"The Cyrus Cylinder"

by Doug Mason 11 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  opusdei1972

  I think the readers of this forum need to read how different was what the Cyrus Cylinder said compared to what the Bible said:

  Ezra 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, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and also put it in writing, saying,

  2 Thus says Cyrus king of Persia:

  All the kingdoms of the earth the Lord God of heaven has given me. And He has commanded me to build Him a house at Jerusalem which is in Judah. 3 Who is among you of all His people? May his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem which is in Judah, and build the house of the Lord God of Israel (He is God), which is in Jerusalem. 4 And whoever is left in any place where he dwells, let the men of his place help him with silver and gold, with goods and livestock, besides the freewill offerings for the house of God which is in Jerusalem.

  Cyrus Cylinder:

  By his own plan, he [Nabonidus] did away with the worship of Marduk, the king of the gods......I am Cyrus, king of the world, great king.......When I entered Babylon in a peaceful manner, I took up my lordly abode in the royal palace amidst rejoicing and happiness. Marduk, the great lord, established as his fate for me a magnanimous heart of one who loves Babylon, and I daily attended to his worship.
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  Phizzy

  Interesting too that 2 Chronicles 36v23 and Ezra 1 v2&3 differ slightly in wording, you would think if the writer of both* was copying a text they would be identical, and especially if the writer was working under inspiration, surely then word for word accuracy would have been achieved ?

  Did the writer in each case use a different copy of the Decree ?

  *The WT claim that Ezra himself wrote both.

  If "Ezra" was not averse to changing words it is more than probable he substituted the name Yahweh in place of Marduk then ? or more likely entirely invented his version (s) of any instructions that may have come from Cyrus, on Cylinder or Tablet, as Decree or simply letter, to make it look as though Cyrus really was used by Yahweh.

  This ruse would have given a huge boost to the Priestly Class' desire to establish Monotheism upon the return from Babylon.