The Book of Ezra

⭑ Geneva Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 6 -

Then King Darius gaue commandement, and they made search in the librarie of the treasures, which were there layd vp in Babel.

And there was founde in a coffer (in the palace that was in the prouince of the Medes) a volume, and therein was it thus written, as a memoriall,

IN THE FIRST yeere of King Cyrus, King Cyrus made a decree for the house of God in Ierusalem, Let the house be buylt, euen the place where they offred sacrifices, and let the walles thereof be ioyned together: let the height thereof be three score cubites, and the breadth thereof three score cubites,

Three orders of great stones, and one order of timber, and let the expenses be giuen of the Kings house.

And also let them render the vessels of the house of God (of golde and siluer, which Nebuchadnezzar tooke out of the Temple, which was in Ierusalem, and brought vnto Babel) and let him goe vnto the Temple that is in Ierusalem to his place, and put them in the house of God.

Therefore Tatnai captaine beyond the Riuer, and Shethar Boznai, (and their companions Apharsecaie, which are beyonde the Riuer) be ye farre from thence.

Suffer ye the worke of this house of God, that the captaine of the Iewes and the Elders of the Iewes may buylde this house of God in his place.

For I haue giuen a commandement what ye shall doe to the Elders of these Iewes, for the buylding of this house of God, that of the reuenues of the King, which is of the tribute beyonde the Riuer, there be incontinently expenses giuen vnto these men that they cease not.

And that which they shall haue neede of, let it be giuen vnto them day by day, whether it be yong bullockes, or rammes, or lambes for the burnt offrings of the God of heauen, wheate, salt, wine, and oyle, according to the appoyntment of the Priestes that are in Ierusalem, that there bee no fault,

That they may haue to offer sweete odours vnto the God of heauen, and praye for the Kings life, and for his sonnes.

And I haue made a decree, that whosoeuer shall alter this sentence, the wood shall be pulled downe from his house, and shall be set vp, and he shalbe hanged thereon, and his house shalbe made a dunghill for this.

And the God that hath caused his Name to dwell there, destroy all Kings and people that put to their hand to alter, and to destroy this house of God, which is in Ierusalem. I Darius haue made a decree, let it be done with speede.

The Temple Completed

Then Tatnai the captaine beyond the Riuer, and Shethar Boznai and their companions, according to that which Darius had sent, so they did speedily.

So the Elders of the Iewes builded, and they prospered by the prophecying of Haggai the Prophet, and Zechariah the sonne of Iddo, and they buylded and finished it, by the appoyntment of the God of Israel, and by the commandement of Cyrus and Darius, and Artahshashte king of Persia.

And this house was finished the thirde day of the moneth Adar, which was the sixt yeere of the reigne of King Darius.

Dedication of the Temple

And the children of Israel, the Priestes, and the Leuites, and the residue of the children of the captiuitie kept the dedication of this house of God with ioy,

And offred at the dedication of this house of God an hundreth bullockes, two hundreth rams, foure hundreth lambes, and twelue goates, for the sinne of all Israel, according to the nomber of the tribes of Israel.

And they set the Priests in their order, and the Leuites in their courses ouer the seruice of God in Ierusalem, as it is written in the booke of Moses.

The Returned Exiles Keep the Passover

And the childre of the captiuitie kept the Passeouer on ye fourtenth day of the first moneth.

(For the Priests and the Leuites were purified altogether) and they killed the Passeouer for all the children of the captiuitie, and for their brethren the Priests, and for themselues.

So the children of Israel which were come againe out of captiuitie, and all such as had separated themselues vnto them, from the filthines of the Heathen of the land, to seeke the Lord God of Israel, did eate,

And they kept ye feast of vnleauened bread seuen dayes with ioy: for the Lord had made them glad, and turned the heart of the King of Asshur vnto them, to incourage them in the worke of the house of God, euen the God of Israel.

Then Darius the king made a decree, and the house of the archives, where the treasures were laid up in Babylon, was searched.

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:

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(a) and its width sixty cubits;

with three courses of great stones and a course of new timber. Let the expenses be given out of the king’s house.

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.

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

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.

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.

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,

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.

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.

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.

The Temple Completed

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

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.

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.

Dedication of the Temple

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.

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.

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.

The Returned Exiles Keep the Passover

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

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.

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 the LORD, the God of Israel, ate,

and kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with joy; because the LORD 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.

Footnotes

(a)6:3 A cubit is the length from the tip of the middle finger to the elbow on a man’s arm, or about 18 inches or 46 centimeters.