King James Version
Ezra 6
22 verses with commentary
The Decree of Darius
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. rolls: Chaldee, books laid up: Chaldee, made to descend
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The location 'where the treasures were laid up' indicates archives were housed with royal treasuries, emphasizing their value and security. This detail reveals bureaucratic organization—important decrees weren't casually discarded but systematically preserved. The verb 'search was made' (bāqar, investigative searching) shows Darius took the inquiry seriously rather than dismissing it politically.
Theologically, this demonstrates God's providence in preserving documentary evidence of His purposes. The seemingly mundane details of Persian record-keeping served divine plans for temple restoration. Darius's integrity in honoring predecessor's decrees shows God can work through legitimate governmental processes and just administration.
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: Achmetha: or, Ecbatana, or, in a coffer
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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;
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With three rows of great stones, and a row of new timber: and let the expenses be given out of the king's house:
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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. brought again: Chaldee, go
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Now therefore, Tatnai, governor beyond the river, Shetharboznai, and your companions the Apharsachites, which are beyond the river, be ye far from thence: your: Chaldee, their societies
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Naming Tatnai and Shethar-boznai directly makes them personally accountable, not merely issuing generic policy. The 'Apharsachites' likely refers to Persian officials or colonists settled in the region. The forceful 'be ye far from thence' reverses the dynamic—those who questioned Jewish authority are now ordered to maintain distance, not interfere.
Theologically, this demonstrates God's protection of His purposes through unlikely means. A pagan king becomes the defender of temple worship, illustrating Proverbs 21:1: 'The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD.' Those who oppose God's work face divine resistance, even when wielding political power.
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.
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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. I make: Chaldee, by me a decree is made hindered: Chaldee, made to cease
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The critical phrase that they be not hindered uses the Aramaic batel (בָּטֵל), meaning 'to cease' or 'be made ineffective.' Darius commands that nothing obstruct the work—an ironic reversal since earlier Persian officials had tried to stop construction (Ezra 4:23). God orchestrates circumstances so opposition becomes support. The specification of 'tribute beyond the river' (revenue from the Trans-Euphrates province) means local opposition would fund what they opposed.
Theologically, this demonstrates God's sovereignty over national treasuries. When God purposes to build His house, He moves kings to finance it. The command 'forthwith' (Aramaic osparna, 'diligently/immediately') shows urgency, reversing previous delay.
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:
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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. of sweet: Chaldee, of rest
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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. let him: Chaldee, let him be destroyed
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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.
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The Temple Completed
Then Tatnai, governor on this side the river, Shetharboznai, and their companions, according to that which Darius the king had sent, so they did speedily.
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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. commandment: Chaldee, decree
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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.
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The 'sixth year of Darius' (515 BC) means construction took approximately four years after work resumed under Haggai and Zechariah's preaching (520 BC). Adding earlier delays, the total time from Cyrus's decree (538 BC) to completion spanned twenty-three years—a generation. Yet God's purposes prevailed despite human opposition and delay.
This completion occurred almost exactly seventy years after Solomon's temple destruction (586 BC), fulfilling Jeremiah's prophecy with remarkable precision. The temple's completion marked restoration from exile, though its glory was diminished compared to Solomon's temple (Haggai 2:3). Yet God's presence mattered more than architectural grandeur.
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, the children of the captivity: Chaldee, the sons of the transportation
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The emphasis on 'joy' (chedvah, חֶדְוָה) reflects the emotional and spiritual significance of this moment. This wasn't merely architectural achievement but theological victory—God's house restored, His presence returning, His purposes vindicated. The joy responded not just to completed construction but to divine faithfulness fulfilling His promises despite human opposition and discouragement.
Theologically, this dedication anticipated the New Testament truth that believers are God's temple (1 Corinthians 3:16, Ephesians 2:21-22). As the returning exiles rejoiced in the physical temple's restoration, Christians celebrate that God dwells in His people through the Holy Spirit. The pattern of destruction, exile, and restoration prefigures the gospel of redemption from sin's destruction to new creation.
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.
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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. as it is: Chaldee, according to the writing
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The Passover Celebrated
And the children of the captivity kept the passover upon the fourteenth day of the first month.
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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.
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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,
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The inclusion of converts alongside ethnic Israelites demonstrates that covenant identity based on faith and obedience, not merely ethnicity. Those who genuinely sought the LORD were welcomed, prefiguring the gospel's inclusion of Gentiles. Yet the requirement of separation from pagan defilement shows that inclusion demanded transformation—converts couldn't maintain syncretistic practices but must completely embrace Yahweh worship.
Theologically, this models New Testament teaching about separation from worldliness (2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1) while welcoming all who genuinely seek God. The church must maintain holy distinctiveness from cultural paganism while embracing all who come to Christ, regardless of background. Ethnic boundaries don't define God's people, but spiritual boundaries do.
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.
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For the LORD had made them joyful, and turned the heart of the king of Assyria unto them—the phrase 'king of Assyria' referring to the Persian king Darius is historically jarring (Assyria had fallen in 609 BC), but reflects either popular usage for any Mesopotamian monarch or theological irony: the empire that once destroyed Israel now funds its restoration. The הֵסֵב (hesev, turned) is divine causation—God sovereignly influences pagan rulers to accomplish His covenant purposes, echoing Proverbs 21:1. To strengthen their hands in the work of the house of God—חִזֵּק (chizzeq, strengthen) appears throughout Ezra-Nehemiah for divine and human encouragement in temple-building (Ezra 1:6, 6:22, Nehemiah 2:18, 6:9).