Ezra 6

1 Then Darius the king made a decree, and caused a search to be made in the record-offices, where the treasure is stored in Babylon.

Then Darius the king made a decree, and they sought in the house of the scrolls of the treasuries placed there in Babylon,

2 And there was found in the city, in the palace, a volume, and this was the record written in it.

and there has been found at Achmetha, in a palace that [is] in the province of Media, a scroll, and a record thus written within it [is]:

3 In the first year of king Cyrus, Cyrus the king made a decree concerning the holy house of God that was in Jerusalem, [saying, ]Let the house be built, and the place where they sacrifice the sacrifices. (Also he appointed its elevation, in height sixty cubits; its breadth [was] of sixty cubits.)

“In the first year of Cyrus the king, Cyrus the king has made a decree concerning the house of God in Jerusalem: let the house be built in the place where they are sacrificing sacrifices, and its foundations strongly laid; its height sixty cubits, its breadth sixty cubits;

4 And [let there be] three strong layers of stone, and one layer of timber; and the expense shall be paid out of the house of the king.

three rows of rolled stones, and a row of new wood, and let the outlay be given out of the king’s house.

5 And the silver and the gold vessels of the house of God, which Nabuchodonosor carried off from the house that was in Jerusalem, and carried to Babylon, let them even be given, and be carried to the temple that is in Jerusalem, and put in the place where they were set in the house of God.

And also, the vessels of the house of God, of gold and silver, that Nebuchadnezzar took forth out of the temple that [is] in Jerusalem, and brought to Babylon, let be given back, and go to the temple that [is] in Jerusalem, [each] to its place, and put [them] down in the house of God.

6 Now, you rulers beyond the river, Satharbuzanai, and their fellow-servants the Apharsachaeans, who [are] on the other side of the river, give [these things], keeping far from that place.

Now Tatnai, governor beyond the river, Shethar-Boznai, and their companions, the Apharsachites, who [are] beyond the river, be far from here;

7 Now let alone the work of the house of God: let the rulers of the Jews and the elders of the Jews build that house of God on its place.

let alone the work of this house of God, let the governor of the Jews, and [the] elders of the Jews, build this house of God on its place.

8 Also a decree has been made by me, if haply you may do somewhat in concert with the elders of the Jews for the building of that house of God: to wit, out of the king's property, [even] the tributes beyond the river, let there be money to defray the expenses carefully granted to those men, so that they be not hindered.

And a decree is made by me concerning that which you do with [the] elders of these Jews to build this house of God, that of [the] riches of [the] king, that [are] of [the] tribute beyond [the] river, let the outlay be given speedily to these men, that they do not cease;

9 And whatever need [there may be], you shall give both the young of bulls and rams, and lambs for whole burnt offerings to the God of heaven, wheat, salt, wine, oil: —let it be given them according to the word of the priests that are in Jerusalem, day by day whatever they shall ask;

and what they are needing—both young bullocks, and rams, and lambs for burnt-offerings to the God of the heavens, wheat, salt, wine, and oil according to the saying of the priests who [are] in Jerusalem—let be given to them day by day without fail,

10 that they may offer sweet savours to the God of heaven, and that they may pray for the life of the king and his sons.

that they are bringing sweet savors near to the God of the heavens, and praying for the life of the king, and of his sons.

11 And a decree has been made by me, that every man who shall alter this word, timber shall be pulled down from his house, and let him be lifted up and slain upon it, and his house shall be confiscated.

And a decree is made by me, that anyone who changes this thing, let wood be pulled down from his house, and being raised up, let him be struck on it, and let his house be made a dunghill for this.

12 And may the God whose name dwells there, overthrow every king and people who shall stretch out his hand to alter or destroy the house of God which is in Jerusalem. I Darius have made a decree; let it be diligently [attended to].

And God, who caused His Name to dwell there, casts down any king and people that puts forth his hand to change, to destroy this house of God that [is] in Jerusalem; I Darius have made a decree; let it be done speedily.”

13 Then Thanthanai the governor on this side beyond the river, Satharbuzanai, and his fellow-servants, according to that which king Darius sent, so they did diligently.

Then Tatnai, governor beyond the river, Shethar-Boznai, and their companions, according to that which Darius the king has sent, so they have done speedily;

14 And the elders of the Jews and the Levites built, at the prophecy of Aggaeus the prophet, and Zacharias the son of Addo: and they built up, and finished [it], by the decree of the God of Israel, and by the decree of Cyrus, and Darius, and Arthasastha, kings of the Persians.

and [the] elders of [the] Jews are building and prospering through [the] prophecy of Haggai [the] prophet, and Zechariah son of Iddo, and they have built and finished by [the] decree of [the] God of Israel, and by [the] decree of Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia.

15 And they finished this house by the third day of the month Adar, which is the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king.

And this house has gone out until the third day of the month Adar, that is [in] the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king.

16 And the children of Israel, the priests, and the Levites, and the rest of the children of the captivity, kept the dedication of the house of God with gladness.

And the sons of Israel have made, [and] the priests, and the Levites, and the rest of the sons of the captivity, a dedication of this house of God with joy,

17 And they offered for the dedication of the house of God a hundred calves, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs, twelve kids of the goats for a sin-offering for all Israel, according to the number of the tribes of Israel.

and have brought near for the dedication of this house of God: one hundred bullocks, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs; and twelve young male goats for a sin-offering for all Israel according to the number of the tribes of Israel;

18 And they set the priests in their divisions, and the Levites in their separate orders, for the services of God in Jerusalem, according to the writing of the book of Moses.

and they have established the priests in their divisions, and the Levites in their courses, over the service of God that [is] in Jerusalem, as it is written in the scroll of Moses.

19 And the children of the captivity kept the passover on the fourteenth day of the first month.

And the sons of the captivity make the Passover on the fourteenth of the first month,

20 For the priests and Levites were purified, all were clean to a man, and they killed the passover for all the children of the captivity, and for their brethren the priests, and for themselves.

for the priests and the Levites have been purified together—all of them [are] pure—and they slaughter the Passover for all the sons of the captivity, and for their brothers the priests, and for themselves.

21 And the children of Israel ate the passover, [even] they that were of the captivity, and every one who separated himself to them from the uncleanness of the nations of the land, to seek the Lord God of Israel.

And the sons of Israel, those returning from the captivity, and everyone who is separated from the uncleanness of the nations of the land to them, to seek to YHWH, God of Israel, eat,

22 and they kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with gladness, because the Lord made them glad, and he turned the heart of the king of Assyria to them, to strengthen their hands in the works of the house of the God of Israel.

and they make the Celebration of Unleavened Things seven days with joy, for YHWH made them to rejoice, and turned around the heart of the king of Asshur to them, to strengthen their hands in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel.