עזרא, פרק ה׳, פסוק י״ג

The historical declaration that allowed the Second Temple to be built was firmly rooted in an official royal decree. During his very first year in power, King Cyrus issued a clear and explicit order to rebuild the House of God. The primary approach among commentators is that this decree represented a sharp shift in policy, standing in contrast to previous circumstances [רש״י], [מצודת דוד], [רלב״ג], [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. However, another perspective views this declaration not as a sudden reversal, but as an additional measure that accompanied his other royal actions [ר' סעדיה גאון].

Crucially, the king's involvement went far beyond passive consent. He did not merely grant permission to establish the House of God; he personally initiated the project, issuing an active and formal command that directly ordered its construction [ביאור שטיינזלץ], [מצודת דוד], [ר' סעדיה גאון]. Furthermore, while Cyrus is identified in this context as the king of Babylon, he is more widely recognized by his familiar historical title as the king of Persia [ר' סעדיה גאון].