1Then[H116]Darius[H1868] the king[H4430]made[H7761] a decree[H2942], and search[H1240] was made[H7761] in the house[H1005] of the rolls[H5609], where[H8536] the treasures[H1596] were laid up[H5182] in Babylon[H895].
2
And there was found[H7912] at Achmetha[H307], in the palace[H1001] that is in the province[H4083] of the Medes[H4076], a[H2298]roll[H4040], and therein[H1459] was a[H2298]record[H1799]thus[H3652]written[H3790]:
3
In the first[H2298]year[H8140] of Cyrus[H3567] the king[H4430] the same Cyrus[H3567] the king[H4430]made[H7761] a decree[H2942] concerning the house[H1005] of God[H426] at Jerusalem[H3390], Let the house[H1005] be builded[H1124], the place[H870] where they offered[H1684]sacrifices[H1685], and let the foundations[H787] thereof be strongly laid[H5446]; the height[H7314] thereof threescore[H8361]cubits[H521], and the breadth[H6613] thereof threescore[H8361]cubits[H521];
4
With three[H8532]rows[H5073]of[H4481]great[H1560]stones[H69], and a row[H5073]of[H4481]new[H2323]timber[H636]: and let the expenses[H5313] be given[H3052] out of[H4481] the king's house[H1005]:
5
And also[H638] let the golden[H1722] and silver[H3702]vessels[H3984]of[H4481] the house[H1005]of[H4481]God[H426], which Nebuchadnezzar[H5020] took forth[H5312] out of[H4481] the temple[H1965] which is at Jerusalem[H3390], and brought[H2987] unto Babylon[H895], be restored[H8421], and brought[H2987]again[H1946] unto the temple[H1965] which is at Jerusalem[H3390], every one to his place[H870], and place[H5182] them in the house[H1005]of[H4481]God[H426].
6Now[H3705] therefore, Tatnai, governor[H6347]beyond[H5675] the river[H5103], Shetharboznai[H8370], and your companions[H3675] the Apharsachites[H671], which are beyond[H5675] the river[H5103], be ye[H1934]far[H7352]from[H4481]thence[H8536]:
7
Let the work[H5673] of this[H1791]house[H1005] of God[H426]alone[H7662]; let the governor[H6347] of the Jews[H3062] and the elders[H7868] of the Jews[H3062]build[H1124]this[H1791]house[H1005] of God[H426]in[H5922] his place[H870].
8
Moreover I[H4481]make[H7761] a decree[H2942]what[H3964] ye shall do[H5648]to[H5974] the elders[H7868]of[H1768]these[H479]Jews[H3062] for the building[H1124]of[H1768]this[H1791]house[H1005]of[H1768]God[H426]: that of[H1768] the king's goods[H5232], even of[H1768] the tribute[H4061]beyond[H5675] the river[H5103], forthwith[H629]expenses[H5313]be[H1934]given[H3052] unto these[H479]men[H1400], that they be[H1934]not[H3809]hindered[H989].
9
And that which[H4101] they have need of[H2818], both young[H1123]bullocks[H8450], and rams[H1798], and lambs[H563], for the burnt offerings[H5928]of[H2818] the God[H426]of[H2818]heaven[H8065], wheat[H2591], salt[H4416], wine[H2562], and oil[H4887], according to the appointment[H3983]of[H2818] the priests[H3549]which[H4101] are at Jerusalem[H3390], let it be[H1934]given[H3052] them day[H3118] by day[H3118]without[H3809]fail[H7960]:
10
That they may offer[H1934] sacrifices of sweet savours[H5208] unto the God[H426] of heaven[H8065], and pray[H6739] for the life[H2417] of the king[H4430], and of his sons[H1123].
11Also[H4481] I have made[H7761] a decree[H2942], that whosoever[H3606] shall alter[H8133]this[H1836]word[H6600], let timber[H636] be pulled down[H5256]from[H4481] his house[H1005], and being set up[H2211], let him be hanged[H4223]thereon[H5922]; and let his house[H1005] be made[H5648] a dunghill[H5122]for[H5922]this[H1836].
12
And the God[H426] that hath caused his name[H8036] to dwell[H7932]there[H8536]destroy[H4049]all[H3606]kings[H4430] and people[H5972], that shall put[H7972] to their hand[H3028] to alter[H8133] and to destroy[H2255]this[H1791]house[H1005] of God[H426] which is at Jerusalem[H3390]. I[H576]Darius[H1868] have made[H7761] a decree[H2942]; let it be done[H5648] with speed[H629].
13Then[H116] Tatnai, governor[H6347] on this side[H5675] the river[H5103], Shetharboznai[H8370], and their companions[H3675], according[H6903] to that which Darius[H1868] the king[H4430] had sent[H7972], so[H3660] they did[H5648]speedily[H629].
14
And the elders[H7868] of the Jews[H3062]builded[H1124], and they prospered[H6744] through the prophesying[H5017] of Haggai[H2292] the prophet[H5029] and Zechariah[H2148] the son[H1247] of Iddo[H5714]. And they builded[H1124], and finished[H3635] it, according[H4481] to the commandment[H2941] of the God[H426] of Israel[H3479], and according[H4481] to the commandment[H2942] of Cyrus[H3567], and Darius[H1868], and Artaxerxes[H783]king[H4430] of Persia[H6540].
15
And this[H1836]house[H1005]was[H1932]finished[H3319]on[H5705] the third[H8532]day[H3118] of the month[H3393]Adar[H144], which was[H1932] in the sixth[H8353]year[H8140] of the reign[H4437] of Darius[H1868] the king[H4430].
16
And the children[H1123] of Israel[H3479], the priests[H3549], and the Levites[H3879], and the rest[H7606] of the children[H1123] of the captivity[H1547], kept[H5648] the dedication[H2597] of this[H1836]house[H1005] of God[H426] with joy[H2305],
17
And offered[H7127] at the dedication[H2597] of this[H1836]house[H1005] of God[H426] an hundred[H3969]bullocks[H8450], two hundred[H3969]rams[H1798], four[H703]hundred[H3969]lambs[H563]; and for[H5922] a sin offering[H2402]for[H5922]all[H3606]Israel[H3479], twelve[H8648]he[H6841]goats[H5796], according to the number[H4510] of the tribes[H7625] of Israel[H3479].
18
And they set[H6966] the priests[H3549] in their divisions[H6392], and the Levites[H3879] in their courses[H4255], for[H5922] the service[H5673] of God[H426], which is at Jerusalem[H3390]; as it is written[H3792] in the book[H5609] of Moses[H4873].
19
And the children[H1121] of the captivity[H1473]kept[H6213] the passover[H6453] upon the fourteenth[H702] day of the first[H7223]month[H2320].
20
For the priests[H3548] and the Levites[H3881] were purified[H2891]together[H259], all of them were pure[H2889], and killed[H7819] the passover[H6453] for all the children[H1121] of the captivity[H1473], and for their brethren[H251] the priests[H3548], and for themselves.
21
And the children[H1121] of Israel[H3478], which were come again[H7725] out of captivity[H1473], and all such as had separated[H914] themselves unto them from the filthiness[H2932] of the heathen[H1471] of the land[H776], to seek[H1875] the LORD[H3068]God[H430] of Israel[H3478], did eat[H398],
22
And kept[H6213] the feast[H2282] of unleavened bread[H4682]seven[H7651]days[H3117] with joy[H8057]: for the LORD[H3068] had made them joyful[H8055], and turned[H5437] the heart[H3820] of the king[H4428] of Assyria[H804] unto them, to strengthen[H2388] their hands[H3027] in the work[H4399] of the house[H1004] of God[H430], the God[H430] of Israel[H3478].