Ezra 6

The Decree of Darius

1ThusH116 KingH4430 DariusH1868 orderedH7761H2942 a searchH1240 of the archivesH1005 storedH5182H5609H1768 in the treasuryH1596 of BabylonH895H8536. 2And a scrollH4040 was foundH7912 in the fortressH1001H1768 of EcbatanaH307, in the provinceH4083 of MediaH4076, with the followingH3652 writtenH3790 on itH1459:

MemorandumH1799:

3In the firstH2298 yearH8140 of KingH4430 CyrusH3567, heH3567H4430 issuedH7761 a decreeH2942 concerning the houseH1005 of GodH426 in JerusalemH3390:

Let the houseH1005 be rebuiltH1124 as a placeH870 forH1768 offeringH1684 sacrificesH1685, and let its foundationsH787 be firmly laidH5446. It is to be sixtyH8361 cubitsH521 highH7314 and sixtyH8361 cubitsH521 wideH6613,1 4with threeH8532H5073 layersH5073 ofH1768 cut stonesH69H1560 and oneH2323 ofH1768 timbersH636. The costsH5313 are to be paidH3052 fromH4481 the royalH4430 treasuryH1005.

5FurthermoreH638, the goldH1722 and silverH3702H1768 articlesH3984 of the houseH1005 of GodH426, whichH1768 NebuchadnezzarH5020 tookH5312 fromH4481 the templeH1965H1768 in JerusalemH3390 and carriedH2987 to BabylonH895, must also be returnedH8421 to the templeH1965H1768 in JerusalemH3390H870 and depositedH5182 in the houseH1005 of GodH426.

6ThereforeH3705 Darius decreed:

To TattenaiH8674 governorH6347 of the region westH5675 of the EuphratesH5103,2 Shethar-bozenaiH8370, and your associatesH3675 and officialsH671H1768 in the regionH5675H5103:

You must stayH1934 awayH7352 fromH4481 that placeH8536! 7Leave this workH5673H1791 on the houseH1005 of GodH426 aloneH7662. Let the governorH6347 and eldersH7868H3062 of the JewsH3062 rebuildH1124 thisH1791 houseH1005 of GodH426 onH5922 its original siteH870.

8I herebyH4481 decreeH7761H2942 whatH3964H1768 you must doH5648 forH5974 theseH479 eldersH7868 of the JewsH3062 who are rebuildingH1124 thisH1791 houseH1005 of GodH426:

The costH5313 is to beH1934 paidH3052 in fullH629 to theseH479 menH1400 from the royalH4430 treasuryH5232 out ofH1768 the taxesH4061 of the provinces westH5675 of the EuphratesH5103, so thatH1768 the work will notH3809 be hinderedH989. 9WhateverH4101 is neededH2818—youngH1123 bullsH8450, ramsH1798, and lambsH563 for burnt offeringsH5928 to the GodH426 of heavenH8065, as well as wheatH2591, saltH4416, wineH2562, and oilH4887, as requestedH3983 by the priestsH3549H1768 in JerusalemH3390—must beH1934 givenH3052 to them dailyH3118 withoutH1768H3809 failH7960. 10ThenH1768 they will be ableH1934 to offer sacrificesH7127 of a sweet aromaH5208 to the GodH426 of heavenH8065 and to prayH6739 for the livesH2417 of the kingH4430 and his sonsH1123.

11I alsoH4481 decreeH7761H2942 thatH1768 if anyH3606 manH606 interferesH8133 with thisH1836 directiveH6600, a beamH636 is to be tornH5256 fromH4481 his houseH1005 and raised upH2211, and he is to be impaledH4223 on itH5922. And his own houseH1005 shall be madeH5648 a pile of rubbleH5122 forH5922 thisH1836 offense.3 12May GodH426, whoH1768 has caused His NameH8036 to dwellH7932 thereH8536, overthrowH4049 anyH3606 kingH4430 or peopleH5972 whoH1768 liftsH7972 a handH3028 to alterH8133 this decree or to destroyH2255 thisH1791 houseH1005 of GodH426H1768 in JerusalemH3390.

IH576, DariusH1868, have issuedH7761 the decreeH2942. Let it be carried outH5648 with diligenceH629.

The Temple Completed

13In responseH116, TattenaiH8674 the governorH6347 of the region westH5675 of the EuphratesH5103, Shethar-bozenaiH8370, and their associatesH3675H6903 diligentlyH629 carried outH5648 whatH1768 KingH4430H3660 DariusH1868 had decreedH7972. 14So the JewishH3062 eldersH7868 builtH1124 and prosperedH6744 through the prophesyingH5017 of HaggaiH2292 the prophetH5029 and ZechariahH2148 sonH1247 of IddoH5714.

They finishedH3635 buildingH1124 according toH4481 the commandH2942 of the GodH426 of IsraelH3479 and the decreesH2942 of CyrusH3567, DariusH1868, and ArtaxerxesH783, kingsH4430 of PersiaH6540. 15And thisH1836 templeH1005 was completedH3319 onH5705 the thirdH8532 dayH3118 of the monthH3393 of AdarH144H1768H1932,4 in the sixthH8353 yearH8140 of the reignH4437 of KingH4430 DariusH1868.

Dedication of the Temple

16Then the peopleH1123 of IsraelH3479—the priestsH3549, the LevitesH3879, and the restH7606 of the exilesH1123H1547—celebratedH5648 the dedicationH2597 of theH1836 houseH1005 of GodH426 with joyH2305.

17For theH1836 dedicationH2597 of the houseH1005 of GodH426 they offeredH7127 a hundredH3969 bullsH8450, two hundredH3969 ramsH1798, fourH703 hundredH3969 lambsH563, and a sin offeringH2409 forH5922 allH3606 IsraelH3479 of twelveH8648H6236H4510 male goatsH6841H5796, one for each tribeH7625 of IsraelH3479.

18They also appointedH6966 the priestsH3549 by their divisionsH6392 and the LevitesH3879 by their groupsH4255 toH5922 the serviceH5673 of GodH426H1768 in JerusalemH3390, according to what is writtenH3792 in the BookH5609 of MosesH4873.

The Returned Exiles Keep the Passover

19On the fourteenth dayH702H6240 of the firstH7223 monthH2320, the exilesH1121H1473 keptH6213 the PassoverH6453. 20AllH3605 the priestsH3548 and LevitesH3881H259 had purified themselvesH2891 and were ceremonially cleanH2889.

And the Levites slaughteredH7819 the Passover lambH6453 for allH3605 the exilesH1121H1473, for their priestlyH3548 brothersH251, and for themselves. 21The IsraelitesH1121H3478 who had returnedH7725 from exileH1473 ate itH398, together with allH3605 who had separated themselvesH914 from the uncleannessH2932 of the peoplesH14715 of the landH776 to seekH413H1875 the LORDH3068, the GodH430 of IsraelH3478.

22For sevenH7651 daysH3117 they keptH6213 the FeastH2282 of Unleavened BreadH46826 with joyH8057, becauseH3588 the LORDH3068 had made them joyfulH8055 and turnedH5437 the heartH3820 of the kingH4428 of AssyriaH804 toward themH5921 to strengthenH2388 their handsH3027 in the workH4399 on the houseH1004 of the GodH430 of IsraelH3478.