וּבִשְׁנַת אַחַת לְכוֹרֶשׁ מֶלֶךְ פָּרַס לִכְלוֹת דְּבַר־ה' מִפִּי יִרְמְיָה הֵעִיר ה' אֶת־רוּחַ כֹּרֶשׁ מֶלֶךְ־פָּרַס וַיַּעֲבֶר קוֹל בְּכָל־מַלְכוּתוֹ גַם־בְּמִכְתָּב לֵאמֹר

Iin the first year of the newly independent rule of Cyrus king of Persia, once the end of the allotted time according to the word of the Lord from the mouth of Jeremiah had been fulfilled. Jeremiah had prophesied that the exiles would return from Babylonia after seventy years. The exact calculation was unclear, but it was broadly recognized that the return of Judeans to their land was a fulfillment of that prophecy. In that year, the Lord roused the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, and he, Cyrus, circulated a proclamation throughout his entire kingdom. Although most Judeans lived in one specific area, there were some scattered throughout the kingdom. And Cyrus not only issued an oral declaration, he put it also in writing. These documents would be very important at a later stage, when problems arose with regard to the building of the Temple and it became necessary to examine these letters sent by Cyrus. Cyrus proclaimed, saying:

כֹּה אָמַר כֹּרֶשׁ מֶלֶךְ פָּרַס כֹּל מַמְלְכוֹת הָאָרֶץ נָתַן לִי ה' אֱלֹהֵי הַשָּׁמָיִם וְהוּא־פָקַד עָלַי לִבְנוֹת־לוֹ בַיִת בִּירוּשָׁלִַם אֲשֶׁר בּיהוּדָה

So said Cyrus king of Persia: The Lord, God of the heavens, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth. My reign is a gift from the Lord, the God of Israel. A skillful diplomat, Cyrus would frequently identify himself with the customs and religion of the people to whom he was speaking. Therefore, in this case, when addressing the Judeans, he emphasized that the God of Israel had given him all the land he controlled. And He has commanded me to build Him a House in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. This command came to me from God, and I wish to fulfill it. Cyrus spoke almost like a king of Israel. His statement expressed a sense of obligation to thank God for granting him power as a ruler, and he stated that he was motivated by gratitude to encourage the building of the Temple in Jerusalem.

מִי־בָכֶם מִכָּל־עַמּוֹ יְהִי אֱלֹהָיו עִמּוֹ וְיַעַל לִירוּשָׁלִַם אֲשֶׁר בִּיהוּדָה וְיִבֶן אֶת־בֵּית ה' אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הוּא הָאֱלֹהִים אֲשֶׁר בִּירוּשָׁלִָם

The previous declaration had certain practical ramifications: Any among you from His entire people, the people of the God of heaven, the nation of Israel, may his God be with him, and he may go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and build the House of the Lord, God of Israel; He is the God who is in Jerusalem. Cyrus did not decree that all Judeans must go back to their land. Rather, he called upon those Judeans who felt as he did, that the Temple should be rebuilt, and invited them to arise and travel to the Land of Israel out of their own desire.

וְכָל־הַנִּשְׁאָר מִכָּל־הַמְּקֹמוֹת אֲשֶׁר הוּא גָר־שָׁם יְנַשְּׂאוּהוּ אַנְשֵׁי מְקֹמוֹ בְּכֶסֶף וּבְזָהָב וּבִרְכוּשׁ וּבִבְהֵמָה עִם הַנְּדָבָה לְבֵית הָאֱלֹהִים אֲשֶׁר בִּירוּשָׁלִָם

It was clear to Cyrus that not all Judeans would respond to his call, as Babylonia was far from the Land of Israel and the journey was grueling. Therefore, he said: Whoever of the Judeans remains, from any place where he, one who has decided to return to the Land of Israel, resides, let the people of his place load him, thereby helping financially, by providing him with silver, with gold, with goods, and with livestock, along with a contribution toward the gift to the House of God that is in Jerusalem. Cyrus exhorted any Judeans who had decided not to return to at least help those who had chosen to go. He even urged them to send a free-will offering to Jerusalem. Cyrus may or may not have known that the returning Judeans were about to encounter a virtually desolate land. However, he realized that they would require more money than what was required for mere travel expenses. Another reason for Cyrus’ exhortation that the remaining Judeans help their emigrating brothers is that he himself, along with several other kings, donated money and goods to the Temple, and was therefore adamant that the Judeans themselves should participate in this voluntary enterprise as well. Thus Cyrus’ statement was more than just the granting of permission to return to the Land of Israel. He was actively encouraging them to return, to build the Temple, and to establish for themselves a national home.

