Stamp Honors Cyrus Declaration Granting Jews Right to Rebuild Temple in Jerusalem

In the year 586 BCE, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylonia conquered the city of Jerusalem from the hands of the Jewish People, destroyed the Holy Jewish Temple and sent many of the inhabitants of Judah (Israel) into exile. The Babylonian Exile ended when the empire was conquered by Cyrus II of Persia and Media, who made a public declaration granting the Jews the right to return to Judah and rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem.

The Israel Postal Service has issued a new stamp bearing an image of the famed clay cylinder which bears an inscription by King Cyrus of Persia declaring he built a Temple for the Jews.

Photo Credit: Sofia Eulgem [License]

The stamp tab features a coin minted in this autonomous province in the mid-4th century BCE, during the Persian rule. The front of the coin is engraved with a lily and the back is adorned with a spread-winged falcon as well as the word “Yehud” in ancient Hebrew letters. The coin is part of the Israel Museum collection.

Shortly after conquering the empire, in 538 BCE, King Cyrus made a public declaration, the content of which was preserved in the Book of Ezra:

“In the first year of King Cyrus of Persia… the Lord roused the spirit of King Cyrus of Persia to issue a proclamation throughout his realm by word of mouth and in writing as follows: Thus said King Cyrus of Persia: The Lord God of Heaven has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and has charged me with building Him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Anyone of you of all His people, may his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem that is in Judah and build the House of the Lord God of Israel, the God that is in Jerusalem” (Ezra, chapter 1).

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