Ezra 6:6

6 So King Darius sent this message: “Now therefore, Tattenai, governor of the province west of the Euphrates River, and Shethar-bozenai, and your colleagues and other officials west of the Euphrates River—stay away from there!

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 Every three layers of specially prepared stones will be topped by a layer of timber. All expenses will be paid by the royal treasury.

5 Furthermore, the gold and silver cups, which were taken to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar from the Temple of God in Jerusalem, must be returned to Jerusalem and put back where they belong. Let them be taken back to the Temple of God.”

6 So King Darius sent this message: “Now therefore, Tattenai, governor of the province west of the Euphrates River, and Shethar-bozenai, and your colleagues and other officials west of the Euphrates River—stay away from there!

7 Do not disturb the construction of the Temple of God. Let it be rebuilt on its original site, and do not hinder the governor of Judah and the elders of the Jews in their work.

8 “Moreover, I hereby decree that you are to help these elders of the Jews as they rebuild this Temple of God. You must pay the full construction costs, without delay, from my taxes collected in the province west of the Euphrates River so that the work will not be interrupted.

Footnotes

• [a]. Aramaic the province beyond the river; also in 6:6b, 8, 13 .