Original Word: כּוֹרֶשׁ
Part of Speech: Proper Name Masculine
Transliteration: Kowresh
Pronunciation: koh-RESH
Phonetic Spelling: (ko'-resh)
KJV: Cyrus
NASB: Cyrus
Word Origin: [from the Persians]

1. Koresh (or Cyrus), the Persian king

Cyrus

Or (Ezra 1:1 (last time), Ezra 1:2) Koresh {ko'-resh}; from the Persians; Koresh (or Cyrus), the Persian king -- Cyrus.

see HEBREW 'ab

Word Origin
of foreign origin
Definition
a Pers. king
NASB Translation
Cyrus (15).

כּ֫וֺרֶשׁ and (Ezra 1:1,2) כֹּ֫רֶשׁ proper name, masculine Cyrus (Persian K'ur'u(š), Spieg^{APK 215}; Babylonian Kuraš COT on Ezra 1:1, Dl in Baer^{Dn. p. x}) — king of (Anzan = Susiana, Tiele^{Babylonian -Assyr. Geschichte. 469}, and) Persia, conqueror of Babylon (Tiele^{ib. 468 ff.}), restorer of Jews to Palestine Isaiah 44:28; Isaiah 45:1; Ezra 1:7; called מֶלֶךְ מָּרַס2Chronicles 36:22 (twice in verse); 2Chronicles 36:23; Ezra 1:1 (twice in verse); Ezra 1:2, also Ezra 1:8; Ezra 4:3,5; Daniel 10:1; simply הֵמֶּלֶךְ Daniel 1:21.

כֹּרֶשׁ proper name, masculine see כּוֺרֶשׁ.

כּ֫וֺרֶשׁ₉ proper name, masculine Cyrus (Biblical Hebrew id.); — Daniel 6:28; Ezra 5:13 6t. Ezra.

[כִּכַּר], כִּכְּ רִין see כרר. כֹּל see כלל.

Identity and Historical Context

Cyrus the Great, founder of the Medo-Persian (Achaemenid) Empire, came to the throne of Anshan about 559 BC and conquered Babylon in 539 BC. Scripture places him at the transition between the Babylonian exile and the Persian period, naming him king of Persia in every canonical reference. His rule encompassed “all the kingdoms of the earth” (2 Chronicles 36:23) and created the political setting in which God restored Judah to its land.

Prophetic Foretelling and Divine Commission

More than a century before Cyrus’s birth, the prophet Isaiah identified him by name: “Who says of Cyrus, ‘He is My shepherd, and he will fulfill all My pleasure,’ saying to Jerusalem, ‘Let it be rebuilt,’ and of the temple, ‘Let its foundations be laid’” (Isaiah 44:28; cf. Isaiah 45:1-4). Calling a Gentile king “My shepherd” and “My anointed” underscores the sovereignty of God over nations and prefigures His use of world powers to accomplish covenant purposes. Cyrus’s appearance thus validates predictive prophecy and links Isaiah, Jeremiah, Chronicles, Ezra, and Daniel into a single, coherent historical-theological narrative.

Cyrus’s Edicts and the Return from Exile

In the first year of his dominion over Babylon, Cyrus issued a decree permitting the Jews to return:

“This is what Cyrus king of Persia says: ‘The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and He has appointed me to build Him a house at Jerusalem in Judah. Whoever among you belongs to His people, may the LORD his God be with him. And let him go up’” (2 Chronicles 36:23; Ezra 1:2-3).

The decree fulfilled Jeremiah’s seventy-year prophecy (Jeremiah 25:11-12; 29:10) and initiated the first wave of returnees under Sheshbazzar (Ezra 1:7-11) and later Zerubbabel and Jeshua (Ezra 2–3).

Support for Temple Restoration

Cyrus returned the sacred vessels Nebuchadnezzar had taken (Ezra 1:7-8) and authorized the funding of timber and labor for the temple (Ezra 3:7). Although subsequent Persian officials opposed the work (Ezra 4:3-5), archival confirmation of Cyrus’s original decree (Ezra 6:1-5) ultimately secured continued imperial support, demonstrating the enduring authority of his word.

Presence in the Book of Daniel

Daniel served “until the first year of King Cyrus” (Daniel 1:21) and received a final vision “in the third year of Cyrus king of Persia” (Daniel 10:1). Daniel’s longevity into the Persian era shows the continuity of God’s wisdom from exile into restoration and situates Cyrus within the wider apocalyptic program forecasting future kingdoms.

Typological and Theological Reflections

1. Instrument of Redemption: As Cyrus releases captives without price (Isaiah 45:13), he prefigures Christ, who proclaims liberty to the prisoners (Luke 4:18).
2. Universal Lordship: God addresses Cyrus directly, affirming that “there is no other” God (Isaiah 45:5-6). The fall of Babylon and rise of Persia illustrate divine governance over history.
3. Covenant Faithfulness: The return under Cyrus confirms that even in judgment God preserves a remnant and keeps His promises to Abraham and David.

Practical Applications

• Confidence in Scripture: The precise naming of Cyrus centuries in advance undergirds trust in biblical prophecy.
• God’s Use of Secular Authority: Believers may expect God to employ rulers, even those outside the covenant community, to advance His kingdom purposes (Proverbs 21:1).
• Perseverance in Mission: Opposition arose after Cyrus’s initial favor (Ezra 4), reminding the faithful to rely on God’s unchanging decree rather than shifting political climates.

Summary

Cyrus stands at a pivotal juncture where prophecy, history, and redemptive purpose converge. His decrees ended the Babylonian captivity, initiated the rebuilding of the temple, and authenticated the prophetic word, demonstrating that the God of Israel rules the nations and orchestrates history for the blessing of His people and the glory of His name.

כֹּ֚רֶשׁ כֹּ֣רֶשׁ כּ֔וֹרֶשׁ כּ֚וֹרֶשׁ כּ֣וֹרֶשׁ כּ֣וֹרֶשׁ ׀ כּ֥וֹרֶשׁ כורש כרש לְכ֙וֹרֶשׁ֙ לְכ֣וֹרֶשׁ לְכ֥וֹרֶשׁ לכורש kō·reš kō·w·reš kōreš Koresh kōwreš lə·ḵō·w·reš leChoresh ləḵōwrešInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts