Bābeles trimdas beigas
(2L 36:22–23)1 Persijas ķēniņa Kīra pirmajā valdīšanas gadā, lai piepildītos Jeremijas teiktais Kunga vārds, Kungs mudināja Persijas ķēniņa Kīra garu, un tas lika izziņot visā savā valstī šādu rīkojumu, rakstiski un mutiski: 2 “Tā saka Persijas ķēniņš Kīrs: Kungs, debesu Dievs, man ir devis visas zemes valstis, un viņš man pavēlēja uzcelt viņam namu Jeruzālemē, Jūdā. 3 Ikviens, kas jūsu vidū ir no viņa tautas, lai dodas uz Jeruzālemi Jūdā, viņa Dievs būs ar viņu – lai ceļ namu Kungam, Israēla Dievam. Viņš ir Dievs, kas mīt Jeruzālemē! 4 Visus atlikušos, no visām vietām, kur tie patlaban dzīvo, lai turienes iemītnieki atbalsta ar sudrabu, zeltu, mantu, lopiem un labprātīgajiem upuriem Dieva namam Jeruzālemē.” 5 Tad cēlās Jūdas un Benjāmina tēvu namu galvenie, priesteri un levīti, ikviens, kura garu Kungs mudināja iet un celt namu Kungam Jeruzālemē. 6 Kaimiņi tos atbalstīja ar sudraba traukiem, zeltu, mantu, lopiem un dārglietām; tas viss tika ziedots.
7 Ķēniņš Kīrs atnesa Kunga nama traukus, kurus Nebūkadnecars bija atvedis no Jeruzālemes un novietojis savu dievu namā. 8 Persijas ķēniņš Kīrs tos nodeva mantzinim Mitredātam, kurš tos atdeva Jūdas augstmanim Šēšbacaram. 9 To skaits bija šāds: trīsdesmit zelta bļodu, tūkstotis sudraba bļodu, divdesmit deviņi naži, 10 trīsdesmit zelta kausu, četri simti desmit sudraba kausu un tūkstotis citu trauku.
11 Kopā bija pieci tūkstoši četri simti zelta un sudraba trauku. Tos visus Šēšbacars veda līdzi, kad viņi no Bābeles gūsta devās uz Jeruzālemi.
Cyrus Commands the Jews to Return
1 In the first year that Cyrus of Persia was emperor, the Lord made what he had said through the prophet Jeremiah come true. He prompted Cyrus to issue the following command and send it out in writing to be read aloud everywhere in his empire:
2 “This is the command of Cyrus, Emperor of Persia. The Lord, the God of Heaven, has made me ruler over the whole world and has given me the responsibility of building a temple for him in Jerusalem in Judah. 3 May God be with all of you who are his people. You are to go to Jerusalem and rebuild the Temple of the Lord, the God of Israel, the God who is worshiped in Jerusalem. 4 If any of his people in exile need help to return, their neighbors are to give them this help. They are to provide them with silver and gold, supplies and pack animals, as well as offerings to present in the Temple of God in Jerusalem.”
5 Then the heads of the clans of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, the priests and Levites, and everyone else whose heart God had moved got ready to go and rebuild the Lord's Temple in Jerusalem. 6 All their neighbors helped them by giving them many things: silver utensils, gold, supplies, pack animals, other valuables, and offerings for the Temple.
7 Emperor Cyrus gave them back the bowls and cups that King Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the Temple in Jerusalem and had put in the temple of his gods. 8 He handed them over to Mithredath, chief of the royal treasury, who made an inventory of them for Sheshbazzar, the governor of Judah, 9-10 as follows:
gold bowls for offerings 30silver bowls for offerings 1,000other bowls 29small gold bowls 30small silver bowls 410other utensils 1,000
11 In all there were 5,400 gold and silver bowls and other articles which Sheshbazzar took with him when he and the other exiles went from Babylon to Jerusalem.
