Bible Study Ezra 6
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Ezra 6 · WEB

Darius's Decree; Temple Completed and Dedicated

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Then Darius the king made a decree, and search was made in the house of the archives, where the treasures were laid up in Babylon.
2There was found at Achmetha, in the palace that is in the province of Media, a scroll, and therein was written thus for a record:
3"In the first year of Cyrus the king, Cyrus the king made a decree: 'Concerning God's house at Jerusalem, let the house be built, the place where they offer sacrifices, and let its foundations be strongly laid, its height sixty cubits and its width sixty cubits,
4with three courses of great stones and a course of new timber. Let the expenses be given out of the king's house.
5Also let the gold and silver vessels of God's house, which Nebuchadnezzar took out of the temple which is at Jerusalem and brought to Babylon, be restored and brought again to the temple which is at Jerusalem, everyone to its place; and you shall put them in God's house.'
6"Now therefore, Tattenai, governor beyond the River, Shethar Bozenai, and your companions the Apharsachites who are beyond the River, stay far from there.
7Leave 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 its place.
8Moreover I make a decree concerning what you shall do for these elders of the Jews for the building of this house of God: that of the king's goods, even of the tribute beyond the River, expenses shall be given with all diligence to these men, that they not be hindered.
9Whatever they have need of, both young bulls and rams and lambs for burnt offerings to the God of heaven, wheat, salt, wine, and oil, according to the word of the priests who are at Jerusalem, let it be given them day by day without fail;
10that they may offer sacrifices of pleasant aroma to the God of heaven, and pray for the life of the king and of his sons.
11Also I have made a decree that whoever shall alter this word, let a beam be pulled out from his house and he shall be lifted up and fastened on it; and his house shall be made a dunghill for this.
12May the God who has caused his name to dwell there overthrow all kings and people who shall put out their hand to alter it, to destroy this house of God which is at Jerusalem. I, Darius, have made a decree. Let it be done with all diligence."
13Then Tattenai the governor beyond the River, Shethar Bozenai, and their companions did accordingly with all diligence, because Darius the king had so decreed.
14The elders of the Jews built and prospered, through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. They built and finished it, according to the commandment of the God of Israel and according to the decree of Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia.
15This house was finished on the third day of the month Adar, which was in the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king.
16The children of Israel, the priests, the Levites, and the rest of the children of the captivity kept the dedication of this house of God with joy.
17They offered at the dedication of this house of God one hundred bulls, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs; and for a sin offering for all Israel, twelve male goats, according to the number of the tribes of Israel.
18They 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.
19The children of the captivity kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month.
20For the priests and the Levites had purified themselves together; all of them were pure. They killed the Passover lamb for all the children of the captivity, and for their brothers the priests, and for themselves.
21The children of Israel who had returned out of the exile, and all such as had separated themselves to them from the filthiness of the nations of the land, to seek Yahweh, the God of Israel, ate,
22and kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with joy; for Yahweh had made them joyful, and had turned the heart of the king of Assyria toward them, to strengthen their hands in the work of God's house, the God of Israel.
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Summary

Darius's archivists find Cyrus's original decree in the Persian archives at Ecbatana (Achmetha, in modern northwestern Iran). Not only does Darius confirm the authorization — he commands his governor Tattenai to fund the project from royal taxes and supply all sacrificial materials. The enemies who tried to stop the building are ordered to help pay for it. The temple is completed in 516 BC, 70 years after its destruction. The dedication includes 612 sacrifices and a sin offering of 12 goats for all twelve tribes. The first Passover in the new temple follows — shared by the returning exiles and all who have separated from paganism to seek Yahweh.

Themes

  • God using imperial power to accomplish and fund his purposes
  • The completion of long-delayed work as God's faithfulness vindicated
  • Passover as the fitting celebration of redemption in the new temple

Key verses

  • Ezra 6:14 — “The elders of the Jews built and prospered, through the prophesying of Haggai... and Zechariah.”
  • Ezra 6:22 — “Yahweh had made them joyful, and had turned the heart of the king of Assyria toward them.”
  • Ezra 6:7-8 — “Leave the work of this house of God alone... of the king's goods... expenses shall be given with all diligence.”

Context & background

The temple was completed in 516 BC — exactly 70 years after Nebuchadnezzar began looting Jerusalem in 586 BC, fulfilling Jeremiah's 70-year prophecy. Ecbatana (modern Hamadan, northwestern Iran) was the Median capital and summer residence of Persian kings where archives were stored. Darius's decree goes beyond Cyrus's — he essentially forces the opponents to become sponsors. The "heart of the king of Assyria" in v. 22 uses "Assyria" loosely for Persia (both being eastern empires) — or it may be a deliberate theological echo of the Exodus language ("the Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart") now reversed. The twelve goats for a sin offering (v. 17) symbolized all twelve tribes — not just Judah — being represented in this restoration.

Cross-references

  • 1 Corinthians 3:16-17 — "You are God's temple" — the community of believers as the fulfillment of what the physical temple anticipated
  • Ezra 1:1-4 — Cyrus's original decree, now confirmed and expanded by Darius
  • Haggai 2:9 — "The latter glory of this house will be greater than the former" — God's promise fulfilled here
  • Jeremiah 29:10 — The 70-year prophecy now completed; the exile is over
  • John 2:19-21 — Jesus speaks of the temple of his body; this physical temple points toward the ultimate

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  1. Observe

    Where was the scroll containing Cyrus's original decree found?

  2. Observe

    In what year of Darius's reign was the temple finished, and what month?

  3. Interpret

    What is theologically significant about Darius ordering the opponents of the project to fund and supply it?

  4. Interpret

    Why did the dedication include twelve male goats for a sin offering when only Judah and Benjamin were the prominent returning tribes?

  5. Apply

    What does the temple's long, interrupted, finally-completed building teach us about persevering in God's work today?

  6. Apply

    How can we cultivate the kind of God-given joy described in Ezra 6:22 rather than mere relief at finishing a task?

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