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Cyrus


Cyrus

The first king of the Persians and Medes. He captured Babylon and overthrew the Chaldean dynasty (of which Nabonidus was the last king, with Belshazzar his son as commander-in-chief). He issued a decree allowing the Jews to return to the land of Judah and rebuild the temple, possibly as a token of gratitude for assistance given to him in his conquest (2 Chr. 36:22; Ezra 1; 3:7; Isa. 44:28; 45:1; Dan. 1:21; 6:28; 10:1).