Ezra6

King Darius discovers Cyrus's original decree authorizing the rebuilding of the Jerusalem temple. Darius reaffirms this decree, ordering royal funds for the construction and forbidding any hindrance to the work. Consequently, the temple is speedily completed and joyfully dedicated by the Jewish people, who also observe Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread.

Darius Searches for Cyrus's Decree

Daryavesh the king issued an order; and search was made in the archives building, where treasures were stored in Bavel;

and there was found at Achm'ta, in the palace which is in the province of Media, a scroll on which was written the following: "Memorandum:

"In the first year of Koresh the king, Koresh the king issued this decree: 'Concerning the house of God in Yerushalayim, let the house be rebuilt, the place where they offer sacrifices; and let its foundations be firmly laid. Its height is to be ninety feet and its breadth ninety feet,

with three rows of large stones and one row of new timber. The expenses are to be charged to the king's treasury.

Also let the gold and silver articles belonging to the house of God, which N'vukhadnetzar removed from the temple at Yerushalayim and brought to Bavel, be restored and returned to the temple in Yerushalayim, each item to its place; and you are to put them in the house of God.'

Darius Confirms the Decree and Provides Funds

"Therefore, Tatnai governor of the territory beyond the River, Sh'tar-Boznai and your colleagues the officials beyond the River, stay away from there!

Let the work of this house of God alone. Let the governor of the Judeans and the leaders of the Judeans rebuild this house of God on its site.

"Moreover, I herewith issue this order concerning how you are to assist these leaders of the Judeans in rebuilding this house of God: the expenses of these men are to be defrayed promptly from the royal funds, from the taxes collected beyond the River, so that the work can continue.

Whatever they need - young bulls, rams and lambs - for burnt offerings to the God of heaven, wheat, salt, wine and olive oil, according to what the cohanim in Yerushalayim say, is to be given them daily without fail;

so that they can offer sacrifices with a fragrant aroma to the God of heaven and pray for the life of the king and his sons.

"I also order that if anyone defies this order, a beam is to be pulled from his house; and he is to be lifted up and impaled on it. His house is to be reduced to rubble.

May the God who has caused his name to be there overthrow any king or people that tries to defy it and destroy this house of God in Yerushalayim. "I, Daryavesh, have issued this order. Let it be carried out to the letter."

Completion of the Temple

Then Tatnai the governor of the territory beyond the [Euphrates] River, Sh'tar-Boznai and their colleagues obeyed strictly; because Daryavesh the king had given the order to do so.

The leaders of the Judeans made good progress with the rebuilding, thanks to the prophesying of Hagai the prophet and Z'kharyah the son of 'Iddo. They kept building until they were finished, in keeping with the command of the God of Isra'el and in accordance with the order of Koresh, Daryavesh and Artach'shashta king of Persia.

This house was finished on the third day of the month Adar, in the sixth year of the reign of Daryavesh the king.

Dedication and Passover Celebration

The people of Isra'el, the cohanim, the L'vi'im and the other people from the exile joyfully dedicated this house of God.

At the dedication of this house of God they offered 100 young bulls, 200 rams, 400 lambs, and, as a sin offering for all Isra'el, twelve male goats, corresponding to the number of the tribes of Isra'el.

Then they installed the cohanim in their divisions and the L'vi'im in their orders for the service of God in Yerushalayim, as written in the book of Moshe.

The people from the exile kept Pesach on the fourteenth day of the first month.

For the cohanim and L'vi'im had purified themselves together; all of them were pure. So they slaughtered the Pesach lambs for all the people from the exile and for their kinsmen the cohanim and for themselves.

The people of Isra'el who had returned from the exile and all those who had renounced the filthy practices of the nations living in the land in order to seek ADONAI the God of Isra'el, ate [the Pesach lamb]

and joyfully kept the feast of matzah for seven days; for ADONAI had filled them with joy by turning the heart of the king of Ashur toward them, so that he assisted them in the work of the house of God, the God of Isra'el.

Study Notes for Ezra 6

Verse 1

Darius’s action demonstrates the efficiency and importance of the centralized record-keeping system maintained by the Persian Empire, even across vast territories.

Verse 2

Achmetha (Ecbatana) was the summer capital of the Medes and Persians. Finding the original decree here suggests Cyrus may have issued it early in his reign while traveling the empire.

Verse 3

The specified dimensions (60x60 cubits) are large, confirming Cyrus’s generous intent and providing a legal basis to counter the claims of the local adversaries who had questioned the scope of the project.

Verse 5

The mandated return of the sacred vessels signifies the reversal of Babylonian conquest and is a physical sign of God fulfilling his promise to restore his presence among his people.

Verse 6

Darius addresses the officials who had earlier attempted to halt the work (Ezra 5:3), commanding them to immediately withdraw and cease all interference with the temple rebuilding.

Verse 8

Crucially, Darius mandates that the required funds be drawn directly from the royal treasury, specifically the tribute collected from the very region where the opposition resided ('beyond the river').

Verse 10

The requirement to pray for the king demonstrates the Persian policy of religious tolerance, viewing the God of Israel as a powerful deity whose favor protected the stability of the empire.

Verse 11

The extreme penalty (impaling and house demolition) underscores the seriousness of the decree and serves as a powerful deterrent against future administrative interference.

Verse 12

Darius’s decree ends with a curse, invoking the power of the God of Israel to protect the temple, effectively aligning Persian imperial law with divine authority.

Verse 13

The immediate and speedy compliance of the local officials shows the absolute authority of the Persian monarch, ensuring the work could proceed without further hindrance.

Verse 14

This verse credits the successful completion not only to the decrees of three Persian kings but primarily to the prophetic encouragement of Haggai and Zechariah, highlighting the divine initiative.

Verse 15

The temple was finished in March 515 BC, approximately four and a half years after the work resumed and about 70 years after the destruction of the first temple by Babylon (586 BC).

Verse 16

The dedication marked the official reconsecration of the site and the establishment of worship, signifying the restoration of the covenant community.

Verse 17

The offering of twelve he-goats for a sin offering symbolized atonement for all twelve tribes of Israel, emphasizing the unity of the people despite the historical division of the kingdoms.

Verse 18

The organization of the priests and Levites into divisions and courses was essential for restoring the proper, mandated structure of worship as detailed in the Law of Moses.

Verse 19

The observance of Passover marked the communal purification and remembrance of God's redemption, linking the returning exiles to the foundational identity of Israel.

Verse 21

Those who 'separated themselves' were non-Israelites who had committed fully to the worship of Yahweh alongside the returnees, demonstrating the openness of the restored community to genuine converts.

Verse 22

Referring to Darius as 'the king of Assyria' is a common biblical usage, generalizing the title of the ruler of the dominant Mesopotamian empire. The Lord had sovereignly shifted this ruler’s heart to bless Israel.

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Ezra6

Darius Searches for Cyrus's Decree

Darius Confirms the Decree and Provides Funds

Completion of the Temple

Dedication and Passover Celebration

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