Ezra 6

Darius Finds Cyrus’s Decree

1ThenH116 KingH4430 DariusH1868 issuedH7761 a decreeH2942, and 1searchH1240 was madeH1240 in the 2archivesH1005H5609, whereH1768H8536 the treasuresH1596 were storedH5182 in BabylonH895. 2In 3EcbatanaH307 in the fortressH1003, whichH1768 is 4in the provinceH4083 of MediaH4076, a scrollH4040 was foundH7912 and there was writtenH3790 in it as followsH3652: “MemorandumH1799-- 35In the firstH2298 yearH8140 of KingH4430 CyrusH3567, CyrusH3567 the kingH4430 issuedH7761 a decreeH2942: ‘Concerning the houseH1005 of GodH426 at JerusalemH3390, let the 6templeH1005, the placeH870 whereH1768 sacrificesH1685 are offeredH1684, be rebuiltH1124 and let its foundationsH787 be 7retainedH5446, its heightH7314 being 60H8361 cubitsH521 and its widthH6613 60H8361 cubitsH521; 48with threeH8532 layersH5073 of hugeH1560 stonesH69 and 9one layerH5073 of timbersH636. And let the costH5313 be paidH3052 from the 10royalH4430 treasuryH1005. 5AlsoH638 let 11the goldH1722 and silverH3702 utensilsH3984 of the houseH1005 of GodH426, whichH1768 NebuchadnezzarH5020 tookH5312 from the templeH1965 in JerusalemH3390 and broughtH2987 to BabylonH895, be returnedH8421 and 12broughtH1981 to their placesH870 in the templeH1965 in JerusalemH3390; and you shall putH5182 them in the houseH1005 of GodH426.’

6“NowH3705 therefore, 13TattenaiH8674, governorH6347 of the province beyondH5675 the 14RiverH5103, Shethar-bozenaiH8370 and 15your colleaguesH3675, the officialsH671 of the provinces beyondH5675 the 16RiverH5103, 17keepH7352 awayH7352 from thereH8536. 7LeaveH7662 thisH1791 workH5673 on the houseH1005 of GodH426 aloneH7662; let the governorH6347 of the JewsH3062 and the eldersH7868 of the JewsH3062 rebuildH1124 thisH1791 houseH1005 of GodH426 on its siteH870. 8Moreover, 18I issueH7761 a decreeH2942 concerning whatH4101H1768 you are to doH5648 for theseH479 eldersH7868 of JudahH3062 in the rebuildingH1124 of thisH1791 houseH1005 of GodH426: the fullH629 costH5313 is to be paidH3052 to theseH479 peopleH1400 from the royalH4430 treasuryH5232 out of the taxesH4061 of the provinces beyondH5675 the RiverH5103, and that withoutH3809 delayH989. 9WhateverH4101 is neededH2819, both youngH1123 bullsH8450, ramsH1798, and lambsH563 for a burntH5928 offeringH5928 to the GodH426 of heavenH8065, and wheatH2591, saltH4416, wineH2562 and anointingH4887 oilH4887, as the priestsH3549 in JerusalemH3390 requestH3983, it is to be givenH3052 to them dailyH3118 withoutH3809 failH7960, 10that they may offerH7127 19acceptableH5208 sacrificesH5208 to the GodH426 of heavenH8065 and 20prayH6739 for the lifeH2417 of the kingH4430 and his sonsH1123. 11And I issuedH7761 a decreeH2942 that 21anyH3606 manH606 whoH1768 violatesH8133 thisH1836 edictH6600, a timberH636 shall be drawnH5256 from his houseH1005 and he shall be impaledH2211H4223 on it and 22his houseH1005 shall be madeH5648 a refuseH5122 heapH5122 on accountH5922 of thisH1836. 12May the GodH426 whoH1768 23has caused His nameH8036 to dwellH7932 thereH8536 overthrowH4049 anyH3606 kingH4430 or peopleH5972 whoH1768 24attemptsH7972H3028 to changeH8133 it, so as to destroyH2255 thisH1791 houseH1005 of GodH426 in JerusalemH3390. I, DariusH1868, have issuedH7761 this decreeH2942, let it be carriedH5648 out with allH629 diligenceH629!”

The Temple Completed and Dedicated

13ThenH116 25TattenaiH8674, the governorH6347 of the province beyondH5675 the RiverH5103, Shethar-bozenaiH8370 and their colleaguesH3675 carriedH5648 out the decree with allH629 diligenceH629, justH6903 as KingH4430 DariusH1868 had sentH7972. 14And 26the eldersH7868 of the JewsH3062 27were successfulH6744 in buildingH1124 through the prophesyingH5017 of HaggaiH2292 the prophetH5029 and ZechariahH2148 the sonH1247 of IddoH5714. And 28they finishedH3635 buildingH1124 accordingH4481 to the commandH2942 of the GodH426 of IsraelH3479 and the decreeH2942 29of CyrusH3567, 30DariusH1868, and 31ArtaxerxesH783 kingH4430 of PersiaH6540. 15ThisH1836 32templeH1005 was completedH3319 33on the thirdH8532 dayH3118 of the 34monthH3393 AdarH144; it was the sixthH8353 yearH8140 of the reignH4437 of KingH4430 DariusH1868.

16And the sonsH1123 of IsraelH3479, the priestsH3549, the LevitesH3879 and the restH7606 of the 35exilesH1123H1547, 36celebratedH5648 the dedicationH2597 of thisH1836 houseH1005 of GodH426 with joyH2305. 17They offeredH7127 for the dedicationH2597 of thisH1836 templeH1005 of GodH426 100H3969 bullsH8450, 200H3969 ramsH1798, 400H702H3967 lambsH563, and as a sinH2409 offeringH2409 for allH3606 IsraelH3479 3712H8648H6236 maleH6841 goatsH5796, corresponding to the numberH4510 of the tribesH7625 of IsraelH3479. 18Then they appointedH6966 the priestsH3549 to 38their divisionsH6392 and the LevitesH3879 in 39their ordersH4255 for the serviceH5673 of GodH426 40in JerusalemH3390, 41as it is writtenH3792 in the bookH5609 of MosesH4873.

The Passover Observed

1942The exilesH1121H1473 observedH6213 the PassoverH6453 on 43the fourteenthH702H6240 of the firstH7223 monthH2320. 2044For the priestsH3548 and the LevitesH3881 had purifiedH2891 themselves togetherH259; allH3605 of them were pureH2889. Then 45they slaughteredH7819 the PassoverH6453 lamb for allH3605 the exilesH1121H1473, both for their brothersH251 the priestsH3548 and for themselves. 21The sonsH1121 of IsraelH3478 who returnedH7725 from exileH1473 and 46allH3605 those who had separatedH914 themselves from 47the impurityH2932 of the nationsH1471 of the landH776 to join them, to seekH1875 the LordH3068 GodH430 of IsraelH3478, ateH398 the Passover. 22And 48they observedH6213 the FeastH2282 of UnleavenedH4682 BreadH4682 sevenH7651 daysH3117 with joyH8057, for the LordH3068 had caused them to rejoiceH8055, and 49had turnedH5437 the heartH3820 of 50the kingH4428 of AssyriaH804 towardH5921 them to 51encourageH2388H3027 them in the workH4399 of the houseH1004 of GodH430, the GodH430 of IsraelH3478.