Ezra 6

1 Then Darius the king gave an order and a search was made in the house of the records, where the things of value were stored up in Babylon.

Then gave king Darius an order, that they should make search in the house of the books, where the treasures were laid up there in Babylon.

2 And at Achmetha, in the great house of the king in the land of Media, they came across a roll, in which this statement was put on record:

And there was found at Achmetha, in the castle that is in the province of Media, a roll, and therein was thus written: A record.

3 In the first year of Cyrus the king, Cyrus the king made an order: In connection with the house of God at Jerusalem, let the house be put up, the place where they make offerings, and let the earth for the bases be put in place; let it be sixty cubits high and sixty cubits wide;

In the first year of king Cyrus, king Cyrus gave an order concerning the house of God at Jerusalem, Let the house be built, the place where they used to offer sacrifices, and let its foundations be strongly laid: its height shall be sixty cubits, its breadth sixty cubits,

4 With three lines of great stones and one line of new wood supports; and let the necessary money be given out of the king's store-house;

With three rows of heavy stones, and a row of new timber; and let the expenses be given out of the king's house.

5 And let the gold and silver vessels from the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took from the Temple at Jerusalem to Babylon, be given back and taken again to the Temple at Jerusalem, every one in its place, and put them in the house of God.

And also let the golden and silver vessels of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took away out of the temple which is in Jerusalem, and brought unto Babylon, be restored, and brought back unto the temple which is in Jerusalem, every one to its place, and let them be put in the house of God.

6 So now, Tattenai, ruler of the land across the river, and Shethar-bozenai and your people the Apharsachites across the river, keep far from that place:

Now Thathnai, governor beyond the river, Shethar-bozenai, and your companions the Apharsachites, who are beyond the river, be ye far from there:

7 Let the work of this house of God go on; let the ruler of the Jews and their responsible men put up this house of God in its place.

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 on its site.

8 Further, I give orders as to what you are to do for the responsible men of the Jews in connection with the building of this house of God: that from the king's wealth, that is, from the taxes got together in the land over the river, the money needed is to be given to these men readily, so that their work may not be stopped.

And by me is the order given what ye shall do to the elders of these Jews for the building of this house of God, that out of the king's property, arising out of the tax beyond the river, the expenses shall forthwith be given unto these men, that they be not hindered.

9 And whatever they have need of, young oxen and sheep and lambs, for burned offerings to the God of heaven, grain, salt, wine, and oil, whatever the priests in Jerusalem say is necessary, is to be given to them day by day regularly:

And what they have need of, both young bullocks, and rams, and lambs, for the burnt-offerings unto the God of heaven, wheat, salt, wine, and oil, according to the requirement of the priests who are a Jerusalem, shall be given unto them day by day, without fail.

10 So that they may make offerings of a sweet smell to the God of heaven, with prayers for the life of the king and of his sons.

That they may offer sacrifices of sweet savors unto the God of heaven, and pray for the life of the king and of his sons.

11 And I have given orders that if anyone makes any change in this word, one of the supports is to be pulled out of his house, and he is to be lifted up and fixed to it; and his house is to be made waste for this;

Also is by me the order given, that if any man should alter this command, timber shall be pulled down from his house, and being set up, he shall be hanged thereon; and his house shall be made a dunghill for this.

12 And may the God who has made it a resting-place for his name send destruction on all kings and peoples whose hands are outstretched to make any change in this or to do damage to this house of God at Jerusalem. I, Darius, have given this order, let it be done with all care.

And may the God that causeth his name to dwell there cast down every king and people that will stretch forth their hand to alter, to destroy this house of God which is in Jerusalem. I Darius have given the order: let it be done speedily.

13 Then Tattenai, the ruler across the river, and Shethar-bozenai and their people, because of the order given by King Darius, did as he had said with all care.

Then did Thathnai the, governor on this aide of the river, Shethar-bozenai, and their companions, in accordance with what king Darius had sent, act in this manner speedily.

14 And the responsible men of the Jews went on with their building, and did well, helped by the teaching of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah, the son of Iddo. They went on building till it was complete, in keeping with the word of the God of Israel, and the orders given by Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes, king of Persia.

And the elders of the Jews built, and they prospered, through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet, and Zechariah the son of 'Iddo. And they built, and completed it, according to the order of the God of Israel, and according to the order of Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes the king of Persia.

15 And the building of this house was complete on the third day of the month Adar, in the sixth year of the rule of Darius the king.

And this house was finished on the third day of the month Adar, which was in the sixth year of the reign of king Darius.

16 And the children of Israel, the priests and the Levites, and the rest of those who had come back, kept the feast of the opening of this house of God with joy.

Then celebrated the children of Israel, the priests, and the Levites, and the rest of the children of the exile, the dedication of this house of God with joy;

17 And they gave as offerings at the opening of this house of God a hundred oxen, two hundred sheep, four hundred lambs; and for a sin-offering for all Israel, twelve he-goats, being the number of the tribes of Israel.

And they offered for the dedication of this house of God one 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.

18 And they put the priests in their divisions and the Levites in their order, for the worship of God at Jerusalem; as it is recorded in the book of Moses.

And they stationed the priests in their orders, and the Levites in their divisions, for the service of God, which is in Jerusalem, as it is written in the book of Moses.

19 And the children of Israel who had come back kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month.

And the children of the exile prepared the passover-[sacrifice] on the fourteenth day of the first month.

20 For the priests and the Levites had made themselves clean together; they were all clean: and they put the Passover lamb to death for all those who had come back, and for their brothers the priests and for themselves.

For the priests and the Levites had purified themselves, as one man were all of them clean; and they slaughtered the passover-sacrifice for all the children of the exile, and for their brethren the priests, and for themselves.

21 And the children of Israel, who had come back, and all those who were joined to them, after separating themselves from the evil ways of the people of the land to become the servants of the Lord, the God of Israel, took food together,

And then did the children of Israel, who were returned out of the exile, and all such as had separated themselves unto them from the uncleanness of the nations of the earth, to seek the Lord the God of Israel, eat thereof.

22 And kept the feast of unleavened bread for seven days with joy: for the Lord had made them full of joy, by turning the heart of the king of Assyria to them to give them help in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel.

And they celebrated the feast of unleavened bread seven days with joy; for the Lord had made them joyful, and had turned the heart of the king of Asshur toward them, to strengthen their hands in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel.