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Mitredath

Mithredath [Heb. mitredat]. A personal name.

1. The treasurer of King Cyrus. In the first year of his reign, Cyrus (who reigned 559-530 BC), recognizing God's providence in his ascension to power and expressing his conviction that God appointed him to build the temple in Jerusalem (Ezra 1:2), wrote a decree allowing freedom of movement to all the Jews who wanted to return to their homeland and rebuild the temple. Cyrus also returned the temple articles plundered by Nebuchadnezzar, which Mithredath the treasurer counted to Sheshbazzar, the prince of Judah (Ezra 1:7-8). The inventory numbered 5,400 articles of gold and silver (Ezra 1:9-11).

2. A Persian officer living in Samaria who opposed the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem and co-signed a letter addressed to Artaxerxes (who reigned 465-425 BC), insinuating Judah's disloyalty (Ezra 4:7). King Artaxerxes replied favorably and the reconstruction of the temple and Jerusalem were paused until Darius (who reigned 548-486 BC) became king of Medo-Persia.

C. Adelina Alexe

Citation

Footnote:

C. Adelina Alexe, “Mitredath,“ Seventh-day Adventist International Biblical-Theological Dictionary (2026-), ed. Daniel K. Bediako and Keldie Paroschi, https://dictionary.adventist.org/mitredath, accessed October 28, 2026

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