Ezra 6: Cyrus's decree is found and the house is finished
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What happens?
Darius has the archives searched, and a scroll with Cyrus's decree is found at Achmetha. Darius tells Tattenai to keep away, orders the cost of the work and the offerings to be paid from the king's goods, and sets a penalty for anyone who changes his order. The elders finish the house, the people dedicate it with offerings, and they keep the Passover and the feast of unleavened bread. Verses 1 to 18 are written in Aramaic; the Hebrew returns at verse 19.
Who is speaking?
No verse is in gold: God speaks no words of his own in this chapter. The narrator tells verses 1 and 2 and verses 13 to 22. Verses 3 to 5 are the record found in the scroll, Cyrus's decree. In verses 6 to 12 Darius speaks to Tattenai and his companions (verse 12 has "I Darius have made a decree"). Verse 12 also has Darius asking God to overthrow anyone who changes the decree; those are his words. God's own words are printed in gold, and those verses are marked God speaks
1Then Darius the king made a decree, and the house of the archives, where the treasures were laid up in Babylon, was searched.
In plain English: Then Darius the king made a decree, and the house of the archives (word for word: the house of the books), where the treasures were laid up in Babylon, was searched.
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2A scroll was found at Achmetha, in the palace that is in the province of Media, and in it this was written for a record:
In plain English: A scroll was found at Achmetha, in the palace that is in the province of Media, and in it this was written as a record:
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3In the first year of Cyrus the king, Cyrus the king made a decree: Concerning God’s house at Jerusalem, let the house be built, the place where they offer sacrifices, and let its foundations be strongly laid, with its height sixty cubits and its width sixty cubits;
In plain English: In the first year of Cyrus the king, Cyrus the king made a decree: Concerning God's house at Jerusalem, let the house be built, the place where they offer sacrifices, and let its foundations be strongly laid (or: kept). Its height is sixty cubits and its width sixty cubits,
Good to know: The verse gives a height of sixty cubits and a width of sixty cubits, and no length. gives Solomon's house as sixty cubits long, twenty wide and thirty high. The text does not say how the two sets of measures fit together.
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4with three courses of great stones and a course of new timber. Let the expenses be given out of the king’s house.
In plain English: with three courses of great stones and a course of new timber. Let the expenses be given out of the king's house.
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5Also let the gold and silver vessels of God’s house, which Nebuchadnezzar took out of the temple which is at Jerusalem and brought to Babylon, be restored and brought again to the temple which is at Jerusalem, everything to its place. You shall put them in God’s house.
In plain English: Also let the gold and silver vessels of God's house, which Nebuchadnezzar took out of the temple at Jerusalem and brought to Babylon, be given back and brought again to the temple at Jerusalem, each to its place. You shall put them in God's house.
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6Now therefore, Tattenai, governor beyond the River, Shetharbozenai, and your companions the Apharsachites, who are beyond the River, you must stay far from there.
In plain English: Now therefore, Tattenai, governor beyond the River, Shetharbozenai, and your companions the Apharsachites who are beyond the River, stay far away from there.
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7Leave 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 its place.
In plain English: Leave the work on this house of God alone. Let the governor of the Jews and the elders of the Jews build this house of God in its place.
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8Moreover I make a decree regarding what you shall do for these elders of the Jews for the building of this house of God: that of the king’s goods, even of the tribute beyond the River, expenses must be given with all diligence to these men, that they not be hindered.
In plain English: I also make a decree about what you shall do for these elders of the Jews for the building of this house of God: the expenses must be given with all care to these men, out of the king's goods, from the tribute beyond the River, so that they are not hindered.
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9That which they have need of, including young bulls, rams, and lambs, for burnt offerings to the God of heaven; also wheat, salt, wine, and oil, according to the word of the priests who are at Jerusalem, let it be given them day by day without fail,
In plain English: What they need, including young bulls, rams, and lambs for burnt offerings to the God of heaven, and also wheat, salt, wine, and oil, as the priests at Jerusalem say, must be given to them day by day without fail,
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10that they may offer sacrifices of pleasant aroma to the God of heaven, and pray for the life of the king and of his sons.
In plain English: so that they may offer sacrifices of pleasant aroma to the God of heaven and pray for the life of the king and of his sons.
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11I have also made a decree that whoever alters this message, let a beam be pulled out from his house, and let him be lifted up and fastened on it; and let his house be made a dunghill for this.
In plain English: I have also made a decree that whoever changes this order, a beam is to be pulled out of his house, and he is to be lifted up and fastened (or: impaled) on it. His house is to be made a dunghill (or: refuse heap) for this.
The Aramaic words: This verse has two words for what is done to the man. The first is zeqaph, which the dictionary gives as "to hang, i.e. impale". The second is mecha, which the dictionary gives as "to strike in pieces; also to arrest; specifically to impale".
How it is translated: Zeqaph is in this verse only, and the WEB says "lifted up". Mecha is in 4 verses, this one and 3 in Daniel. The WEB says "fastened" here only; in the 3 verses in Daniel it uses other words.
