It was the first year of the rule of Cyrus. He was king of Persia. The Lord inspired him to send a message all through his kingdom. It happened so that what the Lord had spoken through Jeremiah would come true. The message was written down. It said,

波斯王居鲁士元年，耶和华为要应验藉耶利米口所说的话，就激动波斯王居鲁士的心，使他下诏通告全国，说：

波斯王居鲁士元年，耶和华为要应验藉耶利米的口所说的话，就激发波斯王居鲁士的心，使他下诏书通告全国，说：

波斯王居鲁士元年，耶和华为要应验藉耶利米的口所说的话，就激发波斯王居鲁士的心，使他下诏书通告全国，说：

波斯王塞鲁士元年，耶和华为了应验祂借耶利米所说的话，就感动波斯王塞鲁士，使他下诏通告全国：

波斯王古列元年，耶和华为要应验他藉耶利米所说的话，就感动波斯王古列的心，使他通告全国，并且下诏书说：

波斯王塞魯士元年，耶和華為要應驗藉耶利米口所說的話，就激動波斯王塞魯士的心，使他下詔通告全國，說：

波斯王居魯士元年，耶和華為要應驗藉耶利米的口所說的話，就激發波斯王居魯士的心，使他下詔書通告全國，說：

波斯王居魯士元年，耶和華為要應驗藉耶利米的口所說的話，就激發波斯王居魯士的心，使他下詔書通告全國，說：

波斯王塞魯士元年，耶和華為了應驗祂藉耶利米所說的話，就感動波斯王塞魯士，使他下詔通告全國：

波斯王古列元年，耶和華為要應驗他藉耶利米所說的話，就感動波斯王古列的心，使他通告全國，並且下詔書說：

波斯王古列元年、永恆主為要成就他自己的話、由耶利米口中說出來的，永恆主就激動了波斯王古列的心，使他將布告傳達全國，並且是用書面傳達說：

波斯王古列元年、耶和華使藉耶利米口所言得應、感波斯王古列之心、宣告通國、且書之曰、

耶和華諭耶利米之預言必應、故巴西王古列元年、耶和華感動古列之心、詔告天下、曰、

巴西王古列元年、主欲應耶利米所傳主之言、感巴西王古列之心、宣告遍國、並降詔曰、

In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the Lord spoken by Jeremiah, the Lord moved the heart of Cyrus king of Persia to make a proclamation throughout his realm and also to put it in writing:

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, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom and also put it in writing:

In the first year of King Cyrus of Persia, the Lord fulfilled the prophecy he had given through Jeremiah. He stirred the heart of Cyrus to put this proclamation in writing and to send it throughout his kingdom:

In the first year of King Cyrus of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the LORD spoken through Jeremiah, the LORD roused the spirit of King Cyrus of Persia to issue a proclamation throughout his entire kingdom and also to put it in writing:

Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia— in order to fulfill the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah— the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia so that he sent a proclamation throughout his kingdom, and also put it in writing, saying,

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, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and also put it in writing, saying,

Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of Jehovah by the mouth of Jeremiah might be accomplished, Jehovah stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying,

In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, the word of the Lord spoken through Jeremiah was fulfilled. The Lord put it into the mind of King Cyrus of Persia to issue a proclamation throughout his entire kingdom and also to put it in writing:

Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD[ spoken] 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,

In the first year of the reign of King Cyrus of Persia, in fulfillment of the promise he delivered through Jeremiah, the LORD moved King Cyrus of Persia to issue a written decree throughout his kingdom.

Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that Yahweh’s word by the mouth of Jeremiah might be accomplished, Yahweh stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying,

“‘ But I will punish that king and his nation because they are guilty. I will do this when the 70 years are over,’ announces the Lord.‘ I will make that land a desert forever.

The Lord says,“ You will be forced to live in Babylon for 70 years. After they are over, I will come to you. My good promise to you will come true. I will bring you back home.

It was the first year of the rule of Cyrus. He was king of Persia. The Lord inspired him to send a message all through his kingdom. It happened so that what the Lord had spoken through Jeremiah would come true. The message was written down. It said,“ Cyrus, the king of Persia, says,“‘ The Lord is the God of heaven. He has given me all the kingdoms on earth. He has appointed me to build a temple for him at Jerusalem in Judah.Any of his people among you may go up to Jerusalem and build the Lord’ s temple. He is the God of Israel. He is the God who is in Jerusalem. And may their God be with them.

The land of Israel enjoyed its sabbath years. It rested. That deserted land wasn’t farmed for a full 70 years. What the Lord had spoken through Jeremiah came true.

It was the third year that Cyrus, the king of Persia, ruled over Babylon. At that time I was living in Babylon. There the people called me Belteshazzar. A message from God came to me. It was true. It was about a great war. I had a vision that showed me what it meant.

Then everyone God had inspired prepared to go. They wanted to go up to Jerusalem and build the Lord’ s temple there. They included the family leaders of Judah and Benjamin. They also included the priests and Levites.

