3
"In the firstyear of KingCyrus, Cyrus the kingissued a decree: 'Concerning the house of God at Jerusalem, let the temple, the placewheresacrifices are offered, be rebuilt and let its foundations be retained, its height being 60cubits and its width60cubits;
5
'Also let the gold and silverutensils of the house of God, whichNebuchadnezzartook from the temple in Jerusalem and brought to Babylon, be returned and brought to their places in the temple in Jerusalem; and you shall put them in the house of God.'
6
"Now therefore, Tattenai, governor of the province beyond the River, Shethar-bozenai and your colleagues, the officials of the provinces beyond the River, keepaway from there.
8
"Moreover, I issue a decree concerning what* you are to do for theseelders of Judah in the rebuilding of thishouse of God: the fullcost is to be paid to thesepeople from the royaltreasury out of the taxes of the provinces beyond the River, and that withoutdelay.
9
"Whatever is needed, both youngbulls, rams, and lambs for a burntoffering to the God of heaven, and wheat, salt, wine and anointingoil, as the priests in Jerusalemrequest, it is to be given to them dailywithoutfail,
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"And I issued a decree that anymanwhoviolatesthisedict, a timber shall be drawn from his house and he shall be impaled* on it and his house shall be made a refuseheap on account of this.
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"May the Godwho has caused His name to dwellthereoverthrowanyking or peoplewhoattempts* to change it, so as to destroythishouse of God in Jerusalem. I, Darius, have issued this decree, let it be carried out with alldiligence!"
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ThenTattenai, the governor of the province beyond the River, Shethar-bozenai and their colleaguescarried out the decree with alldiligence, just as KingDarius had sent.
14
And the elders of the Jews were successful in building through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they finishedbuildingaccording to the command of the God of Israel and the decree of Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxesking of Persia.
17
They offered for the dedication of thistemple of God100bulls, 200rams, 400*lambs, and as a sinoffering for allIsrael*malegoats, corresponding to the number of the tribes of Israel.
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Then they appointed the priests to their divisions and the Levites in their orders for the service of God in Jerusalem, as it is written in the book of Moses.
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For the priests and the Levites had purified themselves together; all of them were pure. Then they slaughtered the Passover lamb for all the exiles*, both for their brothers the priests and for themselves.
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The sons of Israel who returned from exile and all those who had separated themselves from the impurity of the nations of the land to join them, to seek the LORDGod of Israel, ate the Passover.
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And they observed the Feast of UnleavenedBreadsevendays with joy, for the LORD had caused them to rejoice, and had turned the heart of the king of Assyriatoward them to encourage* them in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel.