throughout his kingdom speaks of God as “the Lord God of heaven,” and in his edict Cyrus declares, “He hath charged me to build Him a house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah.” How did Cyrus receive this knowledge? Beyond question he knew Daniel, and may have heard from his lips the history of Nebuchadnezzar as well as the great prophecies. This prophet may also have acquainted Cyrus with the prophecies of Isaiah. According to Josephus, the great Jewish historian, Cyrus read the Book of Isaiah himself.