Who serves to Jews in ancient times?

Question

Cyrus Cylinder
Cyrus the Great of Persia completed his conquest of the Chaldaean empire of Babylonia in 538 BC. He treated his new subjects with enlightened tolerance and respect. This is recorded in cuneiform script on a clay cylinder from that time that is known as the Cyrus Cylinder. The original Cylinder is housed at the British Museum. A replica has a place of honor at the United Nations Building in New York City.
" I am Cyrus, king of the world, great king, mighty king, king of Babylon, king of the land of Sumer and Akkad, king of the four quarters ..."
Sovereignty resided in the person of the king. Cyrus's subjects were very fortunate that he was such an enlightened and benevolent king. In many other times and places people were not so lucky.
"... whose rule Bel and Nabu cherish, whose kingship they desire for their hearts' pleasures."
Cyrus claimed to have the approval of the Babylonian gods Bel (also known as Marduk) and his son Nabu. He did not try and impose his Persian god(s) on the Babylonians.
"Marduk, the great God, caused the big-hearted inhabitants of Babylon to...me. I sought daily to worship him."
Cyrus, the recent conqueror of Babylonia, honored and worshipped Marduk who as city god of Babylon was king of the gods of Babylonia.
"I did not allow any to terrorize the land of Sumer and Akkad. I kept in view the needs of Babylon and all its sanctuaries to promote their well being. The citizens of Babylon... I lifted their unbecoming yoke. Their dilapidated dwellings I restored. I put an end to their misfortunes."
Cyrus did not allow his army to plunder and loot the newly conquered country. He promoted the welfare of his new Babylonian subjects and supported their religious temples (sanctuaries).
"From ... to the cities of Ashur and Susa, Agade, Eshnuna, the cities of Zamban, Meurnu, Der, as far as the region of the land of Gutium, the holy cities beyond the Tigris whose sanctuaries had been in ruins over a long period, the Gods whose abode is in the midst of them. I returned to the places and housed them in lasting abodes ... The Gods of Sumer and Akkad whom Nabonidus had, to the anger of the Lord of the Gods, brought into Babylon, I at the bidding of Marduk, the great Lord, made to dwell in peace in their habitations, delightful abodes."
During their conquests the Babylonians had destroyed the temples of people whom they defeated and had brought the idols (gods) to Babylon. Cyrus restored these ruined temples and returned the idols to them.
"I gathered together all their inhabitants and restored to them their dwellings."
The Babylonians had enslaved many conquered peoples. Cyrus freed them, sent them home and helped them to rebuild. In 537 BC he allowed more than 40,000 Jews to leave Babylon and return to Palestine.

Answer 1

"Cyrus the Great of Persia completed his conquest..."

"Cyrus, the recent conqueror of Babylonia..."

Those were wars. Cyrus was a bloodthirsty, warmongering tyrant - just like the Babylonians.

You actually seem to believe that he was a great person simply because he said he was.

Good grief. I don't think I've heard anything this naive in a long time.

Answer 2

I would consider Ezrah, a priest and philosopher that should be accredited with serving the jewish community the most. Not only did he pursuade the Persians to allow some Babilonian jews to return to Judah. He perhaps is the first historical jew who helped define judaism as it is today. He was able to put together the an anthology of the legends and histories of the jews into what can be considered the precursor of todays" Old Testament".

Answer 3

Read the Old Testament - Cyrus was a gift from God in response to prayers of those Jews who steadfastly believed in God rather than their Satan worshipping brethren.

Answer 4

Cyrus the Great was great because he treated ALL of his subjects well...not just the Jews.

Answer 5

Soooooooooooo what's the question?