The Decree of Cyrus Is Found
Study note
King Darius ordered a search of the royal archives. The original scroll was found not in Babylon but in the fortress city of Ecbatana in the province of Media. The decree confirmed everything the Jewish elders had said. Cyrus had ordered the temple to be rebuilt at royal expense and had specified its dimensions. He also ordered the return of the gold and silver items Nebuchadnezzar had taken.
1 King Darius ordered a search of the records building in Babylon. That is where the state papers were kept. Then Darius the king made a decree, and search was made in the house of the rolls, where the treasures were laid up in Babylon.
2 They discovered a scroll at the fortress of Ecbatana in the province of Media. This is what it said: And there was found at Achmetha, in the palace that is in the province of the Medes, a roll, and therein was a record thus written:
3 "In King Cyrus's first year, he ordered the following about the temple in Jerusalem: The temple is to be rebuilt as a place for offering sacrifices. Its foundation must be securely laid. It should be ninety feet tall and ninety feet wide. In the first year of Cyrus the king the same Cyrus the king made a decree concerning the house of God at Jerusalem, Let the house be builded, the place where they offered sacrifices, and let the foundations thereof be strongly laid; the height thereof threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof threescore cubits;
4 "It should have three layers of large stones topped by one layer of new timber. All costs will come from the royal treasury. With three rows of great stones, and a row of new timber: and let the expenses be given out of the king's house:
5 "Also, every gold and silver item that Nebuchadnezzar took from the Jerusalem temple and brought to Babylon must be sent back. Each piece must be returned to its proper place in God's temple." And also let the golden and silver vessels of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took forth out of the temple which is at Jerusalem, and brought unto Babylon, be restored, and brought again unto the temple which is at Jerusalem, every one to his place, and place them in the house of God.
Darius Orders Support for the Builders
Study note
King Darius went beyond simply allowing the work. He ordered Governor Tatnai and the other officials to stay away from the builders. He also commanded that the building costs be paid from the royal tax money collected in the region. Darius provided animals and supplies for sacrifices and added a stern warning: anyone who changed his order would have a beam pulled from their own house and be impaled on it. Even this pagan king recognized the power of the God whose name lived in that temple.
6 "So, Tatnai, chief west of the Euphrates, and Shethar-bozenai, and your aides in that area -- stay away from the project." Now therefore, Tatnai, governor beyond the river, Shethar-boznai, and your companions the Apharsachites, which are beyond the river, be ye far from thence:
7 "Do not interfere with the work on God's temple. Let the Jewish governor and elders rebuild it on its original site. Let 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 in his place.
8 "Furthermore, I order you to pay the full construction costs for these Jewish elders from the tax revenue collected west of the Euphrates. Pay them without delay so the work keeps moving. Moreover I make a decree what ye shall do to the elders of these Jews for the building of this house of God: that of the king's goods, even of the tribute beyond the river, forthwith expenses be given unto these men, that they be not hindered.
9 "Supply the priests in Jerusalem with whatever they need each day -- young bulls, rams, lambs for burnt offerings to the God of heaven, plus wheat, salt, wine, and olive oil. Do not miss a single day. And that which they have need of, both young bullocks, and rams, and lambs, for the burnt offerings of the God of heaven, wheat, salt, wine, and oil, according to the appointment of the priests which are at Jerusalem, let it be given them day by day without fail:
10 "This way, they can offer sacrifices that please the God of heaven and pray for the well-being of the king and his sons. That they may offer sacrifices of sweet savours unto the God of heaven, and pray for the life of the king, and of his sons.
11 "I also decree: if anyone tampers with this order, a beam will be ripped from their house and they will be impaled on it. Their house will be knocked flat. Also I have made a decree, that whosoever shall alter this word, let timber be pulled down from his house, and being set up, let him be hanged thereon; and let his house be made a dunghill for this.
12 "May the God who chose Jerusalem as his dwelling place overthrow any king or nation that dares to alter this decree or destroy his temple there. I, Darius, have issued this order. Carry it out promptly." And the God that hath caused his name to dwell there destroy all kings and people, that shall put to their hand to alter and to destroy this house of God which is at Jerusalem. I Darius have made a decree; let it be done with speed.
The Temple Is Completed and Dedicated
Study note
With the king's full support, the work went quickly. Encouraged by the prophets Haggai and Zechariah, the people finished the temple in the sixth year of King Darius, about 516 BC. The dedication was joyful but much smaller than Solomon's dedication of the first temple centuries before. Twelve male goats were offered as a sin offering, one for each tribe, showing that the returning remnant represented all of Israel.
13 Tatnai the chief, Shethar-bozenai, and their aides wasted no time. They did what King Darius said. Then Tatnai, governor on this side the river, Shethar-boznai, and their companions, according to that which Darius the king had sent, so they did speedily.
14 The Jewish leaders kept building. The messages of the prophets Haggai and Zechariah son of Iddo gave them strength. They finished the temple just as God had told them to. The Persian kings Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes had also given their approval. And the elders of the Jews builded, and they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they builded, and finished it, according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the commandment of Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia.
15 The temple was finished on the third day of the month of Adar in the sixth year of King Darius's reign. And this house was finished on the third day of the month Adar, which was in the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king.
16 The Israelites praised God with great joy. Priests, Levites, and all the returned people joined in. They marked the opening of God's temple. And the children of Israel, the priests, and the Levites, and the rest of the children of the captivity, kept the dedication of this house of God with joy,
17 For the dedication, they sacrificed one hundred bulls, two hundred rams, and four hundred lambs. They also offered twelve male goats as a sin offering for all twelve tribes of Israel. And offered at the dedication of this house of God an hundred bullocks, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs; and for a sin offering for all Israel, twelve he goats, according to the number of the tribes of Israel.
18 They set up the priests and Levites in their work groups for serving God in Jerusalem. They followed the directions in the Book of Moses. And they set the priests in their divisions, and the Levites in their courses, for the service of God, which is at Jerusalem; as it is written in the book of Moses.
The Passover Celebration
Study note
With the temple complete, the people could celebrate the Passover properly for the first time since their return. The priests and Levites purified themselves, making themselves clean according to God's law. The Passover lamb was killed for all the returned exiles and also for any people in the land who had turned away from pagan practices to worship the Lord, the God of Israel. The joy was real because God had changed the heart of the king to support their work.
19 On the fourteenth day of the first month, the returned exiles celebrated the Passover. And the children of the captivity kept the passover upon the fourteenth day of the first month.
20 Every priest and Levite had gone through the purification process. They slaughtered the Passover lamb for all the returned exiles, for their fellow priests, and for themselves. For the priests and the Levites were purified together, all of them were pure, and killed the passover for all the children of the captivity, and for their brethren the priests, and for themselves.
21 The Israelites who had come back from exile ate the Passover meal. They were joined by everyone else who had turned away from the unclean ways of the nearby nations. These people had come to worship the Lord, the God of Israel. And the children of Israel, which were come again out of captivity, and all such as had separated themselves unto them from the filthiness of the heathen of the land, to seek the LORD God of Israel, did eat,
22 For seven days they happily kept the Feast of Unleavened Bread. The Lord had filled them with joy because he had changed the Assyrian king's heart toward them. The king now helped them in their work on the temple of the God of Israel. And kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with joy: for the LORD had made them joyful, and turned the heart of the king of Assyria unto them, to strengthen their hands in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel.