Àzrah (Ezra) — 6

The Decree of Darius

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

2 And at Achmatha, in the palace that is in the province of Madia, a scroll was found, and in it a record was written thus:

3 In the first year of King Cyrus, he issued a decree concerning the house of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH at Yahushalam: “Let the house be rebuilt, the place where they offered sacrifices; and let the foundations of it be firmly laid, its height sixty cubits and its width sixty cubits, 

4 with three rows of heavy stones and one row of new timber. Let the expenses be paid from the king’s treasury. 

5 Also let the gold and silver articles of the house of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH, which Nabuchadnazzar took from the temple which is in Yahushalam and brought to Babylun, be restored and taken back to the temple which is in Yahushalam, each to its place; and deposit them in the house of 𐤀𐤋𐤅𐤄_ALUAH”

6 Now therefore, Tattanai, governor of the region beyond the River, and Shathar-Buznai, and your companions the Persians who are beyond the River, keep yourselves far from there. 

7 Let the work of this house of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH alone; let the governor of the Yahudym and the elders of the Yahudym build this house of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH on its site.

8 Moreover I issue a decree as to what you shall do for the elders of these Yahudym, for the building of this house of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH: Let the cost be paid at the king’s expense from taxes on the region beyond the River; this is to be given immediately to these men, so that they are not hindered. 

9 And whatever they need, young bulls, rams, and lambs for the burnt offerings of the 𐤀𐤋𐤅𐤄_ALUAH of Shamaym, wheat, salt, wine, and oil, according to the request of the Kuhanym who are in Yahushalam let it be given them day by day without fail, 

10 that they may offer sacrifices of sweet aroma to the 𐤀𐤋𐤅𐤄_ALUAH of Shamaym, and pray for the life of the king and his sons.

11 Also I issue a decree that whoever alters this edict, let a timber be pulled from his house and erected, and let him be hanged on it; and let his house be made a refuse heap because of this. 

12 And may the 𐤀𐤋𐤅𐤄_ALUAH who causes His Name to dwell there, destroy any king or people who put their hand to alter it, or to destroy this house of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH which is in Yahushalam. I Darius issue a decree; let it be done diligently.

The Temple Completed and Dedicated

13 Then Tattanai, governor of the region beyond the River, Shathar-Buznai, and their companions diligently did according to what King Darius had sent. 

14 So the elders of the Yahudym built, and they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the Nabym and Zacharayah the son of Iddu. And they built and finished it, according to the command of the 𐤀𐤋𐤅𐤄_ALUAH of Yashar'AL, and according to the command of Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxarxas king of Persia. 

15 Now the temple was finished on the third day of the month of Adar, which was in the sixth year of the reign of King Darius. 

16 Then the children of Yashar'AL, the Kuhanym and the Lauym and the rest of the descendants of the captivity, celebrated the dedication of this house of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH with joy. 

17 And they offered sacrifices at the dedication of the house of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH, one hundred bulls, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs, and as a sin offering for all Yashar'AL twelve male goats, according to the number of the tribes of Yashar'AL. 

18 They assigned the Kuhanym to their divisions and the Lauym to their divisions, over the service of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH in Yahushalam, as it is written in the Book of Musha.

The Pasakh (Passover) Celebrated

19 And the descendants of the captivity kept the Pasakh on the fourteenth day of the first month. 

20 For the Kuhanym and the Lauym had purified themselves; all of them were ritually clean. And they slaughtered the Passover lambs for all the descendants of the captivity, for their brethren the Kuhanym, and for themselves. 

21 Then the children of Yashar'AL who had returned from the captivity ate together with all who had separated themselves from the filth of the nations of the land in order to seek 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH  the 𐤀𐤋𐤅𐤄_ALUAH of Yashar'AL. 

22 And they kept the Feast of Unleavened Bread seven days with joy; for 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH made them joyful, and turned the heart of the king of Assyria toward them, to strengthen their hands in the work of the house of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH, the 𐤀𐤋𐤅𐤄_ALUAH of Yashar'AL.