The Decree of Darius

1Then comaunded kinge Darius, that search shulde be made in ye library of ye kynges treasure house, which laye at Babilon. 2So at Egbathanis in a castell that lyeth in the londe of the Meedes, there was founde a boke, & in it was there an acte wrytten after this maner: 3In the first yeare of kynge Cyrus, comaunded the same kynge Cyrus to buylde ye house of God at Ierusalem, in the place where the sacrifice is made, & to laye the foundacion to beare thre score cubites heyght, & thre score cubites bredth, 4& thre walles of all maner of stones, and one wall of tymber, & the expences shalbe geuen of the kynges house. 5And the golde and syluer vessell of ye house of God (which Nabuchodonosor toke out of the temple at Ierusalem, and broughte vnto Babilon) shalbe restored agayne, yt they maye be broughte vnto the temple at Ierusale to their place in to the house of God.

6Get you farre from them therfore, thou Thathnai Debyte beyonde the water, and Sethar of Bosen, & youre councelers which are beyonde the water. 7Let them worke in ye house of God, that the Debyte of ye Iewes and their Elders maye buylde the house of God in his place. 8I haue commaunded also, what shalbe done to ye Elders of Iuda for the buyldinge of the house of God, that there shal diligently be take of the kynges goodes, euen of the rentes beyonde the water, & geuen vnto the men, and that they be not hyndered. 9And yf they haue nede of calues, lambes, or goates for the burntoffrynge vnto ye God of heauen, wheate, salt, wyne and oyle, after the custome of the prestes at Ierusalem, there shalbe geuen them daylie as is acordinge: and se that this be not done necligetly, 10that they maye offre swete sauoures vnto ye God of heauen, and praye for the kynges lyfe, and for his children. 11This commaundement haue I geue. And what man so euer he be that altereth these wordes, there shal a balke be taken from his house, and set vp, and he shalbe hanged theron, and his house shalbe prysed for the dede. 12But the God that dwelleth in heauen, destroye all kynges and people, that put to their hade to alter and to breake downe the house of God at Ierusalem. I Darius haue commaunded, that this be diligently done.

The Temple Completed

13Then Thathnai ye Debyte beyonde ye water, and Sethar of Bosen with their councelers (to whom kynge Darius had sent) dyd their diligence. 14And ye Elders of the Iewes buylded, and they prospered thorow the prophecienge of Aggeus the prophet and Zachary the sonne of Iddo: and they buylded, and set vp the worke, acordinge to the commaundement of the God of Israel, and after the commaundement of Cyrus, Darius and Artaxerses kynges of Persia. 15And they perfourmed the house vnto the thirde daye of the moneth Adar, that was the sixte yeare of the reigne of kynge Darius.

Dedication of the Temple

16And the children of Israel, the prestes, the Leuites, and the other children of ye captyuite helde the dedicacion of the house of God with ioye, 17and offred at the dedicacion of the house of God, an hundreth calues, two hundreth lambes, foure hundreth goates: and for the synofferynge for all Israel, twolue he goates, acordinge to the nombre of the trybes of Israel, 18and set the prestes in their courses, and ye Leuites in their offices, to mynister vnto God which is at Ierusale, as it is wrytten in the boke of Moses.

The Returned Exiles Keep the Passover

19And the children of the captyuite helde Passeouer vpon the fourtenth daye of the first moneth: 20for ye prestes and Leuites had purified them selues, so yt they were all cleane as one man, and kylled Passeouer for all the children of the captyuite, and for their brethre the prestes, and for them selues. 21And the childre of Israel which were come agayne out of captiuyte, and all soch as had separated them selues vnto them from the fylthinesse of the Heythen in the londe, to seke the LORDE God of Israel, ate 22& helde the feast of vnleueded bred seuen dayes with ioye: for the LORDE had made them glad, and turned the hert of the kynge of Assur vnto the, so that their handes were strengthed in the worke of the house of God, which is ye God of Israel.