Ezra 1 - Summary

In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, the Lord stirred his spirit to fulfill Jeremiah's prophecy, prompting Cyrus to issue a written proclamation throughout his realm acknowledging that the Lord God of heaven had given him all kingdoms and charged him to build a temple in Jerusalem. Cyrus decreed that any of God's people throughout his kingdom could return to Jerusalem to build the house of the Lord, and their neighbors should assist them with silver, gold, goods, livestock, and freewill offerings. The heads of the fathers' houses of Judah and Benjamin, the priests and Levites, and all whose spirits God had stirred rose to return and build, supported by their neighbors' generous gifts, while Cyrus returned the 5,400 vessels of gold and silver that Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple, entrusting them to Sheshbazzar the prince of Judah to bring to Jerusalem.