發現塞魯士王的諭旨

於是,大流士王下令查閱保存在巴比倫庫房裡的典籍。 在瑪代省亞馬他城的宮內找到一卷書,書中記載如下:

「塞魯士王元年,塞魯士王就耶路撒冷的上帝之殿降下諭旨,要重建這殿作獻祭之處,要奠立殿的地基。殿要高二十七米、寬二十七米, 每三層巨石加鋪一層木料,經費由國庫支付。 尼布甲尼撒從耶路撒冷上帝的殿裡擄到巴比倫的金銀器皿,都要歸還到耶路撒冷上帝的殿裡,放回原處。」

於是,大流士王降旨:

「河西總督達乃、示他·波斯乃,以及你們的同僚——河西的官員,要遠離那殿! 不要干涉上帝殿的建造,要讓猶太人的省長和長老在原址上重建這座上帝的殿。 另外,我降旨命你們幫助猶太人的長老建造上帝的殿,要立刻從河西的王室稅收中撥出款項作建殿之用,以免耽誤工程。 他們向天上的上帝獻燔祭時所需的公牛犢、公綿羊、綿羊羔、小麥、鹽、酒和油,都要照耶路撒冷祭司的話天天供給他們,不得有誤, 10 好讓他們向天上的上帝獻上蒙悅納的祭物,並為王和眾王子求壽。 11 我再降旨,若有人更改這諭旨,必從他的房屋抽掉一根大樑,把他釘在樑上掛起來,他的房屋也要淪為糞堆。 12 無論君王還是百姓,若有人擅自更改這命令或毀壞耶路撒冷的這殿,願揀選這殿作其居所的上帝毀滅他!我大流士降此諭旨,務要速速遵行。」

建殿工程竣工

13 於是,河西總督達乃、示他·波斯乃及其同僚都認真執行大流士王的諭旨。 14 在哈該先知和易多的子孫撒迦利亞的勸勉下,猶太人的長老建造這殿,進展順利。他們遵照上帝的命令和波斯王塞魯士、大流士和亞達薛西的諭旨,完成了建殿工程。 15 大流士王第六年亞達月[a]三日,建殿工程竣工。

舉行獻殿禮

16 以色列人、祭司、利未人,以及其餘流亡歸來的人都滿心歡喜地為上帝的殿舉行奉獻禮。 17 他們為此獻上一百頭公牛犢,二百隻公綿羊和四百隻綿羊羔,又照以色列十二支派的數目獻上十二隻公山羊,作全體以色列人的贖罪祭。 18 他們依照摩西律法書的規定,派祭司和利未人按班次在耶路撒冷事奉上帝。

守逾越節

19 一月十四日,流亡歸來的人守逾越節。 20 祭司和利未人一起自潔,成為潔淨的人,並為所有流亡歸來的人、其他祭司同胞以及他們自己宰殺逾越節的羔羊。 21 從流亡之地歸回的以色列人,連同所有棄絕當地民族的污穢行為、尋求以色列的上帝耶和華的人,一起吃這羔羊。 22 他們歡歡喜喜地守除酵節七天,因為耶和華使亞述王對他們心存善意,幫助他們重建以色列上帝的殿。

Footnotes

  1. 6·15 亞達月」即希伯來曆的十二月,陽曆是二月中旬到三月中旬。

Darius’s Search

King Darius gave the order, and they searched(A) in the library of Babylon in the archives.[a](B) But it was in the fortress of Ecbatana in the province of Media(C) that a scroll was found with this record written on it:

In the first year of King Cyrus, he issued a decree(D) concerning the house of God in Jerusalem:

Let the house be rebuilt as a place for offering sacrifices, and let its original foundations be retained.[b] Its height is to be ninety feet[c] and its width ninety feet,(E) with three layers of cut[d] stones and one of timber.(F) The cost is to be paid from the royal treasury.[e](G) The gold and silver articles of God’s house that Nebuchadnezzar took from the temple in Jerusalem and carried to Babylon must also be returned. They are to be brought to the temple in Jerusalem where they belong[f] and put into the house of God.(H)

Darius’s Decree

Therefore, you must stay away from that place, Tattenai governor of the region west of the Euphrates River, Shethar-bozenai, and your[g] colleagues, the officials in the region.(I) Leave the construction of the house of God alone. Let the governor(J) and elders of the Jews rebuild this house of God on its original site.

I hereby issue a decree concerning what you are to do, so that the elders of the Jews can rebuild the house of God:

The cost is to be paid in full to these men out of the royal revenues(K) from the taxes of the region west of the Euphrates River, so that the work will not stop. Whatever is needed—young bulls, rams, and lambs for burnt offerings to the God of the heavens, or wheat, salt, wine, and oil, as requested by the priests in Jerusalem—let it be given to them every day without fail,(L) 10 so that they can offer sacrifices of pleasing aroma to the God of the heavens and pray for the life of the king and his sons.(M)

11 I also issue a decree concerning any man who interferes with this directive:

Let a beam be torn from his house and raised up; he will be impaled on it, and his house will be made into a garbage dump because of this offense.(N) 12 May the God who caused his name to dwell there(O) overthrow any king or people who dares[h] to harm or interfere with this house of God in Jerusalem. I, Darius, have issued the decree. Let it be carried out diligently.

13 Then Tattenai governor of the region west of the Euphrates River, Shethar-bozenai, and their colleagues(P) diligently carried out what King Darius had decreed. 14 So the Jewish elders continued successfully with the building under the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah son of Iddo.(Q) They finished the building according to the command of the God of Israel and the decrees of Cyrus,(R) Darius, and King Artaxerxes(S) of Persia. 15 This house was completed on the third day of the month of Adar(T) in the sixth year of the reign of King Darius.

Temple Dedication and the Passover

16 Then the Israelites, including the priests, the Levites, and the rest of the exiles, celebrated the dedication of the house of God with joy. 17 For the dedication of God’s house they offered one hundred bulls, two hundred rams, and four hundred lambs, as well as twelve male goats(U) as a sin offering for all Israel—one for each Israelite tribe. 18 They also appointed the priests by their divisions and the Levites by their groups to the service of God in Jerusalem, according to what is written in the book of Moses.(V)

19 The exiles(W) observed the Passover(X) on the fourteenth day of the first month. 20 All of the priests and Levites were ceremonially clean, because they had purified themselves. They killed the Passover lamb for themselves, their priestly brothers, and all the exiles.(Y) 21 The Israelites who had returned from exile(Z) ate it, together with all who had separated themselves from the uncleanness of the Gentiles of the land[i](AA) in order to worship the Lord, the God of Israel. 22 They observed the Festival of Unleavened Bread for seven days(AB) with joy, because the Lord had made them joyful, having changed the Assyrian king’s attitude toward them, so that he supported them[j] in the work on the house of the God of Israel.(AC)

Footnotes

  1. 6:1 Lit Babylon where the treasures were stored
  2. 6:3 Lit be brought forth
  3. 6:3 Lit 60 cubits
  4. 6:4 Or huge
  5. 6:4 Lit the king’s house
  6. 6:5 Lit Jerusalem, to its place,
  7. 6:6 Lit their
  8. 6:12 Lit who stretches out its hand
  9. 6:21 Lit land to them
  10. 6:22 Lit strengthened their hands

O decreto de Dario

O rei Dario, com efeito, mandou pesquisar nos diversos arquivos na Babilónia, onde os documentos eram guardados. Na verdade, foi encontrado no palácio de Acmeta, na província de Média, um relato que dizia o que a seguir se lê.

