2 Chronicles 36:22-23

Cyrus Allows the Exiles to Go Home

36:22 In the first year of the reign of ¹  King Cyrus of Persia, in fulfillment of the promise he delivered through Jeremiah, ²  the Lord moved ³  King Cyrus of Persia to issue a written decree throughout his kingdom. 36:23 It read: “This is what King Cyrus of Persia says: ‘The Lord God of the heavens has given to me all the kingdoms of the earth. He has appointed me to build for him a temple in Jerusalem ⁴  in Judah. May the Lord your God energize you who belong to his people, so you may be able to go back there!” ⁵ 

[36:22]  ¹ tn The words “the reign of” are supplied in the translation for clarification.

[36:22]  ² tn Heb “to complete the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah.”

[36:22]  ³ tn Heb “stirred the spirit of.”

[36:23]  ⁴ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[36:23]  ⁵ tn Heb “Whoever [is] among you from all his people – may the Lord his God [be] with him so that he may go up.”