Ezra6
New King James Version
1Then King Darius issued a decree, and a search was made in the archives, where the treasures were stored in Babylon.
2And at Achmetha, in the palace that is in the province of Media, a scroll was found, and in it a record was written thus:
3In the first year of King Cyrus, King Cyrus issued a decree concerning the house of God at Jerusalem: “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,
4with three rows of heavy stones and one row of new timber. Let the expenses be paid from the king’s treasury.
5Also let the gold and silver articles of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took from the temple which is in Jerusalem and brought to Babylon, be restored and taken back to the temple which is in Jerusalem, each to its place; and deposit them in the house of God”—
6Now therefore, Tattenai, governor of the region beyond the River, and Shethar-Boznai, and your companions the Persians who are beyond the River, keep yourselves far from there.
7Let the work of this house of God alone; let the governor of the Jews and the elders of the Jews build this house of God on its site.
8Moreover I issue a decree as to what you shall do for the elders of these Jews, for the building of this house of God: 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.
9And whatever they need—young bulls, rams, and lambs for the burnt offerings of the God of heaven, wheat, salt, wine, and oil, according to the request of the priests who are in Jerusalem—let it be given them day by day without fail,
10that they may offer sacrifices of sweet aroma to the God of heaven, and pray for the life of the king and his sons.
11Also 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.
12And may the God 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 God which is in Jerusalem. I Darius issue a decree; let it be done diligently.
13Then Tattenai, governor of the region beyond the River, Shethar-Boznai, and their companions diligently did according to what King Darius had sent.
14So the elders of the Jews built, and they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they built and finished it, according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the command of Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia.
15Now 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.
16Then the children of Israel, the priests and the Levites and the rest of the descendants of the captivity, celebrated the dedication of this house of God with joy.
17And they offered sacrifices at the dedication of this house of God, one hundred bulls, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs, and as a sin offering for all Israel twelve male goats, according to the number of the tribes of Israel.
18They assigned the priests to their divisions and the Levites to their divisions, over the service of God in Jerusalem, as it is written in the Book of Moses.
19And the descendants of the captivity kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month.
20For the priests and the Levites 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 priests, and for themselves.
21Then the children of Israel 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 the Lord God of Israel.
22And they kept the Feast of Unleavened Bread seven days with joy; for the Lord 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 God, the God of Israel.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Ezra 6.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: The decree for completing the temple. (1–12). The temple is finished. (13–22).
vv1-12
When God's time is come for fulfilling his gracious purposes concerning his church, he will raise up instruments to do it, from whom such good service was not expected. While our thoughts are directed to this event, we are led by Zechariah to fix our regard on a nobler, a spiritual building. The Lord Jesus Christ continues to lay one stone upon another: let us assist the great design. Difficulties delay the progress of this sacred edifice. Yet let not opposition discourage us, for in due season it will be completed to his abundant praise. He shall bring forth the head-stone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it.
vv13-22
The gospel church, that spiritual temple, is long in the building, but it will be finished at last, when the mystical body is completed. Every believer is a living temple, building up himself in his most holy faith: much opposition is given to this work by Satan and our own corruptions. We trifle, and proceed in it with many stops and pauses; but He that has begun the good work, will see it performed. Then spirits of just men will be made perfect. By getting their sins taken away, the Jews would free themselves from the sting of their late troubles. Their service was with joy. Let us welcome holy ordinances with joy, and serve the Lord with gladness.
Key Words
אֱדַיִן: then (of time)
דָּֽרְיָוֵשׁ: {Darejavesh, a title (rather than name) of several Persian kings}
מֶלֶךְ: a king
שׂוּם: {to put (used in a great variety of applications, literal, figurative, inferentially, and elliptically)}
טְעֵם: properly, flavor; figuratively, judgment (both subjective and objective); hence, account (both subjectively and objectively)
בְּקַר: {properly, to plough, or (generally) break forth, i.e. (figuratively) to inspect, admire, care for, consider}
בַּבֶל: {Babel (i.e. Babylon), including Babylonia and the Babylonian empire}
בַּיִת: {a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.)}
סְפַר: a book
תָּם: there
Cross References
Ezra 6Direct follow-up to the search requested in the archives at Babylon.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Darius's specified architectural pattern directly matches Solomon's temple layout.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Identifies the specific prophets Haggai and Zechariah who motivated the completion of the work.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Recalls the original capture and return of the sacred temple vessels.
Supported by Matthew Poole
New Testament parallel for offering prayers on behalf of secular rulers.
Supported by JFB
Parallels the severe Eastern dynastic penalty of turning a house into a dunghill/rubble.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Parallels Solomon's dedication of the first temple, though on a much grander scale.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Refers back to the historic first year of Cyrus when the original decree was made.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole
Confirms Cyrus restoring the temple vessels taken by Nebuchadnezzar.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Parallels the tribal dedication offerings of the Tabernacle under Moses.
Supported by JFB
God causing His name to dwell in the temple, echoing Solomon's dedication.
Supported by Matthew Poole
The formal post-exilic celebration of the Passover on the fourteenth day.
Supported by Matthew Henry
The priests and Levites purifying themselves in unison for the feast.
Supported by Matthew Henry
The division of the priests and Levites into courses for temple service.
Supported by JFB