Ezra 6

The Decree of Darius

1 Then King Darius issued a decree, a and a search was made in the 1 archives, where the treasures were stored in Babylon. 2 And at 2 Achmetha, 2 in the palace that is in the province of b Media, a scroll was found, and in it a record was written thus: 3 In the first year of King Cyrus, King Cyrus issued a c decree concerning the house of God at Jerusalem: "Let the house be rebuilt, the place where they offered sacrifices; and let the foundations of it be firmly laid, its height sixty cubits and its width sixty cubits, 4 d with three rows of heavy stones and one row of new timber. Let the e expenses be paid from the king's treasury. 5 Also let f the gold and silver articles of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took from the temple which is in Jerusalem and brought to Babylon, be restored and taken back to the temple which is in Jerusalem, each to its place; and deposit them in the house of God" -

6 g Now therefore, Tattenai, governor of the region beyond the River, and ShetharBoz'nai, and your companions the Persians who are beyond the River, keep yourselves far from there. 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 on its site. 8 Moreover I issue a decree as to what you shall do for the elders of these Jews, for the building of this 4 house of God: Let the cost be paid at the king's expense from taxes on the region beyond the River; this is to be given immediately to these men, so that they are not hindered. 9 And whatever they need - young bulls, rams, and lambs for the burnt offerings of the God of heaven, wheat, salt, wine, and oil, according to the request of the priests who are in Jerusalem - let it be given them day by day without fail, 10 h that they may offer sacrifices of sweet aroma to the God of heaven, and pray for the life of the king and his sons. 11 Also I issue a decree that whoever alters this edict, let a timber be pulled from his house and erected, and let him be hanged on it; i and let his house be made a refuse heap because of this. 12 And may the God who causes His j name to dwell there destroy any king or people who put their hand to alter it, or to destroy this 5 house of God which is in Jerusalem. I Darius issue a decree; let it be done diligently.

The Temple Finished and Dedicated

13 Then Tattenai, governor of the region beyond the River, ShetharBoz'nai, and their companions diligently did according to what King Darius had sent. 14 k So the elders of the Jews built, and they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they built and finished it, according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the 6 command of l Cyrus, m Darius, and n Artaxerxes king of Persia. 15 Now the temple was finished on the third day of the month of Adar, which was in the sixth year of the reign of King Darius.

16 Then the children of Israel, the priests and the Levites and the rest of the descendants of the captivity, celebrated o the dedication of this 7 house of God with joy. 17 And they p offered sacrifices at the dedication of this house of God, one hundred bulls, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs, and as a sin offering for all Israel twelve male goats, according to the number of the tribes of Israel. 18 They assigned the priests to their q divisions and the Levites to their r divisions, over the service of God in Jerusalem, s as it is written in the Book of Moses.

Passover Celebrated

19 8 And the descendants of the captivity kept the Passover t on the fourteenth day of the first month. 20 For the priests and the Levites had u purified themselves; all of them were ritually clean. And they v slaughtered the Passover lambs for all the descendants of the captivity, for their brethren the priests, and for themselves. 21 Then the children of Israel who had returned from the captivity ate together with all who had separated themselves from the w filth 9 of the nations of the land in order to seek the LORD God of Israel. 22 And they kept the x Feast of Unleavened Bread seven days with joy; for the LORD made them joyful, and y turned the heart z of the king of Assyria toward them, to strengthen their hands in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel.

