Cyrus

King of Persia

A written article for Cyrus is still to come. Below and alongside: where Cyrus appears in Scripture, with the original words and any dates on record.

700 BC

500 BC
Life and Reign of Cyrus the Great

600 BC to 530 BC

Original word

כּוֹרֶשׁ cyrus

H3566

Where Cyrus appears in Scripture

2 Chronicles 36

וּבִשְׁנַת אַחַת לְכוֹרֶשׁ מֶלֶךְ פָּרַס לִכְלוֹת דְּבַר-יְהוָה בְּפִי יִרְמְיָהוּ הֵעִיר יְהוָה אֶת-רוּחַ כּוֹרֶשׁ מֶֽלֶךְ-פָּרַס וַיַּֽעֲבֶר-קוֹל בְּכָל-מַלְכוּתוֹ וְגַם-בְּמִכְתָּב לֵאמֹֽר׃

Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD spoken by the mouth of Jeremiah might be accomplished, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying,

כּֽה-אָמַר כּוֹרֶשׁ׀ מֶלֶךְ פָּרַס כָּל-מַמְלְכוֹת הָאָרֶץ נָתַן לִי יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵי הַשָּׁמַיִם וְהֽוּא-פָקַד עָלַי לִבְנֽוֹת-לוֹ בַיִת בִּירוּשָׁלִַם אֲשֶׁר בִּֽיהוּדָה מִֽי-בָכֶם מִכָּל-עַמּוֹ יְהוָה אֱלֹהָיו עִמּוֹ וְיָֽעַל׃

Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, All the kingdoms of the earth hath the LORD God of heaven given me; and he hath charged me to build him an house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Who is there among you of all his people? The LORD his God be with him, and let him go up.

Ezra 1

וּבִשְׁנַת אַחַת לְכוֹרֶשׁ מֶלֶךְ פָּרַס לִכְלוֹת דְּבַר-יְהוָה מִפִּי יִרְמְיָה הֵעִיר יְהוָה אֶת-רוּחַ כֹּרֶשׁ מֶֽלֶךְ-פָּרַס וַיַּֽעֲבֶר-קוֹל בְּכָל-מַלְכוּתוֹ וְגַם-בְּמִכְתָּב לֵאמֹֽר׃

Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying,

כֹּה אָמַר כֹּרֶשׁ מֶלֶךְ פָּרַס כֹּל מַמְלְכוֹת הָאָרֶץ נָתַן לִי יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵי הַשָּׁמָיִם וְהֽוּא-פָקַד עָלַי לִבְנֽוֹת-לוֹ בַיִת בִּירֽוּשָׁלִַם אֲשֶׁר בִּֽיהוּדָֽה׃

Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, The LORD God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and he hath charged me to build him an house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah.

וְהַמֶּלֶךְ כּוֹרֶשׁ הוֹצִיא אֶת-כְּלֵי בֵית-יְהוָה אֲשֶׁר הוֹצִיא נְבֽוּכַדְנֶצַּר מִירוּשָׁלִַם וַֽיִּתְּנֵם בְּבֵית אֱלֹהָֽיו׃

Also Cyrus the king brought forth the vessels of the house of the LORD, which Nebuchadnezzar had brought forth out of Jerusalem, and had put them in the house of his gods;

וַיּֽוֹצִיאֵם כּוֹרֶשׁ מֶלֶךְ פָּרַס עַל-יַד מִתְרְדָת הַגִּזְבָּר וַֽיִּסְפְּרֵם לְשֵׁשְׁבַּצַּר הַנָּשִׂיא לִֽיהוּדָֽה׃

Even those did Cyrus king of Persia bring forth by the hand of Mithredath the treasurer, and numbered them unto Sheshbazzar, the prince of Judah.

Ezra 3

וַיִּתְּנוּ-כֶסֶף לַחֹֽצְבִים וְלֶחָֽרָשִׁים וּמַֽאֲכָל וּמִשְׁתֶּה וָשֶׁמֶן לַצִּֽדֹנִים וְלַצֹּרִים לְהָבִיא עֲצֵי אֲרָזִים מִן-הַלְּבָנוֹן אֶל-יָם יָפוֹא כְּרִשְׁיוֹן כּוֹרֶשׁ מֶֽלֶךְ-פָּרַס עֲלֵיהֶֽם׃

They gave money also unto the masons, and to the carpenters; and meat, and drink, and oil, unto them of Zidon, and to them of Tyre, to bring cedar trees from Lebanon to the sea of Joppa, according to the grant that they had of Cyrus king of Persia.

Ezra 4

וַיֹּאמֶר לָהֶם זְרֻבָּבֶל וְיֵשׁוּעַ וּשְׁאָר רָאשֵׁי הָֽאָבוֹת לְיִשְׂרָאֵל לֹֽא-לָכֶם וָלָנוּ לִבְנוֹת בַּיִת לֵֽאלֹהֵינוּ כִּי אֲנַחְנוּ יַחַד נִבְנֶה לַֽיהוָה אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל כַּֽאֲשֶׁר צִוָּנוּ הַמֶּלֶךְ כּוֹרֶשׁ מֶֽלֶךְ-פָּרָֽס׃

But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the chief of the fathers of Israel, said unto them, Ye have nothing to do with us to build an house unto our God; but we ourselves together will build unto the LORD God of Israel, as king Cyrus the king of Persia hath commanded us.

וְסֹֽכְרִים עֲלֵיהֶם יֽוֹעֲצִים לְהָפֵר עֲצָתָם כָּל-יְמֵי כּוֹרֶשׁ מֶלֶךְ פָּרַס וְעַד-מַלְכוּת דָּֽרְיָוֶשׁ מֶֽלֶךְ-פָּרָֽס׃

And hired counsellers against them, to frustrate their purpose, all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia.

Isaiah 44

הָאֹמֵר לְכוֹרֶשׁ רֹעִי וְכָל-חֶפְצִי יַשְׁלִם וְלֵאמֹר לִירוּשָׁלִַם תִּבָּנֶה וְהֵיכָל תִּוָּסֵֽד׃

That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid.

Isaiah 45

כֹּה-אָמַר יְהוָה לִמְשִׁיחוֹ לְכוֹרֶשׁ אֲשֶׁר-הֶחֱזַקְתִּי בִֽימִינוֹ לְרַד-לְפָנָיו גּוֹיִם וּמָתְנֵי מְלָכִים אֲפַתֵּחַ לִפְתֹּחַ לְפָנָיו דְּלָתַיִם וּשְׁעָרִים לֹא יִסָּגֵֽרוּ׃

Thus saith the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him; and I will loose the loins of kings, to open before him the two leaved gates; and the gates shall not be shut;

Daniel 1

וַֽיְהִי דָּֽנִיֵּאל עַד-שְׁנַת אַחַת לְכוֹרֶשׁ הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃

And Daniel continued even unto the first year of king Cyrus.

Daniel 10

בִּשְׁנַת שָׁלוֹשׁ לְכוֹרֶשׁ מֶלֶךְ פָּרַס דָּבָר נִגְלָה לְדָֽנִיֵּאל אֲשֶׁר-נִקְרָא שְׁמוֹ בֵּלְטְשַׁאצַּר וֶאֱמֶת הַדָּבָר וְצָבָא גָדוֹל וּבִין אֶת-הַדָּבָר וּבִינָה לוֹ בַּמַּרְאֶֽה׃

In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia a thing was revealed unto Daniel, whose name was called Belteshazzar; and the thing was true, but the time appointed was long: and he understood the thing, and had understanding of the vision.