Ezra 6

Darius the Great discovers the decree of Cyrus concerning the rebuilding of the temple, leading him to issue a new mandate that both funds and protects the construction project until its completion. Upon finishing the temple, the Israelites celebrate the dedication and observe the Passover with joy.

• The discovery of the royal archives in Ecbatana (vv1-2)
• The validation of Cyrus's original decree (vv3-5)
• Darius mandates support, funding, and legal protection for the construction (vv6-12)
• The successful completion of the temple and its dedication (vv13-18)
• The observance of the Passover (vv19-22)

• Darius (H1868)
• Archives at Achmetha (H307)
• Temple dimensions: 60 cubits height and breadth
• Dedication sacrifices: 100 bullocks, 200 rams, 400 lambs, 12 sin-offering goats
• Prophetic involvement: Haggai and Zechariah (v14)
• Date of completion: Third day of the month Adar, sixth year of Darius

This passage confirms the fulfillment of the divine promise to rebuild the house of God, demonstrating that God is sovereign over earthly political systems (the Persian Empire) to secure the worship of His people.

God actively uses the civil and legal structures of the world to fulfill His covenant purposes for His people.

The narrative progresses from a legal search in the archives of a foreign kingdom to the physical completion of the temple, culminating in the spiritual restoration of Israelite worship.

• The house of God shall be built (implied by the decree in vv3-5)
• The Lord will destroy kings and people who alter the decree and destroy the house (v12)

• Let the house be builded (v3)
• Let the governor of the Jews and the elders of the Jews build this house (v7)
• Let it be given them day by day (v9)

• Whosoever shall alter this word, let timber be pulled down from his house... and let his house be made a dunghill (v11)

• Darius (דָּֽרְיָוֵשׁ H1868) reigned 522–486 BC. Achmetha (H307) was Ecbatana, a royal capital in Media.
• The term 'king of Assyria' used in verse 22 refers to the Persian king who now ruled the territory once held by the Assyrian Empire.

• Archives were critical for Persian rule; royal decrees (טְעֵם H2942) were immutable, explaining why searching the records effectively settled the legal dispute.

• This concludes the first section of Ezra, moving from the decree of Cyrus to the finished work of the Temple.

• Fulfills the restoration of the Temple predicted by prophets like Haggai and Zechariah. Matthew Henry observes that God uses 'instruments from whom such good service was not expected' to build His church, noting that the building of the temple is a type of the spiritual building of the church which God ensures will eventually be completed despite all opposition.

• Haggai 1-2 (The prophetic call for the work)
• Zechariah 1-8 (The prophetic vision accompanying the work)
• 2 Chronicles 36:22-23 (The historical backdrop of Cyrus's initial decree)

• Darius (דָּֽרְיָוֵשׁ H1868): A title used for several Persian kings.
• Decree (טְעֵם H2942): Properly 'flavor,' used figuratively for official judgment or account.
• Found (שְׁכַח H7912): To discover or locate an object or record.
• House (בַּיִת H1005): A flexible term for the Temple, a family unit, or a palace.
• Archives (סְפַר H5609): Specifically referring to the 'book' or scroll collection.

• The irony that the local governors who initially tried to stop the work (Tatnai and his companions) are forced by the king to pay for the materials and expenses from the tax revenue (v8).

• The reference to 'Artaxerxes' in v14 is historically complex; some scholars view it as a chronological summary including later Persian kings who maintained support for the Jewish province, while others note it as a potential dynastic reference.