📖 Biblical Definition
Cyrus the Great was the founder of the Persian Empire (reigned 559-530 BC). He conquered Babylon in 539 BC, ending the seventy-year exile prophesied by Jeremiah (Jeremiah 25:11-12; 29:10). In his first regnal year he issued the decree (Ezra 1:1-4) permitting Jews to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple, with imperial funding. The most extraordinary detail is that Isaiah named him by name, calling him "my shepherd" and "his anointed [messiah]," some 150 years before his birth — when no Persian kingdom yet existed: "That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure" (Isaiah 44:28-45:4). It stands among Scripture’s most extraordinary specific prophecies. Pagan emperors are the LORD’s instruments.
📜 Webster 1828 Definition
Persian king who ended the exile; named in Isaiah ~150 years pre-birth.
expand to see more
Founder of the Achaemenid Persian Empire (reigned ~559-530 BC). Conquered Babylon in 539 BC, fulfilling the seventy-year exile prophecy of Jeremiah. Issued the decree of return (Ezra 1) permitting Jews to go back to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple, with imperial financial support. Named specifically by Isaiah ~150 years before his birth (Isa 44:28-45:1) as YHWH's anointed shepherd — one of Scripture's most extraordinary case-specific prophecies. Pagan king, named anointed by YHWH for His purposes.
📖 Key Scripture
Isaiah 44:28 — "That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid."
Isaiah 45:1 — "Thus saith the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him."
Ezra 1:1-2 — "In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia... the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying, Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, The LORD God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and he hath charged me to build him an house at Jerusalem."
⚠️ Modern Corruption
Cyrus is one of the strongest Bible-prophecy datapoints; modern scholarship's reluctance to accept pre-event prediction has tried to redate Isaiah to remove the miracle.
expand to see more
Liberal scholarship redates Isaiah 40-66 to a "Deutero-Isaiah" or even "Trito-Isaiah" specifically because Isaiah 44-45 names Cyrus pre-event. The text and conservative scholarship insist on the unified Isaiah authorship and the genuine specific prophecy.
Recover the prophecy: the LORD names a foreign king by name 150 years before his birth and uses him to free His exiled people. This is the kind of God whose word can be trusted.
🔗 Greek & Hebrew Roots
Hebrew Koresh; Persian Kuruš.
expand to see more
['Hebrew', 'H3566', 'Koresh', 'Cyrus']
Usage
"Cyrus named by Isaiah 150 years pre-birth."
"Pagan king called YHWH's anointed."
"Ended exile; commissioned temple rebuild."