 1 Then Darius the king made a decree, and search was made in the house of the scrolls, where the treasures were laid up in Babylon. 2 There was found at Achmetha, in the palace that was in the province of the Medes, a scroll. And in it was a record written thus: 3 In the first year of Cyrus the king, Cyrus the king made a decree concerning the house of God at Jerusalem. Let the house be built, the place where they offered sacrifices, and let the foundations of it be strongly laid. The height of it to be 60 cubits, and the width of it to be 60 cubits, 4 with three rows of great stones and a row of new timber. And let the expenses be given out of the king's house. 5 Also let the gold and silver vessels of the house of God that Nebuchadnezzar took out of the temple at Jerusalem, and brought to Babylon, be given back and brought again to the temple that is at Jerusalem, to their place, and place them in the house of God. 6 Tatnai, governor of the province Beyond the River, Shetharboznai, and your companions, the officials Beyond the River, keep away 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 in its place. 8 Also I make a decree as to what you must do to the elders of these Jews for the building of this house of God, that at once expense be given to these men from the king's goods, from the tax Beyond the River, so that they may not have to stop. 9 What they have need of, both young bulls and rams and lambs, for the burnt offerings of the God of Heaven, wheat, salt, wine, and oil, according to the choice of the priests at Jerusalem, let it be given them day by day without fail, 10 so that they may offer sacrifices of sweet savors to the God of Heaven, and pray for the life of the king and of his sons. 11 Also I have made a decree that whoever alters this word, let timber be pulled down from his house and be set up, and let him be hanged on it. Let his house be made a dunghill for this. 12 May the God who has caused His name to live there destroy all kings and people who put their hand to alter or to destroy this house of God that is at Jerusalem. I, Darius, have made a decree. Let it be done with speed. 13 Then Tatnai, governor of the province Beyond the River, Shetharboznai, and their companions, according to what Darius the king had sent, so they did speedily. 14 The elders of the Jews built and were blessed through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. They built and finished it according to the command of the God of Israel and according to the command of Cyrus and Darius and King Artaxerxes of Persia. 15 This house was finished on the third day of the month Adar, in the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king. 16 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 They offered at the dedication of this house of God 100 bulls, 200 rams, and 400 lambs. And for a sin offering for all Israel, 12 he goats, according to the number of the tribes of Israel. 18 They set the priests in their sections, and the Levites in their divisions, for the service of God who is at Jerusalem, as it is written in the book of Moses. 19 The children of the captivity kept the Passover on the fourteenth of the first month. 20 For the priests and the Levites were purified together, all of them pure. They slaughtered the Passover lamb for all the children of the captivity, and for their brothers the priests, and for themselves. 21 The children of Israel ate, all who had come again out of captivity, and all such as had separated themselves to them from the uncleanness of the nations of the land, in order to seek the Lord God of Israel. 22 They kept the Feast of Unleavened Bread seven days with joy. For the Lord had made them joyful, and had turned the heart of the king of Assyria to them, to make their hands strong in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel.
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