2 Chronicles 36:21-23

Contemporary English Version

²¹^(A) Judah was an empty desert, and it stayed that way for 70 years, to make up for all the years it was not allowed to rest.^[a] These things happened just as Jeremiah the Lord's prophet had said.^[b]

Cyrus Lets the Jews Return Home

(Ezra 1.1-4)

²²In the first year that Cyrus was king of Persia,^[c] the Lord had Cyrus send a message to all parts of his kingdom. This happened just as Jeremiah the Lord's prophet had promised. ²³^(B) The message said:

I am King Cyrus of Persia.

The Lord God of heaven has made me the ruler of every nation on earth. He has also chosen me to build a temple for him in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. The Lord God will watch over any of his people who want to go back to Judah.

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Footnotes

36.21 rest: According to Leviticus 25.1-7, the land was supposed to rest every seventh year.
36.21 Jeremiah … said: Jeremiah 25.11,12; 29.10. According to the Law, the people had to allow the land to rest one out of every seven years (see Leviticus 25.1-7).
36.22 the first year that Cyrus was king of Persia: Probably 538 b.c., when Cyrus captured Babylonia. He had actually ruled Persia since 549 b.c.