Page 86 - Biblical Backgrounds

The Persian Captivity as background to the Bible
(2 Chronicles 36; Ezra; Nehemiah; Esther; Daniel 6; Haggai; Zechariah;

Malachi)

Connect…

In Isaiah 44:28–45:6 Jehovah describes Cyrus as His servant who was anointed (set apart) to fulfill God’s
purpose. God’s Word surely came to pass when, in 539 BCE, Cyrus conquered and subdued Babylonia,
and within a year made a decree allowing the Jews to return home and rebuild Jerusalem.

“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
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all his kingdom and also 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. Whoever is among you of all his people, may his God be with him, and let him go up
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to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and rebuild the house of the LORD, the God of Israel—he is the God who is
in Jerusalem. And let each survivor, in whatever place he sojourns, be assisted by the men of his place
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with silver and gold, with goods and with beasts, besides freewill offerings for the house of God that is in
Jerusalem. (Ezra 1:1–4; 2 Chron. 36:22–23)”

Our previous chapter indicated that not all Jews returned to Israel [Judah]. It was mentioned that the
returning Jews returned in separate groups at different times, not just in one company. What
opportunities, exploits, and challenges lie ahead of both those who stayed and those who chose to
return? What notable feats and reforms did God’s restored people undertake in their homeland? Let us
explore this chapter and find out more.

The Lesson ...

Location and History

From about 539 to 330 BCE, the Persian Empire (based in modern-day Iran) was one of the dominant
powers in the known world. Sometimes called the Achaemenid Empire, it covered what is now the
Middle East and West Asia, stretching as far as Egypt, India, Turkey, and even at times pushing into
Europe. The Persian Empire clearly impacted countless cultures during such a significant stretch of time.

What is the origin of this empire? From the previous chapter, it was seen that after the fall of Assyria in
the sixth century BCE, the kingdom was divided among prominent territories. Precisely, “Babylon and
Media divided the Assyrian Empire, with Media taking the land east and north of the Tigris River. The

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