Ezra 6

1 [Later] Darius [became the ruler of the Persian Empire. When the enemies of the Israelis forced them to stop rebuilding the temple, the Persian officials sent a message to King Darius. They asked him to] search the records in the (archives/government records), in the building where the king stored the important documents, [to find out whether King Cyrus had authorized that the temple should be rebuilt].

in/on/with then Darius king [the] to set: make command and to enquire in/on/with house scroll [the] that treasure [the] to descend there in/on/with Babylon

2 [The king commanded someone to search there, but those documents were not there in Babylon]. They found a scroll at the fort in Ecbatana, in Media province, [that contained the information that they wanted to know]. This is what was written on that scroll:

and to find in/on/with Ecbatana in/on/with citadel [the] that in/on/with Media province [the] scroll one and thus to write in/on/with midst her record [the]

3 “During the first year that Cyrus [ruled the empire], he sent out a decree concerning the temple of God which is at Jerusalem. In the decree it was stated that a new temple must be built at the same place that [the Israeli people previously] had offered sacrifices, where the [original] foundation [of the first temple] was. The temple must be 90 feet high and 90 feet wide.

in/on/with year one to/for Cyrus king [the] Cyrus king [the] to set: make command house god [the] in/on/with Jerusalem house [the] to build place that to sacrifice sacrifice and foundation his to bear height her cubit sixty breadth her cubit sixty

4 The building must be made from large stones. After putting down three layers of stones, a layer of timber must be put on top of them. This work will be paid for by money from my treasury.

layer that stone great three and layer that wood new and cost [the] from house king [the] to give

5 Also, the gold and silver utensils that King Nebuchadnezzar took from the temple of God in Jerusalem and brought to Babylon must be taken back to Jerusalem. They must be put in God’s temple just as they were in the previous temple.”

and also utensil house god [the] that gold [the] and silver [the] that Nebuchadnezzar to go out from temple [the] that in/on/with Jerusalem and to bring to/for Babylon to return: rescue and to go to/for temple [the] that in/on/with Jerusalem to/for place her and to descend in/on/with house god [the]

6 After reading this, King Darius sent this message [to the leaders of the Israeli people’s enemies in Jerusalem]: “This is a message for Tattenai, the governor of the province west of the [Euphrates] River, and for [his assistant] Shethar-Bozenai, and for all your colleagues: Stay away from that area!

now Tattenai governor beyond River [the] Shethar-bozenai Shethar-bozenai and associate their governors [the] that in/on/with beyond River [the] far to be from there

7 Do not (interfere with/hinder) the work of building the temple of God! The temple must be rebuilt at the same place where the former temple was. And do not hinder the governor of the Jews and the elders of the Jews [while they are doing this work].

to be left to/for service house god [the] this governor Jew [the] and to/for be gray Jew [the] house god [the] this to build since place her

8 “Furthermore, I declare that you must help these leaders of the Jews as they rebuild this temple of God [by giving them funds for the building work].

and from me to set: make command to/for what that to make with be gray Jew [the] these to/for to build house god [the] this and from wealth king [the] that tribute beyond River [the] diligently cost [the] to be to give to/for man [the] these that not to/for to cease

9 “The Jewish priests in Jerusalem need young bulls and rams and lambs to sacrifice as they make burned offerings to the God of heaven. You must give them the animals that they need. Also, you must be certain to give them the wheat, salt, wine, and [olive] oil that they need each day [for those sacrifices].

and what? necessity and son: young animal bullock and ram and lamb to/for burnt offering to/for god heaven [the] wheat salt wine and oil like/as command priest [the] that in/on/with Jerusalem to be to give to/for them day in/on/with day that not neglect

10 If you do that, the Jewish priests will be able to offer sacrifices that please the God who is in heaven, and they will pray that God will bless me and my sons.

that to be to approach soothing to/for god heaven [the] and to pray to/for living king [the] and son: child his

11 “If anyone disobeys this decree, [my soldiers] will pull a beam from his house. Then [after they sharpen one end of the beam, ] they will lift that man up and impale him on that beam. Then they will [completely destroy that man’s house until only] a pile of rubble is left.

