Then Darius the king made a decree, and they searched in the house of the archives where the treasures were stored in Babylon.

And a scroll was found in the fortress in Ecbatana, in the province of Media, and it was written in it: a record.

In the first year of King Cyrus, King Cyrus issued a decree: The house of Elohim in Yerushalayim, the house is to be built in its place, where the offerings were sacrificed, and its foundations are to be laid, its height sixty cubits, its width sixty cubits.

With three courses of hewn stone and one course of timber, and the expense is to be provided from the king's house.

And also the vessels of the house of Elohim, which Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple in Yerushalayim and brought to Babylon, they are to be returned, and they are to go to the temple in Yerushalayim, to their place, and be placed in the house of Elohim.

Now, therefore, Tattenai, governor of the region beyond the river, Shethar-bozenai, and your companions, the Apharsachites who are beyond the river, you must stay far from there.

Leave the work of this house of Elohim alone; let the governor of Yehudah and the elders of Yehudah rebuild this house of Elohim on its site.

And from me a decree is issued concerning what you are to do with the elders of Yehudah for the rebuilding of this house of Elohim: from the king's treasury, from the tax of the region beyond the river, expenses are to be given to these men, so that they are not hindered.

And whatever is needed, bulls, and rams, and lambs for burnt offerings to the Elohim of the heavens, wheat, salt, wine, and oil, as the priests in Yerushalayim order, let it be given to them day by day, so that it is not lacking.

So that they may offer pleasing sacrifices to the Elohim of the heavens and pray for the life of the king and his sons.

And from me a decree is issued: whoever alters this command, let a beam be removed from his house, and let him be impaled on it, and let his house be made a refuse heap for this.

And may the Elohim who caused His name to dwell there strike down every king and people who stretches out their hand to alter or destroy this house of Elohim in Yerushalayim. I, Darius, have issued a decree; let it be carried out precisely.

Then Tattenai, governor of the region beyond the river, Shethar-bozenai, and their companions, in accordance with what King Darius had commanded, so they did precisely.

And the elders of Yehudah were building and prospering through the prophecy of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah son of Iddo. They finished it according to the command of the Elohim of Yisra'el and according to the decree of Cyrus and Darius and Artaxerxes, king of Pars.

And this house was finished on the third day of the month Adar, which was the sixth year of the reign of King Darius.

And the sons of Yisra'el, the priests, the Levites, and the rest of the exiles, celebrated the dedication of this house of Elohim with joy.

And they offered for the dedication of this house of Elohim: one hundred bulls, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs, and twelve male goats for a sin offering for all Yisra'el, according to the number of the twelve tribes of Yisra'el.

And they appointed the priests according to their divisions and the Levites according to their divisions for the service of Elohim in Yerushalayim, as it is written in the book of Mosheh.

And the children of the exile kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month.

For the priests and the Levites had purified themselves together; all of them were pure. And they slaughtered the Passover for all the children of the exile and for their brothers the priests and for themselves.

And the children of Yisra'el who had returned from the exile ate it, and everyone who had separated himself from the impurity of the nations of the land to seek יהוה, the Elohim of Yisra'el.

And they kept the Feast of Unleavened Bread for seven days with joy, for יהוה had made them joyful, and had turned the heart of the king of Ashshur toward them, to strengthen their hands in the work of the house of the Elohim, the Elohim of Yisra'el.