2 Chronicles 36:22

_NOW IN THE FIRST YEAR OF CYRUS KING OF PERSIA, THAT THE WORD OF THE LORD SPOKEN BY THE MOUTH OF JEREMIAH MIGHT BE ACCOMPLISHED, THE LORD STIRRED UP THE SPIRIT OF CYRUS KING OF PERSIA, THAT HE MADE A PROCLAMATION THROUGHOUT ALL HIS KINGDOM, AND PUT IT ALSO IN WRITING, SAYING,_ The Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus - (see the notes at Ezra 1:1.)...

22,23 God had promised the restoring of the captives, and the rebuilding of Jerusalem, at the end of seventy years; and that time to favour Zion, that set time, came at last. Though God's church be cast down, it is not cast off; though his people be corrected, they are not abandoned; though thrown into the furnace, they are not lost there, nor left there any longer than till the dross be separated. Though God contend long, he will not contend always. Before we close the books of the Chronicles, which contain a faithful register of events, think what desolation sin introduced into the world, nay, even into the church of God. Let us tremble at what is here recorded, while in the character of some few gracious souls, we discover that the Lord left not himself without witness. And when we have looked at this faithful portrait of man by nature, let us contrast with it that same nature, when...

Verse 2 Chronicles 36:22. _NOW IN THE FIRST YEAR OF CYRUS_] This and the following verse are supposed to have been written by _mistake_ from the _book_ _of Ezra_, which begins in the same way. The book of the _Chronicles_, properly speaking, does close with the _twenty-first verse_, as then the Babylonish captivity _commences_, and these _two verses_ speak of the transactions of a period _seventy years after_. This was in the first year of the reign of Cyrus over the _empire of the East_ which is reckoned to be A.M. 3468. But he was king of _Persia_ from the year 3444 or 3445. See _Calmet_ and _Usher_....

This and the next verse are repeated at the commencement of the book of Ezra Ezra 1:1, which was, it is probable, originally a continuation of Chronicles, Chronicles and Ezra together forming one work. See the introduction to Chronicles....

EXPOSITION One short chapter now brings to a conclusion the work, in so many aspects remarkable, called 'The Chronicles.' And thirteen verses sum the contents of the four last pre-Captivity kings of the line of Judah. The words of Keil, in opening this last chapter in his commentary, are not unworthy of note. He says, "As the kingdom of Judah after Josiah's death advanced with swift steps to its destruction by the Chaldeans, so the author of the Chronicle goes quickly over the reigns of the last kings of Judah, who by their godless con-duet hastened the ruin of the kingdom. As to the four kings remaining, who reigned between Josiah's death and the destruction of Jerusalem, he gives, besides their ages at their respective accessions, only a short characterization of their conduct towards God, and a statement of the main events which, step by step, brought about the ruin of the king and th...

Ver. 22,23. NOW IN THE FIRST YEAR OF CYRUS KING OF PERSIA,.... These two verses are the same with which the next book, the book of Ezra, begins, where they will be explained; and these two books, the one ending and the other beginning with the same words, is a strong presumption, that one and the same person, Ezra, is the writer of them both; or rather, as a learned e writer conjectures, these two verses are added by some transcriber, who, having finished the book of Chronicles at verse twenty one went on with the book of Ezra, without any stop; but, perceiving his mistake, broke off abruptly; for so it is plain these verses conclude; however, this shows, as the same writer observes, that the book of Ezra followed that of the Chronicles, in the Hebrew copies, though it now does not. e Dr. Kennicott's Dissert. 1. p. 492, c....

IV. THE CAPTIVITY AND THE EPILOGUE CHAPTER 36:15-23 _ 1. The captivity (2 Chronicles 36:15)_ 2. The epilogue (2 Chronicles 36:22) In infinite patience the Lord still waited for the return of His people. Judgment is His strange work, but He delighteth in mercy. He sent them messengers who exhorted them and brought the messages of God, because He had compassion. But they mocked the messengers, despised God's gracious offers and misused His prophets, till there was no remedy. An awful statement. Apostasy and defiance of God increased to such an extent, till there was no remedy. The threatening clouds of judgment broke at last and the people were carried away into the captivity. “To fulfill the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land

THE FIRST YEAR OF CYRUS. See note on Ezra 1:1. SPIRIT. Hebrew. _ruach._...

_stirred up the spirit_ Cp. 1 Chronicles 5:26; Haggai 1:14. _made a proclamation_ cp. 2 Chronicles 30:5. The phrase is characteristic of the Chronicler....

23. THE EDICT OF CYRUS (2 Chronicles 36:22-23) TEXT 2 Chronicles 36:22. Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of Jehovah by the mouth of Jeremiah might be accomplished, Jehovah 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, 23. Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, -All the kingdoms of the earth hath Jehovah, the God of heaven, given me; and he hath charged me to build him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Whosoever there is among you of all his people. Jehovah his God be with him, and let him go up.-' PARAPHRASE 2 Chronicles