Ezra 1: The Return of the Exiles – Clear & Engaging Audio Bible Reading | Cyrus Decrees Liberation of Jews and the Rebuilding of Jerusalem

Experience the heart-gripping events of Ezra 1 through the clear and engaging audio of the Bible. In this chapter, Cyrus decrees the liberation of the Jews and provides resources for the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem. Perfect for Bible study, reflection, or meditation, immerse yourself in this powerful narrative, and let God’s Word come alive in your soul.

EZRA 1 (NIV)

1 In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of
the Lord spoken by Jeremiah, the Lord moved the heart of Cyrus king of Persia
to make a proclamation throughout his realm and also to put it in writing:

2 “This is what Cyrus king of Persia says:
“‘The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and
he has appointed me to build a temple for him at Jerusalem in Judah.

3 Any of
his people among you may go up to Jerusalem in Judah and build the temple of
the Lord, the God of Israel, the God who is in Jerusalem, and may their God be
with them.

4 And in any locality where survivors may now be living, the people
are to provide them with silver and gold, with goods and livestock, and with
freewill offerings for the temple of God in Jerusalem.’”

5 Then the family heads of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests and
Levites—everyone whose heart God had moved—prepared to go up and build the
house of the Lord in Jerusalem.

6 All their neighbors assisted them with
articles of silver and gold, with goods and livestock, and with valuable
gifts, in addition to all the freewill offerings.

7 Moreover, King Cyrus brought out the articles belonging to the temple of the
Lord, which Nebuchadnezzar had carried away from Jerusalem and had placed in
the temple of his god.

8 Cyrus king of Persia had them brought by Mithredath
the treasurer, who counted them out to Sheshbazzar the prince of Judah.

9 This was the inventory:
gold dishes| 30
—|—
silver dishes| 1,000
silver pans| 29

10 gold bowls| 30
matching silver bowls| 410
other articles| 1,000

11 In all, there were 5,

400 articles of gold and of silver. Sheshbazzar
brought all these along with the exiles when they came up from Babylon to
Jerusalem.