Ezra 6:6

6 Therefore Darius decreed: To Tattenai governor of the region west of the Euphrates, ^[a] Shethar-bozenai, and your associates and officials in the region: You must stay away from that place!

Ezra 6:6 Meaning and Commentary

Ezra 6:6

Now therefore Tatnai, governor beyond the river
The river Euphrates, that side of it towards the land of Israel; Josephus ^F26 calls this man master of the horse:

Shetharboznai, and your companions the Apharsachites, which are beyond
the river, be ye far from thence;
keep at a distance from the Jews, and give them no disturbance, nor interrupt them in their work of building of the temple, but mind your own business and government.

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FOOTNOTES:

F26 Ibid. (Antiqu.) l. 11. c. 4. sect. 7.

Ezra 6:6 In-Context

4 with three layers of cut stones and one of timbers. The costs are to be paid from the royal treasury.

5 Furthermore, the gold and silver articles of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took from the temple in Jerusalem and carried to Babylon, must also be returned to the temple in Jerusalem and deposited in the house of God.

6 Therefore Darius decreed: To Tattenai governor of the region west of the Euphrates, Shethar-bozenai, and your associates and officials in the region: You must stay away from that place!

7 Leave this work on the house of God alone. Let the governor and elders of the Jews rebuild this house of God on its original site.

8 I hereby decree what you must do for these elders of the Jews who are rebuilding this house of God: The cost is to be paid in full to these men from the royal treasury out of the taxes of the provinces west of the Euphrates, so that the work will not be hindered.

Footnotes

• [a]. Aramaic governor beyond the River; similarly in verses 8 and 13