Ezra 6:1-12
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.
Footnotes
- Ezra 6:1 Lit Babylon where the treasures were stored
- Ezra 6:3 Lit be brought forth
- Ezra 6:3 Lit 60 cubits
- Ezra 6:3 Lit 60 cubits
- 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.
- Ezra 6:4 Or huge
- Ezra 6:5 Lit Jerusalem, to its place,
- Ezra 6:6 Lit their
- Ezra 6:12 Lit who stretches out its hand
Ezra 6:1-12
International Standard Version
King Darius Verifies the Decree
6 Then King Darius issued an order to search the Hall of Records where the Babylonian archives were stored. 2 The following was found written on a scroll in Ecbatana at the summer[a] palace of the province of Media:
3 Date: First year of Cyrus the King
From: King Cyrus
Subject: The Temple of God in Jerusalem
Let the Temple be rebuilt where they offered sacrifices. Let the foundations thereof be laid with a height of 60 cubits[b] and a width of 60 cubits,[c] 4 constructed[d] with three layers of foundation[e] stone interlaced with a row of new timber, the expenses for which are to be paid from the king’s treasury.
5 Furthermore, let the gold and silver utensils from the Temple of God (that Nebuchadnezzar took from the Temple in Jerusalem and carried off to Babylon) be brought back to the Temple at Jerusalem and restored to their respective places in the Temple of God.
King Darius Confirms the Decree
6 To: Tattenai, Trans-Euphrates Governor, Shethar-bozenai, and your colleagues living beyond the Euphrates[f] River.
Stay away from there!
7 Leave the work on this Temple of God alone!
Let the Jewish governor and the Jewish leaders build this Temple of God on its site.
8 Furthermore, I hereby decree what you are to do for the Jewish leaders who are building this Temple of God: you are to pay the expenses of these men out of the king’s assets from taxes collected[g] beyond the River so that they are not hindered.
9 And be sure that you don’t fail to provide their daily needs—including young bulls, rams, and lambs for the burnt offerings of the God of Heaven, along with wheat, salt, wine, and oil, as the priests in Jerusalem tell you— 10 so they may approach the God of Heaven with fragrant sacrifices and pray for the life of this king and his sons.
11 I hereby also decree that whoever shall alter the wording of this edict, let his residence be torn down for timber to build a gallows,[h] hang[i] him on it, and turn his home into an outhouse. 12 And may the God who causes his Name to rest there destroy any king or people who might attempt[j] to destroy this Temple of God in Jerusalem.
I, Darius, have issued this decree. Let it be carried out quickly.
Footnotes
- Ezra 6:2 The Aram. lacks summer
- Ezra 6:3 I.e. about 90 feet; a cubit was about eighteen inches
- Ezra 6:3 I.e. about 90 feet; a cubit was about eighteen inches
- Ezra 6:4 The Aram. lacks constructed
- Ezra 6:4 Lit. heavy
- Ezra 6:6 The Aram. lacks Euphrates
- Ezra 6:8 The Aram. lacks collected
- Ezra 6:11 The Aram. lacks a gallows
- Ezra 6:11 Or impale
- Ezra 6:12 Lit. shall put their hand out
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