Where is Cyrus Mentioned in the Bible?
Cyrus, the great king of Persia, is a figure of significant historical and biblical importance. His name appears in the Bible, but his mention is often overshadowed by the more famous figures of the Old Testament. This article delves into the various instances where Cyrus is referenced in the Bible, highlighting his role in the divine plan and the impact of his reign on the Jewish people.
In the Old Testament, Cyrus is first mentioned in the book of Isaiah. The prophet Isaiah foretells the rise of Cyrus as a divinely appointed ruler who would bring freedom to the Jewish people in Babylonian captivity. This prophecy is found in Isaiah 44:28, where God declares, “Who says of Cyrus, ‘He is my shepherd, and he will lead Israel like a sheep on the pasture.’” This verse indicates that Cyrus was chosen by God to fulfill a specific purpose in the history of His people.
Another significant mention of Cyrus is found in Isaiah 45:1, where God refers to Cyrus as His “anointed” and His “servant.” The verse reads, “Thus says the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have held—to subdue nations before him and to loose the bonds of their yoke from off of them.” This passage emphasizes that Cyrus was chosen by God to bring about the liberation of the Jewish people from their captors.
In the book of Ezra, Cyrus is recognized as the Persian king who issued a decree allowing the Jews to return to their homeland and rebuild the temple in Jerusalem. Ezra 1:1-4 recounts the story of Cyrus’s decree, which reads, “Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the Lord spoken by the mouth of Jeremiah, the Lord moved the heart of Cyrus king of Persia to make a proclamation throughout his kingdom and also to put it in writing: ‘Thus says Cyrus king of Persia: The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Whom else shall I send, and whom shall I have to appoint as governor over the land, except my servant Daniel? Moreover, the gold and silver that you have sent, I will give to the God of Israel, to build him a house at Jerusalem.’”
Cyrus’s mention in the Bible is not limited to the Old Testament. In the New Testament, Jesus Christ refers to Cyrus as a “man of God” in Matthew 14:34, highlighting the significance of Cyrus’s role in the liberation of the Jewish people. This verse is a reminder that even though Cyrus was a Gentile king, he played a crucial part in God’s plan for the salvation of His people.
In conclusion, Cyrus is mentioned in the Bible in various passages that emphasize his divine appointment and his role in the liberation of the Jewish people from Babylonian captivity. His mention serves as a testament to the sovereignty of God and the interconnectedness of human history with the divine plan.
