Ezra 1:1–5
1 aNow 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 bsent a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and also put it in writing, saying:
2 “Thus says Cyrus king of Persia, ‘The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and aHe has appointed me to build Him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah.
3 ‘Whoever there is among you of all His people, may his God be with him! Let him go up to Jerusalem which is in Judah and rebuild the house of the Lord, the God of Israel; aHe is the God who is in Jerusalem.
4 ‘Every survivor, at whatever place he may 1live, let the men of 2that place support him with silver and gold, with goods and cattle, together with a freewill offering for the house of God which is in Jerusalem.’ ”
5 Then the heads of fathers’ households of Judah and Benjamin and the priests and the Levites arose, aeven everyone whose spirit God had stirred to go up and rebuild the house of the Lord which is in Jerusalem.