Ezra 1:1-4
Expanded Bible
Cyrus Helps the Captives Return
1 In the first year Cyrus was king of Persia [C 539 bc], the Lord ·caused [L stirred up the spirit of] Cyrus to send an announcement to his whole kingdom and to put it in writing. This happened so the Lord’s ·message [prophecy; L word] ·spoken by [L by the mouth of] Jeremiah would ·come true [be fulfilled]. He wrote:
2 This is what Cyrus king of Persia says:
The Lord, the God of heaven, has given all the kingdoms of the earth to me, and he has ·appointed [instructed; charged] me to build a ·Temple [L house] for him at Jerusalem in Judah. 3 May God be with all ·of [among] you who are his people. You ·are free to [may] go to Jerusalem in Judah and ·build [or rebuild] the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord, the God of Israel, [L he is the God] who is in Jerusalem. 4 Those who ·stay behind [L survive], ·wherever they live [in those places; C referring to the Jews remaining in exile, to the Jewish remnant who remained in Israel during the exile, or to their non-Jewish neighbors], ·should [must] ·support [help; assist; provide for] those who want to go. Give them silver and gold, ·supplies [goods] and ·cattle [livestock], and ·special gifts [voluntary/freewill offerings] for the ·Temple [L house] of God in Jerusalem.
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