The Meaning of Ezra 1:1 Explained

Ezra 1:1

KJV: Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, 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,

YLT: And in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, at the completion of the word of Jehovah from the mouth of Jeremiah, hath Jehovah waked up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, and he causeth an intimation to pass over into all his kingdom, and also in writing, saying,

Darby: And in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of Jehovah by the mouth of Jeremiah might be accomplished, Jehovah stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, and he made a proclamation throughout his kingdom, and also in writing, saying,

ASV: Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of Jehovah by the mouth of Jeremiah might be accomplished, Jehovah stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying,

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Now in the first  year  of Cyrus  king  of Persia,  that the word  of the LORD  by the mouth  of Jeremiah  might be fulfilled,  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, 

What does Ezra 1:1 Mean?

Context Summary

Ezra 1:1-11 - God's Promises Fulfilled
God will ever be mindful of His covenant. There were also many remembrancers as Daniel and other like-minded exiles who gave Him no rest and were ever asking Him for David's sake to bring his people from captivity. See Isaiah 62:6-7. The Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus, Ezra 1:1-11, and the spirits of the people, Ezra 5:1-17. How clearly the minds of men are subject to His promptings! May we never be disobedient to the heavenly visions that visit us, but always on the alert to work out with fear and trembling whatsoever He may work in. Whenever we yield to the divine promptings, it is remarkable how everything seems to cooperate with us. The stars in their courses fight for us. All things serve the man who serves Christ. In the present instance, all that were round about strengthened their hands. Cyrus brought forth the vessels of the house of the Lord, which had been in safe-keeping during those years of anarchy and confusion, like the precious manuscripts of Scripture during the Middle Ages. But when they were needed, God brought them out of their hiding-place. Trust in Him; He makes no mistakes. [source]

Chapter Summary: Ezra 1

1  The proclamation of Cyrus for the building of the temple
5  The people provide for their return
7  Cyrus restores the vessels of the temple to Sheshbazzar

What do the individual words in Ezra 1:1 mean?

And in the year of first Cyrus king of Persia that might be fulfilled the word of Yahweh by the mouth of Jeremiah stirred up Yahweh - the spirit of Cyrus king so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom and [put it] in writing saying
וּבִשְׁנַ֣ת אַחַ֗ת לְכ֙וֹרֶשׁ֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ פָּרַ֔ס לִכְל֥וֹת דְּבַר־ יְהוָ֖ה מִפִּ֣י יִרְמְיָ֑ה הֵעִ֣יר יְהוָ֗ה אֶת־ ר֙וּחַ֙ כֹּ֣רֶשׁ מֶֽלֶךְ־ וַיַּֽעֲבֶר־ קוֹל֙ בְּכָל־ מַלְכוּת֔וֹ וְגַם־ בְּמִכְתָּ֖ב לֵאמֹֽר

וּבִשְׁנַ֣ת  And  in  the  year 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: שָׁנָה  
Sense: year.
אַחַ֗ת  of  first 
Parse: Number, feminine singular
Root: אֶחָד  
Sense: one (number).
לְכ֙וֹרֶשׁ֙  Cyrus 
Parse: Preposition-l, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: כֹּורֶשׁ  
Sense: the king of Persia and conqueror of Babylon; first ruler of Persia to make a decree allowing the Israelite exiles to return to Jerusalem.
מֶ֣לֶךְ  king 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
פָּרַ֔ס  of  Persia 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: פָּרַס  
Sense: the empire Persia; encompassed the territory from India on the east to Egypt and Thrace on the west, and included, besides portions of Europe and Africa, the whole of western Asia between the Black Sea, the Caucasus, the Caspian and the Jaxartes on the north, the Arabian desert, the Persian Gulf and the Indian Ocean on the south.
לִכְל֥וֹת  that  might  be  fulfilled 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: כָּלָה  
Sense: to accomplish, cease, consume, determine, end, fail, finish, be complete, be accomplished, be ended, be at an end, be finished, be spent.
דְּבַר־  the  word 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
יְהוָ֖ה  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
מִפִּ֣י  by  the  mouth 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: פֶּה  
Sense: mouth.
יִרְמְיָ֑ה  of  Jeremiah 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִרְמְיָה 
Sense: the major prophet, son of Hilkiah of the priestly family in Anathoth; author of the prophetic book bearing his name.
הֵעִ֣יר  stirred  up 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: עוּר 
Sense: to rouse oneself, awake, awaken, incite.
יְהוָ֗ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
ר֙וּחַ֙  the  spirit 
Parse: Noun, common singular construct
Root: רוּחַ  
Sense: wind, breath, mind, spirit.
כֹּ֣רֶשׁ  of  Cyrus 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: כֹּורֶשׁ  
Sense: the king of Persia and conqueror of Babylon; first ruler of Persia to make a decree allowing the Israelite exiles to return to Jerusalem.
מֶֽלֶךְ־  king 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
וַיַּֽעֲבֶר־  so  that  he  made 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: עָבַר 
Sense: to pass over or by or through, alienate, bring, carry, do away, take, take away, transgress.
קוֹל֙  a  proclamation 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: קֹול 
Sense: voice, sound, noise.
בְּכָל־  throughout  all 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
מַלְכוּת֔וֹ  his  kingdom 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: מַלְכוּת  
Sense: royalty, royal power, reign, kingdom, sovereign power.
וְגַם־  and  [put  it] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Conjunction
Root: גַּם  
Sense: also, even, indeed, moreover, yea.
בְּמִכְתָּ֖ב  in  writing 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מִכְתָּב  
Sense: writing, thing written.
לֵאמֹֽר  saying 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.