Ezra Chapter 1

At a Glance

  • Historical & Literary Context.
  • Ezra is part of the post-exilic corpus that includes Ezra–Nehemiah and Chronicles, focusing on restoration after the Babylonian exile.
  • The Chronicles and Ezra share an overarching theme: the people’s life in exile and return is deeply tied to the honoring of God through worship, the Law, and community leadership.
  • - Divine sovereignty and human obedience: God moves rulers and peoples to fulfill his purposes.
  • - Restoration and covenant renewal: Returning exiles are commissioned to rebuild the temple and reestablish worship.

Chapter Overview

Ezra 1 opens the post-exilic era with a decisive act of divine providence and political authorization: Cyrus, king of Persia, issues a decree that allows and encourages the Jews to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple. The chapter frames this event within the larger prophetic expectation—that the LORD would restore his people and fulfill long-held promises from Jeremiah. Cyrus proclaims that the LORD, the God of heaven, has entrusted him with all kingdoms and commands him to establish a house of worship in Jerusalem. The Persian king even motivates support from across his realm, urging those who remain to contribute silver, gold, goods, and beasts for the temple reconstruction, and to assist in the return of vessels previously taken by Nebuchadnezzar.

The narrative highlights human cooperation with divine initiative: Cyrus’s decree is a straightforward instrument of God’s plan, and the chapter notes the spiritual empowerment God bestowed on the people—God stirred the spirit of Cyrus. The chapter then enumerates the faithful, including the leaders and the people, who respond to the call to go up to Jerusalem with their fellow countrymen. The return is not merely a migration but an act of covenant renewal, as the returned exiles prepare to rebuild the temple, reestablish worship, and reconstitute a liturgical center for the people of Israel. Ezra 1 thus sets the stage for the grand project of restoration, positioning the exiles to reforge identity through temple service and adherence to the Law.

Historical & Literary Context

Ezra is part of the post-exilic corpus that includes Ezra–Nehemiah and Chronicles, focusing on restoration after the Babylonian exile. Chapter 1 aligns with Cyrus’s imperial policy, which allowed captive peoples to return home and rebuild their temples. This event is a pivotal moment in biblical history, illustrating God’s sovereign use of foreign rulers to accomplish his covenant purposes. The genre blends historical narrative with theological exposition: it records a royal decree, the mobilization of resources, and the spiritual motivation of the returned community.

The Chronicles and Ezra share an overarching theme: the people’s life in exile and return is deeply tied to the honoring of God through worship, the Law, and community leadership. The Cyrus decree marks a decisive turning point from exile to rebuilding, and it is framed as a fulfillment of prophetic hope, especially the Jeremiah oracle of72 years—giving the people a concrete frame for restoration. The chapter’s emphasis on material donations and vessel returns foregrounds the practical dimensions of restoration: sacred space, ritual life, and the reconstitution of a people under God.

Key Themes

- Divine sovereignty and human obedience: God moves rulers and peoples to fulfill his purposes.

- Restoration and covenant renewal: Returning exiles are commissioned to rebuild the temple and reestablish worship.

- The centrality of temple worship: The temple is the spiritual and communal center for Israel’s life.

- Generosity and collaborative support: The decree mobilizes resources and diaspora communities to participate.

- Memory and hope: The decree signals the fulfillment of prophetic hope and the renewal of identity.

Modern Application

Ezra 1 invites contemporary communities to recognize God’s sovereignty in unexpected places and to respond with faithful action. It encourages leaders to steward blessings and opportunities that enable worship, restoration, and communal rebuilding. Churches and faith communities can learn from the model of generous participation: laypeople, priests, and leaders contributing time, talent, and treasure to support faith formation, worship spaces, and mission.

The chapter also emphasizes the importance of remembering God’s promises and aligning present action with his redemptive timeline. Even when circumstances seem bleak, there is space for hope when God moves rulers, mobilizes resources, and calls a people to reconstitute their life around worship and obedience. Ezra 1 thus provides both a historical anchor for restoration and a practical blueprint for participatory renewal.

- Ezra 3–6 (rebuilding and dedication of the temple)

- Jeremiah 25:11–12 (prophetic timing of exile’s end)

- Isaiah 44–45 (God’s sovereignty over nations)

- Daniel 6 (God’s sovereignty under a foreign king)

Recommended Personas

- Ezra (central figure of restoration and authorial voice)

- Cyrus (perspective on divine sovereignty through a non-Israelite king)

- Nehemiah (future chapters’ reform and leadership in rebuilding)

- Haggai and Zechariah (prophetic voices encouraging temple rebuilding)

- David (longing for proper worship and rightful leadership)

Chapter Text

1

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,

2

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.

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.

4

And whosoever remaineth in any place where he sojourneth, let the men of his place help him with silver, and with gold, and with goods, and with beasts, beside the freewill offering for the house of God that is in Jerusalem.

5

Then rose up the chief of the fathers of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests, and the Levites, with all them whose spirit God had raised, to go up to build the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem.

6

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.

7

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;

8

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.

9

And this is the number of them: thirty chargers of gold, a thousand chargers of silver, nine and twenty knives,

10

Thirty basons of gold, silver basons of a second sort four hundred and ten, and other vessels a thousand.

11

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.

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