Ezra 6

1 Then king Darius gave orders, and they searched in the library of the books that were laid up in Babylon,

Then King Darius gaue commandement, and they made search in the librarie of the treasures, which were there layd vp in Babel.

2 And there was found in Ecbatana, which is a castle in the province of Media, a book in which this record was written.

And there was founde in a coffer (in the palace that was in the prouince of the Medes) a volume, and therein was it thus written, as a memoriall,

3 In the first year of Cyrus the king: Cyrus the king decreed, that the house of God should be built, which is in Jerusalem, in the place where they may offer sacrifices, and that they lay the foundations that may support the height of threescore cubits, and the breadth of threescore cubits,

IN THE FIRST yeere of King Cyrus, King Cyrus made a decree for the house of God in Ierusalem, Let the house be buylt, euen the place where they offred sacrifices, and let the walles thereof be ioyned together: let the height thereof be three score cubites, and the breadth thereof three score cubites,

4 Three rows of unpolished stones, and so rows of new timber: and the charges shall be given out of the king’s house.

Three orders of great stones, and one order of timber, and let the expenses be giuen of the Kings house.

5 And also let the golden and silver vessels of the temple of God, which Nabuchodonosor took out of the temple of Jerusalem, and brought to Babylon, be restored, and carried back to the temple of Jerusalem to their place, which also were placed in the temple of God.

And also let them render the vessels of the house of God (of golde and siluer, which Nebuchadnezzar tooke out of the Temple, which was in Ierusalem, and brought vnto Babel) and let him goe vnto the Temple that is in Ierusalem to his place, and put them in the house of God.

6 Now therefore Thathanai, governor of the country beyond the river, Stharbuzanai, and your counsellors the Apharsachites, who are beyond the river, depart far from them,

Therefore Tatnai captaine beyond the Riuer, and Shethar Boznai, (and their companions Apharsecaie, which are beyonde the Riuer) be ye farre from thence.

7 And let that temple of God be built by the governor of the Jews, and by their ancients, that they may build that house of God in its place.

Suffer ye the worke of this house of God, that the captaine of the Iewes and the Elders of the Iewes may buylde this house of God in his place.

8 I also have commanded what must be done by those ancients of the Jews, that the house of God may be built, to wit, that of the king’s chest, that is, of the tribute that is paid out of the country beyond the river, the charges be diligently given to those men, lest the work be hindered.

For I haue giuen a commandement what ye shall doe to the Elders of these Iewes, for the buylding of this house of God, that of the reuenues of the King, which is of the tribute beyonde the Riuer, there be incontinently expenses giuen vnto these men that they cease not.

9 And if it shall be necessary, let calves also, and lambs, and kids, for holocausts to the God of heaven, wheat, salt, wine, and oil, according to the custom of the priests that are in Jerusalem, be given them day by day, that there be no complaint in any thing.

And that which they shall haue neede of, let it be giuen vnto them day by day, whether it be yong bullockes, or rammes, or lambes for the burnt offrings of the God of heauen, wheate, salt, wine, and oyle, according to the appoyntment of the Priestes that are in Ierusalem, that there bee no fault,

10 And let them offer oblations to the God of heaven, and pray for the life of the king, and of his children.

That they may haue to offer sweete odours vnto the God of heauen, and praye for the Kings life, and for his sonnes.

11 And I have made a decree: That if any whosoever, shall alter this commandment, a beam be taken from his house. and set up, and he be nailed upon it, and his house be confiscated.

And I haue made a decree, that whosoeuer shall alter this sentence, the wood shall be pulled downe from his house, and shall be set vp, and he shalbe hanged thereon, and his house shalbe made a dunghill for this.

12 And may the God, that hath caused his name to dwell there, destroy all kingdoms, and the people that shall put out their hand to resist, and to destroy the house of God, that is in Jerusalem. I Darius have made the decree, which I will have diligently complied with.

And the God that hath caused his Name to dwell there, destroy all Kings and people that put to their hand to alter, and to destroy this house of God, which is in Ierusalem. I Darius haue made a decree, let it be done with speede.

13 So then Thathanai, governor of the country beyond the river, and Stharbuzanai, and his counsellors diligently executed what Darius the king had commanded.

Then Tatnai the captaine beyond the Riuer, and Shethar Boznai and their companions, according to that which Darius had sent, so they did speedily.

14 And the ancients of the Jews built and prospered according to the prophecy of Aggeus the prophet, and of Zacharias the son of Addo: and they built and finished, by the commandment of the God of Israel, and by the commandment of Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes kings of the Persians.

So the Elders of the Iewes builded, and they prospered by the prophecying of Haggai the Prophet, and Zechariah the sonne of Iddo, and they buylded and finished it, by the appoyntment of the God of Israel, and by the commandement of Cyrus and Darius, and Artahshashte king of Persia.

15 And they were finishing this house of God, until the third day of the month of Adar, which was in the sixth year of the reign of king Darius.

And this house was finished the thirde day of the moneth Adar, which was the sixt yeere of the reigne of King Darius.

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 joy.

And the children of Israel, the Priestes, and the Leuites, and the residue of the children of the captiuitie kept the dedication of this house of God with ioy,

17 And they offered at the dedication of the house of God, a, hundred calves, 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.

And offred at the dedication of this house of God an hundreth bullockes, two hundreth rams, foure hundreth lambes, and twelue goates, for the sinne of all Israel, according to the nomber of the tribes of Israel.

18 And they set the priests in their divisions, and the Levites in their courses over the works of God in Jerusalem, as it is written in the book of Moses.

And they set the Priests in their order, and the Leuites in their courses ouer the seruice of God in Ierusalem, as it is written in the booke of Moses.

19 And the children of Israel of the captivity kept the phase, on the fourteenth day of the first month.

And the childre of the captiuitie kept the Passeouer on ye fourtenth day of the first moneth.

20 For all the priests and the Levites were purified as one man: all were clear to kill the phase for all the children of the captivity, and for their brethren the priests, and themselves.

(For the Priests and the Leuites were purified altogether) and they killed the Passeouer for all the children of the captiuitie, and for their brethren the Priests, and for themselues.

21 And the children of Israel that were returned from captivity, and all that had separated themselves from the filthiness of the nations of the earth to them, to seek the Lord the God of Israel, did eat.

So the children of Israel which were come againe out of captiuitie, and all such as had separated themselues vnto them, from the filthines of the Heathen of the land, to seeke the Lord God of Israel, did eate,

22 And they kept 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 Assyria to them, that he should help their hands in the work of the house of the Lord the God of Israel.

And they kept ye feast of vnleauened bread seuen dayes with ioy: for the Lord had made them glad, and turned the heart of the King of Asshur vnto them, to incourage them in the worke of the house of God, euen the God of Israel.