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

Then King Darius issued a decree, and search was made in the archives, where the treasures were stored in Babylon.

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

In Ecbatana in the fortress, which is in the province of Media, a scroll was found and there was written in it as follows: “Memorandum—

3 ` 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;

In the first year of King Cyrus, Cyrus the king issued a decree: ‘ Concerning the house of God at Jerusalem, let the temple, the place where sacrifices are offered, be rebuilt and let its foundations be retained, its height being 60 cubits and its width 60 cubits;

4 t hree rows of rolled stones, and a row of new wood, and the outlay let be given out of the king's house.

with three layers of huge stones and one layer of timbers. And let the cost be paid from the royal treasury.

5 ` 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.

Also let the gold and silver utensils of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took from the temple in Jerusalem and brought to Babylon, be returned and brought to their places in the temple in Jerusalem; and you shall put them in the house of God.’

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

“Now therefore, Tattenai, governor of the province beyond the River, Shethar-bozenai and your colleagues, the officials of the provinces beyond the River, keep away from there.

7 l et 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.

Leave this work on the house of God alone; let the governor of the Jews and the elders of the Jews rebuild this house of God on its site.

8 ` 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;

Moreover, I issue a decree concerning what you are to do for these elders of Judah in the rebuilding of this house of God: the full cost is to be paid to these people from the royal treasury out of the taxes of the provinces beyond the River, and that without delay.

9 a nd 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,

Whatever is needed, both young bulls, rams, and lambs for a burnt offering to the God of heaven, and wheat, salt, wine and anointing oil, as the priests in Jerusalem request, it is to be given to them daily without fail,

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

that they may offer acceptable sacrifices to the God of heaven and pray for the life of the king and his sons.

11 ` 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.

And I issued a decree that any man who violates this edict, a timber shall be drawn from his house and he shall be impaled on it and his house shall be made a refuse heap on account of this.

12 A nd 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.'

May the God who has caused His name to dwell there overthrow any king or people who attempts to change it, so as to destroy this house of God in Jerusalem. I, Darius, have issued this decree, let it be carried out with all diligence!” The Temple Completed and Dedicated

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

Then Tattenai, the governor of the province beyond the River, Shethar-bozenai and their colleagues carried out the decree with all diligence, just as King Darius had sent.

14 a nd 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.

And the elders of the Jews were successful in building through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they finished building according to the command of the God of Israel and the decree of Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia.

15 A nd 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.

This temple was completed on the third day of the month Adar; it was the sixth year of the reign of King Darius.

16 A nd 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,

And the sons of Israel, the priests, the Levites and the rest of the exiles, celebrated the dedication of this house of God with joy.

17 a nd 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;

They offered for the dedication of this temple of God 100 bulls, 200 rams, 400 lambs, and as a sin offering for all Israel 12 male goats, corresponding to the number of the tribes of Israel.

18 a nd 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.

Then they appointed the priests to their divisions and the Levites in their orders for the service of God in Jerusalem, as it is written in the book of Moses. The Passover Observed

19 A nd the sons of the captivity make the passover on the fourteenth of the first month,

The exiles observed the Passover on the fourteenth of the first month.

20 f or 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.

For the priests and the Levites had purified themselves together; all of them were pure. Then they slaughtered the Passover lamb for all the exiles, both for their brothers the priests and for themselves.

21 A nd 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,

The sons of Israel who returned from exile and all those who had separated themselves from the impurity of the nations of the land to join them, to seek the Lord God of Israel, ate the Passover.

22 a nd 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.

And they observed the Feast of Unleavened Bread seven days with joy, for the Lord had caused them to rejoice, and had turned the heart of the king of Assyria toward them to encourage them in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel.