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 expences 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, Shethar-boznai, 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 expences 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, Shethar-boznai, 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.

1Then Darius the King made a decree, and search was made in the house of the rolles, where the treasures were laide vp in Babylon.

2And there was found at Achmetha, in the palace that is in the prouince of the Medes, a rolle, and therein was a record thus written:

3In the first yeere of Cyrus the king, the same Cyrus the king made a decree concerning the house of God at Ierusalem: Let the house be builded, the place where they offered sacrifices, and let the foundations thereof of be strongly laid, the height therof threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof threescore cubites:

4With three rowes of great stones, and a row of new timber: and let the expences bee giuen out of the kings house.

5And also let the golden, and siluer vessels of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar tooke foorth out of the temple which is at Ierusalem, and brought vnto Babylon, be restored, and brought againe vnto the temple which is at Ierusalem, euery one to his place, and place them in the house of God.

6Now therefore Tatnai, gouernour beyond the riuer, Shethar-Boznai, and your companions the Apharsachites, which are beyond the riuer, be ye farre from thence:

7Let the worke of this house of God alone, let the gouernour of the Iewes, and the elders of the Iewes, build this house of God in his place.

8Moreouer I make a decree, what ye shall doe to the Elders of these Iewes, for the building of this house of God: that of the kings goods, euen of the tribute beyond the riuer, forthwith expences be giuen vnto these men, that they be not hindered.

9And that which they haue need of, both yong bullocks, and rammes, and lambes, for the burnt offerings of the God of heauen, wheat, salt, wine, and oyle, according to the appoyment of the priests which are at Ierusalem, let it be giuen them, day by day without faile:

10That they may offer sacrifices of sweet sauours vnto the God of heauen, and pray for the life of the king, and of his sonnes.

11Also I haue made a decree, that whosoeuer shall alter this word, let timber be pulled down from his house, and being set vp, let him bee hanged thereon, and let his house bee made a doung hill for this.

12And 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 Ierusalem. I Darius haue made a decree, let it be done with speed.

13 Then Tatnai gouernour on this side the riuer, Shethar-Boznai, & their companions, according to that which Darius the king had sent, so they did speedily.

14And the elders of the Iewes builded, and they prospered, through the prophecying of Haggai the Prophet, and Zechariah the sonne of Iddo, and they builded, and finished it, according to the commandement of the God of Israel, and according to the commandement of Cyrus and Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia.

15And this honse was finished on the third day of the month Adar, which was in the sixt yere of the reigne of Darius the king.

16 And the children of Israel, the Priests and the Leuites, and the rest of the children of the captiuitie, kept the dedicatiō of this house of God, with ioy,

17And offered at the dedication of this house of God, an hundred bullockes, two hundred rammes, foure hundred lambes; and for a sinne offering for all Israel, twelue hee goates, according to the number of the tribes of Israel.

18And they set the Priests in their diuisions, and the Leuites in their courses, for the seruice of God, which is at Ierusalem, as it is written in the booke of Moses.

19And the children of the captiuitie kept the Passeouer, vpon the fourteenth day of the first moneth:

20For the Priestes and the Leuites were purified together, all of them were pure, and killed the Passeouer for all the children of the captiuitie, and for their brethren the Priests, and for themselues.

21And the children of Israel, which were come againe out of captiuitie, and all such as had separated themselues vnto them, from the filthinesse of the heathen of the land, to seeke the Lord God of Israel, did eate,

22And kept the feast of vnleauened bread seuen dayes, with ioy: for the Lord had made them ioyfull, and turned the heart of the king of Assyria vnto them, to strengthen their handes in the worke of the house of God, the God of Israel.

I == Ezra 5:17

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

IV == 1st Kings 6:36

 

V == Ezra 1:7-8 ; 5:14

 

 

 

 

 

VI == Ezra 5:3

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

X == Ezra 7:23 ; Jer 29:7 ; 1st Tim 2:1-2

 

XI ==Dan 2:5 ; 3:29

 

 

 

XII == 1st Kings 9:3

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

XIV == Ezra 1:1 ; 4:24 ; 5:1-2 , 13 ; 6:3 ; 7:1

 

 

 

 

 

 

XVI == 1st Kings 8:63 ; 2nd Chr 7:5

 

 

XVII == Ezra 8:35

 

 

 

XVIII == Num 3:6 ; 8:9 ; 1st Chr 23:6 ; 24:1

 

XIX == Ex 12:6

 

XX == 2nd Chr 30:15 ; 35:11

 

 

XXI == Ezra 9:11

 

 

 

XXII == Ex 12:15 ; 13:6 ; 2nd Kings 23:29 ; 2nd Chr 30:21 ; 33:11 ;35:17 ; Ezra 1:1 ; 6:6 ; Prov 21:1

1 Thereupon King Darius issued an order to search the archives in which the Babylonian records were stored away;

2 and in Ecbatana, the stronghold in the province of Media, a scroll was found containing the following text: "Memorandum.

3 In the first year of King Cyrus, King Cyrus issued a decree: The house of God in Jerusalem. The house is to be rebuilt as a place for offering sacrifices and bringing burnt offerings. Its height is to be sixty cubits and its width sixty cubits.

4 It shall have three courses of cut stone for each one of timber. The costs are to be borne by the royal palace.

5 Also, the gold and silver utensils of the house of God which Nebuchadnezzar took from the temple of Jerusalem and brought to Babylon are to be sent back: to be returned to their place in the temple of Jerusalem and deposited in the house of God.

