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The Scroll with Cyrus’ Decree Is Found

Then King Darius issued a decree, and a (A)search was made in the [a]archives, where the treasures were deposited in Babylon. And in [b]Ecbatana in the fortress, which is (B)in the province of Media, a scroll was found and there was written in it as follows:

“Memorandum—

(C)In the first year of King Cyrus, Cyrus the king issued a decree:

Concerning the house of God in Jerusalem, let that house, the place where sacrifices are offered, be rebuilt and let its foundations be [c]retained, its height being [d]60 cubits and its width 60 cubits;

(D)with three layers of huge stones and [e]one layer of timbers. And let the cost be given from the [f]royal treasury.

And also let (E)the gold and silver articles of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took out from the temple in Jerusalem and brought to Babylon, be returned and [g]brought to their places in the temple in Jerusalem; and you shall deposit them in the house of God.’

“Now (F)Tattenai, governor of the province beyond the [h]River, Shethar-bozenai and their colleagues, the officials of the provinces beyond the River, [i]keep away from there.

Leave that work on the house of God alone; let the governor of the Jews and the elders of the Jews rebuild that house of God in its designated place.

Moreover, (G)I issue a decree concerning what you shall do for those elders of Judah in the rebuilding of that house of God: the full cost is to be given to those people from the royal treasury out of the tribute of the provinces beyond the River, and that without negligence.

Whatever is needed, both young bulls, rams, and lambs for a burnt offering to the God of heaven, and wheat, salt, wine, and anointing oil, according to what the priests in Jerusalem say, it is to be given to them daily without negligence,

10 that they may bring sweet-smelling sacrifices near to the God of heaven and (H)pray for the life of the king and his sons.

11 And I issued a decree that (I)any man who violates this edict, a timber shall be pulled out from his house and he shall be impaled on it and (J)his house shall be made a refuse heap on account of this.

12 May the God who (K)has caused His name to dwell there overthrow any king or people who [j]stretches out his hand to change it, so as to destroy that house of God in Jerusalem. I, Darius, have issued this decree, let it be done with all diligence!”

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Footnotes

  1. Ezra 6:1 Lit house of the books
  2. Ezra 6:2 Aram Achmetha
  3. Ezra 6:3 Or fixed, laid
  4. Ezra 6:3 Approx. 90 ft. or 27 m, a cubit was approx. 18 in. or 45 cm
  5. Ezra 6:4 As in Gr; Aram a layer of new timber
  6. Ezra 6:4 Lit king’s house
  7. Ezra 6:5 Lit go
  8. Ezra 6:6 The Euphrates River, so in ch
  9. Ezra 6:6 Lit be distant
  10. Ezra 6:12 Lit sends his hand

Then King Darius issued a decree, and they searched the archives which were deposited there at the treasury office in Babylon. A scroll was located in Ecbatana, in the citadel that is in the province of Media, and this was written on it:

Memorandum:

In the first year of King Cyrus, King Cyrus issued a decree regarding the house of God in Jerusalem.

That house is to be rebuilt at the place where sacrifices were sacrificed, and its foundations are to be laid.[a] Its height: ninety feet. Its width: ninety feet.[b] Build with three layers of large stone and one layer of wood.[c] The cost will be paid by the royal treasury. Also the gold and silver vessels of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took from the temple that is in Jerusalem and brought to Babylon, are to be returned, and each vessel is to be taken to the temple that is in Jerusalem, each to its place. You are to deposit them in the house of God.

Now Tattenai governor of Trans-Euphrates, Shethar Bozenai, and their associates, officials who are in Trans-Euphrates: You are to keep away from there. Leave the work on that house of God alone. Let the governor of the Judeans and the elders of the Judeans rebuild that house of God on its site. Furthermore, a decree is issued from me concerning what you should do together with the elders of these Judeans in order to rebuild that temple of God: The complete cost will be paid to these men from the royal treasury, out of the taxes of the Trans-Euphrates area, so that the builders will not have to stop. Whatever they need—bulls, rams, or lambs for burnt offerings to the God of Heaven, wheat, salt, wine, olive oil, according to the request of the priests in Jerusalem—is to be given to them daily without neglect, 10 so that they may offer offerings to the God of Heaven and pray for the life of the king and his sons.

11 Furthermore, a decree is issued from me that if any person tries to change this edict, a beam will be pulled out of his house and he will be impaled on it, and his house will be made a pile of rubble.

12 May the God who caused his name to dwell there overthrow any king or people who take action to change my decree, in order to destroy that house of God that is in Jerusalem.

I, Darius, have issued a decree. Let it be carried out exactly.

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Footnotes

  1. Ezra 6:3 Or and burnt offerings were offered
  2. Ezra 6:3 The dimensions are different than those of Solomon’s temple in 1 Kings 6.
  3. Ezra 6:4 The translation follows the Greek. The Aramaic reads new wood.

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.

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Footnotes

  1. Ezra 6:3 That is, about 90 feet or about 27 meters