2 Chronicles 36:22

The Decree of Cyrus

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

2 Chronicles 36:22 Meaning and Commentary

Ver. 22,23. Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia
These two verses are the same with which the next book, the book of Ezra, begins, where they will be explained; and these two books, the one ending and the other beginning with the same words, is a strong presumption, that one and the same person, Ezra, is the writer of them both; or rather, as a learned ^F5 writer conjectures, these two verses are added by some transcriber, who, having finished the book of Chronicles at verse twenty one went on with the book of Ezra, without any stop; but, perceiving his mistake, broke off abruptly; for so it is plain these verses conclude; however, this shows, as the same writer observes, that the book of Ezra followed that of the Chronicles, in the Hebrew copies, though it now does not.

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FOOTNOTES:

F5 Dr. Kennicott's Dissert. 1. p. 492

2 Chronicles 36:22 In-Context

20 Those who escaped from the sword he deported to Babylon, and they became servants to him and his sons until the rise of the Persian kingdom.

21 This fulfilled the word of the Lord through Jeremiah and the land enjoyed its Sabbath rest all the days of the desolation until 70 years were fulfilled.

22 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:

23 This is what King Cyrus of Persia says: The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and has appointed me to build Him a temple at Jerusalem in Judah. Whoever among you of His people may go up, and may the Lord his God be with him.

Footnotes

• [a] Lit Lord by the mouth of
• [b] Jr 25:12; 29:10-14
• [c] Isa 44:28; 45:1