Cyrus rose by conquest, yet Jehovah named him in advance and used him to topple Babylon and open the way for Jerusalem’s restoration.
Cyrus the Great and the Hand of Jehovah in History
The Cyrus Cylinder — c. 539 B.C.E.
The Cyrus Cylinder, dated to 539 B.C.E., confirms Cyrus’s decree that fulfilled Jehovah’s prophecy by authorizing the Jewish return to Jerusalem.
The Nabonidus Chronicle — c. 556–539 B.C.E.
The Nabonidus Chronicle confirms the biblical account of Babylon’s fall, Belshazzar’s co-regency, and Jehovah’s sovereignty over the empires of men.
How Does the Historical and Archaeological Record Support the Biblical Account of Cyrus the Great?
Explore the intriguing connection between a Persian king and ancient biblical texts. Discover if history aligns with prophecy.
Medo-Persia in Bible History
Explore the rise and fall of the Achaemenid Persian Empire, from the reign of Cyrus the Great to the conquests of Alexander the Great. Learn about the empire's religious and legal systems, military expansion, and cultural achievements.
OLD TESTAMENT BIBLICAL ARCHAEOLOGY: The Cyrus Cylinder
The Cyrus Cylinder is an ancient clay cylinder, now broken into several fragments, on which is written a declaration in Akkadian cuneiform script in the name of the Achaemenid king Cyrus the Great. It dates from the 6th century BC and was discovered in the ruins of Babylon in Mesopotamia (modern Iraq) in 1879.
