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Ezra 1: Cyrus Lets God's People Go Home

In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, Yahweh stirred up the king's spirit. Cyrus made a proclamation that God's people could go up to Jerusalem and build Yahweh's house. Their neighbors helped them with silver, gold, goods, animals, and freewill offerings. Cyrus brought out the temple vessels Nebuchadnezzar had taken and counted them out to Sheshbazzar, who brought them up to Jerusalem.

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Bible:

Read Ezra 1

World English Bible · 11 verses

  1. 1 Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that Yahweh’s word by Jeremiah’s mouth might be accomplished, Yahweh stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying,This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  2. 2 “Cyrus king of Persia says, ‘Yahweh, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and he has commanded me to build him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  3. 3 Whoever there is 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 Yahweh, the God of Israel (he is God), which is in Jerusalem.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  4. 4 Whoever is left, in any place where he lives, let the men of his place help him with silver, with gold, with goods, and with animals, in addition to the free will offering for God’s house which is in Jerusalem.’”This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  5. 5 Then the heads of fathers’ households of Judah and Benjamin, the priests and the Levites, all whose spirit God had stirred to go up, rose up to build Yahweh’s house which is in Jerusalem.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  6. 6 All those who were around them strengthened their hands with vessels of silver, with gold, with goods, with animals, and with precious things, in addition to all that was willingly offered.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  7. 7 Also Cyrus the king brought out the vessels of Yahweh’s house, which Nebuchadnezzar had brought out of Jerusalem, and had put in the house of his gods;This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  8. 8 even those, Cyrus king of Persia brought out by the hand of Mithredath the treasurer, and counted them out to Sheshbazzar the prince of Judah.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  9. 9 This is the number of them: thirty platters of gold, one thousand platters of silver, twenty-nine knives,This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  10. 10 thirty bowls of gold, four hundred ten silver bowls of a second kind, and one thousand other vessels.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  11. 11 All the vessels of gold and of silver were five thousand four hundred. Sheshbazzar brought all these up when the captives were brought up from Babylon to Jerusalem.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.

Scripture: World English Bible, public domain, eBible.org

Worksheets

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Ezra 1 · Preschool

Going Home!

Name Date

Color the people walking home to Jerusalem! God made a way for them to go home.

Can you find these in the picture? Circle each one!

Bible Verse

“Whoever there is 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 Yahweh, the God of Israel (he is God), which is in Jerusalem.”

Ezra 1:3 (WEB)

Prayer

Thank You, God, for making me!

Take It Home

Read the verse aloud. Say: God moved the heart of a king to send His people home. God keeps His promises.

Scripture: World English Bible, public domain, eBible.org. © 2026 The Daily Rooted. Free to print and copy for church and home use; not for resale. Original line art.

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