2 Chronicles 36:22-23 | Ezra 1:1-4:5

When Cyrus, king of Persia became the ruler of the Medes and Persians, tradition has it that Daniel met with him, and showed him the prophecy of Isaiah, where God called Cyrus by name more than 150 years earlier. Cyrus was so impressed that he not only issued the decree that allowed the Israelites to return to Jerusalem, but he gave back all the temple treasures, funded the costs of the trip, and gave his protection over all who went back to Israel.

The book of Ezra covers a period of around 70 years of Israel’s history, starting with the declaration of Cyrus to free the exiles, and to provide support for those who desired to go back to Israel and rebuild the temple. Ezra wrote this book, but was probably not alive when the decree of Cyrus was made, so the first 6 chapters were written as history, but then he participates in the story beginning

in chapter 7. Some 50,000 exiles responded to the invitation of Cyrus to return to Jerusalem, where they rebuilt the alter of God, and laid the foundation for the temple. However, work on the temple would stall at that point because of opposition to their efforts from the locals in that region.