Ezra Chapter 6

Darius’ Decree

¹ King Darius issued an order to search the Babylonian archives, which were housed in the treasury. ² But in the fortress in Ecbatana, in the province of Media, they found a scroll with the following written in it:

                   “Record:

                  ³ In the first year of King Cyrus, he issued a decree:

‘As to God’s Temple in Jerusalem, rebuild it, where sacrifices are offered. Keep its foundations the same. Its height and width are 90ft ⁴ with three courses of large stones alternating with one course of timbers. Pay for it out of the royal treasury. ⁵ Take back to God’s Temple the gold and silver articles Nebuchadnezzar took from it.’

Ezra 6:1-5

⁶ “Now then, Tattenai, governor of Beyond the River, Shethar-bozenai, and your associates, officials in the provinces Beyond the River, don’t interfere. ⁷ Let the governor and elders of the Jews rebuild God’s Temple on its site. ⁸ And, I decree what you’re to do for those elders in rebuilding this Temple: without delay pay them the full cost out of the royal treasury from taxes in the provinces Beyond the River. ⁹ As the priests in Jerusalem request, give daily whatever they need: young bulls, rams, and lambs for burnt offerings, wheat, salt, wine, and anointing oil. ¹⁰ Then they can offer acceptable sacrifices to the God of heaven and pray for the life of the king and his sons. ¹¹ For anybody who violates this edict, I decree that a timber be pulled out of his house, he be impaled on it, and his house be made a garbage pile. ¹² May the God that has put his name there overthrow any king or people that tries to violate this decree and destroy that Temple of God. I, Darius, have made this decree. Carry it out diligently.”               

Ezra 6:6-12

Completion and Dedication of the Temple

¹³ Tattenai, Shethar-bozenai, and their associates carried out the decree diligently. ¹⁴ The elders of the Jews succeeded in the construction by the prophesying of Haggai and Zechariah. By God’s command and the decree of Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes, ¹⁵ they completed it the third day, the month Adar, sixth year of King Darius.        

¹⁶ Israel, the priests, Levites, and the rest of the exiles celebrated the dedication of God’s Temple. ¹⁷ They offered 100 bulls, 200 rams, 400 lambs, and as a sin offering for Israel 12 male goats corresponding to the 12 tribes in Israel. ¹⁸ Then they appointed the priests to their divisions and the Levites in their orders for the service of God as written in the Book of Moses.

Passover Celebrated

¹⁹ The exiles observed Passover on the fourteenth of the first month. ²⁰ The priests and Levites had purified themselves. They killed the Passover lamb for all the exiles, for their brothers the priests, and for themselves. ²¹ The Israelites from the exile and the ones that had separated themselves from the impurity of the nations in the land, joined them in reaching out to the LORD God of Israel by eating the Passover. ²² They observed the Festival of Unleavened Bread for a week with joy because the LORD had given them reason to celebrate. He had inclined the heart of the Assyrian king to encourage them in the work on his Temple.                                  

Ezra 6:13-22