The Beginning:
After Judah’s long exile, political power shifts from Babylon to Persia. In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, a royal proclamation goes out permitting the Judeans to return to Jerusalem. The decree specifically calls for rebuilding “the house of the LORD” in Jerusalem.
The Middle:
The text presents the decree as God’s action: the LORD “stirred up” Cyrus to fulfill what had been spoken through Jeremiah. Cyrus not only allows the return but also encourages financial and material support from neighbors, while those whose hearts are moved prepare to go. Temple vessels once taken from Jerusalem are brought out of the royal treasury and entrusted to Sheshbazzar to carry back.
The End:
A recorded list identifies the families and leaders who return, showing that the restoration is communal and organized. The returning group arrives in Judah, settles in their towns, and contributes resources for rebuilding. The first stage of restoration is set in motion: a return to the land with the temple’s rebuilding as the central goal.
This story highlights God’s sovereignty over nations and rulers, showing that imperial decrees can serve divine purposes. The return from exile is portrayed as a continuation of God’s covenant faithfulness: judgment was real, but restoration is also real. By centering the return on rebuilding the temple, the narrative emphasizes renewed worship and the reestablishment of life oriented around God’s presence and promises.
Persian rulers were known for policies that permitted displaced peoples to return and restore local temples, helping stabilize the empire through regional loyalty. Cyrus’s support for repatriation and temple restoration fits this broader Persian administrative pattern, providing a historically coherent backdrop for the biblical account.
“Thus says Cyrus king of Persia: ‘The LORD, the God of heaven… has charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem.’” — Ezra 1:2
Answer the questions below. When you choose an option, you will see the result and an explanation.
1. In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, what did the royal proclamation permit the Judeans to do?
2. Who was entrusted with temple vessels from the royal treasury to carry back toward Jerusalem?