Daniel 1:21

1:21 Now Daniel lived on until the first ¹  year of Cyrus the king.

Daniel 6:28

6:28 So this Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and ²  the reign of Cyrus the Persian.

Daniel 6:2

6:2 Over them would be three supervisors, one of whom was Daniel. These satraps were accountable ³  to them, so that the king’s interests might not incur damage.

Daniel 1:1

Daniel Finds Favor in Babylon

1:1 In the third ⁴  year of the reign of King Jehoiakim of Judah, King Nebuchadnezzar ⁵  of Babylon advanced against Jerusalem ⁶  and laid it under siege. ⁷ 

Daniel 1:1

Daniel Finds Favor in Babylon

1:1 In the third ⁸  year of the reign of King Jehoiakim of Judah, King Nebuchadnezzar ⁹  of Babylon advanced against Jerusalem ¹⁰  and laid it under siege. ¹¹ 

Ezra 1:1-2

The Decree of Cyrus

1:1 ¹² In the first ¹³  year of King Cyrus of Persia, in order to fulfill the Lord’s message ¹⁴  spoken through ¹⁵  Jeremiah, ¹⁶  the Lord stirred the mind ¹⁷  of King Cyrus of Persia. He disseminated ¹⁸  a proclamation ¹⁹  throughout his entire kingdom, announcing in a written edict ²⁰  the following: ²¹ 

1:2 “Thus says King Cyrus of Persia:

“‘The Lord God of heaven has given me all the kingdoms of the earth. He has instructed me to build a temple ²²  for him in Jerusalem, ²³  which is in Judah.

Ezra 1:7-8

1:7 Then King Cyrus brought out the vessels of the Lord’s temple which Nebuchadnezzar had brought from Jerusalem and had displayed ²⁴  in the temple of his gods. 1:8 King Cyrus of Persia entrusted ²⁵  them to ²⁶  Mithredath ²⁷  the treasurer, who counted them out to Sheshbazzar ²⁸  the leader of the Judahite exiles. ²⁹ 

Ezra 3:7

Preparations for Rebuilding the Temple

3:7 So they provided money ³⁰  for the masons and carpenters, and food, beverages, and olive oil for the people of Sidon ³¹  and Tyre, ³²  so that they would bring cedar timber from Lebanon to the seaport ³³  at Joppa, in accord with the edict of King Cyrus of Persia.

Ezra 4:3

4:3 But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the rest of the leaders of Israel said to them, “You have no right ³⁴  to help us build the temple of our God. We will build it by ourselves for the Lord God of Israel, just as King Cyrus, the king of Persia, has commanded us.”

Ezra 4:5

4:5 They were hiring advisers to oppose them, so as to frustrate their plans, throughout the time ³⁵  of King Cyrus of Persia until the reign of King Darius ³⁶  of Persia. ³⁷ 

Ezra 5:13-17

5:13 But in the first year of King Cyrus of Babylon, ³⁸  King Cyrus enacted a decree to rebuild this temple of God. 5:14 Even the gold and silver vessels of the temple of God that Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple in Jerusalem and had brought to the palace ³⁹  of Babylon – even those things King Cyrus brought from the palace of Babylon and presented ⁴⁰  to a man by the name of Sheshbazzar whom he had appointed as governor. 5:15 He said to him, “Take these vessels and go deposit them in the temple in Jerusalem, and let the house of God be rebuilt in its proper location.” ⁴¹  5:16 Then this Sheshbazzar went and laid the foundations of the temple of God in Jerusalem. From that time to the present moment ⁴²  it has been in the process of being rebuilt, although it is not yet finished.’

5:17 “Now if the king is so inclined, ⁴³  let a search be conducted in the royal archives ⁴⁴  there in Babylon in order to determine whether King Cyrus did in fact issue orders for this temple of God to be rebuilt in Jerusalem. Then let the king send us a decision concerning this matter.”

Ezra 6:3

6:3 In the first year of his reign, ⁴⁵  King Cyrus gave orders concerning the temple of God in Jerusalem: ⁴⁶  ‘Let the temple be rebuilt as a place where sacrifices are offered. Let its foundations be set in place. ⁴⁷  Its height is to be ninety feet and its width ninety ⁴⁸  feet, ⁴⁹ 

Ezra 6:14

6:14 The elders of the Jews continued building and prospering, while at the same time ⁵⁰  Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo continued prophesying. They built and brought it to completion by the command of the God of Israel and by the command of Cyrus and Darius and Artaxerxes king of Persia.

Isaiah 44:28--45:1

44:28 who commissions ⁵¹  Cyrus, the one I appointed as shepherd ⁵² 

to carry out all my wishes ⁵³ 

and to decree concerning Jerusalem, ‘She will be rebuilt,’

and concerning the temple, ‘It will be reconstructed.’” ⁵⁴ 

45:1 This is what the Lord says to his chosen ⁵⁵  one,

to Cyrus, whose right hand I hold ⁵⁶ 

in order to subdue nations before him,

and disarm kings, ⁵⁷ 

to open doors before him,

so gates remain unclosed:

[1:21]  ¹ sn The Persian king Cyrus’ first year in control of Babylon was 539 B.C. Daniel actually lived beyond the first year of Cyrus, as is clear from 10:1. The purpose of the statement in 1:21 is merely to say that Daniel’s life spanned the entire period of the neo-Babylonian empire. His life span also included the early years of the Persian control of Babylon. However, by that time his age was quite advanced; he probably died sometime in the 530’s B.C.

[6:28]  ² tn Or perhaps “in the reign of Darius, even in the reign of Cyrus.” The identity of this Darius is disputed. Some take the name to be referring to Cyrus, understanding the following vav (ו, “and”) in an epexegetical sense (“even”). Others identify Darius with a governor of Babylon known from extra-biblical records as Gubaru, or with Cambyses, son of Cyrus. Many scholars maintain that the reference is historically inaccurate.

[6:2]  ³ tn Aram “giving an account.”

[1:1]  ⁴ sn The third year of the reign of Jehoiakim would be ca. 605 B.C. At this time Daniel would have been a teenager. The reference to Jehoiakim’s third year poses a serious crux interpretum, since elsewhere these events are linked to his fourth year (Jer 25:1; cf. 2 Kgs 24:1; 2 Chr 36:5-8). Apparently Daniel is following an accession year chronology, whereby the first partial year of a king’s reign was reckoned as the accession year rather than as the first year of his reign. Jeremiah, on the other hand, is following a nonaccession year chronology, whereby the accession year is reckoned as the first year of the king’s reign. In that case, the conflict is only superficial. Most modern scholars, however, have concluded that Daniel is historically inaccurate here.

[1:1]  ⁵ sn King Nebuchadnezzar ruled Babylon from ca. 605-562 B.C.

[1:1]  ⁶ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[1:1]  ⁷ sn This attack culminated in the first of three major deportations of Jews to Babylon. The second one occurred in 597 B.C. and included among many other Jewish captives the prophet Ezekiel. The third deportation occurred in 586 B.C., at which time the temple and the city of Jerusalem were thoroughly destroyed.

[1:1]  ⁸ sn The third year of the reign of Jehoiakim would be ca. 605 B.C. At this time Daniel would have been a teenager. The reference to Jehoiakim’s third year poses a serious crux interpretum, since elsewhere these events are linked to his fourth year (Jer 25:1; cf. 2 Kgs 24:1; 2 Chr 36:5-8). Apparently Daniel is following an accession year chronology, whereby the first partial year of a king’s reign was reckoned as the accession year rather than as the first year of his reign. Jeremiah, on the other hand, is following a nonaccession year chronology, whereby the accession year is reckoned as the first year of the king’s reign. In that case, the conflict is only superficial. Most modern scholars, however, have concluded that Daniel is historically inaccurate here.

[1:1]  ⁹ sn King Nebuchadnezzar ruled Babylon from ca. 605-562 B.C.

[1:1]  ¹⁰ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[1:1]  ¹¹ sn This attack culminated in the first of three major deportations of Jews to Babylon. The second one occurred in 597 B.C. and included among many other Jewish captives the prophet Ezekiel. The third deportation occurred in 586 B.C., at which time the temple and the city of Jerusalem were thoroughly destroyed.

[1:1]  ¹² sn In addition to the canonical books of Ezra and Nehemiah, there are two deuterocanonical books that are also called “Ezra.” Exactly how these books are designated varies in ancient literature. In the Septuagint (LXX) canonical Ezra is called Second Esdras, but in the Latin Vulgate it is called First Esdras. Our Nehemiah is called Third Esdras in some manuscripts of the LXX, but it is known as Second Esdras in the Latin Vulgate. (In the earliest LXX manuscripts Ezra and Nehemiah were regarded as one book, as they were in some Hebrew manuscripts.) The deuterocanonical books of Ezra are called First and Fourth Esdras in the LXX, but Third and Fourth Esdras in the Latin Vulgate. The titles for the so-called books of Ezra are thus rather confusing, a fact that one must keep in mind when consulting this material.

[1:1]  ¹³ sn The first year of Cyrus would be ca. 539 B.C. Cyrus reigned in Persia from ca. 539-530 B.C.

[1:1]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “the word of the Lord.”

[1:1]  ¹⁵ tc The MT reads מִפִּי (mippi, “from the mouth of”), but this should probably be emended to בְּפִי (bÿfi, “by the mouth of”), which is the way the parallel passage in 2 Chr 36:22 reads. This is also reflected in the LXX, which is either reflecting an alternate textual tradition of בְּפִי or is attempting to harmonize Ezra 1:1 in light of 2 Chronicles.

[1:1]  ¹⁶ sn Cf. Jer 29:10; 25:11-14. Jeremiah had prophesied that after a time of seventy years the Jews would return “to this place.” How these seventy years are to be reckoned is a matter of debate among scholars. Some understand the period to refer to the approximate length of Babylon’s ascendancy as a world power, beginning either with the fall of Nineveh (612 b.c.) or with Nebuchadnezzar’s coronation (605 b.c.) and continuing till the fall of Babylon to the Persians in 539 b.c. Others take the seventy years to refer to the period from the destruction of the temple in 586 b.c. till its rebuilding in 516 b.c.

[1:1]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “spirit.” The Hebrew noun רוּחַ (ruakh, “spirit”) has a broad range of meanings (see BDB 924-26 s.v.). Here, it probably refers to (1) “mind” as the seat of mental acts (e.g., Exod 28:3; Deut 34:9; Isa 29:24; 40:13; Ezek 11:5; 20:32; 1 Chr 28:12; cf. BDB 925 s.v. 6) or (2) “will” as the seat of volitional decisions (e.g., Exod 35:5, 22; Pss 51:12, 14; 57:8; 2 Chr 29:31; cf. BDB 925 s.v. 7). So also in v. 5.

[1:1]  ¹⁸ tn Heb “caused to pass.”

[1:1]  ¹⁹ tn Heb “a voice.” The Hebrew noun קוֹל (qol, “voice, sound”) has a broad range of meanings, including the metonymical (cause – effect) nuance “proclamation” (e.g., Exod 36:6; 2 Chr 24:9; 30:5; 36:22; Ezra 1:1; 10:7; Neh 8:15). See BDB 877 s.v. 3.a.2.

[1:1]  ²⁰ sn For an interesting extrabiblical parallel to this edict see the Cyrus cylinder (ANET 315-16).

[1:1]  ²¹ tn Heb “in writing, saying.”

[1:2]  ²² tn Heb “house.” The Hebrew noun בַּיִת (bayit, “house”) is often used in reference to the temple of Yahweh (BDB 108 s.v. 1.a). This is also frequent elsewhere in Ezra and Nehemiah (e.g., Ezra 1:3, 4, 5, 7; 2:68; 3:8, 9, 11, 12; 4:3; 6:22; 7:27; 8:17, 25, 29, 30, 33, 36; 9:9; 10:1, 6, 9).

[1:2]  ²³ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[1:7]  ²⁴ tn Heb “and he gave them.”

[1:8]  ²⁵ tn Heb “brought them forth.”

[1:8]  ²⁶ tn Heb “upon the hand of.”

[1:8]  ²⁷ sn A Persian name meaning “gift of Mithras.” See HALOT 656 s.v. מִתְרְדָת.

[1:8]  ²⁸ sn A Babylonian name with the probable meaning “Shamash protect the father.” See HALOT 1664-65 s.v. שֵׁשְׁבַּצַּר.

[1:8]  ²⁹ tn Heb “Sheshbazzar the prince to Judah”; TEV, CEV “the governor of Judah.”

[3:7]  ³⁰ tn Heb “silver.”

[3:7]  ³¹ map For location see Map1 A1; JP3 F3; JP4 F3.

[3:7]  ³² map For location see Map1 A2; Map2 G2; Map4 A1; JP3 F3; JP4 F3.

[3:7]  ³³ tn Heb “to the sea”

[4:3]  ³⁴ tn Heb “not to you and to us.”

[4:5]  ³⁵ tn Heb “all the days of.”

[4:5]  ³⁶ sn Darius ruled Persia ca. 522-486 B.C.

[4:5]  ³⁷ sn The purpose of the opening verses of this chapter is to summarize why the Jews returning from the exile were unable to complete the rebuilding of the temple more quickly than they did. The delay was due not to disinterest on their part but to the repeated obstacles that had been placed in their path by determined foes.

[5:13]  ³⁸ sn Cyrus was actually a Persian king, but when he conquered Babylon in 539 b.c. he apparently appropriated to himself the additional title “king of Babylon.” The Syriac Peshitta substitutes “Persia” for “Babylon” here, but this is probably a hyper-correction.

[5:14]  ³⁹ tn Or “temple.”

[5:14]  ⁴⁰ tn Aram “they were given.”

[5:15]  ⁴¹ tn Aram “upon its place.”

[5:16]  ⁴² tn Aram “from then and until now.”

[5:17]  ⁴³ tn Aram “if upon the king it is good.”

[5:17]  ⁴⁴ tn Aram “the house of the treasures of the king.”

[6:3]  ⁴⁵ tn Aram “In the first year of Cyrus the king.”

[6:3]  ⁴⁶ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[6:3]  ⁴⁷ tn Aram “raised”; or perhaps “retained” (so NASB; cf. NLT), referring to the original foundations of Solomon’s temple.

[6:3]  ⁴⁸ tc The Syriac Peshitta reads “twenty cubits” here, a measurement probably derived from dimensions given elsewhere for Solomon’s temple. According to 1 Kgs 6:2 the dimensions of the Solomonic temple were as follows: length, 60 cubits; width, 20 cubits; height, 30 cubits. Since one would expect the dimensions cited in Ezra 6:3 to correspond to those of Solomon’s temple, it is odd that no dimension for length is provided. The Syriac has apparently harmonized the width dimension provided here (“twenty cubits”) to that given in 1 Kgs 6:2.

[6:3]  ⁴⁹ tn Aram “Its height sixty cubits and its width sixty cubits.” The standard cubit in the OT is assumed by most authorities to be about eighteen inches (45 cm) long.

[6:14]  ⁵⁰ tn Aram “in” or “by,” in the sense of accompaniment.

[44:28]  ⁵¹ tn Heb “says to.” It is possible that the sentence is not completed, as the description of Cyrus and his God-given role is developed in the rest of the verse. 45:1 picks up where 44:28a leaves off with the Lord’s actual words to Cyrus finally being quoted in 45:2.

[44:28]  ⁵² tn Heb “my shepherd.” The shepherd motif is sometimes applied, as here, to a royal figure who is responsible for the well-being of the people whom he rules.

[44:28]  ⁵³ tn Heb “that he might bring to completion all my desire.”

[44:28]  ⁵⁴ tn Heb “and [concerning the] temple, you will be founded.” The preposition -לְ (lÿ) is understood by ellipsis at the beginning of the second line. The verb תִּוָּסֵד (tivvased, “you will be founded”) is second masculine singular and is probably addressed to the personified temple (הֵיכָל [hekhal, “temple”] is masculine).

[45:1]  ⁵⁵ tn Heb “anointed” (so KJV, NAB, NIV, NRSV, NLT); NCV “his appointed king.”

[45:1]  ⁵⁶ sn The “right hand” is a symbol of activity and strength; the Lord directs Cyrus’ activities and assures his success.

[45:1]  ⁵⁷ tn Heb “and the belts of kings I will loosen”; NRSV “strip kings of their robes”; NIV “strip kings of their armor.”