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[5]
This was known to Cyrus by his reading the book which Isaiah left
behind him of his prophecies; for this prophet said that God had spoken
thus to him in a secret vision: "My will is, that Cyrus, whom I have
appointed to be king over many and great nations, send back my people to
their own land, and build my temple." This was foretold by Isaiah
one hundred and forty years before the temple was demolished. Accordingly,
when Cyrus read this, and admired the Divine power, an earnest desire and
ambition seized upon him to fulfill what was so written; so he called for
the most eminent Jews that were in Babylon, and said to them, that he gave
them leave to go back to their own country, and to rebuild their city Jerusalem,
1 and
the temple of God, for that he would be their assistant, and that he would
write to the rulers and governors that were in the neighborhood of their
country of Judea, that they should contribute to them gold and silver for
the building of the temple, and besides that, beasts for their sacrifices.
1 This leave to build Jerusalem, sect. 3, and this epistle of Cyrus to Sisinnes and Sathrabuzanes, to the same purpose, are most unfortunately omitted in all our copies but this best and completest copy of Josephus; and by such omission the famous prophecy of Isaiah, Isaiah 44:28, where we are informed that God said of or to Cyrus, "He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure; even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built, and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid," could not hitherto be demonstrated from the sacred history to have been completely fulfilled, I mean as to that part of it which concerned his giving leave or commission for rebuilding the city Jerusalem as distinct from the temple, whose rebuilding is alone permitted or directed in the decree of Cyrus in all our copies.
Flavius Josephus. The Works of Flavius Josephus. Translated by. William Whiston, A.M. Auburn and Buffalo. John E. Beardsley. 1895.
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