Ezra 6:6-16

6 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.

7 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.

8 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.

9 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.

10 Then they can offer sacrifices that please the God of heaven and pray for the life of the king and his sons.

11 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.

12 May the God whose name is worshiped there cause the downfall of each king and nation who tries to tamper with my orders or tries to destroy the temple of the God in Jerusalem. I, Darius, have issued a decree. It's to be carried out exactly as ordered.

13 Then Governor Tattenai [from the province] west of the Euphrates River, Shethar Bozenai, and their group did exactly what King Darius had ordered.

14 So the Jewish leaders continued to make progress because of the message from the prophet Haggai and Zechariah, the grandson of Iddo. They finished building as the God of Israel had ordered and as Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes (the kings of Persia) had ordered.

15 This temple was finished on the third day of the month of Adar in the sixth year of King Darius' reign.

16 Then the people of Israel, the priests, the Levites, and the others who had returned from exile celebrated at the dedication of God's temple.

Ezra 6:6-16 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.