1 T hen King Darius decreed, and a search was made in Babylonia in the house where the treasured records were stored.

Then Darius the king made a decree, and they sought in the house of the books of the treasuries placed there in Babylon,

2 A nd at Ecbatana in the capital in the province of Media, a scroll was found on which this was recorded:

and there hath been found at Achmetha, in a palace that in the province of Media, a roll, and a record thus written within it:

3 I n the first year of King Cyrus, made a decree: Concerning the house of God in Jerusalem, let the house, the place where they offer sacrifices, be built, and let its foundations be strongly laid, its height and its breadth each 60 cubits,

`In the first year of Cyrus the king, Cyrus the king hath made a decree concerning the house of God in Jerusalem: the house let be builded in the place where they are sacrificing sacrifices, and its foundations strongly laid; its height sixty cubits, its breadth sixty cubits;

4 W ith three courses of great stones and one course of new timber. Let the cost be paid from the royal treasury.

three rows of rolled stones, and a row of new wood, and the outlay let be given out of the king's house.

5 A lso let the gold and silver vessels of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took from the temple in Jerusalem and brought to Babylon, be restored and brought back to the temple in Jerusalem, each put in its place in the house of God.

`And also, the vessels of the house of God, of gold and silver, that Nebuchadnezzar took forth out of the temple that in Jerusalem, and brought to Babylon, let be given back, and go to the temple that in Jerusalem, to its place, and put down in the house of God.

6 N ow therefore, Tattenai, governor of the province the River, Shethar-bozenai, and your associates, the Apharsachites who are the River, keep far away from there.

`Now, Tatnai, governor beyond the river, Shethar-Boznai, and their companions, the Apharsachites, who beyond the river, be ye far from hence;

7 L eave the work on this house of God alone; let the governor and the elders of the Jews build this house of God on its site.

let alone the work of this house of God, let the governor of the Jews, and the elders of the Jews, build this house of God on its place.

8 M oreover, I make a decree as to what you shall do for these elders of the Jews for the rebuilding of this house of God: the cost is to be paid in full to these men at once from the king’s revenue, the tribute of the province the River, that they may not be hindered.

`And by me is made a decree concerning that which ye do with the elders of these Jews to build this house of God, that of the riches of the king, that of the tribute beyond the river, speedily let the outlay be given to these men, that they cease not;

9 A nd all they need, including young bulls, rams, and lambs for the burnt offerings to the God of heaven, and wheat, salt, wine, and oil, according to the word of the priests at Jerusalem, let it be given them each day without fail,

and what they are needing -- both young bullocks, and rams, and lambs for burnt-offerings to the God of heaven, wheat, salt, wine, and oil according to the saying of the priests who in Jerusalem -- let be given to them day by day without fail,

10 T hat they may offer pleasing sacrifices to the God of heaven and pray for the life of the king and his sons.

that they be bringing near sweet savours to the God of heaven, and praying for the life of the king, and of his sons.

11 A lso I make a decree that whoever shall change or infringe on this order, let a beam be pulled from his house and erected; then let him be fastened to it, and let his house be made a dunghill for this.

`And by me is made a decree, that any one who changeth this thing, let wood be pulled down from his house, and being raised up, let him be smitten on it, and his house let be made a dunghill for this.

12 M ay the God Who has caused His Name to dwell there overthrow all kings and peoples who put forth their hands to alter this or to destroy this house of God in Jerusalem. I Darius make a decree; let it be executed speedily and exactly.

And God, who caused His name to dwell there, doth cast down any king and people that putteth forth his hand to change, to destroy this house of God that in Jerusalem; I Darius have made a decree; speedily let it be done.'

13 T hen Tattenai, governor of the province this side of the River, with Shethar-bozenai and their associates, diligently did what King Darius had decreed.

Then Tatnai, governor beyond the river, Shethar-Boznai, and their companions, according to that which Darius the king hath sent, so they have done speedily;

14 A nd the elders of the Jews built and prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah son of Iddo. They finished their building as commanded by the God of Israel and by decree of Cyrus and Darius and Artaxerxes king of Persia.

and the elders of the Jews are building and prospering through the prophecy of Haggai the prophet, and Zechariah son of Iddo, and they have built and finished by the decree of the God of Israel, and by the decree of Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia.

15 A nd this house was finished on the third day of the month of Adar, in the sixth year of the reign of King Darius.

And this house hath gone out till the third day of the month Adar, that is the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king.

16 A nd the Israelites—the priests, the Levites, and the rest of the returned exiles—celebrated the dedication of this house of God with joy.

And the sons of Israel have made, the priests, and the Levites, and the rest of the sons of the captivity, a dedication of this house of God with joy,

17 T hey offered at the dedication of this house of God 100 young bulls, 200 rams, 400 lambs, and, for a sin offering for all Israel, 12 he-goats, according to the number of Israel’s tribes.

and have brought near for the dedication of this house of God, bullocks a hundred, rams two hundred, lambs four hundred; and young he-goats for a sin-offering for all Israel, twelve, according to the number of the tribes of Israel;

18 A nd they set the priests in their divisions and the Levites in their courses for the service of God at Jerusalem, as it is written in the Book of Moses.

and they have established the priests in their divisions, and the Levites in their courses, over the service of God that in Jerusalem, as it is written in the book of Moses.

19 T he returned exiles kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month.

And the sons of the captivity make the passover on the fourteenth of the first month,

20 F or the priests and the Levites had purified themselves together; all of them were clean. So they killed the Passover lamb for all the returned exiles, for their brother priests, and for themselves.

for the priests and the Levites have been purified together -- all of them pure -- and they slaughter the passover for all the sons of the captivity, and for their brethren the priests, and for themselves.

21 I t was eaten by the Israelites who had returned from exile and by all who had joined them and separated themselves from the pollutions of the peoples of the land to seek the Lord, the God of Israel.

And the sons of Israel, those returning from the captivity, and every one who is separated from the uncleanness of the nations of the land unto them, to seek to Jehovah, God of Israel, do eat,

22 T hey kept the Feast of Unleavened Bread for seven days with joy, for the Lord had made them joyful and had turned the heart of the king of Assyria to them, so that he strengthened their hands in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel.

and they make the feast of unleavened things seven days with joy, for Jehovah made them to rejoice, and turned round the heart of the king of Asshur unto them, to strengthen their hands in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel.