Ezra 6

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

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.

2 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,

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

3 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,

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.)

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

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.

5 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.

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.

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

Now, ye 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.

7 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.

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.

8 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.

Also a decree has been made by me, if haply ye 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.

9 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,

And whatever need [there may be], ye 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 whatsoever they shall ask;

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

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.

11 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.

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.

12 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.

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].

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

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.

14 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.

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.

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

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.

16 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,

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.

17 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.

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.

18 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.

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.

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

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

20 (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.

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

21 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,

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.

22 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.

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.