Ezra

Describes the return of the Jews from Babylonian exile and the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem.

Chapter 6

1 Then Darius the king made a decree, and search was made in the house of the rolls, where the treasures were laid up in Babylon.

*Then King Darius decided and they looked in the records' house, where all the valuable things were kept in Babylon.

2 And there was found at Achmetha, in the palace that is in the province of the Medes, a roll, and therein was a record thus written:

*In Achmetha, at the palace in the Medes' province, they discovered a scroll with this written inside:

3 In the first year of Cyrus the king the same Cyrus the king made a decree concerning the house of God at Jerusalem, Let the house be builded, the place where they offered sacrifices, and let the foundations thereof be strongly laid; the height thereof threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof threescore cubits;

*In the first year of King Cyrus, he decided to rebuild God's house in Jerusalem. This was the place where people offered sacrifices. He ordered that the foundations be made strong. The building should be 60 cubits high and 60 cubits wide.

4 With three rows of great stones, and a row of new timber: and let the expenses be given out of the king’s house:

*With three big stone lines, and a line of fresh wood; and pay for it from the king's home.

5 And also let the golden and silver vessels of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took forth out of the temple which is at Jerusalem, and brought unto Babylon, be restored, and brought again unto the temple which is at Jerusalem, every one to his place, and place them in the house of God.

*Restore the gold and silver objects from God's house taken by Nebuchadnezzar from Jerusalem's temple in Babylon, and return them to their original place in Jerusalem's temple, putting them back in God's house.

6 Now therefore, Tatnai, governor beyond the river, Shetharboznai, and your companions the Apharsachites, which are beyond the river, be ye far from thence:

*Now then, Tatnai, the governor on the other side of the river, Shetharboznai and your fellow Apharsachite people also living on the other side of the river, please stay away from there.

7 Let the work of this house of God alone; let the governor of the Jews and the elders of the Jews build this house of God in his place.

*"Leave the work of God's house to them; let the Jewish leader and the important Jews construct this temple in its spot."

8 Moreover I make a decree what ye shall do to the elders of these Jews for the building of this house of God: that of the king’s goods, even of the tribute beyond the river, forthwith expenses be given unto these men, that they be not hindered.

*Additionally, I am ordering what you must do for the leaders of these Jewish people to help build God's house. Use money from the king's possessions, specifically the extra taxes collected beyond the river, to provide funds for these men immediately so they can continue without any interruptions.

9 And that which they have need of, both young bullocks, and rams, and lambs, for the burnt offerings of the God of heaven, wheat, salt, wine, and oil, according to the appointment of the priests which are at Jerusalem, let it be given them day by day without fail:

*Provide the necessary items for the temple's sacrifices, like young bullocks, rams, lambs, wheat, salt, wine, and oil. Follow the priests' instructions in Jerusalem, and give these items daily without fail.

10 That they may offer sacrifices of sweet savours unto the God of heaven, and pray for the life of the king, and of his sons.

*So that they can give pleasing offerings to the God above and ask for the king's life and the lives of his children.

11 Also I have made a decree, that whosoever shall alter this word, let timber be pulled down from his house, and being set up, let him be hanged thereon; and let his house be made a dunghill for this.

*I have decided that if anyone changes this rule, their house will be destroyed, they'll be hanged using the wood from their house, and their home will become a place for garbage.

12 And the God that hath caused his name to dwell there destroy all kings and people, that shall put to their hand to alter and to destroy this house of God which is at Jerusalem. I Darius have made a decree; let it be done with speed.

*And the God who lives there will destroy anyone who tries to change or damage this special God's house in Jerusalem. I, Darius, have decided this must happen quickly.

13 Then Tatnai, governor on this side the river, Shetharboznai, and their companions, according to that which Darius the king had sent, so they did speedily.

*Then Tatnai, the governor, Shetharboznai, and their helpers quickly did what Darius the king ordered.

14 And the elders of the Jews builded, and they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they builded, and finished it, according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the commandment of Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia.

*The older Jewish leaders built and became successful with the help of prophets Haggai and Zechariah. They completed the construction as ordered by the God of Israel and the kings Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes of Persia.

15 And this house was finished on the third day of the month Adar, which was in the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king.

*The house was completed on the 3rd of Adar, during the 6th year of King Darius's rule.

16 And the children of Israel, the priests, and the Levites, and the rest of the children of the captivity, kept the dedication of this house of God with joy,

*The Israelite kids, priests, Levites, and other captured people celebrated the holy building's dedication happily.

17 And offered at the dedication of this house of God an hundred bullocks, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs; and for a sin offering for all Israel, twelve he goats, according to the number of the tribes of Israel.

*At the opening of this God's house, they gave 100 bulls, 200 rams, and 400 lambs. For a sin offering for all Israel, they offered 12 goats, one for each tribe.

18 And they set the priests in their divisions, and the Levites in their courses, for the service of God, which is at Jerusalem; as it is written in the book of Moses.

*They arranged the priests and Levites into groups for serving God in Jerusalem, just like it says in the book by Moses.

19 And the children of the captivity kept the passover upon the fourteenth day of the first month.

*The children held a special meal, called Passover, on the 14th day of the first month while they were away.

20 For the priests and the Levites were purified together, all of them were pure, and killed the passover for all the children of the captivity, and for their brethren the priests, and for themselves.

*The priests and Levites cleaned up together and became pure. They all killed a sacrifice for the captured people, as well as for the priest's brothers and for themselves.

21 And the children of Israel, which were come again out of captivity, and all such as had separated themselves unto them from the filthiness of the heathen of the land, to seek the LORD God of Israel, did eat,

*The children of Israel, who returned from being captured, and everyone who left the dirty ways of the people in the land to search for the true God, all ate together.

22 And kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with joy: for the LORD had made them joyful, and turned the heart of the king of Assyria unto them, to strengthen their hands in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel.

*They celebrated the festival of unleavened bread happily for seven days because the Lord made them happy and changed the king of Assyria's mind towards them. This helped them in building God's house in Israel.

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