Passage Resources Hebrew/Greek Your Content
Previous Next
Add parallel Print Page Options Listen to Ezra 4:24, Ezra 6:1-15, Nehemiah 2:1-8, Nehemiah 3:1
Close HCSB

Ezra 4:24
Holman Christian Standard Bible

Rebuilding of the Temple Resumed

24 Now the construction of God’s house in Jerusalem had stopped and remained at a standstill until the second year of the reign of King Darius of Persia.(A)

Read full chapter
Listen to Ezra 4:24, Ezra 6:1-15, Nehemiah 2:1-8, Nehemiah 3:1
Close NIV

Ezra 4:24
New International Version

24 Thus the work on the house of God in Jerusalem came to a standstill until the second year of the reign of Darius(A) king of Persia.

Read full chapter
Next
Ezra 3
Ezra 5
Next
Previous Next
Close HCSB

Ezra 6:1-15
Holman Christian Standard Bible

Darius’s Search

6 King Darius gave the order, and they searched(A) in the library of Babylon in the archives.[a](B) 2 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:

3 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 90 feet[c] and its width 90 feet,[d][e](E) 4 with three layers of cut[f] stones and one of timber.(F) The cost is to be paid from the royal treasury.(G) 5 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[g] and put into the house of God.(H)

Darius’s Decree

6 Therefore, you must stay away from that place, Tattenai governor of the region west of the Euphrates River, Shethar-bozenai, and your[h] colleagues, the officials in the region.(I) 7 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.

8 I hereby issue a decree concerning what you must 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. 9 Whatever is needed—young bulls, rams, and lambs for burnt offerings to the God of heaven, 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 heaven 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[i] 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[j](T) in the sixth year of the reign of King Darius.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Ezra 6:1 Lit Babylon where the treasures were stored
  2. Ezra 6:3 Lit be brought forth
  3. Ezra 6:3 Lit 60 cubits
  4. Ezra 6:3 Lit 60 cubits
  5. Ezra 6:3 A copyist seemingly overlooked the term for length and inadvertently read the 60 cubits for height and width. Like Solomon’s temple, this temple was probably 90 feet long, 30 feet wide, and 45 feet high.
  6. Ezra 6:4 Or huge
  7. Ezra 6:5 Lit Jerusalem, to its place,
  8. Ezra 6:6 Lit their
  9. Ezra 6:12 Lit who stretches out its hand
  10. Ezra 6:15 = February–March
Close NIV

Ezra 6:1-15
New International Version

The Decree of Darius

6 King Darius then issued an order, and they searched in the archives(A) stored in the treasury at Babylon. 2 A scroll was found in the citadel of Ecbatana in the province of Media, and this was written on it:

Memorandum:

3 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, 4 with three courses(C) of large stones and one of timbers. The costs are to be paid by the royal treasury.(D) 5 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)

6 Now then, Tattenai,(G) governor of Trans-Euphrates, and Shethar-Bozenai(H) and you other officials of that province, stay away from there. 7 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.

8 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. 9 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)

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Ezra 6:3 That is, about 90 feet or about 27 meters
Next
Ezra 5
Ezra 7
Next
Previous Next
Close HCSB

Nehemiah 2:1-8
Holman Christian Standard Bible

Nehemiah Sent to Jerusalem

2 During the month of Nisan[a] in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes,(A) when wine was set before him, I took the wine and gave it to the king. I had never been sad in his presence, 2 so the king said to me, “Why are you[b] sad, when you aren’t sick? This is nothing but depression.”[c](B)

I was overwhelmed with fear 3 and replied to the king, “May the king live forever! Why should I[d] not be sad when the city where my ancestors are buried lies in ruins and its gates have been destroyed by fire?”(C)

4 Then the king asked me, “What is your request?”

So I prayed to the God of heaven(D) 5 and answered the king, “If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor with you, send me to Judah and to the city where my ancestors are buried,[e](E) so that I may rebuild it.”(F)

6 The king, with the queen seated beside him, asked me, “How long will your journey take, and when will you return?” So I gave him a definite time,(G) and it pleased the king to send me.

7 I also said to the king: “If it pleases the king, let me have letters written to the governors of the region west of the Euphrates River,(H) so that they will grant me safe passage until I reach Judah.(I) 8 And let me have a letter written to Asaph, keeper of the king’s forest, so that he will give me timber to rebuild the gates of the temple’s fortress,(J) the city wall, and the home where I will live.”[f](K) The king granted my requests, for I was graciously strengthened by my God.[g](L)

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Nehemiah 2:1 = March–April; called Abib in the pre-exilic period; Ex 13:4; Dt 16:1
  2. Nehemiah 2:2 Lit Why is your face
  3. Nehemiah 2:2 Lit sadness of heart
  4. Nehemiah 2:3 Lit my face
  5. Nehemiah 2:5 Lit city, the house of the graves of my fathers,
  6. Nehemiah 2:8 Lit enter
  7. Nehemiah 2:8 Lit for the gracious hand of my God was on me
Close NIV

Nehemiah 2:1-8
New International Version

Artaxerxes Sends Nehemiah to Jerusalem

2 In the month of Nisan in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes,(A) when wine was brought for him, I took the wine and gave it to the king. I had not been sad in his presence before, 2 so the king asked me, “Why does your face look so sad when you are not ill? This can be nothing but sadness of heart.”

I was very much afraid, 3 but I said to the king, “May the king live forever!(B) Why should my face not look sad when the city(C) where my ancestors are buried lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?(D)”

4 The king said to me, “What is it you want?”

Then I prayed to the God of heaven, 5 and I answered the king, “If it pleases the king and if your servant has found favor in his sight, let him send me to the city in Judah where my ancestors are buried so that I can rebuild it.”

6 Then the king(E), with the queen sitting beside him, asked me, “How long will your journey take, and when will you get back?” It pleased the king to send me; so I set a time.

7 I also said to him, “If it pleases the king, may I have letters to the governors of Trans-Euphrates,(F) so that they will provide me safe-conduct until I arrive in Judah? 8 And may I have a letter to Asaph, keeper of the royal park, so he will give me timber to make beams for the gates of the citadel(G) by the temple and for the city wall and for the residence I will occupy?” And because the gracious hand of my God was on me,(H) the king granted my requests.(I)

Read full chapter
Next
Nehemiah 1
Nehemiah 3
Next
Previous Next
Close HCSB

Nehemiah 3:1
Holman Christian Standard Bible

Rebuilding the Walls

3 Eliashib the high priest(A) and his fellow priests began rebuilding the Sheep Gate.(B) They dedicated it and installed its doors. After building the wall to the Tower of the Hundred and the Tower of Hananel,(C) they dedicated it.

Read full chapter
Close NIV

Nehemiah 3:1
New International Version

Builders of the Wall

3 Eliashib(A) the high priest and his fellow priests went to work and rebuilt(B) the Sheep Gate.(C) They dedicated it and set its doors in place, building as far as the Tower of the Hundred, which they dedicated, and as far as the Tower of Hananel.(D)

Read full chapter
Next
Nehemiah 2
Nehemiah 4
Next
dropdown
Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville Tennessee. All rights reserved.

New International Version (NIV)

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.

July Summer Surge

More on the NIV