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Then King Darius gave the order to search the library where the archives were stored in Babylon.
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A scroll was found in the palace of Ecbatana, which is in the province of Media. This was written on it: MEMORANDUM
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Date: Cyrus' first year as king From: King Cyrus Subject: God's temple in Jerusalem. The temple should be rebuilt as a place to offer sacrifices. Its foundation should be laid. It should be 90 feet high and 90 feet wide
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with three rows of large stones and a row of wood. The king's palace will pay for it.
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In addition, Cyrus took out of a temple in Babylon the gold and silver utensils that belonged to God's temple. (Nebuchadnezzar had taken them out of God's temple in Jerusalem and brought them into a temple in Babylon.) They should be returned to their proper place in the temple in Jerusalem. You should put each one in God's temple.
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Governor Tattenai [from the province] west of the Euphrates, Shethar Bozenai, and those of your group (the Persians west of the river): You must stay away from there.
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Don't interfere with the work on God's temple. Let the governor of the Jews and the leaders of Judah rebuild God's temple on its [original] foundation.
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I am issuing this decree about how you must help the Jewish leaders rebuild God's temple: The cost [for this] should be paid out of the king's own money from the taxes [on the province] west of the Euphrates. Full payment should be made to these men so that the work is not interrupted.
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Also, whatever the priests in Jerusalem need for burnt offerings to the God of heaven--young bulls, rams, lambs, wheat, salt, wine, and olive oil--should be provided for them each day. Make sure that nothing is omitted.
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Then they can offer sacrifices that please the God of heaven and pray for the life of the king and his sons.
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I am also issuing a decree that if anyone tampers with my orders, that person should be impaled on a beam torn from his own house and his house should be turned into a pile of rubble.