  1. Cross References
    Ezra 5:17
    Now therefore, if it seems good to the king, let a search be made in the king's treasure house, which is there in Babylon, whether it is so that a decree was issued by King Cyrus to build this house of God at Jerusalem, and let the king send us his pleasure concerning this matter.
  2. Cross References
    2 Kings 17:6
    In the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of Assyria took Samaria and carried Israel away to Assyria, and placed them in Halah and by the Habor, the River of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes.
  3. Cross References
    Ezra 1:1
    Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and also put it in writing, saying.
    Ezra 5:13
    However, in the first year of Cyrus king of Babylon, King Cyrus issued a decree to build this house of God.
  4. Cross References
    1 Kings 6:36
    And he built the inner court with three rows of hewn stone and a row of cedar beams.
  5. Cross References
    Ezra 3:7
    They also gave money to the masons and the carpenters, and food, drink, and oil to the people of Sidon and Tyre to bring cedar logs from Lebanon to the sea, to Joppa, according to the permission which they had from Cyrus king of Persia.
  6. Cross References
    Ezra 1:7
    King Cyrus also brought out the articles of the house of the LORD, which Nebuchadnezzar had taken from Jerusalem and put in the temple of his gods.
    Ezra 1:8
    And Cyrus king of Persia brought them out by the hand of Mithredath the treasurer, and counted them out to Sheshbazzar the prince of Judah.
    Ezra 5:14
    Also, the gold and silver articles of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple that was in Jerusalem and carried into the temple of Babylon - those King Cyrus took from the temple of Babylon, and they were given to one named Sheshbazzar, whom he had made governor.
  7. Cross References
    Ezra 5:3
    At the same time Tattenai the governor of the region beyond the River and ShetharBoz'nai and their companions came to them and spoke thus to them: "Who has commanded you to build this temple and finish this wall?
    Ezra 5:6
    This is a copy of the letter that Tattenai sent: The governor of the region beyond the River, and ShetharBoz'nai, and his companions, the Persians who were in the region beyond the River, to Darius the king.
  8. Cross References
    Ezra 7:23
    Whatever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it diligently be done for the house of the God of heaven. For why should there be wrath against the realm of the king and his sons?
    Jeremiah 29:7
    And seek the peace of the city where I have caused you to be carried away captive, and pray to the LORD for it; for in its peace you will have peace.
    1 Timothy 2:1
    Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men.
    1 Timothy 2:2
    For kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.
  9. Cross References
    Daniel 2:5
    The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, "My decision is firm: if you do not make known the dream to me, and its interpretation, you shall be cut in pieces, and your houses shall be made an ash heap.
    Daniel 3:29
    "Therefore I make a decree that any people, nation, or language which speaks anything amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and AbedNego' shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made an ash heap; because there is no other God who can deliver like this."
  10. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 12:5
    But you shall seek the place where the LORD your God chooses, out of all your tribes, to put His name for His dwelling place; and there you shall go.
    Deuteronomy 12:11
    Then there will be the place where the LORD your God chooses to make His name abide. There you shall bring all that I command you: your burnt offerings, your sacrifices, your tithes, the heave offerings of your hand, and all your choice offerings which you vow to the LORD.
    1 Kings 9:3
    And the LORD said to him: "I have heard your prayer and your supplication that you have made before Me; I have consecrated this house which you have built to put My name there forever, and My eyes and My heart will be there perpetually.
  11. Cross References
    Ezra 5:1
    Then the prophet Haggai and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophets, prophesied to the Jews who were in Judah and Jerusalem, in the name of the God of Israel, who was over them.
    Ezra 5:2
    So Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Jeshua the son of Jozadak rose up and began to build the house of God which is in Jerusalem; and the prophets of God were with them, helping them.
  12. Cross References
    Ezra 1:1
    Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and also put it in writing, saying.
    Ezra 5:13
    However, in the first year of Cyrus king of Babylon, King Cyrus issued a decree to build this house of God.
    Ezra 6:3
    In the first year of King Cyrus, King Cyrus issued a decree concerning the house of God at Jerusalem: "Let the house be rebuilt, the place where they offered sacrifices; and let the foundations of it be firmly laid, its height sixty cubits and its width sixty cubits.
  13. Cross References
    Ezra 4:24
    Thus the work of the house of God which is at Jerusalem ceased, and it was discontinued until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.
    Ezra 6:12
    And may the God who causes His name to dwell there destroy any king or people who put their hand to alter it, or to destroy this house of God which is in Jerusalem. I Darius issue a decree; let it be done diligently.
  14. Cross References
    Ezra 7:1
    Now after these things, in the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra the son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah.
    Ezra 7:11
    This is a copy of the letter that King Artaxerxes gave Ezra the priest, the scribe, expert in the words of the commandments of the LORD, and of His statutes to Israel:
    Nehemiah 2:1
    And it came to pass in the month of Nisan, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was before him, that I took the wine and gave it to the king. Now I had never been sad in his presence before.
  15. Cross References
    1 Kings 8:63
    And Solomon offered a sacrifice of peace offerings, which he offered to the LORD, twenty-two thousand bulls and one hundred and twenty thousand sheep. So the king and all the children of Israel dedicated the house of the LORD.
    2 Chronicles 7:5
    King Solomon offered a sacrifice of twenty-two thousand bulls and one hundred and twenty thousand sheep. So the king and all the people dedicated the house of God.
  16. Cross References
    Ezra 8:35
    The children of those who had been carried away captive, who had come from the captivity, offered burnt offerings to the God of Israel: twelve bulls for all Israel, ninety-six rams, seventy-seven lambs, and twelve male goats as a sin offering. All this was a burnt offering to the LORD.
  17. Cross References
    1 Chronicles 24:1
    Now these are the divisions of the sons of Aaron. The sons of Aaron were Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.
    2 Chronicles 35:5
    And stand in the holy place according to the divisions of the fathers' houses of your brethren the lay people, and according to the division of the father's house of the Levites.
  18. Cross References
    1 Chronicles 23:6
    Also David separated them into divisions among the sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
  19. Cross References
    Numbers 3:6
    Bring the tribe of Levi near, and present them before Aaron the priest, that they may serve him.
    Numbers 8:9
    And you shall bring the Levites before the tabernacle of meeting, and you shall gather together the whole congregation of the children of Israel.
  20. Cross References
    Exodus 12:6
    Now you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month. Then the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it at twilight.
  21. Cross References
    2 Chronicles 29:34
    But the priests were too few, so that they could not skin all the burnt offerings; therefore their brethren the Levites helped them until the work was ended and until the other priests had sanctified themselves, for the Levites were more diligent in sanctifying themselves than the priests.
    2 Chronicles 30:15
    Then they slaughtered the Passover lambs on the fourteenth day of the second month. The priests and the Levites were ashamed, and sanctified themselves, and brought the burnt offerings to the house of the LORD.
  22. Cross References
    2 Chronicles 35:11
    And they slaughtered the Passover offerings; and the priests sprinkled the blood with their hands, while the Levites skinned the animals.
  23. Cross References
    Ezra 9:11
    Which You commanded by Your servants the prophets, saying, 'The land which you are entering to possess is an unclean land, with the uncleanness of the peoples of the lands, with their abominations which have filled it from one end to another with their impurity.
  24. Cross References
    Exodus 12:15
    Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread. On the first day you shall remove leaven from your houses. For whoever eats leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that person shall be cut off from Israel.
    Exodus 13:6
    Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, and on the seventh day there shall be a feast to the LORD.
    Exodus 13:7
    Unleavened bread shall be eaten seven days. And no leavened bread shall be seen among you, nor shall leaven be seen among you in all your quarters.
    2 Chronicles 30:21
    So the children of Israel who were present at Jerusalem kept the Feast of Unleavened Bread seven days with great gladness; and the Levites and the priests praised the LORD day by day, singing to the LORD, accompanied by loud instruments.
    2 Chronicles 35:17
    And the children of Israel who were present kept the Passover at that time, and the Feast of Unleavened Bread for seven days.
  25. Cross References
    Ezra 7:27
    Blessed be the LORD God of our fathers, who has put such a thing as this in the king's heart, to beautify the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem.
    Proverbs 21:1
    The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, Like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes.
  26. Cross References
    2 Kings 23:29
    In his days Pharaoh Necho king of Egypt went to the aid of the king of Assyria, to the River Euphrates; and King Josiah went against him. And Pharaoh Necho killed him at Megiddo when he confronted him.
    2 Chronicles 33:11
    Therefore the LORD brought upon them the captains of the army of the king of Assyria, who took Manasseh with hooks, bound him with bronze fetters, and carried him off to Babylon.
    Ezra 1:1
    Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and also put it in writing, saying.
    Ezra 6:1
    Then King Darius issued a decree, and a search was made in the archives, where the treasures were stored in Babylon.
New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
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