“1 Then Darius the king made a decree, and search was made in the
house of the rolls, where the treasures were laid up in Babylon. 2 And
there was found at Achmetha, in the palace that [is] in the province of
the Medes, a roll, and therein [was] a record thus written: 3 In the
first year of Cyrus the king [the same] Cyrus the king made a decree
[concerning] the house of God at Jerusalem, Let the house be builded,
the place where they offered sacrifices, and let the foundations thereof
be strongly laid; the height thereof threescore cubits, [and] the
breadth thereof threescore cubits; 4 [With] three rows of great stones,
and a row of new timber: and let the expenses be given out of the king’s
house: 5 And also let the golden and silver vessels of the house of God,
which Nebuchadnezzar took forth out of the temple which [is] at
Jerusalem, and brought unto Babylon, be restored, and brought again unto
the temple which [is] at Jerusalem, [every one] to his place, and place
[them] in the house of God. 6 Now [therefore], Tatnai, governor beyond
the river, Shetharboznai, and your companions the Apharsachites, which
[are] beyond the river, be ye far from thence: 7 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 in his place. 8 Moreover I make a decree
what ye shall do to the elders of these Jews for the building of this
house of God: that of the king’s goods, [even] of the tribute beyond the
river, forthwith expenses be given unto these men, that they be not
hindered. 9 And that which they have need of, both young bullocks, and
rams, and lambs, for the burnt offerings of the God of heaven, wheat,
salt, wine, and oil, according to the appointment of the priests which
[are] at Jerusalem, let it be given them day by day without fail: 10
That they may offer sacrifices of sweet savours unto the God of heaven,
and pray for the life of the king, and of his sons. 11 Also I have made
a decree, that whosoever shall alter this word, let timber be pulled
down from his house, and being set up, let him be hanged thereon; and
let his house be made a dunghill for this. 12 And the God that hath
caused his name to dwell there destroy all kings and people, that shall
put to their hand to alter [and] to destroy this house of God which [is]
at Jerusalem. I Darius have made a decree; let it be done with speed.”
“13 Then Tatnai, governor on this side the river, Shetharboznai, and
their companions, according to that which Darius the king had sent, so
they did speedily. 14 And the elders of the Jews builded, and they
prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah
the son of Iddo. And they builded, and finished [it], according to the
commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the commandment of
Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia. 15 And 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. 16 And the children of Israel, the
priests, and the Levites, and the rest of the children of the captivity,
kept the dedication of this house of God with joy, 17 And offered at the
dedication of this house of God an 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 And 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. 19 And the children of the captivity kept the passover
upon the fourteenth [day] of the first month. 20 For the priests and the
Levites were purified together, all of them [were] pure, and killed the
passover for all the children of the captivity, and for their brethren
the priests, and for themselves. 21 And the children of Israel, which
were come again out of captivity, and all such as had separated
themselves unto them from the filthiness of the heathen of the land, to
seek the LORD God of Israel, did eat, 22 And kept the feast of
unleavened bread seven days with joy: for the LORD had made them joyful,
and turned the heart of the king of Assyria unto them, to strengthen
their hands in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel.” (Ezra
6:1-22 AV)
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