Historical proof: The Cyrus Cylinder

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in the .
in the . (Photo credit: Wikipedia)This ancient clay cylinder dates from the sixth century BC and contains a declaration from Cyrus the Great. 

The first section describes Cyrus’ greatness and mercy—common themes in such declarations. 

The second section, composed of Cyrus’ own words, describes how he returned captive peoples and their gods to their native lands. 

It also records his hope that all the returned gods will intercede before Bel and Nabu (the chief Babylonian gods) on his behalf. The description of Cyrus’ mercy and efforts to return captives supports the biblical account of Israel’s restoration from exile (Ezra 1).

Ezra Introduction: 
After being held captive in Babylon for decades, the Jews were allowed to return to their homeland and rebuild the temple. The priest Ezra emerged from one of the first waves of refugees. He taught the people the law and reformed their religious life so the other nations around them could see they were God’s chosen people.

Cyrus Helps the Exiles to Return

1 In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the LORD spoken by Jeremiah,a the LORD moved the heartb 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 appointedc me to buildd 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 survivorse may now be living, the people are to provide them with silver and gold,f with goods and livestock, and with freewill offeringsg for the temple of Godh in Jerusalem.’ ” 

5 Then the family heads of Judah and Benjamin,j and the priests and Levites—everyone whose heart God had movedk—prepared to go up and build the housel of the LORD in Jerusalem. 6 All their neighbors assisted them with articles of silver and gold,m with goods and livestock, and with valuable gifts, in addition to all the freewill offerings.
7 Moreover, King Cyrus brought out the articles belonging to the temple of the LORD, which Nebuchadnezzar had carried away from Jerusalem and had placed in the temple of his god.a n 8 Cyrus king of Persia had them brought by Mithredath the treasurer, who counted them out to Sheshbazzaro the prince of Judah.
9 This was the inventory:
gold dishes 30
silver dishes 1,000
silver pansb 29
10 gold bowls 30
matching silver bowls 410
other articles 1,000

11 In all, there were 5,400 articles of gold and of silver. Sheshbazzar brought all these along with the exiles when they came up from Babylon to Jerusalem.


The New International Version. (2011). (Ezr). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

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