The Decree of Cyrus

Ezra 1

Cyrus king of the Persians, moved by the Lord, issues a proclamation permitting the exiled Jews to return and rebuild the house of the Lord in Jerusalem. He restores the gold and silver vessels taken from the temple by Nabuchodonosor and hands them over through Mithradates to Sasabasar, the chief man of Juda, as the people prepare to depart from Babylon.

About these editions

The Septuagint (LXX) in Greek, with Charles Thomson’s 1808 and Sir Lancelot Brenton’s 1851 English translations, set beside the King James Version and the Jewish Masoretic text (JPS 1917) where they align, so you can compare the Greek and the Hebrew. All public domain; choose which to show with the controls above.

Thomson 1808Septuagint

Brenton 1851Septuagint

Greek · BrentonSeptuagint

KJV 1769Masoretic

JPS 1917Masoretic

ThomsonIN the first year of Cyrus, king of the Persians, that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremias might be fulfilled, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of the Persians, and he caused proclamation to be made by word of mouth, and in writing, throughout all his kingdom, saying,

BrentonNow in the first year of Cyrus king of the Persians, that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremias might be fulfilled, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of the Persians, and he issued a proclamation through all his kingdom, and that in writing, saying,

GreekΚΑΙ ἐν τῷ πρώτῳ ἔτει Κύρου τοῦ βασιλέως Περσῶν, τοῦ τελεσθῆναι λόγον Κυρίου ἀπὸ στόματος Ἱερεμίου, ἐξήγειρε Κύριος τὸ πνεῦμα Κύρου βασιλέως Περσῶν, καὶ παρήγγειλε φωνὴν ἐν πάσῃ βασιλείᾳ αὐτοῦ, καί γε ἐν γραπτῷ, λέγων,

KJVNow 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,

JPSNOW IN the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be accomplished, 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:

ThomsonThus saith Cyrus king of the Persians, The Lord God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and hath watched over me, that I should build a house for Him in Jerusalem, which is in Judea.

BrentonThus said Cyrus king of the Persians, The Lord God of heaven has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has given me a charge to build him a house in Jerusalem that is in Judea.

GreekΟὕτως εἶπε Κύρος βασιλεὺς Περσῶν, πάσας τὰς βασιλείας τῆς γῆς ἔδωκέ μοι Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, καὶ αὐτὸς ἐπεσκέψατο ἐπʼ ἐμὲ τοῦ οἰκοδομῆσαι οἶκον αὐτῷ ἐν Ἱερουσαλὴμ τῇ ἐν τῇ Ἰουδαίᾳ.

KJVThus 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.

JPS’Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia: All the kingdoms of the earth hath the LORD, the God of heaven, given me; and He hath charged me to build Him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah.

ThomsonWhoever is among you of all His people, his God be with him; and let him go up to Jerusalem which is in Judea, and build the house of the God of Israel. He who is at Jerusalem is very God.

BrentonWho is there among you of all his people? for his God shall be with him, and he shall go up to Jerusalem that is in Judea, and let him build the house of the God of Israel: he is the God that is in Jerusalem.

GreekΤίς ἐν ὑμῖν ἀπὸ παντὸς τοῦ λαοῦ αὐτοῦ; καὶ ἔσται ὁ Θεὸς αὐτοῦ μετʼ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἀναβήσεται εἰς Ἱερουσαλὴμ τὴν ἐν τῇ Ἰουδαίᾳ, καὶ οἰκοδομησάτω τὸν οἶκον Θεοῦ Ἰσραὴλ· αὐτὸς ὁ Θεὸς ὁ ἐν Ἱερουσαλήμ.

KJVWho 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.

JPSWhosoever there is among you of all His people—his God be with him—let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and build the house of the LORD, the God of Israel, He is the God who is in Jerusalem.

ThomsonTherefore in regard to every one in every place who is left, let the men of the place where he dwelleth assist him with silver and gold, and furniture and cattle, together with a free will offering for the house of God, which is at Jerusalem.

BrentonAnd let every Jew that is left go from every place where he sojourns, and the men of his place shall help him with silver, and gold, and goods, and cattle, together with the voluntary offering for the house of God that is in Jerusalem.

GreekΚαὶ πᾶς ὁ καταλιπόμενος ἀπὸ πάντων τῶν τόπων οὗ αὐτὸς παροικεῖ ἐκεῖ, καὶ λήψονται αὐτὸν ἄνδρες τοῦ τόπου αὐτοῦ ἐν ἀργυρίῳ, καὶ χρυσίῳ, καὶ ἀποσκευῇ, καὶ κτήνεσι μετὰ τοῦ ἑκουσίου εἰς οἶκον τοῦ Θεοῦ τὸν ἐν Ἱερουσαλήμ.

KJVAnd 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.

JPSAnd whosoever is left, 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 which is in Jerusalem.’

ThomsonThereupon the heads of the patriarchal families of Juda and Benjamin arose with the priests and the Levites, even all whose spirit God stirred up, to go and rebuild the house of the Lord in Jerusalem.

BrentonThen the chiefs of the families of Juda and Benjamin arose, and the priests, and the Levites, all whose spirit the Lord stirred up to go up to build the house of the Lord that is in Jerusalem.

