Ezra 6:1

Darius’ Search for the Decree

1 Then King Darius issued forth a decree, and they searched the house of the treasury of scrolls being stored in Babylonia.

Ezra 6:1 Meaning and Commentary

Ezra 6:1

Then Darius the king made a decree
To make inquiry after the edict of Cyrus, to search the public records for it:

and search was made in the house of the rolls;
or "books" ^F18, in a public library or museum:

where the treasures were laid up in Babylon;
where things of worth and value were reposited; not only gold, silver, jewels, and precious stones, and things rare and curious, but all sorts of writings relating to the monarchy, and the dominions belonging to it; but it seems it could not be found here, and therefore the king ordered search to be made elsewhere.

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FOOTNOTES:

F18 (ayrpo tybb) , (en taiv biblioyhkaiv) , Sept. "in bibliotheca", V. L. "in bibliotheca librorum", Tigurine version; "in domo librorum", Pagninus, Montanus.

Ezra 6:1 In-Context

1 Then King Darius issued forth a decree, and they searched the house of the treasury of scrolls being stored in Babylonia.

2 But it was in Ecbatana in the province of Media, in the citadel, that a certain scroll had written on it, "A record.

3 In the first year of King Cyrus, he issued forth a decree concerning the house of God in Jerusalem. Let the house be built, the place where sacrifices are offered and let its foundations be raised. Its height [shall be] sixty cubits and its width sixty cubits,

4 with three layers of great stones and a layer of timber. Let the new expenses be paid from the house of the king.

5 Also, let the gold and silver vessels of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took from the temple in Jerusalem and brought to Babylonia, be returned and brought to the temple in Jerusalem to its place. Put them in the house of God."