Ezra 1:1
Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, 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,
In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia the Lord stirred up his spirit to issue a decree or proclamation, fulfilling the word of the Lord spoken through Jeremiah. This took place at the end of the seventy years since the first Hebrews were taken captive to Babylon, and the proclamation was put in writing and sent as a public decree throughout all his kingdom. Cyrus was moved to recognize the prophecies concerning his own role, acknowledging that God had given him his kingdoms and had charged him to build the temple in Jerusalem, and in this he acted as God's agent.
While His people were captive in Babylon, the witness of a faithful few led Cyrus to proclaim knowledge of the true God throughout his kingdom, showing that God's plans cannot be thwarted and that He can use rulers and place the wealth and power of empires at His people's disposal. The decree granted the captives liberty and release, giving them another opportunity to serve God in their own country by returning to their homeland in Judea, restoring worship and the temple services, and rebuilding the temple, with the king's support and provision of what was needed. The king's support and provision enabled the rebuilding and displayed God's forbearance toward His wayward people.
The first company to take this opportunity and return under Zerubbabel and Joshua numbered nearly fifty thousand, only a small remnant, since most Israelites scattered through the Medo-Persian provinces chose to remain in exile rather than face the difficult journey and rebuild their ruined cities, homes and temple services. That first return under Zerubbabel and Joshua took place about seventy years before Artaxerxes Longimanus came to the throne. The rebuilding work began under Cyrus and continued under his successor, but opposition and discouragement caused many to leave the work, progress was slow, and the rebuilding was later prohibited under Cambyses and the false Smerdis. The king's aid in rebuilding was a remarkable act of mercy and forbearance toward His wayward people after their long captivity that should have called forth gratitude and rejoicing, yet lamenting by aged survivors over the new temple's lesser glory and dwelling on past failures discouraged the builders.