2 Chronicles 36:21-23

36:21 This took place to fulfill the Lord’s message delivered through Jeremiah. 1  The land experienced 2  its sabbatical years; 3  it remained desolate for seventy years, 4  as prophesied. 5 

Cyrus Allows the Exiles to Go Home

36:22 In the first year of the reign of 6  King Cyrus of Persia, in fulfillment of the promise he delivered through Jeremiah, 7  the Lord moved 8  King Cyrus of Persia to issue a written decree throughout his kingdom. 36:23 It read: “This is what King Cyrus of Persia says: ‘The Lord God of the heavens has given to me all the kingdoms of the earth. He has appointed me to build for him a temple in Jerusalem 9  in Judah. May the Lord your God energize you who belong to his people, so you may be able to go back there!” 10 

1 tn Heb “to fulfill the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah.”

2 tn Or “accepted.”

3 sn According to Lev 25:4, the land was to remain uncultivated every seventh year. Lev 26:33-35 warns that the land would experience a succession of such sabbatical rests if the people disobeyed God, for he would send them away into exile.

4 sn Concerning the seventy years see Jer 25:11.

5 tn Heb “all the days of the desolation it rested to fulfill the seventy years.”

sn Cyrus’ edict (see vv. 22-23) occurred about fifty years after the fall of Jerusalem in 586 b.c., which is most naturally understood as the beginning point of the “days of desolation” mentioned in v. 21. The number “seventy” is probably used in a metaphorical sense, indicating a typical lifetime and suggesting a thorough or complete judgment that would not be lifted until an entirely new generation emerged.

6 tn The words “the reign of” are supplied in the translation for clarification.

7 tn Heb “to complete the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah.”

sn Regarding the promise he delivered through Jeremiah see Jer 29:10.

8 tn Heb “stirred the spirit of.”

9 map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.

10 tn Heb “Whoever [is] among you from all his people – may the Lord his God [be] with him so that he may go up.”