Lexical Definition
כּוֹרֶשׁ Kôwresh (ko'-resh) Cyrus N:N-M-P
or (Ezra 1:1 (last time),2) כֹּרֶשׁ Kôresh (ko'-resh); from the Persians
Cyrus.
- § Cyrus = "posses thou the furnace"
- Koresh (or Cyrus), the Persian king
1) the king of Persia and conqueror of Babylon; first ruler of Persia to make a decree allowing the Israelite exiles to return to Jerusalem
| Form | Translated As | In Verse(s) |
|---|---|---|
| לְכ֥וֹרֶשׁ | of Cyrus | Dan.1.21 |
| לְכ֣וֹרֶשׁ | to Cyrus | Isa.45.1 |
| לְכ֙וֹרֶשׁ֙ | of Cyrus | 2Chr.36.22 • Ezra.1.1 • Isa.44.28 • Dan.10.1 |
| כּ֥וֹרֶשׁ | Cyrus | Ezra.3.7 • Ezra.4.3 |
| כּ֣וֹרֶשׁ | Cyrus | 2Chr.36.22 • 2Chr.36.23 |
| כּ֚וֹרֶשׁ | Cyrus | Ezra.1.8 • Ezra.4.5 |
| כּ֔וֹרֶשׁ | Cyrus | Ezra.1.7 |
| כֹּ֣רֶשׁ | Cyrus | Ezra.1.1 |
| כֹּ֚רֶשׁ | Cyrus | Ezra.1.2 |
Extended Information
- A man living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at 2Ch.36.22
- son of: Gedaliah (גְּדַּלְיָה)
- Also named: ko.resh (כּ֫וֹרֶשׁ "Cyrus" כּוֹרֶשׁ)
Brown-Driver-Briggs
Aramaic form: כּוֹרֶשׁ
כּ֫וֺרֶשׁ and (Ezra 1:1; Ezra 1:2) כֹּ֫רֶשׁ proper name, masculine Cyrus (Persian K'ur'u(š), SpiegAPK 215; Babylonian Kuraš COT on Ezra 1:1, Dl in BaerDn. p. x) — king of (Anzan = Susiana, TieleBabylonian -Assyr. Geschichte. 469, and) Persia, conqueror of Babylon (Tieleib. 468 ff.), restorer of Jews to Palestine Isa 44:28; Isa 45:1; Ezra 1:7 called מֶלֶךְ פָּרַס 2Chr 36:22 (twice in verse); 2Chr 36:23; Ezra 1:1 (twice in verse); Ezra 1:2, also Ezra 1:8; Ezra 4:3; Ezra 4:5; Dan 10:1 simply הֵמֶּלֶךְ Dan 1:21.
כֹּרֶשׁ proper name, masculine see כּוֺרֶשׁ.
Brown-Driver-Briggs References
| Book | Refs |
|---|---|
| 2 Chronicles | 36:22 · 36:23 |
| Ezra | 1:1 · 1:2 · 1:7 · 1:8 · 4:3 · 4:5 |
| Isaiah | 44:28 · 45:1 |
| Daniel | 1:21 · 10:1 |
Profile
Male • Persian Emperor • Persian Emperor who decreed the rebuilding of the Temple
Emperor living at the time of Exile and Return
Cyrus, Emperor of Persia, issued a decree allowing the Jews to return and rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem. (2Ch.36.22,22,23; Ezr.1.1,1,2,7,8; 3.7; 4.3,5; Isa.44.28; 45.1; Dan.1.21; 10.1; Ezr.5.13,13,14,17; 6.3,3,14; Dan.6.28)
- Emperor living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at 2Ch.36.22;
- referred to as Cyrus כּוֹרֶשׁ, or Cyrus כּוֹרֶשׁ.
Cyrus, also known as Cyrus the Great, was the Emperor of Persia who played a significant role in the history of Israel. He is mentioned in several books of the Bible, including 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Isaiah, and Daniel.
According to 2 Chronicles 36:22-23 and Ezra 1:1-2, in the first year of his reign, Cyrus issued a proclamation allowing the Jews to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the Temple. This decree fulfilled the prophecy of Jeremiah concerning the end of the Babylonian captivity after 70 years.
Cyrus also returned the articles of the Temple that Nebuchadnezzar had carried away from Jerusalem (Ezra 1:7-8). The returning exiles, led by Zerubbabel, began to rebuild the Temple with the support of Cyrus (Ezra 3:7).
The prophets Isaiah and Daniel both mention Cyrus by name. Isaiah 44:28 and 45:1 refer to Cyrus as the Lord's "anointed" and the one who would carry out God's purpose in rebuilding Jerusalem and the Temple. Daniel 1:21 and 10:1 indicate that Daniel lived until the reign of Cyrus, and Daniel 6:28 mentions Cyrus as the king who succeeded Darius the Mede.
Ezra 4:3-5 records the opposition faced by the Jews in rebuilding the Temple during the reigns of Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes. However, Ezra 5:13-17 and 6:3-14 recount how Cyrus' original decree was rediscovered during the reign of Darius, leading to the completion of the Temple reconstruction.
Historically, Cyrus was the founder of the Achaemenid Persian Empire. His conquest of Babylon in 539 BC and his subsequent policy of allowing captive peoples to return to their homelands and rebuild their temples made him a significant figure in Jewish history and a fulfillment of biblical prophecy.