וַיָּקוּמוּ רָאשֵׁי הָאָבוֹת לִיהוּדָה וּבִנְיָמִן וְהַכֹּהֲנִים וְהַלְוִיִּם לְכֹל הֵעִיר הָאֱלֹהִים אֶת־רוּחוֹ לַעֲלוֹת לִבְנוֹת אֶת־בֵּית ה' אֲשֶׁר בִּירוּשָׁלִָם

The heads of the patrilineal families of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests and the Levites, everyone whom God had roused his spirit, rose to go up to build the House of the Lord that is in Jerusalem.

וְכָל סְבִיבֹתֵיהֶם חִזְּקוּ בִידֵיהֶם בִּכְלֵי־כֶסֶף בַּזָּהָב בָּרְכוּשׁ וּבַבְּהֵמָה וּבַמִּגְדָּנוֹת לְבַד עַל־כָּל־הִתְנַדֵּב

All those surrounding them, those who had chosen not to return to the Land of Israel, supported them with vessels of silver, with gold, with goods, with livestock, and with delicacies or gifts, besides everything that was donated to the Temple for when it would be built.

וְהַמֶּלֶךְ כּוֹרֶשׁ הוֹצִיא אֶת־כְּלֵי בֵית־ה' אֲשֶׁר הוֹצִיא נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר מִירוּשָׁלִַם וַיִּתְּנֵם בְּבֵית אֱלֹהָיו

King Cyrus took out the vessels of the House of the Lord from his treasury, those that Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of Jerusalem and put in the house of his god. The vessels taken from the First Temple had been kept in the treasury of the king of Babylon and were now in the possession of the king of Persia.

וַיּוֹצִיאֵם כּוֹרֶשׁ מֶלֶךְ פָּרַס עַל־יַד מִתְרְדָת הַגִּזְבָּר וַיִּסְפְּרֵם לְשֵׁשְׁבַּצַּר הַנָּשִׂיא לִיהוּדָה

Cyrus king of Persia had them taken out by Mitredat, the treasurer, and he itemized them, handed them over while counting them, for Sheshbatzar, the prince, leader, of Judah.

וְאֵלֶּה מִסְפָּרָם אֲגַרְטְלֵי זָהָב שְׁלֹשִׁים; אֲגַרְטְלֵי־כֶסֶף אָלֶף; מַחֲלָפִים תִּשְׁעָה וְעֶשְׂרִים;

This is their, the vessels’, number: Large gold basins, thirty; silver basins, one thousand; and slaughtering knives, which were probably knives of special quality or uniquely decorated, twenty-nine;

כְּפוֹרֵי זָהָב שְׁלֹשִׁים; כְּפוֹרֵי כֶסֶף מִשְׁנִים אַרְבַּע מֵאוֹת וַעֲשָׂרָה; כֵּלִים אֲחֵרִים אָלֶף

gold bowls, receptacles used for the sprinkling of blood of atonement upon the altar, or a kind of platter, thirty; silver secondary bowls, bowls of secondary importance, four hundred and ten; and other unspecified Temple vessels, one thousand. It is possible these included appurtenances for the candelabrum or the table for the showbread, both of which were made of pure gold.

כָּל כֵּלִים לַזָּהָב וְלַכֶּסֶף חֲמֵשֶׁת אֲלָפִים וְאַרְבַּע מֵאוֹת הַכֹּל הֶעֱלָה שֵׁשְׁבַּצַּר עִם הֵעָלוֹת הַגּוֹלָה מִבָּבֶל לִירוּשָׁלִָם

All the gold and silver vessels, including vessels not listed above, were five thousand four hundred, of all types and sizes. All of it was brought by Sheshbatzar with the ascent of the exile from Babylonia to Jerusalem. Cyrus gave these vessels to Sheshbatzar on condition that he would bring them to Jerusalem, so that they would be the first vessels used in the Temple.