Cyrus issued the decree of liberation to the Jews,<ref>{{bibleverse||Ezra|1:1-2|HE}}</ref> concerning which [[Daniel]] had prayed and prophesied.<ref>{{bibleverse||Daniel|9:3,25|HE}}</ref> The [[Cyrus's edict|edict of Cyrus]] for the rebuilding of the [[Temple in Jerusalem]] marked a great epoch in the history of the Jewish people. However, some of the non-Jewish peoples of [[Samaria]] hired counselors to frustrate the Jews from completing the rebuilding throughout the reign of Cyrus, [[Xerxes I|Xerxes]] ('Ahasuerus'), and [[Artaxerxes I|Artaxerxes]], until the reign of [[Darius II of Persia|Darius]]. The work recommenced under the exhortations of the prophets, and when the authorities asked the Jews what right they had to build a temple, they referred to the decree of Cyrus. Darius, who was then reigning, caused a search for this alleged decree to be made, and it was found in the archives at [[Ecbatana]],<ref>''Achmetha'', {{bibleverse||Ezra|6:2|HE}}</ref> whereupon Darius reaffirmed the decree and the work proceeded to its triumphant close.
A chronicle drawn up just after the conquest of Babylonia by Cyrus, gives the history of the reign of [[Nabonidus]] ('Nabuna'id'), the last king of Babylon, and of the fall of the Babylonian empire. In [[538 BC]] there was a revolt in Southern Babylonia, while the army of Cyrus entered the country from the north. In June the Babylonian army was completely defeated at [[Opis]], and immediately afterwards [[Sippara]] opened its gates to the conqueror. [[Gobryas]] (Ugbaru), the governor of [[Medes|Media]]after Darius (Astyages) the Mede, was then sent to Babylon, which surrendered "without fighting," and the daily services in the temples continued without a break. In October, Cyrus himself arrived, and proclaimed a general amnesty, which was communicated by Gobryas to "all the province of Babylon," of which he had been made governor. Meanwhile, Nabonidus, who had concealed himself, was captured, but treated honourably; and when his wife died, [[Cambyses II]], the son of Cyrus, conducted the funeral. Cyrus now assumed the title of "king of Babylon," claimed to be the descendant of the ancient kings, and made rich offerings to the temples. At the same time he allowed the foreign populations who had been deported to Babylonia to return to their old homes, carrying with them the images of their gods. Among these populations were the Jews, who, as they had no images, took with them the sacred vessels of the temple.
Speculation abounds to the reasoning for Cyrus' release of the Jews from Babylon. One argument being that Cyrus was a follower of [[Zoroaster]], the [[monotheistic]] prophet: [[Zoroastrianism]] played a dominant religious role in [[Persia]] throughout its history until the [[Islamic conquest of Persia|Islamic conquest]]. As such, he would feel a kindred spirit with the monotheistic [[Jews]]. Another possibility is the magnanimous respect he is ascribed to have shown to the diverse beliefs and customs of the peoples within his extended kingdom. As one example, upon the conquest of Babylon itself, it's recorded that he paid homage at the temple of the Babylonian god [[Marduk]] - thereby gaining the support of the Babylonian people and minimizing further bloodshed. While Jewish tradition, as described previously in Ezra1:1-8, indicates "the Lord inspired King Cyrus of Persia to issue this proclamation", in the [[Cyrus Cylinder]] he pays homage to Marduk. This Babylonian document has been interpreted as referring to the return to their homelands of several displaced cultural groups, one of which could have been the Jews:
