Cyrus

(Heb. Ko’resh), the celebrated “King of Persia” (Elam) who was conqueror of Babylon, and issued the decree of liberation to the Jews (Ezra 1:1, 2). He was the son of Cambyses, the prince of Persia, and was born about B.C. 599. In the year B.C. 559 he became king of Persia, the kingdom of Media being added to it partly by conquest. Cyrus was a great military leader, bent on universal conquest. Babylon fell before his army (B.C. 538) on the night of Belshazzar’s feast (Dan. 5:30), and then the ancient dominion of Assyria was also added to his empire (cf., “Go up, O Elam”, Isa. 21:2). Hitherto the great kings of the earth had only oppressed the Jews. Cyrus was to them as a “shepherd” (Isa. 44:28; 45:1). God employed him in doing service to his ancient people. He may posibly have gained, through contact with the Jews, some knowledge of their religion. The “first year of Cyrus” (Ezra 1:1) is not the year of his elevation to power over the Medes, nor over the Persians, nor the year of the fall of Babylon, but the year succeeding the two years during which “Darius the Mede” was viceroy in Babylon after its fall. At this time only (B.C. 536) Cyrus became actual king over Palestine, which became a part of his Babylonian empire. The edict of Cyrus for the rebuilding of Jerusalem marked a great epoch in the history of the Jewish people (2 Chr. 36:22, 23; Ezra 1:1-4; 4:3; 5:13-17; 6:3-5). This decree was discovered “at Achmetha [R.V. marg., “Ecbatana”], in the palace that is in the province of the Medes” (Ezra 6:2). A chronicle drawn up just after the conquest of Babylonia by Cyrus, gives the history of the reign of Nabonidus (Nabunahid), the last king of Babylon, and of the fall of the Babylonian empire. In B.C. 538 there was a revolt in Southern Babylonia, while the army of Cyrus entered the country from the north. In June the Babylonian army was completely defeated at Opis, and immediately afterwards Sippara opened its gates to the conqueror. Gobryas (Ugbaru), the governor of Kurdistan, was then sent to Babylon, which surrendered “without fighting,” and the daily services in the temples continued without a break. In October, Cyrus himself arrived, and proclaimed a general amnesty, which was communicated by Gobryas to “all the province of Babylon,” of which he had been made governor. Meanwhile, Nabonidus, who had concealed himself, was captured, but treated honourably; and when his wife died, Cambyses, the son of Cyrus, conducted the funeral. Cyrus now assumed the title of “king of Babylon,” claimed to be the descendant of the ancient kings, and made rich offerings to the temples. At the same time he allowed the foreign populations who had been deported to Babylonia to return to their old homes, carrying with them the images of their gods. Among these populations were the Jews, who, as they had no images, took with them the sacred vessels of the temple.

(the sun), the founder of the Persian empire—see (2 Chronicles 36:22,23; Daniel 6:28; 10:1,13)—was, according to the common legend, the son of Cambyses, a Persian of the royal family of the Achaemenidae. When he grew up to manhood his courage and genius placed him at the head of the Persians. His conquests were numerous and brilliant. He defeated and captured the Median king B.C. 559. In B.C. 546 (?) he defeated Croesus, and the kingdom of lydia was the prize of his success. Babylon fell before his army, and the ancient dominions of Assyria were added to his empire B.C. 538. The prophet Daniel’s home for a time was at his court. (Daniel 6:28) The edict of Cyrus for the rebuilding of the temple, (2 Chronicles 36:22,23; Ezra 1:1-4; 3:7; 4:3; 5:13,17; 6:3) was in fact the beginning of Judaism; and the great changes by which the nation was transformed into a church are clearly marked. His tomb is still shown at Pasargadae, the scene of his first decisive victory.

CY'RUS(the sun; in Hebrew, Koresh), founder of the Persian empire, a prince, statesman, and conqueror of great renown, and an instrument employed by Jehovah in the execution of his designs of mercy toward the Jews, as foretold by Isaiah 44:28; Isaiah 45:1-7; comp. 2 Chr 36:22-23; Ezr 1:1-4; Dan 6:28. He was the son of Cambyses, king of Persia, and a nephew of Darius the Mede (Cyaxares), and united the crowns of Persia and Media. His chief biographers (Xenophon and Herodotus) present his history and exploits in very different aspects. His conquests extended over all western Reputed Tomb of Cyrus. Asia, but the most brilliant of them was that of Babylon, b.c. 538. After this event he ordered a return of the Jews, who had been 70 years in captivity, to their own land, and furnished them very liberally with the means of rebuilding their temple. Daniel lived at his court, and was his favorite minister and adviser. Dan 6:28. His edict for the rebuilding of the temple may be said to mark the beginning of strict Judaism, for the Jews from that time became consolidated ecclesiastically under the government of the Sanhedrin. Cyrus died from a wound received in battle, b.c. 529. His reputed tomb still exists, near Murgab, the ancient Pasargadae.-Rawlinson: Ancient Monarchies, vol. iii. p. 318. The captivity of the Jews, which was ended by the decease of Cyrus, ended also the sin of idolatry in the nation.

as miserable; as heir

CY'RUS(the sun; in Hebrew, Koresh), founder of the Persian empire, a prince, statesman, and conqueror of great renown, and an instrument employed by Jehovah in the execution of his designs of mercy toward the Jews, as foretold by Isaiah 44:28; Isaiah 45:1-7; comp. 2 Chr 36:22-23; Ezr 1:1-4; Dan 6:28. He was the son of Cambyses, king of Persia, and a nephew of Darius the Mede (Cyaxares), and united the crowns of Persia and Media. His chief biographers (Xenophon and Herodotus) present his history and exploits in very different aspects. His conquests extended over all western Reputed Tomb of Cyrus. Asia, but the most brilliant of them was that of Babylon, b.c. 538. After this event he ordered a return of the Jews, who had been 70 years in captivity, to their own land, and furnished them very liberally with the means of rebuilding their temple. Daniel lived at his court, and was his favorite minister and adviser. Dan 6:28. His edict for the rebuilding of the temple may be said to mark the beginning of strict Judaism, for the Jews from that time became consolidated ecclesiastically under the government of the Sanhedrin. Cyrus died from a wound received in battle, b.c. 529. His reputed tomb still exists, near Murgab, the ancient Pasargadae.-Rawlinson: Ancient Monarchies, vol. iii. p. 318. The captivity of the Jews, which was ended by the decease of Cyrus, ended also the sin of idolatry in the nation.