What did the elders claim about Cyrus’s original authorization in Ezra 5?

They said Cyrus made a decree to rebuild the house of God and that he also brought out the temple vessels from Babylon to be returned. They identified Sheshbazzar as the one appointed to take the vessels and lay the foundations. See Ezra 5:13 and Ezra 5:16.

Passage context

Ezra 5:13–16 reports what the Judean elders claim about how the temple project began. They say Cyrus, in his first year as king over Babylon, issued an order to rebuild God’s house. Cyrus also returned the gold and silver temple items that Nebuchadnezzar had taken from Jerusalem and stored in Babylon. This section sits inside a formal report about the rebuilding controversy in Ezra 5. Local Persian officials have questioned the builders and asked for names and authorization; the elders respond by describing both their history and their permission to build.

Why it matters

Ezra 5:13–16 presents the elders’ explanation for why the Jerusalem temple project is legitimate. Explicitly, they claim it began with a royal order from Cyrus, not with a private local movement.

Read carefully

A careful answer keeps the immediate passage, the book's argument, and the whole-Bible storyline together, so the question is answered in context instead of as a detached idea.

Keep reading

Start with Ezra 5:13, then read the surrounding section so the answer stays connected to the passage's flow.