rd

Ezra 6

At the commandment of Darius King of Persia, after the Temple was builded and dedicate, the children of Israél keep the feast of unleavened bread.
1.Then *King Darius gave commandment, and they made search in the ^library of the treasures, which were there laid up in Babél.
2.And there was found in a acoffer (in the palace that was in the province of the Medes) a volume, and therein was it thus written, as a memorial,
3.IN THE FIRST year of King Cyrus, King Cyrus made a decree for the house of God in Jerusalém, Let the house be built, even the place where they offered sacrifices, and let the walls thereof be joined together: let the height thereof be three score cubits, and the breadth thereof three score cubits,
4.Three ^orders of ^great stones, and one order of timber, and let the expenses be given of the King’s house.
5.And also let them render the vessels of the house of God (of gold and silver, which Nebuchadnezzár took out of the Temple, which was in Jerusalém, and brought unto Babél) and let bhim go unto the Temple that is in Jerusalém to his place and put them in the house of God.
6.Therefore Tatnái captain beyond the River, and Shethár Boznái, (and their companions Apharsecaié, which are beyond the River) be ye far cfrom thence.
7.Suffer ye the work of this house of God, that the captain of the Jewes and the Elders of the Jewes may build this house of God in his place.
8.For I have given a commandment what ye shal do to the Elders of these Jewes for the building of this house of God, that of the revenues of the King, which is of the tribute beyond the River, there be incontinently expenses given unto these men that they dcease not.
10.That they may have to offer sweet odours unto the God of heaven, and pray for the King’s life, and for his sons.
11.And I have made a decree, that whosoever shal alter this sentence, the wood shal be pulled down from his house, and shalbe set up, and he shal be hanged thereon, and his house shal be made a dung hill for this.
12.And the God that hath caused his Name eto dwell there, destroy all Kings and people that put their hand to alter, and to destroy this house of God, which is in Jerusalém. I Darius have made a decree, let it be done with speed.
13.*Then Tatnái the captain beyond the River, and Shethár Boznái and their companions, according to that which Darius had sent, so they did speedily.
14.So the Elders of the Jewes builded, and they prospered by the prophecying of fHaggái the Prophet, and Zechariáh the son of Iddó, and they builded and finished it, by the appointment of the God of Israél, and by the commandment of Cyrus and Darius, and Artahsháshte King of Persia.
15.And this house was finished the third day of the month gAdar, which was hthe sixth year of the reign of King Darius.
16.¶ And the children of Israél, the Priests, and the Levites, and the residue 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 hundreth bullocks, two hundreth rams, four hundreth lambs and twelve goats, for the sin of all Israél, according to the number of the tribes of Israél.
18.And they set the Priests in their order, and the Levites in their courses over the service of God in Jerusalém, as it is written in the *book of Mosés.
19.And the children of the captivity kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month.
20.(For the Priests and the Levities were purified all together) and they killed the Passover for all the children of the captivity, and for their brethren the Priests, and for them selves.
21.So the children of Israél which were come again out of captivity, and all such as had iseparated them selves unto them, from the filthiness of the heathen of the land, to seek the Lord God of Israél, did eat,
22.And they kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with joy: for the Lord had made them glad, and turned the heart of the King of kAsshúr unto them, to ^encourage them in the work of the house of God, even the God of Israél.

Notes

1-*.
1 Esdr. 6.21.
1-^.
Ebr., house of books.
2-a.
Wherein were the acts of the Kings of Medes and Persians.
4-^.
Or, rows, or courses.
4-^-1.
Or, marble.
5-b.
Meaning, Zerubbabel, to whom he gives charge.
6-c.
Meddle not with them, neither hinder them.
8-d.
For lack of money.
12-e.
Who has appointed that place to have his name called upon there.
13-*.
1 Esdr. 7.1.
14-f.
Whom God stirred up to assure them that he would give their work good success.
15-g.
This is the twelfth month, and contains part of February and part of March.
15-h.
And the two and fortieth after their first return.
18-*.
Num. 3.6 and 8.9.
21-i.
Which were of the heathen and forsook their idolatry to worship the true God.
22-^.
Ebr to strengthen their hands.
22-k.
Meaning, Darius who was King of the Medes, Persians & Assyrians.