Ezra 6 · עזרא

Then Daryavesh the king made a decree, and search was made in the house of the archives, where the treasures were laid up in Bavel.

And there was found at Aĥmeta, the fortress that is in the province of Maday, a roll, and therein was a record thus written:

In the first year of Koresh the king, the same Koresh the king made a decree, Concerning the house of God at Yerushalayim; let the house be built, the place where they offer sacrifices, and let its foundations be strongly laid; its height sixty cubits, and its breadth sixty cubits;

with three rows of great stones, and a row of new timber: and let the expenses be paid out of the king’s house:

and also let the golden and silver vessels of the house of God which Nevukhadneżżar took out of the temple which is at Yerushalayim, and brought to Bavel, be restored, and brought back to the temple which is at Yerushalayim, every one to its place, and place them in the house of God.

Now Tattenay, governor beyond the river, Shetar-bozenay, and your associates, the Afarsekhites, who are beyond the river, keep far from hence:

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 its place.

Moreover I make a decree as to what you shall do for 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, expenses be given with all diligence to these men so that they are not delayed.

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 word of the priests who are at Yerushalayim, let it be given them day by day without fail:

that they may offer sacrifices of sweet savour to the God of heaven, and pray for the life of the king, and of his sons.

Also I have made a decree, that whoever shall alter this word, let a beam of a timber be pulled down from his house, and let him be lifted up and impaled thereon; and let his house be made a dunghill for this.

And may the God who has caused his name to dwell there destroy all kings and peoples, that shall put to their hand to alter this, or to destroy this house of God which is at Yerushalayim. I Daryavesh have made a decree; let it be done with diligence.

Then Tattenay governor on this side of the river, Shetar-bozenay, and their associates, according to that which Daryavesh the king had sent, so they did with diligence.

And the elders of the Jews built, and they prospered through the prophesying of Ḥaggay the prophet and Zekharya the son of ῾Iddo. And they built, and finished it, according to the commandment of the God of Yisra᾽el, and according to the commandment of Koresh, and Daryavesh, and Artaĥshasta king of Paras.

And this house was finished on the third day of the month Adar, which was in the sixth year of the reign of Daryavesh the king.

And the children of Yisra᾽el, the priests and the Levites, and the rest of the children of the exile, kept the dedication of this house of God with joy,

and they offered at the dedication of this house of God a hundred bullocks, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs; and for a sin offering for all Yisra᾽el, twelve he goats, according to the number of the tribes of Yisra᾽el.

And they set the priests in their divisions, and the Levites in their courses, for the service of God, which is at Yerushalayim; as it is written in the book of Moshe.

And the children of the exile kept the passover upon the fourteenth day of the first month.

For the priests and the Levites had purified themselves; all of them were pure; and they killed the passover lamb for all the children of the exile, and for their brethren the priests, and for themselves.

And the children of Yisra᾽el who were come back out of exile, and all such as had separated themselves to them from the filthiness of the nations of the land, to seek the Lord God of Yisra᾽el did eat of it.

And they 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 Ashshur to them, to strengthen their hands in the work of the house of God, the God of Yisra᾽el.