and from me to set: make command that all man that to change edict [the] this to pull away wood from house her and to raise to smite since him and house her dunghill to make since this

12 God has chosen [that city of] Jerusalem as the place where people will honor him [MTY]. What I desire is that he will get rid of any king or any nation that tries to change this decree or tries to destroy that temple in Jerusalem. I, Darius, have made this decree. It must be obeyed quickly and thoroughly.”

and god [the] that to dwell name her there to overthrow all king and people that to send hand her to/for to change to/for to destroy house god [the] this that in/on/with Jerusalem me Darius to set: make command diligently to make

13 Tattenai, the governor of the province, and [his assistant] Shethar-Bozenai and their colleagues [read the message and] immediately obeyed the decree of King Darius.

then Tattenai governor beyond River [the] Shethar-bozenai Shethar-bozenai and associate their to/for before that to send Darius king [the] thus diligently to make

14 So the Jewish leaders continued their work [of rebuilding the temple]. They were greatly encouraged by the messages that the prophets Haggai and Zechariah preached. The Israelis continued building the temple, just like God had commanded them to do and like King Cyrus had decreed.

and be gray Jew [the] to build and to prosper in/on/with prophesying Haggai (prophet [the] *QK) and Zechariah son: child Iddo and to build and to complete from command god Israel and from command Cyrus and Darius and Artaxerxes king Persia

15 They finished building it on March 12, during the sixth year that King Darius [ruled].

and to bring forth house [the] this till day three to/for month Adar that he/she/it year six to/for kingdom Darius king [the]

16 Then the priests and the Levites and all the other Israeli people who had returned from Babylon very joyfully dedicated the temple.

and to make son: descendant/people Israel priest [the] and Levite [the] and remainder son: type of captivity [the] dedication house god [the] this in/on/with joy

17 During [the ceremony to] dedicate the temple, they sacrificed 100 young bulls, 200 rams, and 400 lambs. They also sacrificed twelve male goats as an offering in order that [God would forgive] the sins of the people of the twelve tribes of Israel.

and to approach to/for dedication house god [the] this bullock hundred ram hundred lamb four hundred and male goat goat (to/for sin offering *QK) since all Israel two ten to/for number tribe Israel

18 Then the priests and Levites were divided into groups that would [take turns to] serve at the temple. They did this according to what Moses had written [many years previously] in the laws [that he wrote].

and to stand: establish priest [the] in/on/with division their and Levite [the] in/on/with class their since service god [the] that in/on/with Jerusalem like/as inscription scroll Moses

19 On April 21, the Jews who had returned from Babylon celebrated the Passover Festival.

and to make: do son: type of [the] captivity [obj] [the] Passover in/on/with four ten to/for month [the] first

20 [To qualify themselves for offering the sacrifices], the priests and Levites had already purified themselves by performing certain rituals. Then they slaughtered the lambs for the benefit of all the people who had returned from Babylon, for the other priests, and for themselves.

for be pure [the] priest and [the] Levi like/as one all their pure and to slaughter [the] Passover to/for all son: type of [the] captivity and to/for brother: compatriot their [the] priest and to/for them

21 Those who had returned from Babylon and the other people in that land who had turned away from their immoral practices in order to worship Yahweh, the God of the Israeli people, ate the Passover meal.

and to eat son: descendant/people Israel [the] to return: return from [the] captivity and all [the] to separate from uncleanness nation [the] land: country/planet to(wards) them to/for to seek to/for LORD God Israel

22 They celebrated the Unleavened Bread Festival of [Eating] Unleavened Bread for seven days. The Israeli people throughout the land were joyful because Yahweh had changed the attitude of the king of Assyria toward them, and as a result, the king had helped them to rebuild the temple of God, the one whom they [worshiped].

and to make: do feast unleavened bread seven day in/on/with joy for to rejoice them LORD and to turn: turn heart king Assyria upon them to/for to strengthen: strengthen hand: themselves their in/on/with work house: temple [the] God God Israel