The Decree of Darius

The Decree of Darius

Then Darius the king made a decree, and search was made in the house of the rolls, where the treasures were laid up in Babylon. Ezr. 6:1

Then Darius... Then—after Darius I received this letter, he searched the records of Cyrus for the decree. A roll containing it was found, even giving certain dimensions of the temple (Ezr. 6:1-5). Darius then decided that the work on the temple should proceed as decree by Cyrus (Ezr. 6:6-7). He even commanded Tatnai and others of his provinces west of the Euphrates to help the Jews with the king’s tribute, and to give animals and other things necessary for sacrifices. Whoever hindered the work from this time on would be destroyed (Ezr. 6:8-12).

And there was found at Achmetha, in the palace that is in the province of the Medes, a roll, and therein was a record thus written: Ezr. 6:2

in the palace... Tattenai had requested that Babylon’s archives be searched for the document (Ezr. 5:17) but it was not found there. Instead the scroll (of papyrus or leather) was found in… Ecbatana (modern Hamadan), 300 miles northeast of Babylon and capital of Media (Ezr. 6:1-2). The scroll was in Ecbatana, because that is where Cyrus had spent the summer of 538, when he issued the decree.

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; Ezr. 6:3

thereof threescore cubits... The temple height was to be 60 cubits (90 ft.), the same as the width (really the length). This was the same length as Solomon’s temple, but the height (twice that of Solomon’s) here seems out of proportion (2Ch. 3:3-4).

With three rows of great stones, and a row of new timber: and let the expenses be given out of the king's house: Ezr. 6:4

This Ecbatana record was an official “minute” with three details that the verbal and written proclamation (Ezr. 1:1-4) apparently did not contain: (1) The temple was to be 90 feet high and 90 feet wide, with three courses of large stones and one of timbers (cf. Ezr. 5:8; 1Ki. 6:36).

And also let the golden and silver vessels of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar 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. Ezr. 6:5

And also let... The project was to be financed by funds from the royal treasury. This shows the earnestness of Cyrus’ repatriation program. The returned gold and silver articles were to be put in their places in the temple.

Now therefore, Tatnai, governor beyond the river, Shetharboznai, and your companions the Apharsachites, which are beyond the river, be ye far from thence: Ezr. 6:6

Now therefore... King Darius then gave three instructions to Tattenai and his associates: (1) He told them to leave the Jews alone and not interfere with the building of the temple (Ezr. 6:6-7). The words stay away from there were a common Aramaic legal statement.

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. Ezr. 6:7

Let the work... Let them to go on with it, and do not hinder them. It looks, by these expressions, as if he had some suspicion or hint given him that they were inclined to molest them, or that there were some that stirred them up, and were desirous of it.

let the governor... Of the Jews, and the elders of the Jews, build this house of God in his place": Where it formerly stood; that is, go on with the building of it.
Darius warned Tatnai not to interfere in any way with the building of this temple. They were to be left alone to build the temple of God.

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. Ezr. 6:8

Moreover I make... This must be considered as an additional decree of Darius, which was peculiarly made by him, in which more was granted in favor of the Jews, and as an encouragement to them to go on with the building of the temple.

That of the... The king's goods, even of the tribute beyond the river": What was collected out of his dominions on that side the river Euphrates, towards the land of Israel. According to Herodotus, this Darius was the first of the kings of Persia that exacted tribute.
forthwith expenses be... Be given unto these men, that they be not hindered": From going on with the building, for want of money to buy materials, and pay the workmen.
Darius commanded Tatnai to give the tribute money to them to pay their men for the work on the temple. They must not be hindered in this work. Darius would make sure they did everything that Cyrus promised to do.

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: Ezr. 6:9

And that which... King Darius then gave three instructions to Tattenai and his associates: (2) Tax money was to be used to help finance the project and animals were to be supplied daily so that sacrifices could be made at the altar of the new temple along with food items for the offerings (Ezr. 6:8-10). Flour (from wheat), salt, and oil were to be used in the grain offerings (Lev. 2:1-2, 2:7, 2:13), and wine for drink offerings (Lev. 23:13) on feast days.

That they may offer sacrifices of sweet savours unto the God of heaven, and pray for the life of the king, and of his sons. Ezr. 6:10

pray for the... Darius recognized his need of prayers for himself and his sons—a good characteristic in any man!

