CYRUS
“sun, throne.” King of Elam, he was the founder of the Persian Empire. By taking Babylon, Daniel’s second great Gentile empire was established. Long before his birth we find a prophecy concerning him (Is. 44:28; 45:1).
At the end of the 70 years of captivity, as Jeremiah had prophesied (Jer. 25:12; 29:10), God moved the spirit of Cyrus, and the rebuilding of the house of Jehovah God of Israel was decreed, giving permission to the captives to return to Jerusalem.
The sacred vessels that had been taken from Jerusalem to Babylon were also returned. This was called the first year of Cyrus, when he began to reign alone over Babylon (Ezra 1:1-11; 2 Chron. 36:22, 23).
This would be around the year 536 BC, with the 70 years of Judah’s captivity having begun in 606 BC. Cyrus died in battle in 530 BC, and his tomb exists in Pasargadae, in modern Iran.