Legend has it that he killed his brother before going off to war to insure there would be no rebellion at home when he returned. Legend has it that Lydia, under Croesus, attacked first. They referred to him as the Messiah Gods anointed. Herodotus (i.46) also says, Cyrus was the son of Cambyses I. This is part one of the story of King Cyrus the Great of Persia; one of the most important monarchs in the ancient world. After this, Cyrus proclaimed himself king of Babylon and of the four corners of the world. World English Bible In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia a thing was revealed to Daniel, whose name was called Belteshazzar; and the thing was true, even a great warfare: and he understood the thing, and had understanding of the vision. And hired counsellors against them, to frustrate their purpose, all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia. "Daniel." It is believed that his tomb was looted during the time of Alexander. 44:28-45:1) How could Isaiah predict King Cyrus? The Bible. Cyrus the Great was the founder of the Achaemenian Empire. The Medes accepted Cyrus rule because he was part Mede, i.e., grandson of Astyages. Some scholars think he was also married to a daughter of Astyages (if thats true, it would mean that he actually married his aunt). Ecbatana, the royal city, was captured in 550 BC. Cyrus pieced his kingdom together using a mixture of conquest and diplomacy, attesting to his skills as a warrior and a statesman. ), was King of Anshan in Persia from c. 600 to 580 BC or, according to others, from c. 652 to 600 BC. According to the prophet Isaiah, God chose Cyrus to be his anointed and to rebuild Jerusalem. 1981. His steward, however, couldnt bring himself to do it, so he gave the child to a herdsman. Macon, GA: Mercer University Press. Prophesy about Cyrus. Cyrus died around 529 BCE and was buried at Pasargadae. Among other things, this inscription accuses Nabonidus of dishonoring Marduk while Cyrus was faithful and pleasing to him. 22 In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the LORD emperor who made Persia greatindeed the greatest empire in history to that pointby taking over and expanding the Architecturally, the city is quite amazing. I take hold of his right hand. San Francisco, CA: HarperCollins Publishers. Among these are some passages in the Cyrus cylinder where Cyrus calls himself "son of Cambyses, great king, king of Anshan." Heres what we know about him. The temple, then, would not be finished until the time of Darius the Great in 516 BCE. 1999. Some say there were at least two. Copyright 2021 BibleWise.com. Cyrus, the King of Persia, was born about 600 BCE (give or take a few years some say as late at 576 BCE). This was the son of Hystaspes, a king of Parsa. According to Herodotus, the Persians diverted water from the Euphrates into a canal, which basically allowed them to walk through the river bed into the city under the cover of darkness. Mercer Commentary on the Bible. "Daniel." The book of Ezra mentions another king named Darius, also known as Darius I or Darius the Great. He was able to do this by building earthworks comprised of soil and rock to breach the walls of those cities. During his time in power or sometime before he became king, God had revealed to him that he would become one of the greatest kings in the history of the world. Cyrus didnt reign until roughly the 500s BC (Ezra 1:1-5; 6:1-5). The following is an account from King Cyrus which was found inscribed on a clay barrel now on display in the British Museum. 2 Chronicles 36:22. The Antiquities of the Jews by Flavius Josephus. In order to save the tomb from destruction during later Islamic wars, its caretakers convinced the raiders that it was really the tomb of King Solomons mother. The Oxford Annotated Apocrypha. Shortly thereafter, with the help of Harpagus, Cyrus conquered Lycia, Cilicia, and Phoenicia. Apollos Old Testament Commentary. He was not a brutal conqueror but, instead, was very tolerant of the traditions and beliefs of the nations he conquered. 1984. Here are 35 verses related to Cyrus. According to legend, Alexander ordered his commander to enter the monument where he found a golden bed and coffin, many jewels, and an inscription identifying the tomb. Nine years later he conquered the Medes, thus unifying the kingdoms of the Medes and the Persians. Introducing the Apocrypha. He came to the Persian throne in 559 B.C. Word Biblical Commentary. Proud member Several legends have circulated regarding his youth. To find the full context of shorter scripture quotes, click on "Chapter" above each verse. While he was off recovering, his regent, Balshazzar, was in charge of the city.