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What is Persia in the Bible?

The empire whose kings, beginning with Cyrus, allowed the Jews to return and rebuild the temple in Jerusalem.

Persia is the kingdom whose rulers governed the Jews after the Babylonian exile. It was an empire centered in what is now Iran.

Persia in the Bible

Second Chronicles says the exiles served in Babylon until the reign of the kingdom of Persia (2 Chronicles 36:20). The LORD stirred up Cyrus king of Persia to proclaim that a house for God be built in Jerusalem (2 Chronicles 36:23; Ezra 1:1). Ezra names later kings of Persia, Darius and Artaxerxes, under whom the temple was finished and Ezra came to Jerusalem (Ezra 4:5; Ezra 6:14; Ezra 7:1).

In Esther, Persia is paired with Media in the court of King Ahasuerus, and the king's deeds are recorded in the chronicles of the kings of Media and Persia (Esther 1:3; Esther 10:2). Ezekiel lists men of Persia among the soldiers of Tyre and among the allies of Gog (Ezekiel 27:10; Ezekiel 38:5). In Daniel's visions the two-horned ram stands for the kings of Media and Persia, a prince of the kingdom of Persia withstands the angelic messenger, and further kings of Persia are foretold (Daniel 8:20; Daniel 10:13; Daniel 11:2).

Role
Empire
First mention
2 Chronicles 36:20
Appearances in the Bible
25 mentions

Questions about Persia

What is Persia in the Bible?

Persia is the kingdom whose rulers governed the Jews after the Babylonian exile. It was an empire centered in what is now Iran. Second Chronicles says the exiles served in Babylon until the reign of the kingdom of Persia (2 Chronicles 36:20). The LORD stirred up Cyrus king of Persia to proclaim that a house for God be built in Jerusalem (2 Chronicles 36:23; Ezra 1:1). Ezra names later kings of Persia, Darius and Artaxerxes, under whom the temple was finished and Ezra came to Jerusalem (Ezra 4:5; Ezra 6:14; Ezra 7:1). In Esther, Persia is paired with Media in the court of King Ahasuerus, and the king's deeds are recorded in the chronicles of the kings of Media and Persia (Esther 1:3; Esther 10:2). Ezekiel lists men of Persia among the soldiers of Tyre and among the allies of Gog (Ezekiel 27:10; Ezekiel 38:5). In Daniel's visions the two-horned ram stands for the kings of Media and Persia, a prince of the kingdom of Persia withstands the angelic messenger, and further kings of Persia are foretold (Daniel 8:20; Daniel 10:13; Daniel 11:2).

Where is Persia first mentioned in the Bible?

Persia is first mentioned in 2 Chronicles 36:20.

How many times is Persia mentioned in the Bible?

Number of mentions in the Bible: 25.