¶ Then Darius the king made a decree, and search¹ was made in the house of the rolls², where the treasures were laid up³ in Babylon.

And there was found at Achmetha⁴, in the palace that is in the province of the Medes, a roll, and therein was a record thus written:

In the first year⁵ 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 place⁶ where they offered sacrifices, and let the foundations thereof be strongly laid; the height⁷ thereof threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof threescore cubits;

With three rows⁸ of great stones, and a row of new timber: and let the expenses⁹ be given out of the king's house:

And also let the golden¹⁰ and silver vessels of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar¹¹ took forth out of the temple which is at Jerusalem, and brought¹² 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.

Now therefore, Tatnai¹³, governor beyond the river, Shetharboznai, and your companions¹⁴ the Apharsachites, which are beyond the river, be ye far¹⁵ from thence:

Let the work¹⁶ 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.

Moreover I make a decree¹⁷ 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 hindered¹⁸.

And that which they have need of, both young bullocks¹⁹, and rams, and lambs²⁰, for the burnt offerings of the God of heaven, wheat²¹, salt²², wine, and oil, according to the appointment of the priests which are at Jerusalem, let it be given²³ them day by day without fail:

¶ That they may offer sacrifices of sweet savours²⁴ unto the God of heaven, and pray²⁵ for the life of the king, and of his sons.

Also I have made a decree, that whosoever²⁶ shall alter this word, let timber²⁷ be pulled down from his house, and being set up, let him be hanged²⁸ thereon; and let his house be made a dunghill for this.

And the God that hath caused²⁹ his name to dwell there destroy³⁰ all kings and people, that shall put to their hand to alter and to destroy this house of God which is at Jerusalem. I Darius³¹ have made a decree; let it be done with speed³².

¶ Then Tatnai³³, governor on this side the river, Shetharboznai, and their companions, according to that which Darius the king had sent, so they did³⁴ speedily.

And the elders³⁵ of the Jews builded, and they prospered through³⁶ the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they builded, and finished it,³⁷ according³⁸ to the commandment³⁹ of the God of Israel, and according to the commandment of Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes⁴⁰ king of Persia.

And this house was finished on the third day of the month Adar⁴¹, which was in the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king.

And the children⁴² of Israel, the priests, and the Levites, and the rest of the children of the captivity⁴³, kept the dedication⁴⁴ of this house of God with joy⁴⁵,

And offered⁴⁶ at the dedication of this house of God an hundred bullocks, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs; and for a sin offering⁴⁷ for all Israel, twelve he goats, according to⁴⁸ the number of the tribes of Israel.

And they set the priests⁴⁹ in their divisions, and the Levites in their courses, for the service of God, which is at Jerusalem; as it is written⁵⁰ in the book of Moses.

And the children⁵¹ of the captivity kept⁵² the passover upon the fourteenth day of the first month.

¶ For the priests and the Levites were purified together⁵³, all of them were pure, and killed⁵⁴ the passover for all the children of the captivity, and for their brethren the priests, and for themselves.

And the children of Israel, which were come again out of captivity, and all such⁵⁵ as had separated themselves unto them from the filthiness of the heathen of the land, to seek the LORD God of Israel, did eat⁵⁶,

And kept the feast⁵⁷ of unleavened bread seven days with joy: for the LORD had made them joyful, and turned⁵⁸ the heart of the king⁵⁹ of Assyria unto them, to strengthen their hands in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel.