Font Size
2 Chronicles 36:21-23
Contemporary English Version
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)
22 In 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.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 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.
2 Chronicles 36:21-23
New International Version
2 Chronicles 36:21-23
New International Version
21 The land enjoyed its sabbath rests;(A) all the time of its desolation it rested,(B) until the seventy years(C) were completed in fulfillment of the word of the Lord spoken by Jeremiah.
22 In the first year of Cyrus(D) 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:
23 “This is what Cyrus king of Persia says:
“‘The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and he has appointed(E) me to build a temple for him at Jerusalem in Judah. Any of his people among you may go up, and may the Lord their God be with them.’”
Contemporary English Version (CEV) 
Copyright © 1995 by American Bible Society For more information about CEV, visit www.bibles.com and www.cev.bible.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.