Ezra 6

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

Then king Darius instructed, and they searched in the library of books that were deposited in Babylon.

2 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]:

And there was found at Ecbatana, which is a fortified place in the province of Media, one volume, and this record was written in it:

3 “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;

“In the first year of king Cyrus, Cyrus the king decreed that the house of God, which is in Jerusalem, shall be built in the place where they immolate victims, and that they should set the foundations so as to support a height of sixty cubits and a width of sixty cubits,

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

with three rows of rough stones, and so as to have rows of new timber, and that the expenses shall be given from the house of the king.

5 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.

But also, let the gold and silver vessels of the temple of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took from the temple of Jerusalem, and which he carried away to Babylon, be restored and be carried back to the temple of Jerusalem, to their place, just as they had been placed in the temple of God.

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

Now therefore, let Tattenai, the governor of the region which is beyond the river, Shetharbozenai, and your counselors, the rulers who are beyond the river, withdraw far away from them,

7 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.

and let this temple of God be released to the governor of the Jews and to their elders, so that they may build that house of God in its place.

8 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;

Moreover, it has been instructed by me as to what ought to be done by those priests of the Jews, so that the house of God may be built, specifically, that from the king’s treasury, that is, from the tribute which is taken from the region beyond the river, the expenses shall be scrupulously given to those men, so that the work may not be impeded.

9 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,

But if it may be necessary, let also calves, and lambs, and young goats for holocausts to the God of heaven, with grain, salt, wine, and oil, according to the rite of the priests who are in Jerusalem, be given to them for each day, so that there may be no complaint in anything.

10 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.

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

11 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.

Therefore, the decree has been set forth by me, so that, if there be any man who will change this order, a beam shall be taken from his own house, and it shall be set up, and he shall be nailed to it. Then his house shall be confiscated.

12 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.”

So then, may the God who has caused his name to live there destroy any kingdoms or people who would extend their hand to fight against or to destroy that house of God, which is in Jerusalem. I, Darius, have established the decree, which I wish to be fulfilled scrupulously.”

13 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;

Therefore, Tattenai, the governor of the region beyond the river, and Shetharbozenai, and his counselors, in accord with what king Darius had instructed, diligently executed the same.

14 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.

Then the elders of the Jews were building and prospering, in accord with the prophecy of Haggai, the prophet, and Zechariah, the son of Iddo. And they built and constructed by the order of the God of Israel, and by the order of Cyrus and Darius, as well as Artaxerxes, the kings of the Persians.

15 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.

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

16 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,

Then the sons of Israel, the priests, and the Levites, and the remainder of the sons of the transmigration celebrated the dedication of the house of God with gladness.

17 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;

And they offered, for the dedication of the house of God, one hundred calves, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs, and, as a sin offering for all of Israel, twelve he-goats from among the goats, according to the number of the tribes of Israel.

18 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.

And they appointed the priests into their divisions, and the Levites into their turns, over the works of God in Jerusalem, just as it was written in the book of Moses.

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

Then the sons of Israel of the transmigration kept the Passover, on the fourteenth day of the first month.

20 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.

For the priests and Levites had been purified as one. All were cleansed in order to immolate the Passover for all the sons of the transmigration, and for their brothers, the priests, and for themselves.

21 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,

And the sons of Israel, who had been returned from the transmigration, and all those who had separated themselves from the defilement of the Gentiles of the earth to them, so that they might seek the Lord, the God of Israel, ate

22 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.

and kept the solemnity of unleavened bread for seven days with joy. For the Lord had made them joyful, and he had converted the heart of the king of Assur to them, so that he would assist their hands in the work of the house of the Lord, the God of Israel.