King Cyrus Speaks Ezra 1:3

Ezra 1:3 "Who is there among you of all his people? his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and build the house of the LORD God of Israel, (he is the God,) which is in Jerusalem."

Why would king Cyrus decide to let the Jews go back to Judah for the purpose of building the house of the LORD? Only God could do such a thing.

v2 "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."

I can only imagine the power this man held. It is obvious then as now that the worlds attention is ever focused toward Jerusalem. After all, it is where the LORD put his name.

Some wanted to stay where they were but others decided to go do the work.

v6 "And all they that were about them strengthened their hands with vessels of silver, with gold, with goods, and with beasts, and with precious things, beside all that was willingly offered."

This captivity was not like the slavery of Egypt. These Jews were doing pretty good or else they would not have had these treasures to bestow on those who were going to Jerusalem. It was a massive amount of treasure in precious metals and livestock.

-thirty chargers of gold
-a thousand chargers of silver
-twenty-nine knives
-thirty basins of gold,
-410 basins of silver
-and other vessels

v11 "All the vessels of gold and of silver were five thousand and four hundred. All these did Sheshbazzar bring up with them of the captivity that were brought up from Babylon unto Jerusalem."

Isaiah 44:28 "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 45:3 "And I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know that I, the LORD which call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel."

Ezra prepares the journey back to Judah.