GreekΚαὶ ἀνέστησαν ἄρχοντες τῶν πατριῶν τῶν Ἰούδα καὶ Βενιαμεὶν, καὶ οἱ ἱερεῖς καὶ οἱ Λευεῖται, πάντων ὧν ἐξήγειρεν ὁ Θεὸς τὸ πνεῦμα αὐτῶν τοῦ ἀναβῆναι οἰκοδομῆσαι τὸν οἶκον Κυρίου τὸν ἐν Ἱερουσαλήμ.

KJVThen 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.

JPSThen rose up the heads of fathers’houses of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests, and the Levites, even all whose spirit God had stirred to go up to build the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem.

ThomsonAnd all who were around them strengthened their hands with vessels of silver, with gold, with furniture and with cattle, and with presents, exclusive of free-will offerings.

BrentonAnd all that were round about strengthened their hands with vessels of silver, with gold, with goods, and with cattle, and with presents, besides the voluntary offerings.

GreekΚαὶ πάντες οἱ κυκλόθεν ἐνίσχυσαν ἐν χερσὶν αὐτῶν ἐν σκεύεσιν ἀργυρίου, ἐν χρυσῷ, ἐν ἀποσκευῇ, καὶ ἐν κτήνεσι, καὶ ἐν ξενίοις, πάρεξ τῶν ἑκουσίων.

KJVAnd 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.

JPSAnd all they that were round 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.

ThomsonMoreover Cyrus brought out the vessels of the house of the Lord, which Nabuchodonosor had taken from Jerusalem, and deposited in the house of his God.

BrentonAnd king Cyrus brought out the vessels of the house of the Lord, which Nabuchodonosor had brought from Jerusalem, and put in the house of his god.

GreekΚαὶ ὁ βασιλεὺς Κύρος ἐξήνεγκε τὰ σκεύη οἴκου Κυρίου, ἃ ἔλαβε Ναβουχοδονόσορ ἀπὸ Ἱερουσαλὴμ καὶ ἔδωκεν αὐτὰ ἐν οἴκῳ θεοῦ αὐτοῦ·

KJVAlso 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;

JPSAlso 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;

ThomsonThese which were under the care of Mithridates the treasurer, Cyrus, king of the Persians, caused to be brought out and counted to Sasabasar, the chief of Juda.

BrentonAnd Cyrus king of the Persians brought them out by the hand of Mithradates the treasurer, and he numbered them to Sasabasar, the chief man of Juda.

GreekΚαὶ ἐξήνεγκεν αὐτὰ Κύρος ὁ βασιλεὺς Περσῶν ἐπὶ χεῖρα Μιθραδάτου γασβαρηνοῦ, καὶ ἠρίθμησεν αὐτὰ τῷ Σασαβασὰρ τῷ ἄρχοντι τοῦ Ἰούδα.

KJVEven those did Cyrus king of Persia bring forth by the hand of Mithredath the treasurer, and numbered them unto Sheshbazzar, the prince of Judah.

JPSeven those did Cyrus king of Persia bring forth by the hand of Mithredath the treasurer, and numbered them unto Sheshbazzar, the prince of Judah.

ThomsonAnd this was the number of them: thirty goblets of gold, and a thousand goblets of silver, vessels of an unusual form twenty-nine,

BrentonAnd this is their number: thirty gold basons, and a thousand silver basons, nine and twenty changes, thirty golden goblets,

GreekΚαὶ οὗτος ὁ ἀριθμὸς αὐτῶν· ψυκτῆρες χρυσοῖ τριάκοντα, καὶ ψυκτῆρες ἀργυροῖ χίλιοι, παρηλλαγμένα ἐννέα καὶ εἴκοσι, κεφουρῆς χρυσοῖ τριάκοντα, καὶ ἀργυροῖ διπλοῖ τετρακόσια δέκα,

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

JPSAnd this is the number of them: thirty basins of gold, a thousand basins of silver, nine and twenty knives;

Thomsongolden cups, thirty; and silver plated cups, four hundred and ten, and other vessels, a thousand.

Brentonand four hundred and ten double silver vessels, and a thousand other vessels.

Greekκαὶ σκεύη ἕτερα χίλια.

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

JPSthirty bowls of gold, silver bowls of a second sort four hundred and ten, and other vessels a thousand.

ThomsonAll the vessels of gold and silver, all that came up with Sasabasar from the captivity from Babylon to Jerusalem, were five thousand four hundred.

BrentonAll the gold and silver vessels were five thousand four hundred, even all that went up with Sasabasar from the place of transportation, from Babylon to Jerusalem.

GreekΠάντα τὰ σκεύη τῷ χρυσῷ καὶ τῷ ἀργυρῷ πεντακισχίλια τετρακόσια, τὰ πάντα ἀναβαίνοντα μετὰ Σασαβασὰρ ἀπὸ τῆς ἀποικίας ἐκ Βαβυλῶνος εἰς Ἱερουσαλήμ.

KJVAll 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.

JPSAll the vessels of gold and of silver were five thousand and four hundred. All these did Sheshbazzar bring up, when they of the captivity were brought up from Babylon unto Jerusalem.