1  NOW in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, [ These first three verses are the way that the last three verses end in 2 Chronicles. Chronicles is passing the baton to Ezra. ] 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,

2 Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, The LORD God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and he hath charged me to build him an house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah.

3 Who is there among you of all his people? his God be with him, [ The question is asked by the King of Persia, who is living as God would have him enough to go to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple. The King of Persia has been instructed by the Lord that this is something that he needs to do and so he recognizes that it is not someting that he can do but he needs those of Israel to do. It is after all their temple. ] and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and build the house of the LORD God of Israel, (he is the God,) [ The King of Persia, an outsider recognizes this and give the instruction to return and build his house. He is suggesting that the God of Israel out ranks the Gods of Persia so I need to do as the prophets have instructed. So the question then is who is with me in doing this. ] which is in Jerusalem.

4 And whosoever remaineth in any place where he sojourneth, let the men of his place help him with silver, and with gold, and with goods, and with beasts, beside the freewill offering for the house of God that is in Jerusalem.

5 ¶ Then rose up the chief of the fathers of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests, and the Levites, [ In other words their leaders, priesthood and otherwise. ] with all them whose spirit God had raised, [ Those who were at least in some way trying to follow God, he lifted their sites. Everyone who the Lord touched their spirits. You don't have to be one of the leaders, no the work is for anyone whom the Lord lifts up. ] to go up to build the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem.

6  And all they that were about them [ So it would appear that we have another group here. These are not or maybe cannot go to Jerusalem to rebuild. Why we do not know. However; we do know that this groups try's to do what they can for the work by providing for those who will go and rebuild. ] strengthened their hands [ They wanted to help where they felt that they could. Since we do not know the reason why they did not go, we do know that they are trying to help those that do. ] with vessels of silver, with gold, with goods, and with beasts, and with precious things, beside all that was willingly offered.

7 ¶ Also Cyrus the king brought forth the vessels of the house of the LORD, which Nebuchadnezzar had brought forth out of Jerusalem, and had put them in the house of his gods; [ So the King of Cyrus is working as an instrument in the hands of God, to help the house of Israel rebuild their temple. ]

8 Even those did Cyrus king of Persia bring forth by the hand of Mithredath the treasurer, and numbered them unto Sheshbazzar, the prince of Judah.

9 And this is the number of them: thirty chargers of gold, a thousand chargers of silver, nine and twenty knives,

10 Thirty basons of gold, silver basons of a second sort four hundred and ten, and other vessels a thousand.

11 All the vessels of gold and of silver were five thousand and four hundred. All these did Sheshbazzar bring up [ Sheshbazzar bring back all of the good for the temple as describes in verses 8-10. ] with them of the captivity that were brought up from Babylon unto Jerusalem.