The Readable Bible: Ezra, Nehemiah, & Esther

Ezra Nehemiah Esther

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Ezra Nehemiah Esther

A Priest, Cupbearer, and Reluctant Queen

Translated and Edited by Rodney S. Laughlin Brendan I. Kennedy, PhD

Birmingham, Alabama

The Readable Bible: Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther

Iron Stream

An imprint of Iron Stream Media 100 Missionary Ridge Birmingham, AL 35242 www.ironstreammedia.com

Copyright © 2022 by Rodney S. Laughlin

The Readable Bible text may be quoted in any form (written, visual, electronic, or audio) up to and inclusive of five hundred verses without express written permission of the publisher provided that (a) the verses quoted do not account for more than 25 percent of the total work in which they are quoted, (b) no more than 25 percent of a book of the Bible is quoted, (c) all quotations conform accurately to The Readable Bible text, and (d) one of the following credit lines appears on the copyright page or title page of the work:

Scripture quotations marked TRB are taken from The Readable Bible®. Copyright © 2022 by Rodney S. Laughlin, Leawood, Kansas. Used by permission of Iron Stream Media.

Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations are taken from The Readable Bible®. Copyright © 2022 by Rodney S. Laughlin, Leawood, Kansas. Used by permission of Iron Stream Media.

When quotations from The Readable Bible text are used in not-for-sale media (e.g., church bulletins, orders of service, newsletters, digital presentations), a copyright notice is not required, but the initials “TRB” must appear at the end of each quotation. Websites and blogs may quote up to five hundred verses without express written permission provided they include the initials “TRB” at the end of each quotation and provided that the verses quoted account for not more than 25 percent of any web page upon which they appear and that no more than 25 percent of a book of the Bible is quoted.

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Library of Congress Control Number: 2022938636

Cover design: twoline | | Studio

Interior designer/illustrator: Clyde Adams (www.clydeadams.com)

Map geographic features courtesy of Bible Mapper (www.biblemapper.com).

Typeface: Veritas AE from Altered Ego Fonts, a division of Aespire

Familiar

List

The Festivals

Part

to Rebuilding

Rebuilding

Darius

Festival

Part 3. Second Return of Exiles

Ezra Comes to Jerusalem

Artaxerxes

Israelites Who Returned with

Returnees from Babylon

Part 4. Restoration of the Law

Ezra’s Repentance and Prayer

Mixed Marriages

Israelites

Behalf

Nehemiah’s

Nehemiah

People Who Rebuilt

Part 1. Rebuilding the Wall

Record of the Returned

Genealogical

Gifts to the Treasury

Part 2. Return to the Law

of the Law

Keep

Locations of the People

Provincial

Jerusalem Officials

Locations of Judah

Queen Vashti Deposed

Becomes Queen

and Esther Save the

Despises

Intercedes to Save the

Sets a Trap

King Honors

Springs Her Trap; Haman

Mordecai

Plot Foiled

Impaled

to Keeper of the King’s Seal

The Jews Defeat Their Enemies

of Purim

Holiday of Purim

Lasting

To the Reader

One day I was standing in an airport bookstore looking for a book to read. I asked myself, “Why am I looking for something to read when I have a Bible in my briefcase?” I answered, “The Bible is hard to read. I want to read something easier.” Then I asked myself, “Why is it so hard to read? You’re a seminary graduate, a former pastor, a Bible teacher!” Thus began a quest that has led to The Readable Bible—the Bible as it would look if Moses, Joshua, Matthew, Mark, Paul, and the other writers had been sitting in front of a computer when God spoke through them.

It seems to me that the Bible is hard to read because all material is presented in sentence format. Today we use tables to present census information and charts for genealogies. When we want something built, we draw up a specification document. Law codes are organized in outline form. We use bullet points, bold text, and other aids to help us grasp information. Yet in today’s Bibles, all the information is still presented in sentence format in plain text. Surely those men of old would have used modern formats if they had known about them when God spoke through them. Modern formatting does not change the information; it simply presents it in a way that makes it easier to grasp. The Readable Bible brings you the biblical text in modern formats.

You may struggle with the idea of Scripture in modern formats. Actually, all of today’s Bibles present the text in a form much different from that of the original manuscripts. Consider how many format changes that were developed over the past two thousand years led to the format considered normal today. Each change was radical in its time:

• Vowels: The earliest Hebrew manuscripts have no vowels; they were added hundreds of years later.

