EZR-6:1 Then Darius the king made a decree, and search was made
in the house of the rolls, where the treasures were laid up in
Babylon.
EZR-6:2 And there was found at Achmetha, in the palace that [is]
in the province of the Medes, a roll, and therein [was] a record
thus written:
EZR-6:3 In the first year of Cyrus the king [the same] Cyrus the
king made a decree [concerning] the house of God at Jerusalem,
Let the house be builded, the place where they offered
sacrifices, and let the foundations thereof be strongly laid;
the height thereof threescore cubits, [and] the breadth thereof
threescore cubits;
EZR-6:4 [With] three rows of great stones, and a row of new
timber: and let the expenses be given out of the king's house:
EZR-6:5 And also let the golden and silver vessels of the house
of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took forth out of the temple which
[is] at Jerusalem, and brought unto Babylon, be restored, and
brought again unto the temple which [is] at Jerusalem, [every
one] to his place, and place [them] in the house of God.
EZR-6:6 Now [therefore], Tatnai, governor beyond the river,
Shetharboznai, and your companions the Apharsachites, which
[are] beyond the river, be ye far from thence:
EZR-6:7 Let the work of this house of God alone; let the
governor of the Jews and the elders of the Jews build this house
of God in his place.
EZR-6:8 Moreover I make a decree what ye shall do to the elders
of these Jews for the building of this house of God: that of the
king's goods, [even] of the tribute beyond the river, forthwith
expenses be given unto these men, that they be not hindered.
EZR-6:9 And that which they have need of, both young bullocks,
and rams, and lambs, for the burnt offerings of the God of
heaven, wheat, salt, wine, and oil, according to the appointment
of the priests which [are] at Jerusalem, let it be given them
day by day without fail:
EZR-6:10 That they may offer sacrifices of sweet savours unto
the God of heaven, and pray for the life of the king, and of his
sons.
EZR-6:11 Also I have made a decree, that whosoever shall alter
this word, let timber be pulled down from his house, and being
set up, let him be hanged thereon; and let his house be made a
dunghill for this.
EZR-6:12 And the God that hath caused his name to dwell there
destroy all kings and people, that shall put to their hand to
alter [and] to destroy this house of God which [is] at Jerusalem.
I Darius have made a decree; let it be done with speed.
EZR-6:13 Then Tatnai, governor on this side the river,
Shetharboznai, and their companions, according to that which
Darius the king had sent, so they did speedily.
EZR-6:14 And the elders of the Jews builded, and they prospered
through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the
son of Iddo. And they builded, and finished [it], according to
the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the
commandment of Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia.
EZR-6:15 And this house was finished on the third day of the
month Adar, which was in the sixth year of the reign of Darius
the king.
EZR-6:16 And the children of Israel, the priests, and the
Levites, and the rest of the children of the captivity, kept the
dedication of this house of God with joy,
EZR-6:17 And offered at the dedication of this house of God an
hundred bullocks, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs; and for
a sin offering for all Israel, twelve he goats, according to the
number of the tribes of Israel.
EZR-6:18 And they set the priests in their divisions, and the
Levites in their courses, for the service of God, which [is] at
Jerusalem; as it is written in the book of Moses.
EZR-6:19 And the children of the captivity kept the passover
upon the fourteenth [day] of the first month.
EZR-6:20 For the priests and the Levites were purified together,
all of them [were] pure, and killed the passover for all the
children of the captivity, and for their brethren the priests,
and for themselves.
EZR-6:21 And the children of Israel, which were come again out
of captivity, and all such as had separated themselves unto them
from the filthiness of the heathen of the land, to seek the LORD
God of Israel, did eat,
EZR-6:22 And kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with
joy: for the LORD had made them joyful, and turned the heart of
the king of Assyria unto them, to strengthen their hands in the
work of the house of God, the God of Israel.
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