Ezra 6

1 So King Darius ordered an investigation in the house of archives in Babylon.

Then gave king Darius an order, that they should make search in the house of the books, where the treasures were laid up there in Babylon.

2 In the fortified city of Ecbatana in Media a scroll was found; this was its record:

And there was found at Achmetha, in the castle that is in the province of Media, a roll, and therein was thus written: A record.

3 “In the first year of King Cyrus, Cyrus issued a decree about the house of God in Jerusalem: 'Let the house be rebuilt as a place for sacrifice, let its foundations be laid, let its height be sixty cubits, and its width sixty cubits,

In the first year of king Cyrus, king Cyrus gave an order concerning the house of God at Jerusalem, Let the house be built, the place where they used to offer sacrifices, and let its foundations be strongly laid: its height shall be sixty cubits, its breadth sixty cubits,

4 with three rows of large stones and a row of new timber, and let the cost be paid by the king's house.

With three rows of heavy stones, and a row of new timber; and let the expenses be given out of the king's house.

5 Now bring back the gold and silver objects belonging to the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar brought to Babylon from the temple in Jerusalem and send them back to the temple in Jerusalem. You are to put them in the house of God.'

And also let the golden and silver vessels of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took away out of the temple which is in Jerusalem, and brought unto Babylon, be restored, and brought back unto the temple which is in Jerusalem, every one to its place, and let them be put in the house of God.

6 Now Tattenai, the governor of the Province Beyond the River, Shethar-Bozenai, and associates who are in the Province Beyond the River, keep away!

Now Thathnai, governor beyond the river, Shethar-bozenai, and your companions the Apharsachites, who are beyond the river, be ye far from there:

7 Leave the work of this house of God alone. The governor and Jewish elders will build this house of God at that place.

Let 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 on its site.

8 I am ordering that you must do this for these Jewish elders who build this house of God: Funds from the king's tribute beyond the River will be used to pay these men so they do not have to stop their work.

And by me is the order given what ye shall do to the elders of these Jews for the building of this house of God, that out of the king's property, arising out of the tax beyond the river, the expenses shall forthwith be given unto these men, that they be not hindered.

9 Whatever is needed—young bulls, rams, or lambs for the burnt offerings to the God of Heaven, grain, salt, wine, or oil according to the command of the priests in Jerusalem—give these things to them every day without fail.

And what they have need of, both young bullocks, and rams, and lambs, for the burnt-offerings unto the God of heaven, wheat, salt, wine, and oil, according to the requirement of the priests who are a Jerusalem, shall be given unto them day by day, without fail.

10 Do this so they will bring the offering in to the God of Heaven and pray for me, the king, and my sons.

That they may offer sacrifices of sweet savors unto the God of heaven, and pray for the life of the king and of his sons.

11 I am ordering that if anyone violates this decree, a beam must be pulled from his house and he must be impaled on it. His house must then be turned into a rubbish heap because of this.

Also is by me the order given, that if any man should alter this command, timber shall be pulled down from his house, and being set up, he shall be hanged thereon; and his house shall be made a dunghill for this.

12 May the God who has caused his name to dwell there overthrow any king or people who lifts a hand to change this decree, or to destroy this house of God in Jerusalem. I, Darius, am ordering this. Let it be done with diligence!”

And may the God that causeth his name to dwell there cast down every king and people that will stretch forth their hand to alter, to destroy this house of God which is in Jerusalem. I Darius have given the order: let it be done speedily.

13 Then because of the decree sent by Darius the king, Tattenai, the governor of the Province Beyond the River, and Shethar-Bozenai and his associates, did everything that King Darius had ordered.

Then did Thathnai the, governor on this aide of the river, Shethar-bozenai, and their companions, in accordance with what king Darius had sent, act in this manner speedily.

14 So the Jewish elders built and prospered under the teaching of Haggaithe prophet and Zechariah son of Iddo. They completed their buildings according to the decree of the God of Israel and by the decree of Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes the king of Persia.

And the elders of the Jews built, and they prospered, through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet, and Zechariah the son of 'Iddo. And they built, and completed it, according to the order of the God of Israel, and according to the order of Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes the king of Persia.

15 The house was completed on the third day of the month of Adar, in the sixth year of King Darius' reign.

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

16 The Israelite people, priests, Levites, and the rest of the captives celebrated the dedication of this house of God with joy.

Then celebrated the children of Israel, the priests, and the Levites, and the rest of the children of the exile, the dedication of this house of God with joy;

17 They offered one hundred bulls, one hundred rams, and four hundred lambs for the dedication of God's house. Twelve male goats were also offered as a sin offering for all Israel, one for each tribe in Israel.

And they offered for the dedication of this house of God one hundred bullocks, 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.

18 They also assigned the priests and Levites to work divisions for the service of God in Jerusalem, as it was written in the Book of Moses.

And they stationed the priests in their orders, and the Levites in their divisions, for the service of God, which is in Jerusalem, as it is written in the book of Moses.

19 So those who had been in exile celebrated the Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month.

And the children of the exile prepared the passover-[sacrifice] on the fourteenth day of the first month.

20 The priests and Levites all purified themselves and slaughtered the Passover sacrifices for all those who had been in exile, including themselves.

For the priests and the Levites had purified themselves, as one man were all of them clean; and they slaughtered the passover-sacrifice for all the children of the exile, and for their brethren the priests, and for themselves.

21 The Israelite people who ate some of the Passover meat were those who had returned from exile and had separated themselves from the uncleanness of the people of the land and sought Yahweh, the God of Israel.

And then did the children of Israel, who were returned out of the exile, and all such as had separated themselves unto them from the uncleanness of the nations of the earth, to seek the Lord the God of Israel, eat thereof.

22 They joyfully celebrated the Festival of Unleavened Bread for seven days, for Yahweh had brought them joy and turned the heart of Assyria's king to strengthen their hands in the work of his house, the house of the God of Israel.

And they celebrated 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 Asshur toward them, to strengthen their hands in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel.