Ezra 6
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Then Dari'us the king made a decree, and
search was made in the house of the rolls, where the treasures were
laid up in Babylon.
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And there was found at Ach'metha, in the
palace that is in the province of the Medes, a roll, and
therein was a record thus written:
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In the first year of Cyrus the king, the same Cyrus the king made a decree concerning the
house of God at Jerusalem, Let the house be builded, the place where
they offered sacrifices, and let the foundations thereof be strongly
laid; the height thereof threescore cubits, and the breadth
thereof threescore cubits;
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with three rows of great stones,
and a row of new timber: and let the expenses be given out of the
king's house:
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and also let the golden and silver
vessels of the house of God, which Nebuchadnez'zar took forth out of
the temple which is at Jerusalem, and brought unto Babylon,
be restored, and brought again unto the temple which is at
Jerusalem, every one to his place, and place them in
the house of God.
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Now therefore, Tat'nai, governor
beyond the river, She'thar-boz'nai, and your companions the
Aphar'sachites, which are beyond the river, be ye far from
thence:
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let the work of this house of God alone;
let the governor of the Jews and the elders of the Jews build this
house of God in his place.
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Moreover I make a decree what ye shall do
to the elders of these Jews for the building of this house of God:
that of the king's goods, even of the tribute beyond the
river, forthwith expenses be given unto these men, that they be not
hindered.
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And that which they have need of, both
young bullocks, and rams, and lambs, for the burnt offerings of the
God of heaven, wheat, salt, wine, and oil, according to the
appointment of the priests which are at Jerusalem, let it be
given them day by day without fail:
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that they may offer sacrifices of sweet
savors unto the God of heaven, and pray for the life of the king,
and of his sons.
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Also I have made a decree, that whosoever
shall alter this word, let timber be pulled down from his house, and
being set up, let him be hanged thereon; and let his house be made a
dunghill for this.
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And the God that hath caused his name to
dwell there destroy all kings and people, that shall put to their
hand to alter and to destroy this house of God which is at Jerusalem. I Dari'us have made a decree; let it be done
with speed.
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Then Tat'nai, governor on this side the
river, She'thar-boz'nai, and their companions, according to that
which Dari'us the king had sent, so they did speedily.
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And the elders of the Jews builded, and
they prospered through the prophesying of Hag'gai Hag. 1.1 the prophet and Zechari'ah Zech. 1.1 the son of Iddo. And they builded, and finished it, according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to
the commandment of Cyrus, and Dari'us, and Artaxerx'es king of
Persia.
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And this house was finished on the third
day of the month Adar, which was in the sixth year of the reign of
Dari'us the king.
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And the children of Israel, the
priests, and the Levites, and the rest of the children of the
captivity, kept the dedication of this house of God with
joy,
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and offered at the dedication of this
house of God a hundred bullocks, two hundred rams, four hundred
lambs; and for a sin offering for all Israel, twelve he goats,
according to the number of the tribes of Israel.
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And they set the priests in their
divisions, and the Levites in their courses, for the service of God,
which is at Jerusalem; as it is written in the book of
Moses.
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And the children of the captivity kept
the passover upon the fourteenth day of the first month. Ex.
12.1-20
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For the priests and the Levites were
purified together, all of them were pure, and killed the
passover for all the children of the captivity, and for their
brethren the priests, and for themselves.
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And the children of Israel, which were
come again out of captivity, and all such as had separated
themselves unto them from the filthiness of the heathen of the land,
to seek the LORD God of Israel, did
eat,
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and kept the feast of unleavened bread
seven days with joy: for the LORD had made them
joyful, and turned the heart of the king of Assyria unto them, to
strengthen their hands in the work of the house of God, the God of
Israel.
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