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20 Those who escaped the sword he carried captive to Babylon, where they became servants to him and his sons until the Persian kingdom came to power. 21 All this was to fulfill the word of the Lord spoken by Jeremiah: Until the land has retrieved its lost sabbaths, during all the time it lies waste it shall have rest while seventy years are fulfilled.

Decree of Cyrus. 22 [a]In the first year of Cyrus, king of Persia, in order to realize the word of the Lord spoken by Jeremiah, the Lord roused the spirit of Cyrus, King of Persia, to spread this proclamation throughout his kingdom, both by word of mouth and in writing:(A)

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Footnotes

  1. 36:22–23 These verses are identical with those of Ezr 1:1–3a and were to prevent the work from ending on a note of doom.

20 He carried into exile(A) to Babylon the remnant, who escaped from the sword, and they became servants(B) to him and his successors until the kingdom of Persia came to power. 21 The land enjoyed its sabbath rests;(C) all the time of its desolation it rested,(D) until the seventy years(E) were completed in fulfillment of the word of the Lord spoken by Jeremiah.

22 In the first year of Cyrus(F) 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:

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