1
Then Darius the king made a decree, and search was made in Babylonia, in the house of the archives where the documents were stored.
2
And in Ecbat'ana, the capital which is in the province of Media, a scroll was found on which this was written: "A record.
3
In the first year of Cyrus the king, Cyrus the king issued a decree: Concerning the house of God at Jerusalem, let the house be rebuilt, the place where sacrifices are offered and burnt offerings are brought; its height shall be sixty cubits and its breadth sixty cubits,
4
with three courses of great stones and one course of timber; let the cost be paid from the royal treasury.
5
And also let the gold and silver vessels of the house of God, which Nebuchadnez'zar took out of the temple that is in Jerusalem and brought to Babylon, be restored and brought back to the temple which is in Jerusalem, each to its place; you shall put them in the house of God."
6
"Now therefore, Tat'tenai, governor of the province Beyond the River, She'thar-boz'enai, and your associates the governors who are in the province Beyond the River, keep away;
7
let the work on this house of God alone; let the governor of the Jews and the elders of the Jews rebuild this house of God on its site.
8
Moreover I make a decree regarding what you shall do for these elders of the Jews for the rebuilding of this house of God; the cost is to be paid to these men in full and without delay from the royal revenue, the tribute of the province from Beyond the River.