Cyrus Helps the Jews to Return to Jerusalem
1It was the first year of the rule of Cyrus. He was king of Persia. The Lord inspired him to send a message all through his kingdom. It happened so that what the Lord had spoken through Jeremiah would come true. The message was written down. It said,
2“Cyrus, the king of Persia, says,
“ ‘The Lord is the God of heaven. He has given me all the kingdoms on earth. He has appointed me to build a temple for him at Jerusalem in Judah. 3Any of his people among you may go up to Jerusalem and build the Lord’s temple. He is the God of Israel. He is the God who is in Jerusalem. And may their God be with them. 4The people still left alive in every place must bring gifts to the people going. They must provide silver and gold to the people going up to Jerusalem. The people must bring goods and livestock. They should also bring any offerings they choose to. All those gifts will be for God’s temple in Jerusalem.’ ”
5Then everyone God had inspired prepared to go. They wanted to go up to Jerusalem and build the Lord’s temple there. They included the family leaders of Judah and Benjamin. They also included the priests and Levites. 6All their neighbors helped them. They gave them silver and gold objects. They gave them goods and livestock. And they gave them gifts of great value. All those things were added to the other offerings the people chose to give.
7King Cyrus also brought out the objects that belonged to the Lord’s temple. Nebuchadnezzar had carried them off from Jerusalem. He had put them in the temple of his own god. 8Cyrus, the king of Persia, told Mithredath to bring them out. Mithredath was in charge of the temple treasures. He counted those objects. Then he gave them to Sheshbazzar, the prince of Judah.
9Here is a list of the objects.
There were 30 gold dishes.
There were 1,000 silver dishes.
There were 29 silver pans.
10There were 30 gold bowls.
There were 410 matching silver bowls.
There were 1,000 other objects.
11The total number of gold and silver objects was 5,400.
Sheshbazzar brought all of these back with him to Jerusalem. So Sheshbazzar and the Jews who had been forced to leave Judah came up from Babylon to Jerusalem.
Koreshi Asaidia Watu Kurudi Kutoka Uhamishoni
11:1 Yer 29:10-14; Zek 1:12-16; 2Nya 36:22-23; Ezr 5:13; 7:27; Yer 25:12; Law 26:42Katika mwaka wa kwanza wa utawala wa Koreshi mfalme wa Uajemi, ili kulitimiza neno la Bwana lililosemwa na nabii Yeremia, Bwana aliusukuma moyo wa Koreshi mfalme wa Uajemi kutangaza katika himaya yake yote kwa maandishi:
21:2 Amu 4:10; Isa 44:28; Ezr 5:13; Za 72:11“Hili ndilo asemalo Koreshi mfalme wa Uajemi:
“ ‘Bwana, Mungu wa mbinguni, amenipa falme zote duniani, na ameniagiza kumjengea Hekalu huko Yerusalemu katika Yuda. 31:3 Kum 3:24; 2Sam 22:32; Za 86:10; Dan 6:26; 1Kor 8:6; Isa 37:16; Mk 12:32Yeyote wa watu wake miongoni mwenu, Mungu wake na awe pamoja naye, wacha apande kwenda Yerusalemu katika Yuda na kujenga Hekalu la Bwana, Mungu wa Israeli, Mungu aliyeko huko Yerusalemu. 41:4 Isa 10:20-22; Hes 15:3; Za 116:17; Ezr 3:7; 4:3Nao watu wa mahali popote wale walionusurika wanapoishi sasa, watu hao wampe fedha na dhahabu, pamoja na vifaa na mifugo, mbali na sadaka za hiari kwa ajili ya Hekalu la Mungu huko Yerusalemu.’ ”
51:5 2Nya 34:9; Neh 12:34; Hag 1:4; Flp 2:13; Mit 16:1Kisha viongozi wa jamaa ya Yuda na Benyamini na makuhani na Walawi kila mmoja ambaye moyo wake ulisukumwa na Mungu, akajiandaa kupanda ili kuijenga nyumba ya Bwana huko Yerusalemu. 6Majirani zao wote wakawasaidia vyombo vya fedha na dhahabu, pamoja na vifaa na mifugo, pia na zawadi za thamani, pamoja na sadaka zote za hiari. 71:7 2Fal 24:13; Ezr 5:14; 6:5; 2Nya 36:7; Yer 52:17-19Zaidi ya hayo, Mfalme Koreshi akavitoa vyombo vilivyokuwa mali ya Hekalu la Bwana, ambavyo Nebukadneza alikuwa amevichukua kutoka Yerusalemu na kuviweka katika hekalu la mungu wake. 81:8 Ezr 5:14; Hag 1:1; 1Nya 3:18Koreshi mfalme wa Uajemi akavitoa kwa mkono wa Mithredathi mtunza hazina, aliyevihesabu mbele ya Sheshbaza mkuu wa Yuda.
9Hii ilikuwa ndio orodha ya vifaa:
11Kwa ujumla, kulikuwa na vyombo 5,400 vya dhahabu na vya fedha. Sheshbaza akavileta hivi vyote wakati watu walipotoka uhamishoni Babeli kwenda Yerusalemu.
