Original Word: כּוֹרֶשׁ
Part of Speech: Proper Name Masculine
Transliteration: Kowresh
Pronunciation: koh-RESH
Phonetic Spelling: (ko'-resh)
NASB: Cyrus
Word Origin: [(Aramaic) corresponding to H3566 (כּוֹרֶשׁ כּוֹרֶשׁ - Cyrus)]

1. Cyrus

Cyrus

(Aramaic) corresponding to Kowresh -- Cyrus.

see HEBREW Kowresh

Word Origin
(Aramaic) corresponding to Koresh
Definition
a Pers. king
NASB Translation
Cyrus (8).

Identity and Historical Setting

Cyrus was the first Persian monarch to rule an empire that stretched from the Aegean to Central Asia (ca. 559–530 BC). In the Old Testament he appears as the divinely appointed liberator of the Jewish exiles and the patron of the Second Temple. His name is preserved in the Aramaic sections of Ezra and Daniel through the form כּוֹרֶשׁ (Strong’s 3567).

Biblical Account in Ezra and Daniel

1. Political Decree. Ezra 5:13 records, “In the first year of King Cyrus, he issued a decree to rebuild this house of God.” The edict authorized Jewish return and temple reconstruction.
2. Restoration of Temple Vessels. Ezra 5:14 highlights Cyrus’ reversal of Babylonian plunder: “King Cyrus retrieved [the vessels] … and entrusted them to … Sheshbazzar, whom he appointed governor.”
3. Royal Verification. The Jews appeal to the Persian archives (Ezra 5:17) to silence local opposition, demonstrating the legal force of Cyrus’ decree.
4. Specific Building Dimensions. Ezra 6:3 provides the royal specifications: “Let the house be rebuilt … its height sixty cubits and its width sixty cubits.”
5. Completion Under Successive Kings. Ezra 6:14 traces continuity “according to the command of the God of Israel and by the decrees of Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes,” underscoring Cyrus as the fountainhead of the project.
6. Ongoing Prosperity. Daniel 6:28 notes, “Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian,” linking Cyrus to the wider narrative of God’s preservation of His servant in exile.

Fulfillment of Prophetic Word

More than a century earlier Isaiah had named Cyrus explicitly (Isaiah 44:28; 45:1), predicting that he would say of Jerusalem, “Let it be rebuilt,” and of the temple, “Let its foundations be laid.” The historical enactment in Ezra confirms the reliability of predictive prophecy and the Lord’s sovereign direction of world rulers: “I summon you by name though you have not known Me” (Isaiah 45:4).

Role in the Restoration of Covenant Worship

Cyrus’ decree did more than permit repatriation; it re-established sacrificial worship on God’s chosen site, thereby renewing covenant life. The sacred vessels symbolized the restoration of holiness, while the temple dimensions reinstated the visible center of Israel’s faith. By funding construction from the royal treasury (Ezra 6:4), Cyrus became an unwitting benefactor of Yahweh’s kingdom purposes.

Theological Themes

• Divine Sovereignty over Nations: The Lord “raises up kings and deposes them” (Daniel 2:21).
• Grace to the Exiles: God’s covenant love reaches His scattered people through a Gentile ruler.
• Unbroken Redemptive Line: From Abraham to the Messiah, the temple’s rebuilding preserved genealogies, worship patterns, and messianic hope.

Typological Foreshadowing of Christ

Isaiah calls Cyrus the Lord’s “anointed,” prefiguring Jesus Christ, the ultimate Anointed One. Both:

– liberate captives (Isaiah 45:13; Luke 4:18),

– rebuild a dwelling for God (Ezra 6; John 2:19-21),

– act by divine appointment for the salvation of God’s people.

Lessons for Ministry and Discipleship

1. Pray for civil authorities (1 Timothy 2:1-2); God can use unbelieving leaders for kingdom ends.
2. Trust Scripture’s reliability; Isaiah’s naming of Cyrus validates prophetic accuracy.
3. Embrace God-given opportunities; the returned exiles seized the moment to rebuild worship.
4. Encourage generosity toward God’s work, following Cyrus’ example of tangible support.

Cyrus stands as a testimony that the Lord directs history for His redemptive purposes, turns the hearts of kings, and keeps His word down to the smallest detail.

כּ֣וֹרֶשׁ כּ֤וֹרֶשׁ כּ֥וֹרֶשׁ כורש לְכ֣וֹרֶשׁ לְכ֥וֹרֶשׁ לכורש kō·w·reš Koresh kōwreš lə·ḵō·w·reš leChoresh ləḵōwrešInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts