Edict of Cyrus (2 Chronicles 36: 22-23)

Submitted by: A. Wilbert S. Dianon, SDB

Historical context, Babylonian Empire, Pharaoh Neco II, Josiah, Nebuchadnessar, implications to the whole TANAK, promotion to go back, go back to the land, go back to the identity

First of all, the proclamation of Cyrus of Persia reminded us that at that time of 587-538 BC, the people of Judah were living as exiles in Babylon by king Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon.

The series of events, which led to the exile, may have started when Judah allied herself with Pharaoh Neco II of Egypt. By 612 BC, Nineveh (Assyria’s capital) fell to the hands of the Babylonians under the leadership of Nabopolassar 625-605 BC) of Babylonia. To balance the power, Neco II of Egypt came to the aid of Assyria to fight with Babylonia. Geographically speaking, Assyria and Babylon were located in the North of Israel. On the other hand, Egypt is far down of Palestine. At this time, these great empires were waging wars against each other, and the kingdom of Judah was caught in the line of fire. Judah was at the mercy of those great powers; for she served as a good buffer for either Egypt or Babylon. Judah’s position was very strategic for these three nations. And they were racing up with one another in making Judah their vassal kingdom.

Realizing that a cruel enemy had found a new ally, Josiah king of Judah (640-609 BC) resisted the plan and intercepted Pharaoh Neco in the plains of Megiddo where he was tragically killed (2 Chr. 35: 20-24). Jehoahaz succeeded Josiah as king of Judah, but ruled only for three months. He was succeeded by Eliakim who later was called Jehoiakim (609-598) at the appointment of Neco. It was probable, therefore, that Judah, at this time, became a vassal to the pharaoh of Egypt (2 Chr. 36: 1-4). At first, Neco was defeated by the Babylonians in 605 BC (Jer. 46: 2-12). But at the second encounter in 601 BC, he won the war against Nebuchadnezzar (605-598 BC).

Upon seeing his victory over Babylonia, the king of Judah, Jehoiakim, put his full allegiance to the Pharaoh. But it proved fatal for Judah. At once, Nebuchadnezzar attacked and pillaged Jerusalem (2 Kgs. 24: 13-14) and made the king his vassal for 3 years (2 Kg 24: 1). Jehoiakim must have been dead by 598 BC, so much so, Jehoiachin, the son of Jehoiakim ruled for three months only. After that short period, Nebuchadnezzar took the boy-king to exile and placed his uncle Zedekiah on the throne (598-587 BC).

By 589 BC, Zedekiah allied with Egypt and rebelled Babylonia. Immediately after, the Babylonians again attacked Jerusalem and dealt Zedekiah accordingly. They starved the city for two years, while Nebuchadnezzar was attacking Egypt first, who was the protector of Judah. Eventually, the city fell to the Babylonians and the second deportation to Babylon happened again in 587 BC. The city walls have been put down and the Temple was destroyed (2 Kgs. 25: 10-11). Zedekiah’s sons were put to death before him. King Nebuchadnezzar had Zedekiah’s eyes put out and loaded him with chains to Babylon. Only the poor were left behind to make their living in the city (2 Kgs 25: 12). The exile to Babylon lasted for about 49 years (587-538 BC).

While the Babylonians controlled this part of the world, another power arose in the Medes and Persia. Nobonidus, the last Babylonian king made a mistake to ally himself with Cyrus (556-530 BC), who later turned against him. And by 539 BC, Cyrus attacked Babylon, which did not even take a resistance against him. That was an easy victory for him, which led to the establishment of the Persian Empire under Cyrus the Great (539-530 BC). All the vassal kingdoms of Babylon passed to the hands of Persia, including Judah.

Persian policy was very favorable to its subjects inasmuch as Cyrus allowed his subjects to go back to their own cities and worship their own gods. This happened also in the case of Judah. By 538 BC, the Jews were permitted to go back to Jerusalem and rebuild the Temple under the leadership of Zerubbabel and Jeshua (Ezra 1-3).

The Edict of Cyrus in the Chronicler’s History and in the whole ‘ TANAK’:

The Books of Chronicles, where the Edict of Cyrus of Persia is found are categorized into the Chronicler’s History. The Book of Chronicles together with Ezra and Nehemiah were historical records of the people seen in the eyes of the Levites and the priests. According to the division of the Hebrew Bible, these four books are the last books of “Ketubim” or writings. And they were written after the exile to Babylon (around 400 BC).

Ancient historians were not like the historians of today. They were fond of putting interpretations on the text they redacted. Thus, their works were properly termed as “sacred history”; for they wrote history side by side with the works of God for his people. This was very evident in the Book of Chronicles. Being the last books of the Ketubim, the author ended his work with the material of Ezra 1, the Edict of Cyrus. Without this material, the whole of TANAK could become a literature of doom.

With their exile in Babylon, Judah reflected in their history as a people and went to recall their life as far as the call of Abraham, Jacob and Joseph. They recalled their life as the people who went out of Egypt, marched to the Promised Land and established their settlement there. Eventually, they were led by different judges and later governed by the monarchy. And it was the monarchy after David and Solomon led them to the exile in Babylon; for their kings were unfaithful to Yahweh. From their glorious past, they ended up as exiles in Babylon. They must have been very down, that to lift their waning spirits up, the Book of Chronicles included the Edict of Cyrus as proof of God’s faithful love for his people.

The Chronicler wished to convey to the people there is still hope even when they were in exile. Deutero-Isaiah and Ezekiel were the prophets in exile who sustained their desire to go back. And it took the Chronicler’s expertise to interpret the Edict as divinely ordained and Cyrus the promised Messiah of God.

In the prophesy of Deutero-Isaiah, Yahweh’s anointed is no other else but Cyrus of Persia. It was through this man that Jerusalem would be rebuilt and the glory of Judah would shine again (Is. 44: 28 – 45: 1). Furthermore, this interpretation was made so for two purposes:

1) Geographically, to make a return to Jerusalem and rebuild the Temple.

2) Culturally, to make a return to their original identity as people of God, which was marred by their exile experience.

Historically speaking, many of the Jews in exile did not want to go back anymore by the year 538 onwards. Though they were living in exile, many of them amassed great fortune in the foreign land. This was also the start of the Diaspora. Only a few of the Jews returned and started to build the city from zero.

The Edict of Cyrus implied for the whole TANAK, the end of the people’s struggle to preserved their identity and renew the glory they had since the time of the patriarchs down to the kingship of David and Solomon. The Edict of Cyrus served as invitation for the Jews to come back and rebuild their nation. Cyrus the Great is portrayed as the fulfillment of Jeremiah’s prophesy during the exile: that the days are coming when Yahweh will restore the fortunes of Israel and Judah (Jer. 30:3); rescue them where are captive (Jer 30: 10) and rebuild the city from ruins (Jer 30; 18).

The implication of the Edict of Cyrus to the whole TANAK (concept map)

Yahweh shows His faithful love