1 In the first year that Cyrus of Persia was emperor, the Lord made what he had said through the prophet Jeremiah come true.
2 He prompted Cyrus to issue the following command and send it out in writing to be read aloud everywhere in his empire:
3 “This is the command of Cyrus, emperor of Persia. The Lord of Israel, the Lord Most High, has appointed me ruler over the whole world
4 and has given me the responsibility of building a temple for him in Jerusalem in Judah.