Ezra 6:1-5

Darius Finds Cyrus's Decree

1 Then King Darius issued a decree, and ¹search was made in the archives *, where * the treasures were stored in Babylon.

2 In Ecbatana in the fortress, which is ²in the province of Media, a scroll was found and there was written in it as follows: "Memorandum -

3 "³In the first year of King Cyrus, Cyrus the king issued a decree: 'Concerning the house of God at Jerusalem, let the temple, the place where sacrifices are offered, be rebuilt and let its foundations be retained, its height being 60 cubits and its width 60 cubits;

4 ⁴with three layers of huge stones and one layer of timbers. And let the cost be paid from the royal treasury.

5 'Also let ⁵the gold and silver utensils of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took 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.'

Ezra 6:1-5 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO EZRA 6

Darius, on receiving the letter from his officers in Samaria, searched for the decree of Cyrus, and found it, and which he confirmed, Ezr 6:1-7 and made a fresh decree, and ordered expenses to be given out of his tribute for the building of the temple, and for the sacrifices of it; and that whosoever altered it should be hanged on the timber of his own house, and imprecated a curse on those that should destroy the house of God, Ezr 6:8-12 upon which the building went on, and was finished, Ezr 6:13-15 and the temple was dedicated to God in a solemn manner, Ezr 6:16-18, and the passover was kept by all the people, Ezr 6:19-22.

Cross References

• 1. Ezra 5:17
• 2. 2 Kings 17:6
• 3. Ezra 1:1; Ezra 5:13
• 4. 1 Kings 6:36
• 5. Ezra 1:7; Ezra 5:14

Footnotes

• [a]. Lit "house of the books"
• [b]. Aram "Achmetha"
• [c]. Lit "house"
• [d]. Or "fixed, laid"
• [e]. So Gr; Aram "a layer of new timber"
• [f]. Lit "king's house"
• [g]. Lit "go"