No primeiro ano do reinado de Ciro, foi publicado um decreto respeitante ao templo de Deus em Jerusalém, onde os judeus fazem os seus sacrifícios de culto. Esse templo deverá ser reconstruído e os seus alicerces refeitos; terá 30 metros de altura e igual medida de largura. Os alicerces serão compostos de três carreiras de grandes pedras, terminando com uma carreira de madeira nova; todas as despesas serão pagas pelo rei. Os vasos de ouro e de prata que tinham sido levados do templo de Deus pelo rei Nabucodonozor, deverão voltar para Jerusalém e ser postos no templo, como antes.

O rei Dario enviou, então, a seguinte mensagem ao governador Tatenai, ao Setar-Bozenai e aos outros altos funcionários, a ocidente do Eufrates: Não ponham qualquer entrave à construção do templo. Deixem que seja reconstruído, no local primitivo, e não molestem o governador de Judá nem os outros líderes nessa obra.

Ordeno ainda que todas as despesas com essa construção do templo sejam pagas, sem demora, com o dinheiro proveniente dos impostos cobrados nesse território. Deem aos sacerdotes de Jerusalém bois, carneiros e cordeiros para os holocaustos a oferecer ao Deus do ceú; deem-lhes também trigo, vinho, sal e azeite, diariamente, sem falhar, 10 para que possam oferecer sacrifícios aceitáveis ao Deus dos céus e para que orem por mim e pelos meus filhos.

11 Para quem quer que seja que tente alterar estas minhas ordens será construída uma forca, com madeira da sua própria casa, e será pendurado nela; a sua casa tornar-se-á num monturo. 12 O Deus que escolheu a cidade de Jerusalém destruirá qualquer rei e qualquer nação que alterar esta ordem e destruir este templo.

Eu, Dario, mandei fazer este decreto. Seja posto em execução com toda a diligência.

A consagração do templo

13 O governador Tatenai, Setar-Bozenai e os outros funcionários deram imediatamente cumprimento às ordens do rei Dario. 14 Os chefes judeus continuaram a obra e eram grandemente encorajados pelas pregações dos profetas Ageu e Zacarias, filho de Ido. Por fim, o templo ficou terminado, conforme Deus mandara, e conforme as ordens de Ciro, Dario e Artaxerxes, reis da Pérsia. 15 Era o terceiro dia do mês de Adar[a] do sexto ano do reinado de Dario.[b]

16 O templo foi consagrado no meio de grandes manifestações de júbilo dos sacerdotes, levitas e de todo o povo que tinha regressado do exílio. 17 Durante essas celebrações, foram sacrificados 100 bois, 200 carneiros e 400 cordeiros; foram também apresentados 12 cabritos, como sacrifício pelo pecado, em nome das doze tribos de Israel. 18 Os sacerdotes e levitas dividiram-se nos vários grupos, de acordo com as suas funções, para executarem o serviço de Deus, conforme as instruções dadas por Moisés.

Celebração da Páscoa

19 Os que regressaram do cativeiro celebraram a Páscoa no dia 14 do primeiro mês[c]. 20 Todos os sacerdotes e levitas se purificaram e, em seguida, ofereceram os sacrifícios da Páscoa por todos os retornados da Babilónia, pelos seus companheiros sacerdotes e por eles mesmos. 21-22 Alguns dos povos que já estavam na terra antes dos exilados regressarem, e que tinham sido colocados em Judá para a terra não ficar abandonada, deixaram os seus costumes pagãos e juntaram-se aos israelitas para buscar o Senhor, Deus de Israel. Também eles, conjuntamente com toda a nação, comeram a Páscoa e celebraram a festa dos pães sem fermento, durante sete dias. Havia grande alegria em toda a terra, porque o Senhor fizera com que o rei da Assíria[d] fosse generoso para com Israel, ajudando até na reconstrução do templo.

Footnotes

  1. 6.15 Adar é o décimo segundo mês. Entre a lua nova do mês de fevereiro e o mês de março.
  2. 6.15 Estamos no ano 515 a.C.
  3. 6.19 Mês de Abibe ou Nisan. Entre a lua nova do mês de março e o mês de abril.
  4. 6.21-22 Título usado pelo rei persa, por ter tomado os territórios assírios e babilónicos. Por vezes, era também chamado de rei da Babilónia.