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 Darius have made a decree; let it be done with speed. Ezr. 6:12

that shall put... King Darius then gave three instructions to Tattenai and his associates: (3) Anyone who disobeyed the edict was to suffer a horrible fate (Ezr. 6:11-12). He was to be impaled on a beam taken from his own house, and his house was to be demolished. Execution by impaling was practiced in the Assyrian and Persian Empires. Darius wanted no disturbance in this part of his vast kingdom. The pagan king acknowledged that God had caused His name to dwell at Jerusalem. Darius probably thought of Yahweh as a local deity (Ezr. 5:6-10), whereas Ezra, in recording that statement, knew of the covenantal significance in Yahweh’s name dwelling in Jerusalem.

alter and destroy... So Tattenai’s inquiry backfired. Instead of stopping the temple work, he had to let it proceed and even had to help pay for it out of his revenues! Darius’ curse on anyone who would destroy the temple was fulfilled in: (a) Antiochus Epiphanes, who desecrated it in 167 b.c., and died insane three years later; (b) Herod the Great (37-4 b.c.), who added extensively to the temple to glorify himself, and who had domestic trouble and died of disease; and (c) the Romans, who destroyed the temple in a.d. 70, and later had their empire destroyed.

The Temple Finished and Dedicated

Then Tatnai, governor on this side the river, Shetharboznai, and their companions, according to that which Darius the king had sent, so they did speedily. Ezr. 6:13

Then Tatnai... Then—after Tatnai had received the decree from Darius I, they obeyed quickly. Thus, the Jews prospered and finished the temple, according to the commandment of:

1. The God of Israel (Ezr. 6:14)

2. Cyrus the Persian

3. Darius the Persian

And the elders of the Jews builded, and they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah 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 Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia. Ezr. 6:14

And the elders... The work was done by the Jewish elders who were encouraged by the preaching of the Prophets Haggai and Zechariah (cf. Ezr. 5:1). Ezra noted that the ultimate decree for the building of the temple was from God Himself. God worked through the commands of the pagan Persian kings, Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes.

And 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. Ezr. 6:15

house was finished... The temple was finished on the third day of the month Adar (March), in the sixth year of the reign of Darius I.

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, Ezr. 6:16

kept the dedication... After the temple was finished, it was then dedicated. The comparatively small number of animals sacrificed (100 bulls, 200 rams, 400 male lambs, and 12 male goats) contrasted sharply with the tremendous amount sacrificed by Solomon at the dedication of the first temple (22,000 cattle and 120,000 sheep and goats; 1Ki. 8:63). This points up the comparative poverty of the postexilic community. The 12 goats for the sin offering show that the postexilic community still envisioned a unified Israel consisting of all 12 tribes even though only 2 had survived with any strength.

And offered at the dedication of this house of God an 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. Ezr. 6:17

according to the... Dedication Sacrifices

100 Bullocks	$80,000
150 gal. flour	300
300 qts. wine	1,500
300 qts. oil	2,400
200 rams	25,000
200 gal. flour	400
400 qts. wine	2,000
400 qts. oil	3,200
400 lambs	32,000
200 gal. flour	400
600 qts. wine	3,000
600 qts. oil	4,800
12 goats	600
6 gal. flour	12
18 qts. wine	90
18 qts. oil	144
	__________
Total	$155,846

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. Ezr. 6:18

they set the... The twenty-four courses of the priests and Levites were started again. Though these courses weren’t written in the law of Moses but in 1 Chron. 24-25, they were a part of the worship of the temple as written in the law of Moses. This is the true meaning here.

Passover Celebrated

And the children of the captivity kept the passover upon the fourteenth day of the first month. Ezr. 6:19

kept the passover... This is the first passover mentioned in the twenty years since the exiles returned, though it doesn’t say this was the first one they had at all. It plainly implies, however, that this was the first one at the new temple of Zerubbabel (Ezr. 6:19-21).

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. Ezr. 6:20

all of them... They were all to a man pure, and all purified as one man. All were of one mind to purify themselves, and took care to do it, and did it with as much dispatch as if only one man was purified. So that they were more generally prepared for service now than in the times of Hezekiah (2 Chron. 29:34).

and killed the passover... For all the children of the captivity, and for their brethren the priests and for themselves”. Which seems to have been done by the Levites, for themselves and for the priests, and for all the people, who were not so pure as the priests and Levites. Or otherwise they might have killed it themselves (Exodus 12:6).

their brethren... The priests were anointed to the LORD while they were in the temple for service. In this case, it seems that all of the Levites, for all of the various services were anointed with the anointing oil for service.

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, Ezr. 6:21

And the children... The Israelite returnees ate the Passover with all who had separated themselves from the unclean practices of their Gentile neighbors. This second group might have been: (a) Gentiles living in Judah (cf. Num. 9:14), or more likely (b) Jews who had remained in the land and had defiled themselves by practices that went against the Law, and then repented of those sins, thereby “separating” themselves.

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. Ezr. 6:22

kept the feast... Like the passover (Ezr. 6:19), this is the first mention of keeping the feast of unleavened bread in the twenty years since the exiles returned.

Turned the heart... This was Darius I (Ezr. 6:8-12), but why he was called "the king of Assyria" can only be explained by the fact that the Assyrians had been the great ruling power in western Asia for so long that the sacred writers continued the title with those who inherited the old Assyrian power and dominion (2Ki. 23:29).