• Capital Letters: The Hebrew Old Testament and the Greek New Testament manuscripts have no uppercase and lowercase letters.

• Punctuation: The original manuscripts have no punctuation (no commas or periods!).

• Chapter Numbers: These were not common in Bibles until the thirteenth century AD.

• Verse Numbers: The first verse-numbering system was developed over a thousand years after the last Bible book was written. It had one-third of today’s verse numbers, making verses three or four times longer. Today’s Christian Bible numbering system was not developed until the sixteenth century.

• Paragraphs: The first paragraphed King James Bible was published in the mid-1800s.

So presenting the words of Scripture in tables, cascading the text of long, complex sentences, and using other modern formatting techniques is simply continuing the long-term trend of making the Bible easier to understand.

Our hope is that people who have never read the Bible will decide to read this version because it is so approachable. Please give a copy to someone who struggles to understand the Bible and, especially, to those who do not read the Bible.

Acknowledgments

My thanks to all the members of our editing team, our volunteer development team, and the many others who have donated funds and worked to bring The Readable Bible to completion.

A big “thank you” to my designer and partner in this project, Clyde Adams, for joining me in this faith venture. He has turned the translation into well-laid-out text and my formatting concepts into reality. The maps, tables, charts, book layout, and cover are all his work.

Most of all, I thank my wife, Rebecca, for her ideas, her love, and her strong support of this endeavor over the past twelve years.

Dedication

And now I dedicate to our Lord this translation of his holy Word, humbly asking him to grant that it may bring forth fruit to his glory and the building up of his people.

L

Spring 2022

Introduction to Ezra

Ezra was a priest and scribe of sterling reputation and lineage.a He was a direct descendant of Aaron through his designated successor Eleazar,b and he was an expert in the law of Moses. He was born and raised among the Jewish exile community in Babylon, and he led the second party of Jews to return to the promised land with the blessing of King Artaxerxes of Persia. His mission from the king was to promote the proper observance of the Jewish religion so that the king would not be opposed by one of the gods whose territory he ruled. The actual result was a great revival among the community of returnees. The rediscovery of their identity as Jews kept them from becoming assimilated into the local Gentile population.

The book of Ezra consists of four major sections. Chapters 1–3 describe the return of the first party of exiles following the decree of King Cyrus of Persia in 539 BC. They settled in and around Jerusalem and rebuilt the altar of the temple. Chapters 4–6 recount the opposition these Jews faced, and finally overcame, in rebuilding the temple by about 516 BC. Chapters 7–8 tell how Ezra the priest led a second party of exiles from Babylon to Jerusalem in 458 BC to ensure the community’s religious and ethnic purity. Chapters 9–10 explain how this was done— by correcting their religious observance and daily conduct. Thus, with the house of God (the temple) and the city of God (Jerusalem) functioning again, the returning exiles were able to obey the law and function as the people of God.

The book of Ezra describes the aftermath of the Jews’ total reexamination of their relationship with God and their identity as a people following the exile experience. Before the exile, they were a political entity held together by a king and an official religion. After it they are a people united by observance of the law of Moses, worship at the temple, and ancestry from the twelve tribes of Israel. This sets the table for the coming of the Messiah, Jesus, when God writes the law on people’s hearts,c when believers individually d and corporately become the temple,e and when all ethnic groups on earth receive the opportunity to be grafted into God’s people through faith in him.f

a See Ezra 7:1–10.

b See Numbers 20:25–28.

c See Jeremiah 31:33; Hebrews 8:10; 10:16.

d See 1 Corinthians 6:19.

e See Matthew 18:20; 1 Corinthians 3:16.

f See Psalm 22:27; 72:17; Isaiah 56:7; Daniel 7:14; Matthew 28:19; Romans 11:11–24; Ephesians 2:11–22.

Before You Read

Words in italics are additions to the biblical text. In the context of commands, rules, and regulations, “shall,” “must,” and “are/is to” are equal terms, all the same strength.

Read lists from top to bottom in the first column then read the next column.

We encourage you to read “Translation Notes” and “Format and Presentation Notes” in the back of the book. They are easy reading and will increase your understanding of the text.

Please browse the glossary before you begin reading. You will find helpful information about words that appear frequently in this book, as well as important explanations of the words “L” and “Yahweh.”

