Ezra 1:1-4 — Legacy Standard Bible

The Proclamation of Cyrus

1^aNow in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia—in order to complete the word of ¹Yahweh from the mouth of Jeremiah—Yahweh stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he ^bhad a proclamation pass throughout all his kingdom, and also put it in writing, saying:

²“Thus says Cyrus king of Persia, ‘Yahweh, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and ^aHe has appointed me to build Him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. ³‘Whoever there is among you of all His people, may his God be with him! Let him go up to Jerusalem which is in Judah and rebuild the house of Yahweh, the God of Israel; ^aHe is the God who is in Jerusalem. ⁴‘So everyone who remains, at whatever place he may sojourn, let the men of ¹that place support him with silver and gold, with goods and cattle, together with a freewill offering for the house of God which is in Jerusalem.’”