EzraChapter 6

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Then King Darius issued an order, and a search was made in the archives where the treasures were stored in Babylon.

And at Ecbatana, in the fortress in the province of Media, a scroll was found, and this is what was written in it:

"In the first year of King Cyrus, King Cyrus issued this order concerning the house of God in Jerusalem: Let the house be rebuilt as a place for offering sacrifices, and let its foundations be laid. Its height shall be sixty cubits and its width sixty cubits,

with three courses of dressed stone and one course of timber. The cost is to be paid from the royal treasury.

Moreover, the gold and silver vessels of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took from the temple in Jerusalem and carried to Babylon, are to be returned. They shall be brought back to their place in the temple in Jerusalem and deposited in the house of God."

Now then, Tattenai, governor of the province Beyond the River, Shethar-bozenai, and their associates, the officials of Beyond the River: keep far away from there.

Leave the work on this house of God alone. Let the governor of the Jews and the elders of the Jews rebuild this house of God on its site.

I also issue this decree concerning what you are to do for these elders of the Jews in the building of this house of God: the cost is to be paid in full to these men from the royal treasury, out of the tribute of Beyond the River, so that the work is not halted.

Whatever is needed—young bulls, rams, and lambs for burnt offerings to the God of heaven, along with wheat, salt, wine, and oil—is to be given to them daily without fail, according to the word of the priests in Jerusalem,

so that they may offer pleasing sacrifices to the God of heaven and pray for the life of the king and his sons.

I further decree that if anyone alters this order, a beam shall be pulled from his house, and he shall be impaled on it, and his house shall be made a ruin because of this.

And may the God who has caused his name to dwell there overthrow any king or people who lifts a hand to alter this or to destroy this house of God in Jerusalem. I, Darius, have issued this decree; let it be carried out with all diligence.

Then Tattenai, governor of the province Beyond the River, Shethar-bozenai, and their associates carried out with all diligence exactly what King Darius had sent word to do.

So the elders of the Jews went on building and prospering through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah son of Iddo. They finished the building according to the command of the God of Israel and the decree of Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia.

This house was completed on the third day of the month of Adar, in the sixth year of the reign of King Darius.

Then the people of Israel—the priests, the Levites, and the rest of the returned exiles—celebrated the dedication of this house of God with joy.

For the dedication of this house of God they offered a hundred bulls, two hundred rams, and four hundred lambs, and as a sin offering for all Israel twelve male goats, one for each of the tribes of Israel.

They installed the priests in their groups and the Levites in their divisions for the service of God in Jerusalem, as prescribed in the book of Moses.

On the fourteenth day of the first month the returned exiles kept the Passover.

For the priests and the Levites had purified themselves together; all of them were clean. They slaughtered the Passover lamb for all the returned exiles, for their brothers the priests, and for themselves.

So the Israelites who had returned from exile ate it, together with all who had separated themselves from the uncleanness of the peoples of the land to seek the LORD, the God of Israel.

For seven days they kept the Festival of Unleavened Bread with joy, because the LORD had filled them with joy and had turned the heart of the king of Assyria toward them, so that he supported them in the work on the house of God, the God of Israel.

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Summary2

Chapter 6

Main Theme: The temple in Jerusalem is completed with royal support, and the people celebrate its dedication and Passover.

Content: King Darius finds Cyrus's original decree and confirms that temple construction should continue with financial support from the treasury. Tattenai and his associates are ordered not to hinder the work. With the encouragement of the prophets Haggai and Zechariah, the Jews complete the temple on the third day of Adar in the sixth year of Darius. They celebrate the dedication with joy, followed by Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread.

Key Words/Images:

The Decree of Cyrus: The rediscovered document that proves the Jews' right to build the temple and grants them royal legitimacy.
Temple Dedication: A celebration involving sacrifices, including 12 male goats for all Israel, symbolizing national unity.
Passover Celebration: The first Passover in the new temple, marking both spiritual cleansing and a fresh start for those who returned from exile.

Historical context

Historical and Cultural Context for Ezra 6

People

Darius I (522–486 B.C.) is the Persian king who ordered a search of the archives and then confirmed and expanded Cyrus's original decree regarding temple construction (verses 1–12). His decree provides detailed instructions about funding from the province's treasury and daily provisions for the offerings.