* See

SEA

EXILE AND RETURN*

1,000 Mile Trip

MILES

ß1:3;7

Babylon

Conquest, Exile, and Return Timeline

2 Kings

24:10–17 597 BC: Jerusalem sacked, Zedekiah installed as vassal king of Judah.

24:20 589 BC: Zedekiah rebelled.

25:1 Winter 589 BC: Jerusalem besieged.

25:2 July 586 BC: Jerusalem falls.

25:4 Zedekiah and the army flee.

25:5 Zedekiah caught near Jericho.

25:6 Taken to Riblah. Children executed. Blinded, taken to Babylon.

25:8–21 August 586 BC: Jerusalem destroyed and all but the poorest taken to Babylon.

Ezra

539 BC: Cyrus II conquers Babylon and let the Israelites return.

1:3 538 BC: Israelites return home.

7:1 Ezra leads a group to Jerusalem.

Nehemiah

444 BC: Jerusalem’s walls are completed under leadership of Nehemiah.

Ezra

Part 1. The First Return of Exilesa

1

Cyrus Orders Restoration of the Temple

1 In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia,b to fulfill the word of the L throughc Jeremiah, the L stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia to proclaim thisd throughout his kingdom (and put it in writing):

2 Cyrus King of Persia Proclamation

The L God of heaven has given me all the kingdoms of the earth. He has appointed me to build a temple for him in Jerusalem, which is in Judah.

3 Whoever is among you of all his people: May your God be with you.

Let them go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Let them rebuild the temple of the L God of Israel, who is the God in Jerusalem.

4 As for the Jewish survivors, wherever they may live, let their neighborse support them with silver, other goods, gold, livestock, and freewill offerings for the temple of God that is in Jerusalem.

5 Then the family heads of Judah and Benjamin, the priests, the Levites, and everyone whose heart God had stirred to go up to build the temple of the L in Jerusalem prepared to leave.f 6 Everyone around them helped them by loading g their hands with articles of silver, livestock, gold, valuable gifts, as well as other goods, other freewill offerings.

a A later return of exiles to Jerusalem is described in Nehemiah.

b About 539 BC.

c Literally, “by the mouth of.”

d Literally, “make a voice pass.”

e Literally, “let the people in that place.”

f Literally, “arose.”

g Literally, “by strengthening.”

Cyrus brought out the articles of the temple of the L

which Nebuchadnezzar had brought from Jerusalem and put in the temple of his god.

Cyrus king of Persia had them brought out by the hand of Mithredath the treasurer and counted by Sheshbazzar the prince of Judah. 9 This was the count:

Gold dishes 30

Silver dishes 1,000

Knivesa 29 Gold bowls 30 10

Other silver bowls 410 Other articles 1,000

11 All the gold and silver articles numbered 5,400. Sheshbazzar brought out all of these to the exiles who went up from Babylon to Jerusalem.

2 Ezra

Census of Returnees 2:1–67

1–2 This is the census of the people of Israel of the province who came back from captivity in the exile, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had deported to Babylon. They returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to their own town accompanied by: Leaders

Zerubbabel Mordecai

Jeshua Bilshan

Nehemiah Mispar

Seraiah Bigvai

Reelaiah Rehum Baanah

People Identified by Family Number Descendants of b

Parosh 3 2,172

Shephatiah 4 372

Arah 5 775

Pahath-Moab (descendants of Jeshua and Joab) 6 2,812

Elam 7 1,254

Zattu 8 945

Zaccai 9 760

Bani 10 642

Bebai 11 623

Azgad 12 1,222

Adonikam 13 666

a The Hebrew term is uncertain. Other possibilities include “pans,” “incense burners,” and “utensils.”

Some of these are listed by place-names rather than ancestor names.

Bigvai 14 2,056

Adin 15 454

Ater, through Hezekiah 16 98

Bezai 17 323

Jorah 18 112

Hashum 19 223

Gibbar 20 95

Magbish 30 156

The other Elam 31 1,254

Harim 32 320 Lod, Hadid, and Ono 33 725

Senaah 35 3,630

People Identified by Location

Men of Bethlehem 21 123

Netophah 22 56

Anathoth 23 128 Azmaveth 24 42

Kiriath Jearim,c Kephirah, and Beeroth 25 743 Ramah and Geba 26 621 Micmash 27 122 Bethel and Ai 28 223

Nebo 29 52

Jericho 34 345

Priests, 36 Descendants of Jedaiah of the house of Jeshua 973 Immer 37 1,052

Pashhur 38 1,247 Harim 39 1,017

Levites, Descendants of 40 Jeshua and Kadmiel, of the sons of Hodaviah 74

Musicians, Descendants of 41

Asaph 128

Gatekeepers, Descendants of 42 Shallum, Ater, Talmon, Akkub, Hatita, and Shobai 139

c Masoretic text has “Kiriath Arim,” a variant spelling.