6 "Now, therefore, Tattenai, governor of West-of-Euphrates, and Shethar-bozenai, and you, their fellow officials in West-of-Euphrates, do not interfere in that place.

7 Let the governor and the elders of the Jews continue the work on that house of God; they are to rebuild it on its former site.

8 I also issue this decree concerning your dealing with these elders of the Jews in the rebuilding of that house of God: From the royal revenue, the taxes of West-of-Euphrates, let these men be repaid for their expenses, in full and without delay.

9 Whatever else is required - young bulls, rams, and lambs for holocausts to the God of heaven, wheat, salt, wine, and oil, according to the requirements of the priests who are in Jerusalem - is to be delivered to them day by day without fail,

10 that they may continue to offer sacrifices of pleasing odor to the God of heaven and pray for the life of the king and his sons.

11 I also issue this decree: If any man violates this edict, a beam is to be taken from his house, and he is to be lifted up and impaled on it; and his house is to be reduced to rubble for this offense.

12 And may the God who causes his name to dwell there overthrow every king or people who may undertake to alter this or to destroy this house of God in Jerusalem. I, Darius, have issued this decree; let it be carefully executed."

13 Then Tattenai, the governor of West-of-Euphrates, and Shethar-bozenai, and their fellow officials carried out fully the instructions King Darius had sent them.

14 The elders of the Jews continued to make progress in the building, supported by the message of the prophets, Haggai and Zechariah, son of Iddo. They finished the building according to the command of the God of Israel and the decrees of Cyrus and Darius (and of Artaxerxes, king of Persia).

15 They completed this house on the third day of the month Adar, in the sixth year of the reign of King Darius.

16 The Israelites - priests, Levites, and the other returned exiles - celebrated the dedication of this house of God with joy.

17 For the dedication of this house of God, they offered one hundred bulls, two hundred rams, and four hundred lambs, together with twelve he-goats as a sin-offering for all Israel, in keeping with the number of the tribes of Israel.

18 Finally, they set up the priests in their classes and the Levites in their divisions for the service of God in Jerusalem, as is prescribed in the book of Moses.

19 The exiles kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month.

20 The Levites, every one of whom had purified himself for the occasion, sacrificed the Passover for the rest of the exiles, for their brethren the priests, and for themselves.

21 The Israelites who had returned from the exile partook of it together with all those who had separated themselves from the uncleanness of the peoples of the land to join them in seeking the LORD, the God of Israel.

22 They joyfully kept the feast of Unleavened Bread for seven days, for the LORD had filled them with joy by making the king of Assyria favorable to them, so that he gave them help in their work on the house of God, the God of Israel.

v 1,2. Darius had the search made which Tatnai had requested, and it must have taken considerable time, because it was not found at Babylon, but at Achmetha, 300 miles northeast of Babylon, at the palace where Cyrus had spent the summer of 538, the year he made the decree.

v 3-5. The decree not only ordered the temple to be built, but specified it was to be 90 feet high and 90 feet wide, on three rows of great stones, 5:4, and one of timbers. Not only were the gold and silver vessels to be retuned to the new temple, but the building cost was to come out of the royal treasury.

v 6-10. Tatnai  and associates were commanded to keep away and not interfere with the construction. Money from taxes on the west side of the Euphrates was to be used to finance the building project. The government was also to provide everything for daily sacrifices such as should be required by the priests, in return, requesting that they pray for the king and his sons. Compare our responsibility, 1 Tim. 2:1,2.

 

 

 

v 11,12. Darius added a decree that anyone who changed or infringed on this order should have a beam pulled from his house, set up, and the person impaled upon it’s pointed end. The house would be used only as a latrine. He also places a curse of God on anyone who will altar and destroy this temple. Some consider there are three who have who suffered under that curse:
[1] Antiochus Epiphanes desecrated it 167 BC and died insane in 3 years.
[2] Herod the Great, 37-4 BC, altered it to his own pride and had much domestic trouble and died of disease.
[3] Romans destroyed it 70 AD and their empire was later destroyed.

 

v 13-15. Tatnai’s meddling really backfired on him, compare Haman in Esther. However he responded quickly to fulfill all the demands of the decree. While the elders and others built, Zechariah and Haggai continued to preach and encourage them. The temple was completed according to the commands of Cyrus, Darius, and speaking of later construction of the wall, Neh. 2:1, 8 Artaxerxes king of Persia. Also specifically stated  as commanded by God. The temple was finished in Feb.- Mar. 515. 21 years after it was started in 536, and four and one half years after Haggai began prophesying. It was seventy and one half years after the temple had been destroyed Aug. 12, 586.

v 16-18. Jews who had remained in the land joined those who returned from captivity, along with priests and Levites in the dedication of the new temple. Not near as many animals sacrificed as at previous dedications, but there are fewer people. The people had learned a lesson in obedience from the captivity, and priests and Levites were set in their proper courses as commanded in Lev. 8 and Num. 3:5-10; 8:5-14.

v 19-22. They kept the Passover in the very next month, plus the seven day feast which followed, a total of eight days. It had not been kept for 70 years, but the priests and Levites were prepared and had sanctified themselves. Others participating were those that had come from captivity, those in the land who had kept separate from the wickedness around them. These may have included some Gentiles and Jews who had strayed but repented. They do not have their own theocracy, but they are thankful to live in favor of the king of Assyria and in peace.