Tyndale Open Study NotesEzra 1

The first three verses of Ezra are nearly identical to 2 Chronicles 36:22–23. This suggests a connection between the books.

• King Cyrus II ruled Persia from 559 to 530 BC. In October 539 BC, Cyrus and his Persian forces conquered Babylon, as Daniel had predicted (Daniel 5).

• the word...through Jeremiah: God promised to bring his people back after seventy years in exile (Jeremiah 25:11–12; 29:10).

• God's influence over this non-believing king led him to issue the following decree (see also Isaiah 13:17; 41:2, 25; Jeremiah 50:9). God remains in control, even when rulers and nations do not acknowledge his authority (Isaiah 10:5, 12–14).

Although Cyrus mentions the Lord, the God of heaven, he was actually a Zoroastrian. His proclamation, written in Hebrew, was likely political propaganda to gain Jewish support for his rule. In a similar statement to the Babylonians, Cyrus claimed to worship their chief god, Marduk. However, his words here show that God appointed him to build a temple in Jerusalem (see Isaiah 44:28; 45:1, 13). He might have learned about these prophecies from Daniel, who served in his court as a high government official (Cyrus is likely referred to by his Median name, Darius, in Daniel 6:1–28; 9:1). God had long planned to raise up Cyrus and give him a vision to restore worship in Jerusalem (Isaiah 44:28; 45:13; 48:14–15).

Whoever among you belongs to His people...may he go: The Assyrians and Babylonians controlled their empires by moving people and spreading them across cities. In contrast, the Persians sent exiled people back to their homelands. They expected these people to be grateful, obey the Persians, and pay taxes.

Cyrus likely did not urge Babylonian neighbors to help the Jewish remnant. Instead, he encouraged Jews staying in Babylon to assist their countrymen returning to Jerusalem.

• As with Cyrus's heart (Ezra 1:1), God inspired Israel’s leaders.

• Few priests and Levites responded (see Ezra 2:36–42). Most responders were from the tribes of Judah and Benjamin. Persian documents show many Jews stayed in Babylon, where they had homes, businesses, and relatives. A dangerous four-month journey back to Jerusalem, now a desolate city inhabited by foreigners, was not appealing compared to their comfortable life in Babylon. It was easier to give valuable gifts and voluntary offerings to those who returned.

Many items from the Lord’s temple had been taken to Babylon (see 2 Chronicles 36:7; Daniel 1:2). By placing these items in his pagan temple, Nebuchadnezzar tried to show his god’s power over the Hebrew God. However, God promised the return of all the stolen items (see Jeremiah 27:16–22). The items from the temple were holy utensils, acceptable to God for worship and very valuable to the returning worshipers.

Sheshbazzar was the Persian-appointed governor of Judah who laid the temple's foundation (Ezra 5:14–16). Some believe Zerubbabel (Ezra 3:2, 8) was the same person with a new name (see Daniel 1:7). However, since both names are Babylonian, it is more likely these two leaders worked together on the temple foundation. Zerubbabel probably became governor after Sheshbazzar died.

5,400 gold and silver articles: The numbers listed only total 2,499 items. A similar account in the apocryphal book 1 Esdras 2:13–15 lists 5,469 items, while a list by the Jewish historian Josephus in Antiquities 11.15 lists 5,220 objects. Ezra’s shorter list shows the types of items included but does not list every item. Keeping track of consecrated utensils helped prevent confusion with pagan utensils used for worshiping other gods.