The In-Dept Study of the Bible
Esdras 06
1 Now *in the second year of the reign of
Darius, Aggaeus and Zacharius the son of†
Addo, the prophets, prophesied to the Jews
in Judea and Jerusalem in the name of the
Lord, the God of Israel.
2 Then Zorobabel the son of Salathiel
and Jesus the son of Josedek stood up and
began to build the house of the Lord at
Jerusalem, the prophets of the Lord being
with them and helping them.
3 *At the same time ‡Sisinnes the governor
of Syria and Phoenicia came to them,
with §Sathrabuzanes and his companions,
and said to them,
4 “By whose authority do you build this
house and this roof, and perform all the
other things? Who are the builders who do
these things?”
5 Nevertheless, the elders of the Jews
obtained favor, because the Lord had visited
the captives;
6 and they we renothindered from building until
such time as communication was made to Darius
concerning them, and his answer received.
7 A copy of the letter which Sisinnes,
governor of Syria and Phoenicia, and
Sathrabuzanes, with their companions,
the rulers in Syria and Phoenicia, wrote
and sent to Darius:
8 “To King Darius, greetings. Let it be
fully known to our lord the king, that having
come into the country ofJudea, and entered
into the city of Jerusalem, we found
in the city of Jerusalem the elders of the
Jews that were of the captivity
9 building a great new house for the Lord
of hewn and costly stones, with timber laid
in the walls.
10 Those works are being done withgreat
speed. The work goes on prosperously in
their hands, and it is being accomplished
with all glory and diligence.
11 Then asked we these elders, saying,
‘By whose authority are you building this
house and laying the foundations of these
works?’
12 Therefore, to the intent that we might
give knowledge to you by writing who
were the leaders, we questioned them, and
we required of them the names in writing
of their principal men.
13 So they gave us this answer, ‘We are
the servants of the Lord who made heaven
and earth.
14 As for this house, it was built many
years ago by a great and strong king of
Israel, and was finished.
15 But when our fathers sinned against
the Lord of Israel who is in heaven, and
provoked him to wrath, he gave them over
into the hands of King Nabuchodonosor of
Babylon, king of the Chaldeans.
16 They pulled down the house, burned
it, and carried away the people captive to
Babylon.
17 But in the first year that Cyrus reigned
over the country of Babylon, King Cyrus
wrote that this house should be rebuilt.
18 The holy vessels of gold and of silver
that Nabuchodonosor had carried away
out of the house at Jerusalem and had set
up in his own temple, those King Cyrus
brought out of the temple in Babylonia,
and they were delivered to Zorobabel and
to †Sanabassarus the governor,
19 with commandment that he should
carry away all these vessels, and put them
in the temple at Jerusalem, and that the
Lord’s temple should be built on its site.
20 Then Sanabassarus, having come
here, laid the foundations of the Lord’s
house which is in Jerusalem. From that
time to this we are still building. It is not
yet fully completed.’
21 Now therefore, if it seems good, O
king, let a search be made among the royal
archives of our lord the king that are in
Babylon.
22 If it is found that the building of the
house of the Lord which is in Jerusalem
has been done with the consent of King
Cyrus, and it seems good to our lord the
king, lethim sendus directions concerning
these things.”
23 *Then King Darius commanded that a
search be made among the archives that
were laid up at Babylon. So at Ekbatana
the palace, which is in the country of
Media, a scroll was found where these things
were recorded:
24 “In the first year of the reign of Cyrus,
King Cyrus commanded to build up the
house of the Lord which is in Jerusalem,
where they sacrifice with continual fire.
25 Its height shall be sixty cubits, and the
breadth sixty cubits, with three rows of
hewn stones, and one row of new wood
from that country. Its expenses are to be
given out of the house of King Cyrus.
26 The holy vessels of the house of
the Lord, both gold and silver, that
Nabuchodonosor took out of the house
at Jerusalem and carried away to Babylon,
should be restored to the house at
Jerusalem, and be set in the place where
they were before.”
27 Also he commanded that Sisinnes
the governor of Syria and Phoenicia, and
Sathrabuzanes, and their companions,
and those who were appointed rulers in
Syria and Phoenicia, should be careful
not to meddle with the place, but allow
Zorobabel, the servant of the Lord, and
governor of Judea, and the elders of the
Jews, to build that house of the Lord in its
place.
28 “I also command to have it built up
whole again; and that they look diligently
to help those who are of the captivity of
Judea, until the house of the Lord is finished,
29 and that out of the tribute of
Coelesyria and Phoenicia a portion shall
be carefully given to these men for the
sacrifices of the Lord, that is, to Zorobabel
the governor for bulls, rams, and lambs,
30 and also corn, salt, wine and oil, and
that continually every year without further
question, according as the priests who
are in Jerusalem may direct to be daily spent,
31 that drink offerings may be made to
the Most High God for the king and for his
children, and that they may pray for their
lives.”
32 He commanded that whoever should
transgress, yes, or neglect anything written
here, a beam shall be taken out of his
own house, and he shall be hanged on it,
and all his goods seized for the king.
33 “Therefore may the Lord, whose name
is called upon there, utterly destroy every
king and nation that stretches out his hand
to hinder or damage that house ofthe Lord
in Jerusalem.
34 I, King Darius have ordained that
these things be done with diligence.”