1 Then Darius the king made a decree, and the house of the archives, where the treasures were laid up in Babylon, was searched. 2 A scroll was found at Achmetha, in the palace that is in the province of Media, and in it this was written 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, with its height sixty cubits and its width sixty cubits; 4 with three courses of great stones and a course of new timber. Let the expenses be given out of the king’s house. 5 Also 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, everything to its place. You shall put them in God’s house.

6 Now therefore, Tattenai, governor beyond the River, Shetharbozenai, and your companions the Apharsachites, who are beyond the River, you must stay far from there. 7 Leave 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. 8 Moreover I make a decree regarding 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 must be given with all diligence to these men, that they not be hindered. 9 That which they have need of, including young bulls, rams, and lambs, for burnt offerings to the God of heaven; also 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, 10 that they may offer sacrifices of pleasant aroma to the God of heaven, and pray for the life of the king and of his sons. 11 I have also made a decree that whoever alters this message, let a beam be pulled out from his house, and let him be lifted up and fastened on it; and let his house be made a dunghill for this. 12 May the God who has caused his name to dwell there overthrow all kings and peoples who stretch out their hand to alter this, to destroy this house of God which is at Jerusalem. I Darius have made a decree. Let it be done with all diligence.

13 Then Tattenai, the governor beyond the River, Shetharbozenai, and their companions did accordingly with all diligence, because Darius the king had sent a decree.

14 The 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. 15 This house was finished on the third day of the month Adar, which was in the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king.

16 The 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. 17 They 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. 18 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.

19 The children of the captivity kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month. 20 Because the priests and the Levites had purified themselves together, all of them were pure. They killed the Passover for all the children of the captivity, for their brothers the priests, and for themselves. 21 The children of Israel who had returned out of the captivity, and all who had separated themselves to them from the filthiness of the nations of the land to seek Yahweh, the God of Israel, ate, 22 and kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with joy; because Yahweh had made them joyful, and had turned the heart of the king of Assyria to them, to strengthen their hands in the work of God, the God of Israel’s house.

1 于是， 大利乌王下令考查在巴比伦库房的档案，

2 在玛代省的亚马他宫中， 发现了一卷书卷。其中写着这样的一段记录：

3 "古列王元年， 古列王颁发有关在耶路撒冷 神的殿的命令， 要把这殿重建起来， 作献祭的地方； 要奠立殿的根基。殿高二十七公尺， 宽二十七公尺。

4 三层光滑石块， 一层新木头， 所有费用由王库支付。

5 至于从前尼布甲尼撒从耶路撒冷的殿里掠夺， 带到巴比伦的 神殿中的金银器皿， 都要归还， 送到耶路撒冷的殿， 各按原来的地方放在 神的殿中。"

6 于是大利乌王下令说： "现在， 河西那边的总督达乃和示他．波斯乃， 以及你们的同僚， 就是在河西那边的亚法萨迦人， 你们要远离那里；

7 不要干涉这 神殿的工程， 让犹大人的总督和犹大人的长老在原来的地方重建 神的这殿。

8 我又下令你要协助这些犹大人的长老重建 神的殿， 你要作这事： 从河西那边交给王库的税收中， 拨出充足的经费给他们， 免得工程停顿。

9 他们需用的什么东西， 包括作燔祭献给天上 神的公牛犊、公绵羊和绵羊羔； 还有麦子、盐、酒和油， 都要照着在耶路撒冷的祭司们所说， 天天供给他们， 不可疏忽，

10 好让他们可以献馨香的祭给天上的 神， 为王和王的子孙祈求长寿。

11 我又下令： 无论什么人更改这命令， 就要从他的房屋中拆出一根梁木， 竖起来， 把他挂起， 钉在木上； 又使他的房屋成为粪堆。

12 愿那使自己的名居住在那里的 神， 毁灭所有伸手更改这命令， 或要毁坏这在耶路撒冷 神的殿的君王和人民。我大利乌下令， 必须彻底遵行。"

13 于是河西那边的总督达乃、示他．波斯乃和他们的同僚， 彻底遵照大利乌王的指示。

14 犹大人的长老因着哈该先知和易多的孙子撒迦利亚的信息， 迅速重建。他们遵照以色列 神的命令， 波斯王古列、大利乌和亚达薛西的命令， 完成重建圣殿的工作。

15 这殿在大利乌王在位的第六年亚达月初三日， 完成了。

16 以色列祭司和利未人， 以及其余被掳归回的人都欢欢喜喜举行奉献这 神殿的典礼。

17 在奉献这 神殿的典礼中， 他们献上公牛一百头、公绵羊二百只、绵羊羔四百只； 又照着以色列支派的数目献上公山羊十二只， 作全以色列的赎罪祭。

18 他们又照着摩西书上所写， 委派祭司按着编制， 利未人按着班次， 在耶路撒冷 神的殿中事奉。

19 正月十四日， 被掳归回的人守逾越节。

20 祭司和利未人一起行洁净仪式， 他们就全都洁净了； 于是利未人为所有被掳归回的人和他们作祭司的众亲族， 以及他们自己， 宰杀了逾越节的羊羔。

21 被掳归回的以色列人和所有脱离当地民族的污秽的人， 一同吃这羊羔， 寻求耶和华以色列的 神。

22 他们欢欢喜喜地守除酵节七天， 因为耶和华使他们欢喜， 又使亚述王的心转向他们， 坚固他们的手作以色列 神殿的工程。