CYRENIUS QUIRINIUS to DALMANUTHA
Contents
CYRENIUS (QUIRINIUS)
Governor of Syria when Jesus was born Lk 2:2
See QUIRINIUS
CYRUS
(Heb. Ko'resh), the celebrated "King of Persia" (Elam) who was conqueror of Babylon, and issued the decree of liberation to the Jews (Ezra 1:1, 2). He was the son of Cambyses, the prince of Persia, and was born about B.C. 599.
In the year B.C. 559 he became king of Persia, the kingdom of Media being added to it partly by conquest. Cyrus was a great military leader, bent on universal conquest. Babylon fell before his army (B.C. 538) on the night of Belshazzar's feast (Dan. 5:30), and then the ancient dominion of Assyria was also added to his empire (cf., "Go up, O Elam", Isa.21:2).
Hitherto the great kings of the earth had only oppressed the Jews. Cyrus was to them as a "shepherd" (Isa. 44:28; 45:1). God employed him in doing service to his ancient people. He may posibly have gained, through contact with the Jews, some knowledge of their religion.
The "first year of Cyrus" (Ezra 1:1) is not the year of his elevation to power over the Medes, nor over the Persians, nor the year of the fall of Babylon, but the year succeeding the two years during which "Darius the Mede" was viceroy in Babylon after its fall. At this time only (B.C. 536) Cyrus became actual king over Palestine, which became a part of his Babylonian empire. The edict of Cyrus for the rebuilding of Jerusalem marked a great epoch in the history of the Jewish people (2 Chr. 36:22, 23; Ezra 1:1-4; 4:3; 5:13-17; 6:3-5).
This decree was discovered "at Achmetha [R.V. marg., "Ecbatana"], in the palace that is in the province of the Medes" (Ezra 6:2). A chronicle drawn up just after the conquest of Babylonia by Cyrus, gives the history of the reign of Nabonidus (Nabunahid), the last king of Babylon, and of the fall of the Babylonian empire. In B.C. 538 there was a revolt in Southern Babylonia, while the army of Cyrus entered the country from the north.
In June the Babylonian army was completely defeated at Opis, and immediately afterwards Sippara opened its gates to the conqueror. Gobryas (Ugbaru), the governor of Kurdistan, was then sent to Babylon, which surrendered "without fighting," and the daily services in the temples continued without a break. In October, Cyrus himself arrived, and proclaimed a general amnesty, which was communicated by Gobryas to "all the province of Babylon," of which he had been made governor.
Meanwhile, Nabonidus, who had concealed himself, was captured, but treated honourably; and when his wife died, Cambyses, the son of Cyrus, conducted the funeral. Cyrus now assumed the title of "king of Babylon," claimed to be the descendant of the ancient kings, and made rich offerings to the temples. At the same time he allowed the foreign populations who had been deported to Babylonia to return to their old homes, carrying with them the images of their gods. Among these populations were the Jews, who, as they had no images, took with them the sacred vessels of the temple.
(King of Persia) -Issues a decree for the emancipation of the Jews and rebuilding the temple 2Ch 36:22, 23; Ezr 1:1; 3:7; 4:3; 5:13, 14; 6:3
Prophecies concerning Isa 13:17-22; 21:2; 41:2; 44:28; 45:1-4, 13; 46:11; 48:14, 15
DABAREH
See DABERATH
DABBASHETH
A place on the boundary line of the territory of the tribe of Zebulun Jos 19:11
DABERATH
pasture, a Levitical town of Issachar (Josh. 19:12; 21:28), near the border of Zebulum.
It is the modern small village of Deburich, at the base of Mount Tabor. Tradition has incorrectly made it the scene of the miracle of the cure of the lunatic child (Matt. 17:14).
Also called DABAREH A town of Issachar Jos 19:12; 21:28 Assigned to the Levites 1Ch 6:72
DAGGER
A short sword Jud 3:16-22
DAGON
An idol of the Philistines Jud 16:23; 1Sa 5:1
Temple of 1Ch 10:10
DAILY OFFERING
Sacrificial Ex 29:38-42; 30:7-9; Nu 28:3-8; Ezr 3:4-6; Eze 46:13-15; Da 9:21, 26, 27; 11:31; Ac 3:1
See OFFERINGS
FIGURATIVE Jn 1:29, 36; 1Pe 1:19
DALAIAH
See DELAIAH
DALMANUTHA
a place on the west of the Sea of Galilee, mentioned only in Mark 8:10. In the parallel passage it is said that Christ came "into the borders of Magdala" (Matt. 15:39).
It is plain, then, that Dalmanutha was near Magdala, which was probably the Greek name of one of the many Migdols (i.e., watch-towers) on the western side of the lake of Gennesaret. It has been identified in the ruins of a village about a mile from Magdala, in the little open valley of 'Ain-el-Barideh, "the cold fountain," called el-Mejdel, possibly the "Migdal-el" of Josh. 19:38.
A town on the west coast of the Sea of Galilee Mr 8:10