Ezra 6
6
1 Then king Darius instructed, and they searched in the library of books that were deposited in Babylon.
2 And there was found at Ecbatana, which is a fortified place in the province of Media, one volume, and this record was written in it:
3 "In the first year of king Cyrus, Cyrus the king decreed that the house of God, which is in Jerusalem, shall be built in the place where they immolate victims, and that they should set the foundations so as to support a height of sixty cubits and a width of sixty cubits,
4 with three rows of rough stones, and so as to have rows of new timber, and that the expenses shall be given from the house of the king.
5 But also, let the gold and silver vessels of the temple of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took from the temple of Jerusalem, and which he carried away to Babylon, be restored and be carried back to the temple of Jerusalem, to their place, just as they had been placed in the temple of God.
6 Now therefore, let Tattenai, the governor of the region which is beyond the river, Shetharbozenai, and your counselors, the rulers who are beyond the river, withdraw far away from them,
7 and let this temple of God be released to the governor of the Jews and to their elders, so that they may build that house of God in its place.
8 Moreover, it has been instructed by me as to what ought to be done by those priests of the Jews, so that the house of God may be built, specifically, that from the king's treasury, that is, from the tribute which is taken from the region beyond the river, the expenses shall be scrupulously given to those men, so that the work may not be impeded.
9 But if it may be necessary, let also calves, and lambs, and young goats for holocausts to the God of heaven, with grain, salt, wine, and oil, according to the rite of the priests who are in Jerusalem, be given to them for each day, so that there may be no complaint in anything.
10 And let them offer oblations to the God of heaven, and let them pray for the life of the king and for the lives of his sons.
11 Therefore, the decree has been set forth by me, so that, if there be any man who will change this order, a beam shall be taken from his own house, and it shall be set up, and he shall be nailed to it. Then his house shall be confiscated.
12 So then, may the God who has caused his name to live there destroy any kingdoms or people who would extend their hand to fight against or to destroy that house of God, which is in Jerusalem. I, Darius, have established the decree, which I wish to be fulfilled scrupulously."
13 Therefore, Tattenai, the governor of the region beyond the river, and Shetharbozenai, and his counselors, in accord with what king Darius had instructed, diligently executed the same.
14 Then the elders of the Jews were building and prospering, in accord with the prophecy of Haggai, the prophet, and Zechariah, the son of Iddo. And they built and constructed by the order of the God of Israel, and by the order of Cyrus and Darius, as well as Artaxerxes, the kings of the Persians.
15 And they completed this house of God on the third day of the month of Adar, which was in the sixth year of the reign of king Darius.
16 Then the sons of Israel, the priests, and the Levites, and the remainder of the sons of the transmigration celebrated the dedication of the house of God with gladness.
17 And they offered, for the dedication of the house of God, one hundred calves, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs, and, as a sin offering for all of Israel, twelve he-goats from among the goats, according to the number of the tribes of Israel.
18 And they appointed the priests into their divisions, and the Levites into their turns, over the works of God in Jerusalem, just as it was written in the book of Moses.
19 Then the sons of Israel of the transmigration kept the Passover, on the fourteenth day of the first month.
20 For the priests and Levites had been purified as one. All were cleansed in order to immolate the Passover for all the sons of the transmigration, and for their brothers, the priests, and for themselves.
21 And the sons of Israel, who had been returned from the transmigration, and all those who had separated themselves from the defilement of the Gentiles of the earth to them, so that they might seek the Lord, the God of Israel, ate
22 and kept the solemnity of unleavened bread for seven days with joy. For the Lord had made them joyful, and he had converted the heart of the king of Assur to them, so that he would assist their hands in the work of the house of the Lord, the God of Israel.
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Ezra 6
6
Darius’s Search
1King Darius gave the order, and they searched#Ezr 5:17 in the library of Babylon in the archives.#6:1 Lit Babylon where the treasures were stored#Ezr 4:15 2But it was in the fortress of Ecbatana in the province of Media#Dn 9:1; Ac 2:9 that a scroll was found with this record written on it:
3In the first year of King Cyrus, he issued a decree#2Ch 36:22–23; Ezr 1:1–4 concerning the house of God in Jerusalem:
Let the house be rebuilt as a place for offering sacrifices, and let its original foundations be retained.#6:3 Lit be brought forth Its height is to be ninety feet#6:3 Lit 60 cubits and its width ninety feet,#1Kg 6:2 4with three layers of cut#6:4 Or huge stones and one of timber.#1Kg 6:36; Ezr 5:8 The cost is to be paid from the royal treasury.#6:4 Lit the king’s house#Ezr 3:7 5The gold and silver articles of God’s house that Nebuchadnezzar took from the temple in Jerusalem and carried to Babylon must also be returned. They are to be brought to the temple in Jerusalem where they belong#6:5 Lit Jerusalem, to its place, and put into the house of God.#Ezr 1:7
Darius’s Decree
6Therefore, you must stay away from that place, Tattenai governor of the region west of the Euphrates River, Shethar-bozenai, and your#6:6 Lit their colleagues, the officials in the region.#Ezr 5:3,6; 6:13 7Leave the construction of the house of God alone. Let the governor#Neh 5:14; Hg 1:1 and elders of the Jews rebuild this house of God on its original site.
8I hereby issue a decree concerning what you are to do, so that the elders of the Jews can rebuild the house of God:
The cost is to be paid in full to these men out of the royal revenues#Ezr 7:20 from the taxes of the region west of the Euphrates River, so that the work will not stop. 9Whatever is needed — young bulls, rams, and lambs for burnt offerings to the God of the heavens, or wheat, salt, wine, and oil, as requested by the priests in Jerusalem — let it be given to them every day without fail,#Ezr 7:17,20–22 10so that they can offer sacrifices of pleasing aroma to the God of the heavens and pray for the life of the king and his sons.#Ezr 7:23; 1Tm 2:1–2
11I also issue a decree concerning any man who interferes with this directive:
Let a beam be torn from his house and raised up; he will be impaled on it, and his house will be made into a garbage dump because of this offense.#Est 2:23; 9:14 12May the God who caused his name to dwell there#Dt 12:5; 2Ch 6:2 overthrow any king or people who dares#6:12 Lit who stretches out its hand to harm or interfere with this house of God in Jerusalem. I, Darius, have issued the decree. Let it be carried out diligently.
13Then Tattenai governor of the region west of the Euphrates River, Shethar-bozenai, and their colleagues#Ezr 5:3,6; 6:6 diligently carried out what King Darius had decreed. 14So the Jewish elders continued successfully with the building under the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah son of Iddo.#Ezr 5:1; Hg 1:1; Zch 1:1 They finished the building according to the command of the God of Israel and the decrees of Cyrus,#Ezr 1:1–4; 6:3–5 Darius, and King Artaxerxes#Ezr 7:12–26 of Persia. 15This house was completed on the third day of the month of Adar#Est 3:7 in the sixth year of the reign of King Darius.
Temple Dedication and the Passover
16Then the Israelites, including the priests, the Levites, and the rest of the exiles, celebrated the dedication of the house of God with joy. 17For the dedication of God’s house they offered one hundred bulls, two hundred rams, and four hundred lambs, as well as twelve male goats#2Ch 7:4–5 as a sin offering for all Israel — one for each Israelite tribe. 18They also appointed the priests by their divisions and the Levites by their groups to the service of God in Jerusalem, according to what is written in the book of Moses.#Ex 29; Nm 18; 1Ch 24
19The exiles#Ezr 1:11; 2:1 observed the Passover#Ex 12:1–11; Nm 28:16 on the fourteenth day of the first month. 20All of the priests and Levites were ceremonially clean, because they had purified themselves. They killed the Passover lamb for themselves, their priestly brothers, and all the exiles.#2Ch 30:15–17 21The Israelites who had returned from exile#Ezr 1:11; 2:1 ate it, together with all who had separated themselves from the uncleanness of the Gentiles of the land#6:21 Lit land to them#Ezr 9:11; Neh 10:28 in order to worship the Lord, the God of Israel. 22They observed the Festival of Unleavened Bread for seven days#Ex 12:14–20; Dt 16:3–8 with joy, because the Lord had made them joyful, having changed the Assyrian king’s attitude toward them, so that he supported them#6:22 Lit strengthened their hands in the work on the house of the God of Israel.#Ezr 6:8–12
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