Ezra 6

Darius Finds Cyrus’ Decree

1ThenH116 KingH4430 DariusH1868 issuedH7761 a decreeH2942, and a 1searchH1240 was conductedH1240 in the 2archivesH1005H5609, whereH1768H8536 the treasuresH1596 were storedH5182 in BabylonH895. 2And in 3EcbatanaH307, in the fortressH1003 whichH1768 is 4in the provinceH4083 of MediaH4076, a scrollH4040 was foundH7912; and the followingH3652 was writtenH3790 in it: “MemorandumH1799-- 35In the firstH2298 yearH8140 of KingH4430 CyrusH3567, CyrusH3567 the kingH4430 issuedH7761 a decreeH2942: ‘Concerning the houseH1005 of GodH426 in JerusalemH3390, let the 6templeH1005, the placeH870 whereH1768 sacrificesH1685 are offeredH1684, be rebuiltH1124, and let 7its foundationsH787 be repairedH5446, its heightH7314 being 8sixtyH8361 cubitsH521 and its widthH6613 sixtyH8361 cubitsH521, 49with threeH8532 layersH5073 of largeH1560 stonesH69 and 10one layerH5073 of timberH636. And the costH5313 is to be paidH3052 from the 11royalH4430 treasuryH1005. 5AlsoH638 12the goldH1722 and silverH3702 utensilsH3984 of the houseH1005 of GodH426, whichH1768 NebuchadnezzarH5020 tookH5312 from the templeH1965 in JerusalemH3390 and broughtH2987 to BabylonH895, are to be returnedH8421 and 13broughtH1981 to their placesH870 in the templeH1965 in JerusalemH3390; and you shall putH5182 them in the houseH1005 of GodH426.’

6“NowH3705 as for you, 14TattenaiH8674, governorH6347 of the province beyondH5675 the Euphrates RiverH5103, Shethar-bozenaiH8370, and 15your colleaguesH3675, the officialsH671 of the provinces beyondH5675 the RiverH5103, 16stayH7352 awayH7352 from thereH8536. 7LeaveH7662 thatH1791 workH5673 on the houseH1005 of GodH426 aloneH7662; let the governorH6347 of the JewsH3062 and the eldersH7868 of the JewsH3062 rebuildH1124 thatH1791 houseH1005 of GodH426 on its siteH870. 8Furthermore, 17I issueH7761 a decreeH2942 concerning whatH4101H1768 you are to doH5648 for theseH479 eldersH7868 of JudahH3062 in the rebuildingH1124 of thatH1791 houseH1005 of GodH426: the fullH629 costH5313 is to be paidH3052 to thoseH479 peopleH1400 from the royalH4430 treasuryH5232 out of the taxesH4061 of the provinces beyondH5675 the Euphrates RiverH5103, and that withoutH3809 interruptionH989. 9And whateverH4101 is neededH2819, bullsH8450H1123, ramsH1798, and lambsH563 for burntH5928 offeringsH5928 to the GodH426 of heavenH8065, and wheatH2591, saltH4416, wineH2562, and anointingH4887 oilH4887, as the priestsH3549 in JerusalemH3390 orderH3983, it is to be givenH3052 to them dailyH3118 withoutH3809 failH7960, 10so that they may offerH7127 acceptableH5208 sacrificesH5208 to the GodH426 of heavenH8065 and 18prayH6739 for the livesH2417 of the kingH4430 and his sonsH1123. 11And I issuedH7761 a decreeH2942 that 19anyH3606 personH606 whoH1768 violatesH8133 thisH1836 decreeH6600, a timberH636 shall be pulledH5256 outH5256 of his houseH1005 and he shall be impaledH2211H4223 on it; and 20his houseH1005 shall be turnedH5648 into a refuseH5122 heapH5122 on accountH5922 of thisH1836. 12May the GodH426 whoH1768 21has caused His nameH8036 to dwellH7932 thereH8536 overthrowH4049 anyH3606 kingH4430 or peopleH5972 whoH1768 22attemptsH7972H3028 to 23changeH8133 it, so as to destroyH2255 that houseH1005 of GodH426 in JerusalemH3390. I, DariusH1868, have issuedH7761 this decreeH2942; it is to be carriedH5648 outH5648 with allH629 diligenceH629!”

The Temple Completed and Dedicated

13ThenH116 24TattenaiH8674, the governorH6347 of the province beyondH5675 the Euphrates RiverH5103, Shethar-bozenaiH8370, and their colleaguesH3675 carriedH5648 outH5648 the decree with allH629 diligenceH629, justH6903 as KingH4430 DariusH1868 had 25orderedH7972. 14And 26the eldersH7868 of the JewsH3062 27were successfulH6744 in buildingH1124 through the prophecyH5017 of HaggaiH2292 the prophetH5029 and ZechariahH2148 the sonH1247 of IddoH5714. And 28they finishedH3635 buildingH1124 followingH4481 the commandH2942 of the GodH426 of IsraelH3479 and the decreeH2942 29of CyrusH3567, 30DariusH1868, and 31ArtaxerxesH783 kingH4430 of PersiaH6540. 15Now thisH1836 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 a hundredH3969 bullsH8450, twoH3969 hundredH3969 ramsH1798, fourH702 hundredH3967 lambsH563, and as a sinH2409 offeringH2409 for allH3606 IsraelH3479 37twelveH8648H6236 maleH6841 goatsH5796, corresponding to the numberH4510 of the tribesH7625 of IsraelH3479. 18Then they appointedH6966 the priestsH3549 to 38their divisionsH6392 and the LevitesH3879 in 39their sectionsH4255 for the serviceH5673 of GodH426 in JerusalemH3390, 40as it is writtenH3792 in the BookH5609 of MosesH4873.

The Passover Held

1941The exilesH1121H1473 heldH6213 the PassoverH6453 on 42the fourteenthH702H6240 of the firstH7223 monthH2320. 2043For the priestsH3548 and the LevitesH3881 had purifiedH2891 themselves togetherH259; allH3605 of them were pureH2889. Then 44they slaughteredH7819 the PassoverH6453 lambs for allH3605 the exilesH1121H1473, both for their brothersH251 the priestsH3548 and for themselves. 21And the sonsH1121 of IsraelH3478 who returnedH7725 from exileH1473 and 45allH3605 those who had separatedH914 themselves from 46the impurityH2932 of the nationsH1471 of the landH776 to join them, to seekH1875 the LordH3068 GodH430 of IsraelH3478, ateH398 the Passover. 22And 47they heldH6213 the FeastH2282 of UnleavenedH4682 BreadH4682 for sevenH7651 daysH3117 with joyH8057, becauseH3588 the LordH3068 had madeH8055 them happyH8055, and 48had turnedH5437 the heartH3820 of 49the kingH4428 of AssyriaH804 towardH5921 them to 50encourageH2388H3027 them in the workH4399 of the houseH1004 of GodH430, the GodH430 of IsraelH3478.