The short answer
Cyrus the Great, Persian ruler, conquered Babylon and permitted the exiled Jews to return to Judah and rebuild the Temple (~538 BCE), an act the Bible celebrates (Isaiah 45 calls him 'God's anointed'). This enabled the Second Temple period.
Why people ask this
Cyrus is a key figure bridging the exile and the return, and the Bible's high view of him is striking and worth understanding.
Key terms
No specialized terms for this question.
Jewish perspectives
- Biblical: Cyrus is God's instrument for the return and rebuilding.
- Historical: Persian policy of local religious tolerance enabled the return.
Scholarly & historical context
Persian conquest of Babylon enabled return and restoration; the Bible presents Cyrus positively for this reason.
What is agreed upon
Cyrus enabled the return and the Second Temple.
Where the disagreement begins
How to interpret the biblical praise of a non-Jewish ruler.
Practical consequences
See Judaism's post-exilic life as shaped by Persian imperial tolerance.
Original sources
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