A Pagan King Declares That the God of Israel Told Him to Build His Temple

In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, God moves the spirit of the most powerful ruler on earth. Cyrus issues a proclamation throughout his empire: 'The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has appointed me to build him a temple at Jerusalem in Judah. Any of his people among you — may their God be with them, and let them go up.' A Babylonian conqueror frees captive Israel, funds their return, and gives back the temple vessels Nebuchadnezzar had looted — 5,400 gold and silver articles. The prophet Isaiah had named Cyrus by name two centuries before he was born.