Temple Servants, 43 Descendants of Ziha, Hasupha, Tabbaoth, 44 Keros, Siaha, Padon, 45 Lebanah, Hagabah, Akkub, 46 Hagab, Shalmai, Hanan, 47 Giddel, Gahar, Reaiah, 48 Rezin, Nekoda, Gazzam, 49 Uzza, Paseah, Besai, 50 Asnah, Meunim, Nephussim, 51 Bakbuk, Hakupha, Harhur, 52 Bazluth, Mehida, Harsha, 53 Barkos, Sisera, Temah, 54 Neziah, Hatipha

Not separately numbered Solomon’s Servants, 55 Descendants of Sotai, Hassophereth, Peruda, 56 Jaala, Darkon, Giddel, 57 Shephatiah, Hattil, Pokereth-Hazzebaim, Ami

Total temple servants and descendants of Solomon’s servants 392

Those Without Genealogical Records

These searched their genealogical records, but they were not found, so they were regarded as common and excluded from the priesthood. 63 The Persian governor ordered them not to eat from the most holy food until a priest was standing with the Urim and Thummim. Number

By Location: These descendants of Delaiah, Tobiah, and Nekoda came up from Tel Melah, Tel Harsha, Kerub, Addon, and Immer, but they were not able to show that their families descended from Israel. 59–60

Priests: Descendants of Hobaiah, Hakkoz, and Barzillai (who had married one of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite and was called by that name) 61 Not numbered

Total Assembly 64 (of whom 29,818 are numbered above a) 42,360

Additional Persons 65 (Non-Israelites)

Slaves (male and female) Singers (male and female) 7,337 200 Animals 66 Horses Mules Camels 67 Donkeys

identified

736 245 435 6,720

Levites 74 Singers 128 Gatekeepers 139

Servants of the temple and of Solomon 392 People without genealogical

2:3–61.

leaders,

families

Offerings of the Returnees

Some of the family heads made freewill offerings when they arrived at the site of the temple of the L in Jerusalem in order to rebuild the temple of God on its foundation. 69 They gave to the treasury according to their ability for the work: 61,000 gold coins b

pounds of silver c

priestly garments

The priests, Levites, gatekeepers, temple servants, and some other people settled in their cities, with the rest of the Israelites in their cities.

Resumption of Sacrifices and Festivals

1 When mid-October arrived,d the Israelites who were living in their towns gathered as one person in Jerusalem. 2 Jeshua son of Jozadak the priest and his kinsmen and Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and his kinsmen built an altar of the God of Israel to sacrifice burnt offerings on it, as it was written in the law of Moses the man of God.

3 Then they established the altar on its foundation, although they were afraid of the peoples of the lands around them. They sacrificed burnt offerings on it to the L morning and evening, 4 celebrated the Festival of Shelters as it was written, and offered the prescribed number of burnt offerings daily, according to the prescribed amount for each day.

5 After that they presented the regular burnt offerings, new moon offerings, offerings for all the L’s sacred, appointed festivals, and freewill offerings to the L

a This number, not given in the text, is the difference between the total given in verse 64 (42,360) and the total of the above eight categories of returning Israelites.

b Literally, “61,000 darics.” Or “drachmas.”

c Literally, “5,000 minas.”

d Literally, “When the seventh month arrived.” The seventh month, Tishri, has three major Jewish festivals: Trumpets, the Day of Atonement, and the Festival of Shelters. See “The Festivals of the Lord” and “Jewish Calendar” in the back of the book.

6 Although the foundation of the temple of the L had not yet been laid, they began presenting burnt offerings to the L in mid-September . a 7 They gave money to the masons and carpenters and food, drink, and oil to the people of Sidon and Tyre, so they would bring cedar logs from Lebanon to the sea at Joppa, according to the authorization given to them by Cyrus king of Persia.

8 In the spring of the second year,b after they had arrived at the site of the temple of God in Jerusalem, in the second month, Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, Jeshua son of Jozadak, and the rest of their associates (the priests and Levites and all those who had come back from the captivity to Jerusalem) began the work. They appointed Levites from twenty years old and up to direct the work on the temple of the L. 9 Jeshua and his sons and his brothers and Kadmiel and his sons, along with the sons of Henadad with all their sons and brothers—all Levites—united to supervise those who were working on the temple of God.

10 When the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the L, the priests dressed in their vestments and held trumpets, and the Levites who were sons of Asaph stood up to praise the L with cymbals, as prescribed by David king of Israel. 11 They sang to the L with praise and thanksgiving:

“For he is good; his loyal love toward Israel lasts forever.”

All the people gave a great shout of praise to the L, because the foundation of the temple was laid. 12 But many of the older priests, Levites, and family heads, who had seen the first temple with their own eyes, wept with loud voices when they saw the foundation of this temple being laid. Many others were jumping for joy.c 13 The people could not distinguish between the sound of joyful shouting and the sound of the people weeping, because the people shouted so loudly. The sound could be heard from far away.

Part 2. Opposition to Rebuilding Jerusalem

4 Ezra Opposition to Rebuilding the Temple

1 The enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the exiles were rebuilding the temple of the L God of Israel. 2 They approached Zerubbabel and the family heads and said to them, “Let us build with you, for like you, we are seeking your God. We have been offering sacrifices to him since the days of Esarhaddon king of Assyria, who brought us up here.”d

3 But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the rest of the family heads of Israel replied, “You may not do anything with us to rebuild the temple of our God,e for we alone will rebuild it for the L God of Israel, just as King Cyrus of Persia has commanded us.”

a Literally, “on the first day of the seventh month,” two weeks before the Festival of Shelters began.

b Literally, “in the second month” (referring to the Jewish year). About 537 BC.

c Literally, “shouted for joy with a loud voice.”

d See 2 Kings 17:24–41.

e Literally, “To rebuild the temple of our God belongs to us, not to you.”

4

Then the people of the land around them tried to discourage the people of Judah and intimidate them from building. 5 During the whole reign of Cyrus king of Persia until the reign of Darius king of Persia,a they bribed officialsb to oppose the Jews and frustrate their plans.

6 At the beginning of the reign of King Xerxes,c they wrote an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem. 7 And during the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of his colleagues wrote to Artaxerxes. They wrote the letter, translated it into Aramaic, and put it in Aramaic script.

8 Rehum the commander and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter against Jerusalem to King Artaxerxes as below. 11a This is a copy of the letter they sent to him:

To King Artaxerxes,

From your servants the men of Trans-Euphrates: 9 Rehum the commander, Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of our colleagues— the judges, officials, functionaries, and secretaries— the people of Erech, Babylon, and Susa (that is, the Elamites), 10 the rest of the nations whom Ashurbanipal the Great and Noble deported and settled in the city of Samaria and the rest of Trans-Euphrates. 11b Now

12 Let it be known to the king that the Jews who have come up from you have come to us at Jerusalem. They are rebuilding that rebellious, wicked city, finishing the walls and repairing the foundations. 13 Therefore Let it be known to the king that if that city is rebuilt and its walls finished, then taxes, duties, and revenue will not be paid, and the royal treasury will be harmed.

14 Now since we are loyal to the palace,d and it is not fitting for us to see the king dishonored, for this reason we have sent this letter to inform the king.

15 Let there be a search in the records of your predecessors,e and you will find their history in the records and know that this city is a rebellious city, causing loss to kings and provinces. They incited insurrection in it in former times, which is why this city was destroyed.

16 We are warning the king that if this city is rebuilt and its walls finished, the result will be this: You will have nothing left f in Trans-Euphrates.

a Cyrus, the founder of the first Persian Empire, reigned from 559 to 530 BC, and Darius, the third king, reigned from 522 to 486 BC.

b Literally, “hired counselors.”

c Literally, “Ahasuerus.”

d Literally, “eat the salt of the palace.”

e Literally, “fathers.”

f Literally, “have no portion.”

17 The letter that the king sent in reply:

Artaxerxes King of Persia

To: Rehum the commander, Shimshai the scribe, the rest of their associates who live in Samaria, and the rest of Trans-Euphrates

Greetings of Peace.

Now Let It Be Known:

18 The letter you sent to us has been translated and read in my presence.

19 I issued a search order, and they researched and found that the city of Jerusalem from ancient times has defied kings and has committed rebellion and insurrection.

20 Powerful kings have governed Jerusalem and all of Trans-Euphrates. Taxes, duties, and revenue were paid to them.

21 Therefore issue an order to stop those men so that city will not be rebuilt until I issue another order.

22 Take care to do this.a Why allow this damage to increase to the detriment of the kings?

23 Then a copy of this letter from King Artaxerxes was read before Rehum and Shimshai the scribe and their associates. They quickly went to Jerusalem against the Jews and stopped them by force of arms. 24 So the work on the temple of God in Jerusalem stopped and remained halted until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.b

5 Ezra Rebuilding Resumed and Threatened

1 Now the prophets Haggai and Zechariah son of Iddo prophesied to the Jews who were in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel, who was over them. 2 Then Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and Jeshua son of Jozadak got up and began to build the temple of God in Jerusalem, and the prophets of God were with them, supporting them. 3 At that time Tattenai, the governor of Trans-Euphrates, and Shethar-Bozenai and their associates came to them and said, “Who issued you the decree to rebuild this temple and finish this structure?” 4 And they asked, “What are the names of the men who are constructing this building?” 5 But the eye of their God was on the Jewish elders, and they did not stop the work while a report went to Darius and a written reply came to them.

a Literally, “Beware of negligence to do this.”

b About 520 BC.

6a

Below is a copy of the letter 6c sent to King Darius. 7a They sent him a report written like this:

Report to King Darius

6b From:

Tattenai, the governor of Trans-Euphrates, Shethar-Bozenai, Our associates, the officials of Trans-Euphrates

7b To King Darius: Greetings of All Peace,

8 Let it be known to the king that we have come to the province of Judah, to the temple of the great God. It is being rebuilt with stone blocks, and timbers are being placed in the walls. That work is being done diligently and is progressing in capable hands. 9 So we asked their elders and said to them as follows: “Who issued a decree for you to rebuild this temple and finish this structure?” 10 We also asked their names so that we could inform you. Then we wrote down the names of their leaders.

11 They answered as follows: We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth. We are rebuilding this temple that was built long ago by a great king of Israel, who built and finished it. 12 But our ancestors angered the God of heaven, who handed them over to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, the Chaldean. He destroyed this temple and deported the people to Babylon.

13 But in the first year of Cyrus king of Babylon, King Cyrus issued a decree to rebuild this temple of God. 14 He also removed the articles of gold and silver taken from the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took out of the temple in Jerusalem and brought to the temple in Babylon. King Cyrus took them out of the temple in Babylon and gave them to a man named Sheshbazzar, whom he had appointed governor. 15 He told him to take the articles and go and set them down on the temple site in Jerusalem, and let the temple of God be rebuilt on its place. 16 Then this Sheshbazzar came and laid the foundation of the temple of God in Jerusalem. From then until now it has been under construction, but it is not finished.

17 And now, if it pleases the king, let a search be conducted in the royal depository there in Babylon to see if there was a decree issued by King Cyrus to rebuild this temple of God in Jerusalem. Then let the king send us his decision in this matter.

King Darius Helps

1 Then King Darius issued a decree, and they searched the archives stored in the depository in Babylon. 2 They found in the fortress of Ecbatana in the province of Media a scroll on which it was written:

Memorandum

3 Decree Concerning Temple of God in Jerusalem

First year of King Cyrusa

Let the temple, the place where sacrifices are offered, be rebuilt and its foundations laid: Ninety feet high and ninety feet wideb 4 with

Three layers of stone blocks and One course of timbers. Pay the expenses from the royal treasury.

5 Also, return to their places in the temple in Jerusalem the gold and silver articles of the temple of God that Nebuchadnezzar took from it and brought to Babylon. Deposit them in the temple of God.

Then King Darius issued this decree: Darius King of Persia Decree Concerning Temple of God in Jerusalem

6 To: Tattenai, governor of Trans-Euphrates, Shethar-Bozenai, Your associates, the officials of Trans-Euphrates:

Now therefore stay away from there.

7 Do not disturb the work on this temple of God. Let the governor of the Jews and the elders of the Jews rebuild the temple of God on its site.

8 Moreover,

I issue a decree regarding what you are to do for these elders of the Jews for the construction of this temple of God.

1. Make an outlay from the royal treasury of Trans-Euphrates for the cost of rebuilding without delay, and pay it to those men so that the work will not stop.

a About 520 BC.

b Literally, “60 cubits high and 60 cubits wide.”