Ezra 6
1 2
3 4 5
6 7 8
9 10
1 Then Darius the king made a
decree, and search was made in the house of the rolls, where the treasures were
laid up in Babylon.
2 And there was found at Achmetha, in the
palace that is in the province of the Medes, a roll, and therein was
a record thus written:
3 In the first year of Cyrus the king the
same Cyrus the king made a decree concerning the house of God at
Jerusalem, Let the house be builded, the place where they offered sacrifices,
and let the foundations thereof be strongly laid; the height thereof threescore
cubits, and the breadth thereof threescore cubits;
4 With three rows of great stones,
and a row of new timber: and let the expenses be given out of the king’s
house:
5 And also let the golden and silver
vessels of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took forth out of the temple
which is at Jerusalem, and brought unto Babylon, be restored, and brought
again unto the temple which is at Jerusalem, every one to his
place, and place them in the house of God.
6 Now therefore, Tatnai, governor
beyond the river, Shetharboznai, and your companions the Apharsachites, which are
beyond the river, be ye far from thence:
7 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 his place.
8 Moreover I make a decree what ye shall
do to 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, forthwith
expenses be given unto these men, that they be not hindered.
9 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 appointment of the priests
which are at Jerusalem, let it be given them day by day without fail:
10 That they may offer sacrifices of sweet
savours unto the God of heaven, and pray for the life of the king, and of his
sons.
11 Also I have made a decree, that
whosoever shall alter this word, let timber be pulled down from his house, and
being set up, let him be hanged thereon; and let his house be made a dunghill
for this.
12 And the God that hath caused his name
to dwell there destroy all kings and people, that shall put to their hand to
alter and to destroy this house of God which is at Jerusalem. I
Darius have made a decree; let it be done with speed.
13 Then Tatnai, governor on this side the
river, Shetharboznai, and their companions, according to that which Darius the
king had sent, so they did speedily.
14 And the elders of the Jews builded, and
they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the
son of Iddo. And they builded, and finished it, according to the
commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the commandment of Cyrus, and
Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia.
15 And this house was finished on the
third day of the month Adar, which was in the sixth year of the reign of Darius
the king.
16 And the children of Israel, the
priests, and the Levites, and the rest of the children of the captivity, kept
the dedication of this house of God with joy,
17 And offered at the dedication of this
house of God an hundred bullocks, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs; and for
a sin offering for all Israel, twelve he goats, according to the number of the
tribes of Israel.
18 And they set the priests in their
divisions, and the Levites in their courses, for the service of God, which is
at Jerusalem; as it is written in the book of Moses.
19 And the children of the captivity kept
the passover upon the fourteenth day of the first month.
20 For the priests and the Levites were
purified together, all of them were pure, and killed the passover for all
the children of the captivity, and for their brethren the priests, and for
themselves.
21 And the children of Israel, which were
come again out of captivity, and all such as had separated themselves unto them
from the filthiness of the heathen of the land, to seek the LORD God of Israel,
did eat,
22 And 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 Assyria unto them, to strengthen their hands in the work of the
house of God, the God of Israel.
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