Did Cyrus the Great Free the Jewish Exiles?

💡 The Answer

• In 538 BCE, Cyrus issued an edict allowing Jews in Babylon to return to Jerusalem.
• The biblical Book of Ezra cites the decree, which also authorized rebuilding the Temple.
• Cyrus likely saw the Jews as a loyal buffer state against Egypt, not just an act of generosity.
• Some Jews remained in Babylon, forming a vibrant diaspora community.
• This event cemented Cyrus’s reputation in Judeo-Christian tradition as a divinely chosen ruler.