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 had men look through the books which were kept 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:

And in Ecbatana, the most important city in the land of Media, a book was found in which was written:

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 said that this was to be done about the house of God at Jerusalem: ‘Let the house of God, the place where burnt gifts are given in worship, be built again with a good base. It should be sixteen times taller than a man, and as wide as thirty long steps.

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.

There should be three very large stones laid on the top of each other, and then one large piece of wood laid. Let it be paid for from the king’s money.

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.

Let the gold and silver objects which Nebuchadnezzar took from the house of God in Jerusalem and brought to Babylon be returned to their places in the house of God in Jerusalem. You must 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;

“So now, Tattenai, leader over the land on the other side of the River, Shethar-bozenai, and your friends who are leaders in the lands on the other side of the River, stay 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 leaders of the Jews build this house of God again where it stood before.

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;

Also, I am making it known what you are to do for these leaders of Judah for the building of this house of God. All of it is to be paid for from the king’s money out of the taxes from the lands on the other side of the River. And waste no time to get it to them.

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,

Be sure to give them each day whatever is needed, young bulls, rams and lambs for a burnt gift to the God of heaven, and grain, salt, wine, and oil for pouring.

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.

This is so they may give pleasing gifts in worship 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.

I here make it known that if anyone does not do what I say, a piece of wood will be taken from his house and he will be nailed on it. And his house will become a place to gather waste.

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 be there take away the power of any king or people who will try to change what I have said, so as to destroy this house of God in Jerusalem. I, Darius, have told this to you. Let it be done with much care.” The House of God Is Set Apart for Use

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 leader over the land on the other side of the River, and Shethar-bozenai and their friends obeyed the words of the king with much care, just as King Darius had told them.

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.

The leaders of the Jews did well in building, through the words spoken by Haggai the man who spoke for God and Zechariah the son of Iddo. They finished building as they had been told to do by the God of Israel, and by 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.

The house of God was finished on the third day of the month of Adar, in the sixth year of the rule 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,

The people of Israel, the religious leaders, the Levites, and the rest of the people who returned from Babylon, set apart 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;

To set apart this house of God they gave 100 bulls, 200 rams, 400 lambs. For a sin gift for all Israel they gave twelve male goats, one for each number of the families 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 put the religious leaders and the Levites into groups by the work they were to do for God in Jerusalem, as it is written in the book of Moses. The Passover

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

The people who had returned from Babylon kept the Passover on the fourteenth day 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 religious leaders and the Levites had made themselves holy together. All of them were clean. Then they killed the Passover lamb for all the people, for their brothers the religious leaders, 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,

It was eaten by the people of Israel who returned from Babylon and all those who had separated themselves from the sin of the nations of the land to join them and to look for the Lord God of Israel.

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.

They kept the Special Supper of Bread Without Yeast for seven days with joy, for the Lord had made them very happy. He had turned the heart of the king of Assyria toward them to give them strength in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel.