The Cyrus Cylinder

The Cyrus Cylinder was discovered in Nineveh in 1879 and is now in the British Museum. It describes the conquest of Babylon by the Persian King Cyrus and the reorganization that he instituted to consolidate his authority.

The cylinder describes the Babylonian king that Cyrus overthrew as a weakling who caused the daily offering to stop, was hostile to his subjects and brought ruin to Babylonian society. As a result of this mismanagement, the gods became furious and left. Marduk, the chief god, searched for a righteous king and found Cyrus. He took Cyrus by the hand and appointed him lord over the whole world.

The cylinder continues that Marduk, the great Lord, was pleased with the way Cyrus cared for the people and also with his 'righteous heart'. Marduk accompanied Cyrus to Babylon 'as a friend' and permitted him to enter Babylon without opposition. The Babylonians rejoiced because Cyrus was now their king.

The cylinder records that Cyrus caused the gods to return to their homelands and dwell in their residences for all time. Cyrus permitted all to live in peace.

The confirmation of the Bible comes at this point in the cylinder record. The Bible tells us that the Jewish people applied to the King of Persia to have these resettlement policies applied to them. The King of Persia then allowed the Jewish people to return to their homeland from captivity in Babylon. They were also assisted in rebuilding their Temple. The record is at the end of Kings and in the book of Ezra.

Source: British Museum website