Ezra 6

1 Then, Darius the king, issued an edict, —and they made search in the house of the books, where the treasures were laid up in Babylon.

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

2 And there was found in Achmetha, in the fortress which is in the province of Media, a roll, —and, thus, was it written therein, as a record: —

There was found at Achmetha, in the palace that is in the province of Media, a scroll, and there was written in it as follows: "Memorandum:

3 In the first year of Cyrus the king, Cyrus the king, issued an edict, as to the house of God in Jerusalem, Let the house be built, the place where they used to offer sacrifices, and let the foundations thereof be reared, —the height thereof, sixty cubits, the breadth thereof, sixty cubits;

In the first year of Koresh the king, Koresh the king made a decree: Concerning God's house at Jerusalem, let the house be built, the place where they offer sacrifices, and let its foundations be strongly laid; its height one hundred three feet and four inches; and its breadth one hundred three feet and four inches;

4 layers of large stones, three, and one layer of new timber, —and, as for the expenses, out of the house of the king, let them be given.

with three layers of great stones, and one layer of timber. And let the expenses be given out of the king's house.

5 Moreover also, the utensils of the house of God, of gold and silver, which, Nebuchadnezzar, took forth out of the temple that was in Jerusalem, and brought unto Babylon, let them again be taken to the temple which is in Jerusalem every one to its place, and lay them up in the house of God.

Also let the gold and silver vessels of God's house, which Nebuchadnezzar took forth out of the temple which is at Jerusalem, and brought to Babylon, be restored, and brought again to the temple which is at Jerusalem, everyone to its place; and you shall put them in God's house.

6 Now, therefore, Tattenai pasha Beyond the River, Shethar-bozenai, and their associates, the Apharsachites, who are Beyond the River, —be ye far from thence:

Now therefore, Tattenai, governor beyond the River, Shetharbozenai, and your companions the Apharsachites, who are beyond the River, you must stay far from there.

7 let alone the work of this house of God, —the pasha of Judah, and the elders of Judah, this house of God, shall build upon its place;

Leave 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.

8 And, from me, is issued an edict, as to that which ye shall do, with these elders of Judah, for the building of this house of God, —That, of the resources of the king, even the tribute Beyond the River, forthwith, the expenses be given unto these men, for they must not be hindered.

Moreover I make a decree what you shall do to these elders of the 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, that they be not hindered.

9 And, whatever may be the need—whether young bullocks or rams or lambs for ascending-sacrifices unto the God of the heavens, wheat, salt, wine or oil, according to the command of the priests who are in Jerusalem, —that it he given to them day by day, without fail;

That which they have need of, both young bulls, and rams, and lambs, for burnt offerings to the God of heaven; also wheat, salt, wine, and oil, according to the word of the priests who are at Jerusalem, let it be given them day by day without fail;

10 that they may be offering sweet-smelling sacrifices unto the God of the heavens, —and be praying for the life of the king, and his sons.

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

11 And, from me, is issued an edict, that, any man who shall alter this message, let timber be torn out of his house, and being lifted up let him be fastened thereunto, —and his house, a dunghill, be made for this;

Also I have made a decree, that whoever shall alter this word, let a beam be pulled out from his house, and let him be lifted up and fastened thereon; and let his house be made a dunghill for this:

12 and, the God who hath caused his Name to dwell there, destroy any king or people, who shall put forth their hand to alter to destroy this house of God, which is in Jerusalem. I, Darius, have issued an edict, forthwith, let it be done.

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

13 Then, Tattenai the pasha Beyond the River, Shethar-bozenai, and their associates, —according as Darius the king had sent, so, forthwith, they did.

Then Tattenai, the governor beyond the River, Shetharbozenai, and their companions, because Daryavesh the king had sent a decree, did accordingly with all diligence.

14 And, the elders of the Jews, went on building and prospering, through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet, and Zechariah son of Iddo, —they both built and finished, owing to the edict of the God of Israel, and owing to the edict of Cyrus and Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia.

The elders of the Jews built and prospered, through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. They built and finished it, according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the decree of Koresh, and Daryavesh, and Artachshasta king of Persia.

15 And this house was finished, by the third day of the month Adar, —the which was the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king.

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.

16 Then did the sons of Israel, the priests and the Levites, and the rest of the Sons of the Exile, keep the dedication of this house of God, with joy;

The children of Israel, the priests, and the Levites, and the rest of the people from the exile, kept the dedication of this house of God with joy.

17 and offered, for the dedication of this house of God, bullocks, one hundred, rams, two hundred, lambs, four hundred, —and, he-goats, as a sin-offering for all Israel, twelve, according to the number of the tribes of Israel.

They offered at the dedication of this house of God one hundred bulls, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs; and for a sin offering for all Israel, twelve male goats, according to the number of the tribes of Israel.

18 And they set up the priests in their divisions, and the Levites in their courses, over the service of God, which was in Jerusalem, —as it is written, in the Book of Moses.

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 Sons of the Exile kept the passover, —on the fourteenth of the first month;

The people from the exile kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month.

20 for the priests and the Levites, had purified themselves, as one man, all of them, were pure, —so they slaughtered the passover for all the Sons of the Exile, and for their brethren the priests, and for themselves.

For the priests and the Levites had purified themselves together; all of them were pure: and they killed the Passover lamb for all the people from the exile, and for their brothers the priests, and for themselves.

21 Therefore the sons of Israel who had returned from the Exile and all who had separated themselves from the impurity of the nations of the land unto them, did eat, —to seek Yahweh, God of Israel;

The children of Israel who had come again out of the captivity, and all such as had separated themselves to them from the filthiness of the nations of the land, to seek the LORD, the God of Israel, ate,

22 and kept the festival of unleavened cakes seven days, with joy, —for Yahweh had made them joyful, and had turned the heart of the king of Assyria towards them, to strengthen their hands, in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel.

and kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with joy: for the LORD had made them joyful, and had turned the heart of the king of Assyria to them, to strengthen their hands in the work of God's house, the God of Israel.