Who Was Cyrus in the Bible?

Cyrus the Great, founder of the Persian Empire, occupies a unique place in Scripture as a pagan king whom God called by name and used as His instrument more than a century before his birth. In Isaiah 44:28 and 45:1, God declared: '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... Thus saith the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him.' This prophecy, delivered around 700 BC, named Cyrus specifically as the one who would allow Jerusalem and the temple to be rebuilt. Cyrus conquered Babylon in 539 BC through a remarkable military campaign. The Nabonidus Chronicle records that Cyrus entered Babylon without a battle, welcomed by the population. In his first year, Cyrus issued a famous decree allowing all captive peoples to return to their homelands and rebuild their temples. The Book of Ezra records the decree concerning the Jews: '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.' Cyrus returned the temple vessels that Nebuchadnezzar had carried away and authorized the Jews to take voluntary offerings for the rebuilding. Why did Cyrus respond so favorably to the Jews? Some suggest he was a Zoroastrian monotheist who respected the religious traditions of subject peoples. But the Bible presents a deeper answer: God stirred up Cyrus's spirit. The sovereign God of history moved the heart of a pagan emperor to accomplish His purposes. Cyrus never became a worshipper of Yahweh — he continued to honor Marduk and other deities. Yet God used him as an instrument of deliverance, just as He used Pharaoh, Nebuchadnezzar, and other kings. Cyrus's story demonstrates that God rules over all nations and kings, that His prophecies are certain, and that He can use even those who do not know Him to bless His people. The return from exile under Cyrus marks one of the great turning points in Israel's history, the beginning of the Second Temple period that would continue until the coming of Christ.