Stirred spirits

Near the beginning of 1 Chronicles, Yahweh stirs up the spirit of Pul of Assyria to invade and conquer Israel (5:26).

Near the end, He stirs up the spirit of Cyrus of Persia to issue a decree sending the exiles home (2 Chronicles 36:22).

Israel’s intervening history is framed by those two divine “stirrings.”  The heart of the king is in Yahweh’s hand.