Israel in Jerusalem. In Ezra 1:4, Cyrus urges the people in the places where the Israelite survivors live to support them with silver and gold, goods and animals, and freewill offerings for the temple in Jerusalem. By stopping the citation of the decree of Cyrus where he does, the Chronicler is encouraging Jews to go up to Jerusalem, which continues his theme of urging all his readers to rally around the temple.77 As the last verse in Chronicles and as the last verse in the Hebrew Bible, this invitation
Page 547