Ezra 6:1

1 So King Darius issued orders that a search be made in the Babylonian archives, which were stored in the treasury.

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 So King Darius issued orders that a search be made in the Babylonian archives, which were stored in the treasury.

2 But it was at the fortress at Ecbatana in the province of Media that a scroll was found. This is what it said: “Memorandum:

3 “In the first year of King Cyrus’s reign, a decree was sent out concerning the Temple of God at Jerusalem. “Let the Temple be rebuilt on the site where Jews used to offer their sacrifices, using the original foundations. Its height will be ninety feet, and its width will be ninety feet.

4 Every three layers of specially prepared stones will be topped by a layer of timber. All expenses will be paid by the royal treasury.

5 Furthermore, the gold and silver cups, which were taken to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar from the Temple of God in Jerusalem, must be returned to Jerusalem and put back where they belong. Let them be taken back to the Temple of God.”