Catholic Commentary on Ezra 1

"The LORD moved the heart of Cyrus king of Persia to make a proclamation throughout his realm and also to put it in writing." (Ezra 1:1)

The Book of Ezra and the Decree of Cyrus

Ezra-Nehemiah is the account of the restoration of the covenant community after the Babylonian exile. It begins exactly where 2 Chronicles ends: with the decree of Cyrus in 538 BC, fulfilling Jeremiah's prophecy of seventy years. The LORD moved the heart of Cyrus king of Persia to make a proclamation throughout his realm and also to put it in writing: the LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and he has appointed me to build a temple for him at Jerusalem. Any of his people among you may go up to Jerusalem and build the temple of the LORD. Let the people of any place support those going up with silver and gold, livestock, and freewill offerings for the temple of God in Jerusalem. The neighbouring people support them with silver, gold, and freewill offerings. Cyrus returns the gold and silver articles Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the Temple: 5,400 articles in all.

The Catechism identifies the decree of Cyrus as the instrument of divine providence using a pagan king to fulfil the covenant promise of restoration (CCC 303). God's purposes work through the most unlikely instruments.

Living the Word

Brothers and sisters, the LORD moved the heart of Cyrus. God does not need believers to accomplish his purposes. He moves the hearts of kings who do not know him to serve the covenant he has made with his people. Whatever authority stands over you, even if it does not know God, is subject to the same moving. Pray for the Cyruses in your world.

Prayer

Lord God, you moved the heart of Cyrus to release your people. Move the hearts of every authority over your people today. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Ezra
1
The Proclamation of Cyrus
(2 Chronicles 36:22-23; Isaiah 45:1-25)
1 In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, to fulfill the word of the LORD spoken through Jeremiah, the LORD stirred the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia to send a proclamation throughout his kingdom and to put it in writing as follows:
 
2 “This is what Cyrus king of Persia says:
 
‘The LORD, the God of heaven, who has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, has appointed me to build a house for Him at Jerusalem in Judah.
 
3 Whoever among you belongs to His people, may his God be with him, and may he go to Jerusalem in Judah and build the house of the LORD, the God of Israel; He is the God who is in Jerusalem. 4 And let every survivor, wherever he lives, be assisted by the men of that region with silver, gold, goods, and livestock, along with a freewill offering for the house of God in Jerusalem.’ ”
 
5 So the family heads of Judah and Benjamin, along with the priests and Levites-everyone whose spirit God had stirred-prepared to go up and rebuild the house of the LORD in Jerusalem.
 
6 And all their neighbors supported them with articles of silver and gold, with goods and livestock, and with valuables, in addition to all their freewill offerings.
Cyrus Restores the Holy Vessels
 
7 King Cyrus also brought out the articles belonging to the house of the LORD that Nebuchadnezzar had carried away from Jerusalem and placed in the temple of his gods. 8 Cyrus king of Persia had them brought out by the hand of Mithredath the treasurer, who counted them out to Sheshbazzar the prince of Judah.* 1:8 That is, the leader of the exiles returning to Judah 9 This was the inventory:
 
30 gold dishes,† 1:9 Or basins; twice in this verse
 
1,000 silver dishes,
 
29 silver utensils,
 
10 30 gold bowls,
 
410 matching silver bowls,
 
and 1,000 other articles.
 
11 In all, there were 5,400 gold and silver articles. Sheshbazzar brought all these along when the exiles went up from Babylon to Jerusalem.

*1:8 1:8 That is, the leader of the exiles returning to Judah

†1:9 1:9 Or basins; twice in this verse

Public Domain