1Then Darius the king made a decree , and search was made in the house of the archives , where the treasures were laid up in Babylon. 2And there was found at Achmetha, in the palace that is in the province of Media , a roll , and therein was thus written for a record : 3In the first year of Cyrus the king , Cyrus the king made a decree : Concerning the house of God at Jerusalem , let the house be builded , the place where they offer sacrifices , and let the foundations thereof be strongly laid ; the height thereof threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof threescore cubits; 4with three courses of great stones, and a course of new timber: and let the expenses be given out of the king ’s house . 5And also let the gold 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 its place ; and thou shalt put them in the house of God.
The Completion of the Temple
6Now therefore , Tattenai , governor beyond the River , Shethar-bozenai , and your companions the Apharsachites, who are beyond the River , be ye far from thence : 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 in its place. 8Moreover I make a decree what ye shall do to these elders of the Jews for the building of this house of God: that of the king ’s goods , even of the tribute beyond the River , expenses be given with all diligence unto these men , that they be not hindered. 9And that which they have need of , both young bullocks , and rams , and lambs, for burnt-offerings to the God of heaven ; also wheat , salt , wine , and oil , according to the word of the priests that are at Jerusalem , let it be given them day by day without fail ; 10that they may offer sacrifices of sweet savor unto the God of heaven , and pray for the life of the king , and of his sons . 11Also I have made a decree , that whosoever shall alter this word , let a beam be pulled out from his house , and let him be lifted up and fastened thereon ; and let his house be made a dunghill for this : 12and the God that hath caused his name to dwell there overthrow all kings and peoples that shall put forth their hand to alter the same , to destroy this house of God which is at Jerusalem . I Darius have made a decree ; let it be done with all diligence.
The Dedication of the Temple
13Then Tattenai , the governor beyond the River , Shethar-bozenai , and their companions , because that Darius the king had sent , did accordingly with all diligence. 14And the elders of the Jews builded and 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 decree of Cyrus , and Darius , and Artaxerxes king of Persia . 15And 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 . 16And 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 . 17And they offered at the dedication of this house of God a 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 . 18And 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
19And the children of the captivity kept the passover upon the fourteenth day of the first month . 20For the priests and the Levites had purified themselves together; all of them were pure : and they killed the passover for all the children of the captivity , and for their brethren the priests , and for themselves . 21And the children of Israel that were come again out of the captivity , and all such as had separated themselves unto them from the filthiness of the nations of the land, to seek Jehovah , the God of Israel , did eat, 22and kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with joy : for Jehovah had made them joyful , and had 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 .