The Decree of Darius

1Then comaunded king Darius: & they made searche in the librarie, eue in the place where they layed vp the treasure at Babylon: 2And there was found in a coffer in the palace that is in the prouince of the Medes, a volume: and therein was it thus written as a memoriall. 3In the first yere of king Cyrus, gaue the same king Cyrus commaundement concerning the house of God at Hierusalem, that the same house should be builded in the place where they offer the sacrifices, & to ioyne the walles together of threescore cubites heyght, and threescore cubites breadth. 4Three rowes of rough stones, and one rowe of newe timber: and the expences shalbe geuen of the kinges house. 5And let the golde and siluer vessels of the house of God, which Nabuchodonosor toke out of the temple at Hierusalem and brought vnto Babylon, be restored, and brought againe vnto the temple at Hierusalem to their place in the house of God.

6Now therefore thou Thathanai captaine beyond the water, & Stharbuzanai, and your counsailers, and Aphersechei which are beyond the water, get ye away from them. 7Let the worke of the house of this God alone, that the captaine of the Iewes and their elders may builde the house of God in his place. 8I haue commaunded what ye shall do to the elders of Iuda for the building of the house of God, that of the kinges goodes, euen of the tribute beyond the water, foorthwith expences be geuen vnto the men, that they be not hindred. 9And if they haue neede of calues, rammes, and lambes for the burnt offering of the God of heauen, wheate, salte, wine, and oyle, after the custome of the priestes at Hierusalem, let the same be geuen them dayly without any delay: 10That they may haue to offer sweete sauours vnto the God of heauen, & pray for the kinges lyfe, and for his children. 11And such a commaundement haue I geuen, that what man soeuer he be that altereth this word, there shall a beame be taken from his house, and set vp, and he shalbe hanged thereon, & his house shalbe made a dounghill for the same thing. 12And the God that set his name there, destroy all kinges and people that put to their hande to aulter and to breake downe the house of God which is at Hierusalem. I Darius haue made a decree, that this be done with speede.

The Temple Completed

13Then Thathanai the captaine of the countrey beyond the water, & Stharbuzanai, with their counsailours, according to that which king Darius had sent, so they did speedyly their diligence. 14And the elders of the Iewes builded, and they prospered through the prophecying of Aggeus the prophete and Zachari the sonne of Iddo, and they builded, and they finished it according to the commaundement of the God of Israel, and after the commaundement of Cyrus and Darius & Artaxerxes, kinges of Persia. 15And this house was finished the third day of the moneth Adar, euen in the sixt yere of the raigne of king Darius.

Dedication of the Temple

16And the childre of Israel, the priestes, the Leuites, and the other children of the captiuitie, helde the dedication of this house of God with ioy: 17And offered at the dedication of this house of God an hundred oxen, two hudred rammes, foure hudred lambes: and for the reconciling of all Israel twelue hee goates, according to the number of the tribes of Israel: 18And set the priestes in their sundry courses, and the Leuites in their diuers offices, to minister vnto God at Hierusalem, as it is written in the booke of Moyses.

The Returned Exiles Keep the Passover

19And the children of the captiuitie held Passouer vpon the foureteenth day of the first moneth. 20For the priestes and Leuites were purified all together, & killed Passouer for all the children of the captiuitie, and for their brethren the priestes, and for them selues. 21And the children of Israel which were come againe out of captiuitie, and all such as had seperated them selues vnto them from the filthinesse of the heathen of the lande, to seeke the Lorde God of Israel, did eate, 22And helde the feast of vnleauened bread seuen dayes with ioy: For the Lorde had made them glad, and turned the heart of the king of Assur vnto them, to strengthen their handes in the worke of the house of God, euen the God of Israel.