The Lord says,“ You say about this place,‘ It’s a dry and empty desert. It doesn’t have any people or animals in it.’ The towns of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem are now deserted. So they do not have any people or animals living in them. But happy sounds will be heard there once more.They will be the sounds of joy and gladness. The voices of brides and grooms will fill the streets. And the voices of those who bring thank offerings to my house will be heard there. They will say,“‘ Give thanks to the Lord who rules over all, because he is good. His faithful love continues forever.’ That’s because I will bless this land with great success again. It will be as it was before,” says the Lord.The Lord who rules over all says,“ This place is a desert. It does not have any people or animals in it. But there will again be grasslands near all its towns. Shepherds will rest their flocks there.Flocks will again pass under the hands of shepherds as they count their sheep,” says the Lord.“ That will be done in the towns of the central hill country. It will be done in the western hills and the Negev Desert. It will be done in the territory of Benjamin. And it will be done in the villages around Jerusalem and in the towns of Judah.“ The days are coming,” announces the Lord.“ At that time I will fulfill my good promise to my people. I made it to the people of Israel and Judah.

I say about Cyrus,‘ He is my shepherd. He will accomplish everything I want him to. He will say about Jerusalem,“ Let it be rebuilt.” And he will say about the temple,“ Let its foundations be laid.” ’“ Cyrus is my anointed king. I take hold of his right hand. I give him the power to bring nations under his control. I help him strip kings of their power to go to war against him. I break city gates open so he can go through them. I say to him,‘ I will march out ahead of you. I will make the mountains level. I will break down bronze gates. I will cut through their heavy iron bars.I will give you treasures that are hidden away. I will give you riches that are stored up in secret places. Then you will know that I am the Lord. I am the God of Israel. I am sending for you by name.Cyrus, I am sending for you by name. I am doing it for the good of the family of Jacob. They are my servant. I am doing it for Israel. They are my chosen people. You do not know anything about me. But I am giving you a title of honor.I am the Lord. There is no other Lord. I am the one and only God. You do not know anything about me. But I will make you strong.

The Lord will stir up the Medes to attack the Babylonians. They aren’t interested in getting silver. They don’t want gold.Instead, they will use their bows and arrows to strike down the young men. They won’t even show any mercy to babies. They won’t take pity on children.

The Lord says,“ I have brought all this horrible trouble on these people. But now I will give them all the good things I have promised them.Once more fields will be bought in this land. It is the land about which you now say,‘ It is a dry and empty desert. It doesn’t have any people or animals in it. It has been handed over to the armies of Babylon.’Fields will be bought with silver. Deeds will be signed, sealed and witnessed. That will be done in the territory of Benjamin. It will be done in the villages around Jerusalem and in the towns of Judah. It will also be done in the towns of the central hill country. And it will be done in the towns of the western hills and the Negev Desert. I will bless their people with great success again,” announces the Lord.

God brought another enemy against Solomon. The enemy’s name was Rezon. He was the son of Eliada. Rezon had run away from his master Hadadezer, the king of Zobah.

The Lord has commanded the soldiers he prepared for battle. He has sent for them to carry out his anger against Babylon. They will be happy when he wins the battle for them.Listen! I hear a noise in the mountains. It sounds like a huge crowd. Listen! I hear a loud noise among the kingdoms. It sounds like nations gathering together. The Lord who rules over all is bringing an army together for war.They come from lands far away. They come from the farthest places on earth. The Lord and those weapons of his anger are coming to destroy the whole country of Babylon.

The Lord stirred up the anger of the Philistines against Jehoram. He also stirred up the anger of the Arabs. They lived near the people of Cush.

So the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul. He was king of Assyria. He was also called Tiglath- Pileser. He took the tribes of Reuben and Gad and half of the tribe of Manasseh to other countries as his prisoners. He took them to Halah, Habor, Hara and the river of Gozan. And that’s where they still are to this day.

So the Lord stirred up the spirits of Zerubbabel, the governor of Judah, and Joshua the high priest. The Lord also stirred up the rest of the people to help them. Then everyone began to work on the temple of the Lord who rules over all. He is their God.

Then a message went out in Judah and Jerusalem. It said that the people should bring the tax to the Lord. God’s servant Moses had required Israel to pay that tax when they were in the desert.

They decided to send a message all through Israel. It was sent out from Beersheba all the way to Dan. The message invited the people to come to Jerusalem. It invited them to celebrate the Passover Feast to honor the Lord, the God of Israel. The Passover Feast hadn’t been celebrated by large numbers of people for a long time. It hadn’t been done in keeping with what was written in the law.

King Saul, please listen to what I’m saying. Was it the Lord who made you angry with me? If it was, may he accept my offering. Was it people who made you angry at me? If it was, may the Lord see them cursed. They have driven me today from my share of the Lord’ s land. By doing that, they might as well have said,‘ Go and serve other gods.’

The people of Babylon will become slaves of many other nations and great kings. I will pay them back for what they have done.’ ”

Let us hold firmly to the hope we claim to have. The God who promised is faithful.

Then the Lord brought an enemy against Solomon. The enemy’s name was Hadad. He was from Edom. In fact, he belonged to the royal family of Edom.