Ezra 1:1

Cyrus Helps the Exiles to Return

1 In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the LORD spoken by Jeremiah, the LORD moved the heart of Cyrus king of Persia to make a proclamation throughout his realm and also to put it in writing:

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Ezra 1:1 in Other Translations

King James Version (KJV)

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

English Standard Version (ESV)

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:

New Living Translation (NLT)

1 In the first year of King Cyrus of Persia, the LORD fulfilled the prophecy he had given through Jeremiah. He stirred the heart of Cyrus to put this proclamation in writing and to send it throughout his kingdom:

The Message Bible (MSG)

1 In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia - this fulfilled the Message of God preached by Jeremiah - God prodded Cyrus king of Persia to make an official announcement throughout his kingdom. He wrote it out as follows:

American Standard Version (ASV)

1 Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of Jehovah by the mouth of Jeremiah might be accomplished, Jehovah stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and [put it] also in writing, saying,

GOD'S WORD Translation (GW)

1 The promise the LORD had spoken through Jeremiah was about to come true in Cyrus' first year as king of Persia. The LORD inspired the king to make this announcement throughout his whole kingdom and then to put it in writing.

Holman Christian Standard Bible (CSB)

1 In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, the word of the Lord spoken through Jeremiah was fulfilled. The Lord put it into the mind of King Cyrus to issue a proclamation throughout his entire kingdom and [to put it] in writing:

New International Reader's Version (NIRV)

1 It was the first year of the rule of Cyrus. He was king of Persia. The LORD stirred him up to send a message all through his kingdom. It happened so that what the LORD had spoken through Jeremiah would come true. The message was written down. It said,

Ezra 1:1 Meaning and Commentary

Ezra 1:1

Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia
Not in the first of his reign over Persia, for he had been many years king over that, and now had all the kingdoms of the earth given him, ( Ezra 1:2 ) , but over Babylon, and the dominions belonging to it, which commenced with Darius upon the taking of Babylon; he reigned in all thirty years, as Cicero ^F7 from a Persian writer relates; or twenty nine, according to Herodotus ^F8; but in what year this was is not certain; Africanus ^F9, has proved, from various historians, that it was the first year of the fifty fifth Olympiad, perhaps about the twentieth of Cyrus's Persian government ^F11; (See Gill on Daniel 10:1),

that the word of the Lord, by the mouth of Jeremiah, might be
fulfilled;
which foretold that the Jews should return from their captivity at the end of seventy years, which fell on the first of Cyrus, reckoning from the fourth of Jehoiakim, and the first of Nebuchadnezzar, see ( Jeremiah 25:1 Jeremiah 25:11 Jeremiah 25:12 ) ( 29:10 ) .

The Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia;
who has the hearts of all men in his hands, and even of the kings of the earth, and can turn them as he pleases; he wrought upon him, put it into his heart, enlightened his mind, showed him what was right, and his duty to do, and pressed him to the performance of it; so that he could not be easy until he had done it, and he was made thoroughly willing, and even eager to do it:

that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom,
and put it also in writing; gave it in writing to his heralds to read and proclaim throughout all his dominions:

saying;
as follows.

FOOTNOTES:

F7 De Divinatione, l. 1.
F8 Clio, sive, l. 1. c. 214.
F9 Apud Euseb. Praepar. Evangel. l. 10. c. 10. p. 488.
F11 Nic. Abrami Pharus, p. 303.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Ezra 1:1 In-Context

2 “This is what Cyrus king of Persia says: “ ‘The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and he has appointed me to build a temple for him at Jerusalem in Judah.

3 Any of his people among you may go up to Jerusalem in Judah and build the temple of the LORD, the God of Israel, the God who is in Jerusalem, and may their God be with them.

4 And in any locality where survivors may now be living, the people are to provide them with silver and gold, with goods and livestock, and with freewill offerings for the temple of God in Jerusalem.’ ”

5 Then the family heads of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests and Levites—everyone whose heart God had moved—prepared to go up and build the house of the LORD in Jerusalem.