Ezra 6

NEW JERUSALEM	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 Then, on the order of King Darius, search was made in the archives deposited in the treasuries inBabylon	1 Thereupon King Darius issued an order to search the archives in which the Babylonian records were stored away;
2 and a scrol was found in the fortress of Ecbatana, which ran as follows: 'Memorandum.	2 and in Ecbatana, the stronghold in the province of Media, a scroll was found containing the following text: "Memorandum.
3 'In the first year of King Cyrus, King Cyrus issued this order: "Temple of God in Jerusalem. "The Templeis to be rebuilt as a place of offering sacrifice and its foundations retained. Its height is to be sixty cubits, its widthsixty cubits,	3 In the first year of King Cyrus, King Cyrus issued a decree: The house of God in Jerusalem. The house is to be rebuilt as a place for offering sacrifices and bringing burnt offerings. Its height is to be sixty cubits and its width sixty cubits.
4 with three layers of large stones and one layer of timber. The cost is to be met by the royal treasury.	4 It shall have three courses of cut stone for each one of timber. The costs are to be borne by the royal palace.
5 Furthermore, the gold and silver articles belonging to the Temple of God which Nebuchadnezzar tookfrom the Temple in Jerusalem and brought to Babylon are to be given back and returned to the temple inJerusalem, each to its proper place, and deposited in the Temple of God."	5 Also, the gold and silver utensils of the house of God which Nebuchadnezzar took from the temple of Jerusalem and brought to Babylon are to be sent back: to be returned to their place in the temple of Jerusalem and deposited in the house of God.
6 'Hence, Tattenai governor of Transeuphrates, Shethar-Bozenai and your associates, the officials ofTranseuphrates, keep away from there!	6 "Now, therefore, Tattenai, governor of West-of-Euphrates, and Shethar-bozenai, and you, their fellow officials in West-of-Euphrates, do not interfere in that place.
7 Leave the governor of the Jews and the elders of the Jews alone, to get on with their work on thatTemple of God; they are permitted to rebuild that Temple of God on that site.	7 Let the governor and the elders of the Jews continue the work on that house of God; they are to rebuild it on its former site.
8 And herewith are my instructions as to how you will assist these elders of the Jews in the rebuilding ofthat Temple of God: the cost is to be paid in ful to these men from the royal revenue, that is, from the taxes ofTranseuphrates, and without interruption.	8 I also issue this decree concerning your dealing with these elders of the Jews in the rebuilding of that house of God: From the royal revenue, the taxes of West-of-Euphrates, let these men be repaid for their expenses, in full and without delay.
9 And whatever is required -- young bul s, rams, lambs for burnt offerings to the God of heaven, wheat,salt, wine, oil, as the priests in Jerusalem request -- is to be given them day by day without fail,	9 Whatever else is required--young bulls, rams, and lambs for holocausts to the God of heaven, wheat, salt, wine, and oil, according to the requirements of the priests who are in Jerusalem--is to be delivered to them day by day without fail,
10 so that they may offer sacrifices acceptable to the God of heaven and pray for the life of the king andhis sons.	10 that they may continue to offer sacrifices of pleasing odor to the God of heaven and pray for the life of the king and his sons.
11 Furthermore I have issued an instruction that if anyone disobeys this order, a beam is to be torn fromhis house, he is to be impaled on it and his house is to be reduced to a rubbish-heap for his offence;	11 I also issue this decree: If any man violates this edict, a beam is to be taken from his house, and he is to be lifted up and impaled on it; and his house is to be reduced to rubble for this offense.
12 and may the God who has caused his name to live there overthrow the king of any people who daresto defy this and destroy that Temple of God in Jerusalem! I, Darius, have issued this order. Let it be punctiliouslyobeyed!'	12 And may the God who causes his name to dwell there overthrow every king or people who may undertake to alter this or to destroy this house of God in Jerusalem. I, Darius, have issued this decree; let it be carefully executed."
13 Tattenai governor of Transeuphrates, Shethar-Bozenai and their associates punctiliously obeyed theinstructions sent by King Darius;	13 Then Tattenai, the governor of West-of-Euphrates, and Shethar-bozenai, and their fellow officials carried out fully the instructions King Darius had sent them.
14 and the elders of the Jews made good progress over their building, thanks to the prophetic activity ofthe prophet Haggai and Zechariah son of Iddo, completing the reconstruction in accordance with the commandof the God of Israel and the order of Cyrus and of Darius.	14 The elders of the Jews continued to make progress in the building, supported by the message of the prophets, Haggai and Zechariah, son of Iddo. They finished the building according to the command of the God of Israel and the decrees of Cyrus and Darius (and of Artaxerxes, king of Persia).
15 This Temple was completed on the twenty-third day of the month of Adar, in the sixth year of the reignof King Darius.	15 They completed this house on the third day of the month Adar, in the sixth year of the reign of King Darius.
16 The Israelites -- the priests, the Levites and the remainder of the exiles -- joyful y celebrated thededication of this Temple of God;	16 The Israelites--priests, Levites, and the other returned exiles--celebrated the dedication of this house of God with joy.
17 for the dedication of this Temple of God they offered one hundred bul s, two hundred rams, fourhundred lambs and, as a sin offering for al Israel, twelve he-goats, corresponding to the number of the tribes ofIsrael.	17 For the dedication of this house of God, they offered one hundred bulls, two hundred rams, and four hundred lambs, together with twelve he-goats as a sin-offering for all Israel, in keeping with the number of the tribes of Israel.
18 Then they installed the priests in their orders and the Levites in their positions for the ministry of theTemple of God in Jerusalem, as prescribed in the Book of Moses.	18 Finally, they set up the priests in their classes and the Levites in their divisions for the service of God in Jerusalem, as is prescribed in the book of Moses.
19 The exiles celebrated the Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month.	19 The exiles kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month.
20 The Levites, as one man, had purified themselves; al were pure, so they sacrificed the Passover for althe exiles, for their brothers the priests and for themselves.	20 The Levites, every one of whom had purified himself for the occasion, sacrificed the Passover for the rest of the exiles, for their brethren the priests, and for themselves.
21 So the Israelites who had returned from exile and al those who had renounced the filthy practices ofthe people of the country to join them in resorting to Yahweh, God of Israel, ate the Passover.	21 The Israelites who had returned from the exile partook of it together with all those who had separated themselves from the uncleanness of the peoples of the land to join them in seeking the LORD, the God of Israel.
22 For seven days they joyful y celebrated the feast of Unleavened Bread, for Yahweh had given themcause to rejoice, having moved the heart of the king of Assyria in their favour to support them in their work on theTemple of God, the God of Israel.	22 They joyfully kept the feast of Unleavened Bread for seven days, for the LORD had filled them with joy by making the king of Assyria favorable to them, so that he gave them help in their work on the house of God, the God of Israel.