Bible Figure

Cyrus the Great in the Bible

Male
Biblical accounts of Cyrus the Great
A Visit With Jesus
Cyrus the Great was the Persian king whom Scripture presents as God's appointed instrument for ending Babylonian domination and permitting the Jewish exiles to return and rebuild the Temple.
Cyrus the Great in the Bible

Biography

Second Chronicles and Ezra record a decree of Cyrus allowing the exiles to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the house of the Lord. Isaiah strikingly names Cyrus as the ruler whom God would use to subdue nations and accomplish His purpose for Jerusalem, even calling him the Lord's anointed in that specific commissioned sense. Ezra also records the return of Temple vessels that Nebuchadnezzar had taken. Historically, Cyrus founded the Achaemenid Persian Empire and conquered Babylon in 539 BC, creating the political setting for the Jewish restoration.

Biblical Significance

Cyrus occupies an exceptional place among foreign rulers in Scripture because he is explicitly portrayed as an instrument of God's providence in restoring Judah. His policies mark the transition from exile under Babylon to restoration under Persia.