Ezra 6

1 Then, Darius the king, issued an edict, —and they made search in the house of the books, where the treasures were laid up in Babylon.

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

2 And there was found in Achmetha, in the fortress which is in the province of Media, a roll, —and, thus, was it written therein, as a record: —

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

3 In the first year of Cyrus the king, Cyrus the king, issued an edict, as to the house of God in Jerusalem, Let the house be built, the place where they used to offer sacrifices, and let the foundations thereof be reared, —the height thereof, sixty cubits, the breadth thereof, sixty cubits;

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

4 layers of large stones, three, and one layer of new timber, —and, as for the expenses, out of the house of the king, let them be given.

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

5 Moreover also, the utensils of the house of God, of gold and silver, which, Nebuchadnezzar, took forth out of the temple that was in Jerusalem, and brought unto Babylon, let them again be taken to the temple which is in Jerusalem every one to its place, and lay them up 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, therefore, Tattenai pasha Beyond the River, Shethar-bozenai, and their associates, the Apharsachites, who are Beyond the River, —be ye far from thence:

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

7 let alone the work of this house of God, —the pasha of Judah, and the elders of Judah, this house of God, shall build upon 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 And, from me, is issued an edict, as to that which ye shall do, with these elders of Judah, for the building of this house of God, —That, of the resources of the king, even the tribute Beyond the River, forthwith, the expenses be given unto these men, for they must not be hindered.

'And by me is made a decree concerning that which ye 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, speedily let the outlay be given to these men, that they cease not;

9 And, whatever may be the need—whether young bullocks or rams or lambs for ascending-sacrifices unto the God of the heavens, wheat, salt, wine or oil, according to the command of the priests who are in Jerusalem, —that it he given to them day by day, without fail;

and what they are needing — both young bullocks, and rams, and lambs for burnt-offerings to the God of heaven, 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 be offering sweet-smelling sacrifices unto the God of the heavens, —and be praying for the life of the king, and his sons.

that they be bringing near sweet savours to the God of heaven, and praying for the life of the king, and of his sons.

11 And, from me, is issued an edict, that, any man who shall alter this message, let timber be torn out of his house, and being lifted up let him be fastened thereunto, —and his house, a dunghill, be made for this;

'And by me is made a decree, that any one who changeth this thing, let wood be pulled down from his house, and being raised up, let him be smitten on it, and his house let be made a dunghill for this.

12 and, the God who hath caused his Name to dwell there, destroy any king or people, who shall put forth their hand to alter to destroy this house of God, which is in Jerusalem. I, Darius, have issued an edict, forthwith, let it be done.

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

13 Then, Tattenai the pasha Beyond the River, Shethar-bozenai, and their associates, —according as Darius the king had sent, so, forthwith, they did.

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

14 And, the elders of the Jews, went on building and prospering, through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet, and Zechariah son of Iddo, —they both built and finished, owing to the edict of the God of Israel, and owing to the edict of Cyrus and Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia.

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 this house was finished, by the third day of the month Adar, —the which was the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king.

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

16 Then did the sons of Israel, the priests and the Levites, and the rest of the Sons of the Exile, keep the dedication of this house of God, with joy;

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 offered, for the dedication of this house of God, bullocks, one hundred, rams, two hundred, lambs, four hundred, —and, he-goats, as a sin-offering for all Israel, twelve, according to the number of the tribes of Israel.

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

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

19 And the Sons of the Exile kept the passover, —on the fourteenth 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 the Levites, had purified themselves, as one man, all of them, were pure, —so they slaughtered the passover for all the Sons of the Exile, 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 brethren the priests, and for themselves.

21 Therefore the sons of Israel who had returned from the Exile and all who had separated themselves from the impurity of the nations of the land unto them, did eat, —to seek Yahweh, God of Israel;

And the sons of Israel, those returning from the captivity, and every one who is separated from the uncleanness of the nations of the land unto them, to seek to Jehovah, God of Israel, do eat,

22 and kept the festival of unleavened cakes seven days, with joy, —for Yahweh had made them joyful, and had turned the heart of the king of Assyria towards them, to strengthen their hands, in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel.

and they make the feast of unleavened things seven days with joy, for Jehovah made them to rejoice, and turned round the heart of the king of Asshur unto them, to strengthen their hands in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel.