Note: Words are shown in their original Hebrew order, which differs from English translations. This reflects the emphasis and structure of Scripture as originally written. Click any word to see its full lexicon entry.
1Thus King Darius ordered a search of the archives stored in the treasury of Babylon.
3In the first year of King Cyrus, he issued a decree concerning the house of God in Jerusalem: Let the house be rebuilt as a place for offering sacrifices, and let its foundations be firmly laid. It is to be sixty cubits high and sixty cubits wide,
5Furthermore, the gold and silver articles of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took from the temple in Jerusalem and carried to Babylon, must also be returned to the temple in Jerusalem and deposited in the house of God.
6Therefore Darius decreed: To Tattenai governor of the region west of the Euphrates, Shethar-bozenai, and your associates and officials in the region: You must stay away from that place!
8I hereby decree what you must do for these elders of the Jews who are rebuilding this house of God: The cost is to be paid in full to these men from the royal treasury out of the taxes of the provinces west of the Euphrates, so that the work will not be hindered.
9Whatever is needed—young bulls, rams, and lambs for burnt offerings to the God of heaven, as well as wheat, salt, wine, and oil, as requested by the priests in Jerusalem—must be given to them daily without fail.
11I also decree that if any man interferes with this directive, a beam is to be torn from his house and raised up, and he is to be impaled on it. And his own house shall be made a pile of rubble for this offense.
12May God, who has caused His Name to dwell there, overthrow any king or people who lifts a hand to alter this decree or to destroy this house of God in Jerusalem. I, Darius, have issued the decree. Let it be carried out with diligence.
13In response, Tattenai the governor of the region west of the Euphrates, Shethar-bozenai, and their associates diligently carried out what King Darius had decreed.
14So the Jewish elders built and prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah son of Iddo. They finished building according to the command of the God of Israel and the decrees of Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes, kings of Persia.
17For the dedication of the house of God they offered a hundred bulls, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs, and a sin offering for all Israel of twelve male goats, one for each tribe of Israel.
18They also appointed the priests by their divisions and the Levites by their groups to the service of God in Jerusalem, according to what is written in the Book of Moses.
20All the priests and Levites had purified themselves and were ceremonially clean. And the Levites slaughtered the Passover lamb for all the exiles, for their priestly brothers, and for themselves.
21The Israelites who had returned from exile ate it, together with all who had separated themselves from the uncleanness of the peoples of the land to seek the LORD, the God of Israel.
22For seven days they kept the Feast of Unleavened Bread with joy, because the LORD had made them joyful and turned the heart of the king of Assyria toward them to strengthen their hands in the work on the house of the God of Israel.
Ezra 6 records the dramatic vindication of God's purposes and the triumphant completion of the temple rebuild. When opposition forces report the construction to King Darius, he orders a search of the royal archives and discovers Cyrus's original decree authorizing the work. Rather than stopping the Jews, Darius not only permits the building to continue but actively funds it and threatens severe punishment to anyone who interferes. The chapter culminates in the joyful dedication of the finished temple and the celebration of Passover, demonstrating how the Lord orchestrates both earthly rulers and heavenly purposes to accomplish His will.
King Darius, responding to the opposition report from chapter 5, takes a decisive step: he commands a search of the royal archives in Babylon. The document is found at Achmetha (possibly modern Ecbatana), containing Cyrus's original decree from his first year of reign. This decree is remarkably specific, authorizing the temple's reconstruction with exact dimensions (60 cubits in height and breadth), materials (great stones and timber), and funding from the royal treasury. Most significantly, it orders the restoration of the sacred vessels that Nebuchadnezzar had plundered. God's providential care is evident here: the document survived in pagan archives, preserved by the very bureaucratic system that might have destroyed it. This reminds us that our sovereign God works through earthly systems to accomplish His purposes.
Darius goes beyond merely confirming Cyrus's decree; he actively reinforces it with his own royal authority. He commands Tatnai and Shetharboznai—the very officials who had opposed the work—to cease their interference and fund the construction from local tax revenues (verse 8). More remarkably, he mandates ongoing provision of sacrificial animals, grain, wine, and oil so that the Jews may offer prayers for the king's wellbeing (verse 9). This reflects both practical statecraft and genuine respect for the Jewish religion. Verses 11–12 reveal the penalty for obstruction: timber would be torn from the offender's house to build the gallows for his execution, and his property would become a dunghill. Darius even invokes God's judgment upon those who would harm the temple. This shows how God's hand can turn the hearts of kings (Proverbs 21:1) to serve His purposes, even when those rulers do not know Him personally.
With the king's full backing, the work proceeds swiftly. The elders of the Jews build with renewed courage, prospered by the prophetic ministries of Haggai and Zechariah (verse 14)—a crucial detail showing that God's Word through His prophets sustained the community's faith. The temple is completed in the sixth year of Darius's reign, on the third day of the month Adar. From the initial decree under Cyrus to final completion, the rebuilding took approximately twenty years, a testimony to perseverance through opposition.
The dedication is marked by joyful sacrifice and worship. The offerings are generous: 100 bullocks, 200 rams, 400 lambs, plus twelve goats for a sin offering representing all Israel's tribes. The priests resume their divisions and the Levites their courses according to the Law of Moses. The people then celebrate Passover, emphasizing continuity with their covenant heritage. Verse 22 notes that the Lord made them joyful and turned the king's heart to strengthen their hands. This celebration encapsulates redemptive restoration: God's house stands again, His worship is renewed, and His people experience His joy.
Application for Today
Ezra 6 encourages believers facing opposition to God's work. Whether institutional, cultural, or personal, obstacles may seem insurmountable, yet our God reigns over all earthly authority. He preserves His purposes, often through unexpected means. We are called to remain faithful in our witness and worship, trusting that the Lord—not human opposition—ultimately determines outcomes. Like the returning exiles, we should celebrate God's faithfulness with joy and renewed devotion to His house, the Church.
Study Notes — Ezra 6
5 sectionsEzra 6 records the dramatic vindication of God's purposes and the triumphant completion of the temple rebuild. When opposition forces report the construction to King Darius, he orders a search of the royal archives and discovers Cyrus's original decree authorizing the work. Rather than stopping the Jews, Darius not only permits the building to continue but actively funds it and threatens severe punishment to anyone who interferes. The chapter culminates in the joyful dedication of the finished temple and the celebration of Passover, demonstrating how the Lord orchestrates both earthly rulers and heavenly purposes to accomplish His will.
King Darius, responding to the opposition report from chapter 5, takes a decisive step: he commands a search of the royal archives in Babylon. The document is found at Achmetha (possibly modern Ecbatana), containing Cyrus's original decree from his first year of reign. This decree is remarkably specific, authorizing the temple's reconstruction with exact dimensions (60 cubits in height and breadth), materials (great stones and timber), and funding from the royal treasury. Most significantly, it orders the restoration of the sacred vessels that Nebuchadnezzar had plundered. God's providential care is evident here: the document survived in pagan archives, preserved by the very bureaucratic system that might have destroyed it. This reminds us that our sovereign God works through earthly systems to accomplish His purposes.
Darius goes beyond merely confirming Cyrus's decree; he actively reinforces it with his own royal authority. He commands Tatnai and Shetharboznai—the very officials who had opposed the work—to cease their interference and fund the construction from local tax revenues (verse 8). More remarkably, he mandates ongoing provision of sacrificial animals, grain, wine, and oil so that the Jews may offer prayers for the king's wellbeing (verse 9). This reflects both practical statecraft and genuine respect for the Jewish religion. Verses 11–12 reveal the penalty for obstruction: timber would be torn from the offender's house to build the gallows for his execution, and his property would become a dunghill. Darius even invokes God's judgment upon those who would harm the temple. This shows how God's hand can turn the hearts of kings (Proverbs 21:1) to serve His purposes, even when those rulers do not know Him personally.
With the king's full backing, the work proceeds swiftly. The elders of the Jews build with renewed courage, prospered by the prophetic ministries of Haggai and Zechariah (verse 14)—a crucial detail showing that God's Word through His prophets sustained the community's faith. The temple is completed in the sixth year of Darius's reign, on the third day of the month Adar. From the initial decree under Cyrus to final completion, the rebuilding took approximately twenty years, a testimony to perseverance through opposition.
The dedication is marked by joyful sacrifice and worship. The offerings are generous: 100 bullocks, 200 rams, 400 lambs, plus twelve goats for a sin offering representing all Israel's tribes. The priests resume their divisions and the Levites their courses according to the Law of Moses. The people then celebrate Passover, emphasizing continuity with their covenant heritage. Verse 22 notes that the Lord made them joyful and turned the king's heart to strengthen their hands. This celebration encapsulates redemptive restoration: God's house stands again, His worship is renewed, and His people experience His joy.
Ezra 6 encourages believers facing opposition to God's work. Whether institutional, cultural, or personal, obstacles may seem insurmountable, yet our God reigns over all earthly authority. He preserves His purposes, often through unexpected means. We are called to remain faithful in our witness and worship, trusting that the Lord—not human opposition—ultimately determines outcomes. Like the returning exiles, we should celebrate God's faithfulness with joy and renewed devotion to His house, the Church.