The Decree of Darius

King Darius then issued an order, and they searched in the archives(A) stored in the treasury at Babylon. A scroll was found in the citadel of Ecbatana in the province of Media, and this was written on it:

Memorandum:

In the first year of King Cyrus, the king issued a decree concerning the temple of God in Jerusalem:

Let the temple be rebuilt as a place to present sacrifices, and let its foundations be laid.(B) It is to be sixty cubits[a] high and sixty cubits wide, with three courses(C) of large stones and one of timbers. The costs are to be paid by the royal treasury.(D) Also, the gold(E) and silver articles of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took from the temple in Jerusalem and brought to Babylon, are to be returned to their places in the temple in Jerusalem; they are to be deposited in the house of God.(F)

Now then, Tattenai,(G) governor of Trans-Euphrates, and Shethar-Bozenai(H) and you other officials of that province, stay away from there. Do not interfere with the work on this temple of God. Let the governor of the Jews and the Jewish elders rebuild this house of God on its site.

Moreover, I hereby decree what you are to do for these elders of the Jews in the construction of this house of God:

Their expenses are to be fully paid out of the royal treasury,(I) from the revenues(J) of Trans-Euphrates, so that the work will not stop. Whatever is needed—young bulls, rams, male lambs for burnt offerings(K) to the God of heaven, and wheat, salt, wine and olive oil, as requested by the priests in Jerusalem—must be given them daily without fail, 10 so that they may offer sacrifices pleasing to the God of heaven and pray for the well-being of the king and his sons.(L)

11 Furthermore, I decree that if anyone defies this edict, a beam is to be pulled from their house and they are to be impaled(M) on it. And for this crime their house is to be made a pile of rubble.(N) 12 May God, who has caused his Name to dwell there,(O) overthrow any king or people who lifts a hand to change this decree or to destroy this temple in Jerusalem.

I Darius(P) have decreed it. Let it be carried out with diligence.

Completion and Dedication of the Temple

13 Then, because of the decree King Darius had sent, Tattenai, governor of Trans-Euphrates, and Shethar-Bozenai and their associates(Q) carried it out with diligence. 14 So the elders of the Jews continued to build and prosper under the preaching(R) of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah, a descendant of Iddo. They finished building the temple according to the command of the God of Israel and the decrees of Cyrus,(S) Darius(T) and Artaxerxes,(U) kings of Persia. 15 The temple was completed on the third day of the month Adar, in the sixth year of the reign of King Darius.(V)

16 Then the people of Israel—the priests, the Levites and the rest of the exiles—celebrated the dedication(W) of the house of God with joy. 17 For the dedication of this house of God they offered(X) a hundred bulls, two hundred rams, four hundred male lambs and, as a sin offering[b] for all Israel, twelve male goats, one for each of the tribes of Israel. 18 And they installed the priests in their divisions(Y) and the Levites in their groups(Z) for the service of God at Jerusalem, according to what is written in the Book of Moses.(AA)

The Passover

19 On the fourteenth day of the first month, the exiles celebrated the Passover.(AB) 20 The priests and Levites had purified themselves and were all ceremonially clean. The Levites slaughtered(AC) the Passover lamb for all the exiles, for their relatives the priests and for themselves. 21 So the Israelites who had returned from the exile ate it, together with all who had separated themselves(AD) from the unclean practices(AE) of their Gentile neighbors in order to seek the Lord,(AF) the God of Israel. 22 For seven days they celebrated with joy the Festival of Unleavened Bread,(AG) because the Lord had filled them with joy by changing the attitude(AH) of the king of Assyria so that he assisted them in the work on the house of God, the God of Israel.

Footnotes

  1. Ezra 6:3 That is, about 90 feet or about 27 meters
  2. Ezra 6:17 Or purification offering