Ezra 1

The Proclamation of Cyrus

1 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, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom and also put it in writing:

2 "Thus says Cyrus king of Persia: The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah.3 Whoever is among you of all his people, may his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and rebuild the house of the Lord, the God of Israel—he is the God who is in Jerusalem.4 And let each survivor, in whatever place he sojourns, be assisted by the men of his place with silver and gold, with goods and with beasts, besides freewill offerings for the house of God that is in Jerusalem."

5 Then rose up the heads of the fathers' houses of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests and the Levites, everyone whose spirit God had stirred to go up to rebuild the house of the Lord that is in Jerusalem.6 And all who were about them aided them with vessels of silver, with gold, with goods, with beasts, and with costly wares, besides all that was freely offered.7 Cyrus the king also brought out the vessels of the house of the Lord that Nebuchadnezzar had carried away from Jerusalem and placed in the house of his gods.8 Cyrus king of Persia brought these out in the charge of Mithredath the treasurer, who counted them out to Sheshbazzar the prince of Judah.9 And this was the number of them: 30 basins of gold, 1,000 basins of silver, 29 censers,10 30 bowls of gold, 410 bowls of silver, and 1,000 other vessels;11 all the vessels of gold and of silver were 5,400. All these did Sheshbazzar bring up, when the exiles were brought up from Babylonia to Jerusalem.

Ezra 1

The Decree of Cyrus

1 s In the firsts year of King Cyrus of Persia, in order to fulfill the Lord's messaget spoken throughst Jeremiah,s the Lord stirred the mindt of King Cyrus of Persia. He disseminatedt a proclamationt throughout his entire kingdom, announcing in a written edicts the following:t

2 “Thus says King Cyrus of Persia:
“‘The Lord God of heaven has given me all the kingdoms of the earth. He has instructed me to build a templet for him in Jerusalem,s which is in Judah.3 Anyone fromt his people among you (may his God be with him!) may go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and may build the temple of the Lord God of Israel – he is the God who is in Jerusalem.

4 Anyone who survives in any of those places where he is a resident foreigner must be helped by his neighborst with silver, gold, equipment, and animals, along with voluntary offerings for the temple of God which is in Jerusalem.’”

The Exiles Prepare to Return to Jerusalem

5 Then the leaderst of Judah and Benjamin, along with the priests and the Levites – all those whose mind God had stirred – got readyt to go up in order to build the temple of the Lord in Jerusalem.s

6 All their neighbors assistedt them with silver utensils,s gold, equipment, animals, and expensive gifts, not to mentiont all the voluntary offerings.
7 Then King Cyrus brought out the vessels of the Lord’s temple which Nebuchadnezzar had brought from Jerusalem and had displayedt in the temple of his gods.

8 King Cyrus of Persia entrustedt them tot Mithredaths the treasurer, who counted them out to Sheshbazzars the leader of the Judahite exiles.t

9 The inventoryt of these items was as follows:
30 gold basins,t
1,000 silver basins,
29 silver utensils,t

10 30 gold bowls,
410 othert silver bowls,
and 1,000 other vessels.

11 All these gold and silver vessels totaled 5,400.s Sheshbazzar brought them all along when the captives were brought up from Babylon to Jerusalem.