Visit the Cyrus Cylinder in NYC Through August 4!

Photo courtesy of britishmuseum.org

On loan from the British Museum, London, the Cyrus Cylinder documents the policy of Cyrus of Persia (sometimes called "the Liberator") to release captured peoples after his conquest of Babylon--thus putting an end to 60 years of Exile for the Jewish people.

The biblical books of 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Isaiah and Daniel all discuss Cyrus in heroic terms for his part in releasing the captive people, giving full credit of course to the LORD (YHWH). But in the Cylinder itself, Cyrus credits the Babylonian god Marduk for his victories, writing (in cuneiform) that Marduk "pronounced the name of Cyrus, king of Anshan; declared him to be ruler of all the world." (Pritchard, ANET, 315-316).

Often considered a pioneer for human rights, Cyrus is the only foreigner to be called God's "anointed" (messiah!) anywhere in the Bible:

Thus says the LORD to his anointed, Cyrus,

Courtesy Flickr photos

whose right hand I grasp,
Subduing nations before him...
"I will go before you
and level the mountains;....
For the sake of Jacob, my servant,
of Israel my chosen one,
I have called you by name,
giving you a title, though you do not know me.
I am the LORD, there is no other,
there is no God besides me.

(Isaiah 45:1-5, NABRE)

For the first time ever, the famous Cyrus Cylinder will be on display in five cities in the US, including this summer at New York City's Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. (I'm practically out the door already--hope to see you there!)

Click below for more details:

About the NYC Exhibit: http://cyruscylinder2013.com/2013/06/the-cyrus-cylinder-now-at-the-metropolitan-museum-of-art/

About the Cylinder: The British Museum: http://www.britishmuseum.org/explore/highlights/highlight_objects/me/c/cyrus_cylinder.aspx

About Cyrus in History:  http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/4828-cyrus

About Cyrus in the Bible: Lawrence Boadt, Reading the Old Testament. Check the index under "Cyrus of Persia" and "Cyrus Cylinder" for page references in your edition (1984 or 2012).

Cyrus in Art, courtesy humanrights.com