Babylon. It states that Cyrus returned captive peoples and the images of their gods to their original places, and it is often cited as evidence of his policy of repatriation. The cylinder, however, does not mention Judah directly, and it portrays Cyrus as a king chosen by Marduk, the god of Babylon.

Significance in the Whole of Scripture

Scripture states that this command was issued "that the word of the LORD spoken by the mouth of Jeremiah might be accomplished" (2 Chronicles 36:22). This refers to the prophecy of Jeremiah that God would bring the captives back after seventy years (Jeremiah 25:11-12; Jeremiah 29:4-14). Isaiah 44:28 and 45:1 call Cyrus by name, describing him as God's "shepherd" and His "anointed."

This command set in motion the return from exile led by Zerubbabel and others, as well as the rebuilding of the temple. The temple rebuilt at this time, later expanded by Herod, became the temple in Jerusalem of Jesus' day. Because the Hebrew Bible in common use today places Chronicles last, this command, ending with "let him go up," forms the closing words of the Hebrew Bible. The New Testament does not mention Cyrus directly.

Interpretation and Points of Debate

• Isaiah's prophecy of Cyrus: Conservative denominations and scholars regard these passages as prophecy in which the prophet Isaiah foretold, long in advance, even the name of Cyrus. Many critical scholars regard Isaiah 40-55 as the work of a different author writing around the time of the exile.
• The relationship between the two texts: Some scholars hold that the Hebrew text of Ezra 1 has been shaped by Judean phrasing, while the Aramaic record in chapter 6 is closer to an official document. Conservatives regard chapter 1 as a proclamation announced to the people and chapter 6 as a record kept in the royal archives, and they consider both to be genuine documents.
• The "commandment" of Daniel 9:25: Some interpreters identify "the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem" with the Edict of Cyrus, while others identify it with the commands issued under Artaxerxes (Ezra 7; Nehemiah 2). The chronology of the "seventy weeks" differs depending on which view is adopted. Dispensationalist interpretation commonly takes the command of Nehemiah 2 as the starting point.
• The faith of Cyrus: The text does not say that Cyrus came to worship the LORD. On the contrary, it says, "though thou hast not known me" (Isaiah 45:4). The account that Cyrus read Isaiah's prophecy and then issued his command comes from the Jewish historian Josephus and is not found in the biblical text.

In the Korean Church

The edict is frequently cited in sermons as an illustration of providence, showing that God cares for His people even through a foreign king. It is also often used as an example of prophecy fulfilled exactly as foretold.