Ezra 6:6

6 Tattenai, you are governor of the land west of the Euphrates River. I want you to stay away from the temple in Jerusalem. Shethar-Bozenai and the other officials of that area must also stay away from it.

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 Its walls must have three layers of large stones. They must also have a layer of beautiful wood. Use money from the royal treasures to pay for everything.

5 The gold and silver articles from the house of God must be returned. Nebuchadnezzar had taken them from the first temple in Jerusalem. And he had brought them to Babylon. Now they must be returned to their places in the temple at Jerusalem. They must be put in the house of God there.

6 Tattenai, you are governor of the land west of the Euphrates River. I want you to stay away from the temple in Jerusalem. Shethar-Bozenai and the other officials of that area must also stay away from it.

7 Don't try to stop the work on God's temple. Let the governor of the Jews and their elders rebuild the house of their God. Let them build it in the same place where it stood before.

8 Here is what I want you to do for the elders of the Jews. Here is how you must help the men who build the house of their God. Pay all of their expenses from the royal treasures. Use the money you collect from the people who live west of the Euphrates. Don't let the work on the temple stop.