1 In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, so 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, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom and also put it in writing, saying,
2 Thus says Cyrus king of Persia: The LORD God of heaven has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah.
3 Who is there among you of all his people? May his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and build the house of the LORD God of Israel (he is the God), which is in Jerusalem.
4 And whoever remains in any place where he sojourns, let the men of his place help him with silver, with gold, with goods, and with beasts, besides the freewill offering for the house of God that is in Jerusalem.
5 Then the leaders of the fathers' houses of Judah and Benjamin arose, and the priests, and the Levites, with all those whose spirit God had raised, to go up to build the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem.
6 And all those who were around them strengthened their hands with vessels of silver, with gold, with goods, with beasts, and with precious things, besides all that was willingly offered.
7 Also King Cyrus brought out the vessels of the house of the LORD, which Nebuchadnezzar had brought out of Jerusalem and had put them in the house of his gods;
8 Even these did Cyrus king of Persia bring out by the hand of Mithredath the treasurer, and numbered them to Sheshbazzar, the prince of Judah.