What changes: Read with the dictionary's "impale" for both words, the man is hung or impaled on the beam. The WEB's "lifted up and fastened" does not say how. The verse does not decide.
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12May the God who has caused his name to dwell there overthrow all kings and peoples who stretch out their hand to alter this, to destroy this house of God which is at Jerusalem. I Darius have made a decree. Let it be done with all diligence.
In plain English: May the God who has made his name live there overthrow all kings and peoples (word for word: every king and people) who stretch out a hand to change this or to destroy this house of God at Jerusalem. I, Darius, have made a decree. Let it be done with all care.
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13Then Tattenai, the governor beyond the River, Shetharbozenai, and their companions did accordingly with all diligence, because Darius the king had sent a decree.
In plain English: Then Tattenai, the governor beyond the River, Shetharbozenai, and their companions did accordingly, with all care, because Darius the king had sent a decree.
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14The elders of the Jews built and prospered, through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. They built and finished it, according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the decree of Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia.
In plain English: The elders of the Jews built and did well, through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. They built and finished it, by the commandment (or: decree) of the God of Israel and by the decree of Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia.
The Aramaic word: "Commandment" and "decree" are the one word taam, which the dictionary gives as "properly, flavor; figuratively, judgment". The verse uses it for the God of Israel and again for Cyrus, Darius and Artaxerxes.
How it is translated: The word is in 24 verses. The WEB says "decree" in 19 of them and "commandment" in 1, this verse. In the other 5 it uses neither word. Here the WEB says "commandment" for the God of Israel and "decree" for the three kings.
What changes: Read as "decree of the God of Israel", the verse puts his order in the same word as the kings' orders. Read as "commandment", it is his order. The verse does not decide.
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15This house was finished on the third day of the month Adar, which was in the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king.
In plain English: This house was finished on the third day of the month Adar, in the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king.
Good to know: The verse gives the day, the month and the king's reign: the third day of Adar, in the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king. The WEB names the month Adar in this verse and in 8 verses of Esther, where it is the twelfth month (). The text gives no other year, and this note adds no date.
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16The children of Israel, the priests, the Levites, and the rest of the children of the captivity, kept the dedication of this house of God with joy.
In plain English: The children of Israel, the priests, the Levites, and the rest of the children of the captivity kept the dedication of this house of God with joy.
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17They offered at the dedication of this house of God one hundred bulls, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs; and for a sin offering for all Israel, twelve male goats, according to the number of the tribes of Israel.
In plain English: They offered at the dedication of this house of God one hundred bulls, two hundred rams, and four hundred lambs. For a sin offering for all Israel they offered twelve male goats, by the number of the tribes of Israel.
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18They 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.
In plain English: They set the priests in their divisions and the Levites in their courses (or: classes) for the service of God at Jerusalem, as it is written in the book of Moses.
Good to know: The verse says "the book of Moses" and does not say which writings that is. The WEB says "the book of Moses" in 5 verses: this one, , , and . and say "the law of Moses".
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19The children of the captivity kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month.
In plain English: The children of the captivity kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month.
The Hebrew word: "Captivity" is golah, which the dictionary gives as "exile" and "exiles". Word for word the Hebrew says "the children of the exile".
How it is translated: The word is in 42 verses. The WEB says "captivity" in 26 of them and "exile" or a longer form of it in 5. In verse 16, which is Aramaic, the WEB also says "captivity", for a different word, galuth, which is in 4 verses and is "captivity" in the WEB every time.
Good to know: The Aramaic ends at verse 18. From this verse the text is in Hebrew again.
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20Because the priests and the Levites had purified themselves together, all of them were pure. They killed the Passover for all the children of the captivity, for their brothers the priests, and for themselves.
In plain English: Because the priests and the Levites had purified themselves together, all of them were pure. They killed the Passover for all the children of the captivity, for their brothers the priests, and for themselves.
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21The children of Israel who had returned out of the captivity, and all who had separated themselves to them from the filthiness of the nations of the land to seek Yahweh, the God of Israel, ate,
In plain English: The children of Israel who had returned out of the captivity ate, and so did all who had separated themselves to them from the uncleanness of the nations of the land, to seek Yahweh, the God of Israel,
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22and kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with joy; because Yahweh had made them joyful, and had turned the heart of the king of Assyria to them, to strengthen their hands in the work of God, the God of Israel’s house.
In plain English: and they kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with joy, because Yahweh had made them joyful and had turned the heart of the king of Assyria toward them, to make their hands strong in the work on the house of God, the God of Israel.
The Hebrew word: "Assyria" is Ashshur, which the dictionary gives as "Ashshur, the second son of Shem; also his descendants and the country occupied by them (i.e. Assyria), its region and its empire".
How it is translated: The word is in 138 verses. The WEB says "Assyria" in 115 of them.
Good to know: The verse says Yahweh turned the heart of "the king of Assyria" and does not name him. names Cyrus, Darius and Artaxerxes king of Persia. The text does not say why Assyria is named here. also speaks of "Esar Haddon king of Assyria".
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