Tattenai and Shethar-Bozenai (verses 6, 13) were the Persian governor over the province "Beyond the River" (Abar-nahara) and his official. They had previously challenged the Jews' building project (chapter 5), but now they obeyed the king's decree "exactly" (Aramaic: osparna).

Haggai and Zechariah (verse 14) are mentioned as the prophets whose preaching inspired and guided the temple construction to completion. Zechariah is identified here as "son of Iddo" (Aramaic: bar-Iddo).

Artaxerxes is mentioned in verse 14 alongside Cyrus and Darius. Since Artaxerxes reigned later (465–424 B.C.), this verse may summarize the entire rebuilding period or refer to later work on the temple grounds.

Places

Ecbatana (Aramaic: Aḥmeta [אַחְמְתָא], verse 2) was the summer capital of the Persian Empire, located in the province of Media (Maday, modern-day Hamadan in Iran). The city lay in the mountains and was an ideal location for royal archives. The fact that Cyrus's decree was found here, rather than in Babylon, suggests it was issued while Cyrus was staying in this city.

Events and Customs

Cyrus's Decree (verses 3–5) is reproduced in its archival form and specifies: temple dimensions of 60 cubits high and 60 cubits wide; a construction method using three layers of cut stone and one layer of timber; funding from the king's treasury; and the return of the temple vessels that Nebuchadnezzar had taken to Babylon.

Completion of the Temple (verse 15) is dated to the third day of Adar in the sixth year of King Darius, which corresponds to February/March 516 B.C. This was approximately 70 years after the destruction in 586 B.C.

Temple Dedication (Aramaic: ḥanukkah [חֲנֻכַּת], verses 16–17) followed ancient Israelite tradition for consecrating sanctuaries to God. The offerings included 100 bulls, 200 rams, 400 lambs, and 12 male goats as a sin offering—one for each of the tribes of Israel. The number twelve emphasizes that this was a joint project for all Israel, even though only part of the people had returned.

Passover Celebration (verses 19–22) marked that temple worship had been fully restored. The language of the chapter shifts here from Aramaic to Hebrew. The text's emphasis on the priests and Levites purifying themselves "all as one" shows renewed attention to ritual purity. The fact that those who had "separated themselves from the uncleanness of the peoples of the land" were also allowed to participate suggests that some had joined the Jewish community.

Key Terms

"God of Heaven" (Aramaic: Elah shemayya [אֱלָהּ שְׁמַיָּא], verses 9–10) is a title appearing in Darius's decree. This expression was understandable to Persians and served as a bridge between Jewish and Persian religious terminology.

"King of Assyria" (Hebrew: melek Aššur [מֶלֶךְ־אַשּׁוּר], verse 22) is a surprising designation for the Persian king in connection with the Passover celebration. This may reflect that Persians ruled over territories formerly belonging to Assyria, or it could be a theological reference to God's sovereign rule over world empires.

"Exactly" (Aramaic: osparna [אָסְפַּרְנָא], verses 8, 12, 13) is a Persian loanword emphasizing that the king's command must be carried out precisely and without delay.

People9

Haggai1 Darius I4 Tattenai2 Nebuchadnezzar1 Artaxerxes (Persian king)1 Cyrus (Persian king)2 Zechariah (prophet)1 Shethar-Boznai2 Iddo1

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Key words8

Darius — King of Persia who ruled during the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem.
Rebuilding — The process of restoring and constructing something that has been destroyed; here it refers to the temple in Jerusalem.
Temple — A holy place for worship and sacrifice in Jewish faith, especially Solomon's temple in Jerusalem.
Tattenai — Persian governor who oversaw the province where Jerusalem was located and raised questions about the rebuilding of the temple.
Column — An architectural element used to support a structure; symbolizes stability and strength.
Sacrifice — A gift or act showing devotion and gratitude to God, often in the form of food, drink, or animals.
Book of the Law — Reference to the writings containing God's laws and instructions for his people, especially the books of Moses.
Treasury — A place where wealth and valuable items were kept, often associated with royal or religious institutions.