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 the house of the archives, where the treasures were laid up in Babylon, was searched.

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

A scroll was found at Achmetha, in the palace that is in the province of Media, and in it this was written for a record:

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 made a decree: Concerning God’s house at Jerusalem, let the house be built, the place where they offer sacrifices, and let its foundations be strongly laid, with its height sixty cubits and its width 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.

with three courses of great stones and a course of new timber. Let the expenses 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.

Also let the gold and silver vessels of God’s house, which Nebuchadnezzar took out of the temple which is at Jerusalem and brought to Babylon, be restored and brought again to the temple which is at Jerusalem, everything to its place. You shall put them in God’s house.

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 therefore, Tattenai, governor beyond the River, Shetharbozenai, and your companions the Apharsachites, who are beyond the River, you must stay far from there.

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.

Leave 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 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.

Moreover I make a decree regarding what you shall do for these elders of the Jews for the building of this house of God: that of the king’s goods, even of the tribute beyond the River, expenses must be given with all diligence to these men, that they not be hindered.

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;

That which they have need of, including young bulls, rams, and lambs, for burnt offerings to the God of heaven; also wheat, salt, wine, and oil, according to the word of the priests who are at Jerusalem, let it be given 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 may offer sacrifices of pleasant aroma to the God of heaven, and pray 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.

I have also made a decree that whoever alters this message, let a beam be pulled out from his house, and let him be lifted up and fastened 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].

May the God who has caused his name to dwell there overthrow all kings and peoples who stretch out their hand to alter this, to destroy this house of God which is at Jerusalem. I Darius have made a decree. Let it be done with all diligence.

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 Tattenai, the governor beyond the River, Shetharbozenai, and their companions did accordingly with all diligence, because Darius the king had sent a decree.

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.

The elders of the Jews built and prospered, through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. They built and finished it, according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the decree of Cyrus, 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.

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.

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.

The children of Israel, the priests, the Levites, and the rest of the children of the captivity, kept the 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.

They offered at the dedication of this house of God one hundred bulls, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs; and for a sin offering for all Israel, twelve male goats, 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.

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.

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

The children of the captivity kept the Passover on the fourteenth day 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.

Because the priests and the Levites had purified themselves together, all of them were pure. They killed the Passover for all the children of the captivity, 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.

The children of Israel who had returned out of the captivity, and all who had separated themselves to them from the filthiness of the nations of the land to seek Yahweh, the God of Israel, ate,

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 kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with joy; because Yahweh had made them joyful, and had turned the heart of the king of Assyria to them, to strengthen their hands in the work of God, the God of Israel’s house.