GOD in the Old Testament - Ezra - Part 3

Ezra 6:3-5

        In the first year of King Cyrus, the king issued a

    decree concerning the temple of God in Jerusalem:

        Let the temple be rebuilt as a place to present 

    sacrifices, and let its foundations be laid. It is to be

    sixty cubits high and sixty cubits wide, with three

    courses of large stones and one of timbers. The 

    costs are to be paid by the royal treasury. Also the 

    gold and silver articles of the house of God, which

    Nebuchadnezzar took from the temple in Jerusalem 

    and brought to Babylon, are to be returned to their

    places in the temple in Jerusalem; they are to be

    deposited in the house of God.

 

Ezra 6:7-10  

    Do not interfere with the work on this temple of God.

    Let the governor of the Jews and the Jewish elders

    rebuild this house of God on its site.

        Moreover, I hereby decree what you are to do for 

    elders of the Jews in the construction of this house

    of God:

        Their expenses are to be fully paid out of the royal

    treasury, from the revenues of Trans-Euphrates, so

    that the work will not stop. Whatever is needed--young

    bulls, rams, male lambs for burnt offerings to the God

    of heaven, and wheat, salt, wine and olive oil, as

    requested by the priests in Jerusalem--must be given

    them daily without fail, so that they may offer sacrifices 

    pleasing to the God of heaven and pray for the well-

    being of the king and his sons.

 

Ezra 6:12  

    May God who has caused his Name to dwell there, 

    overthrow any king or people who lifts a hand to change

    this decree or to destroy this temple in Jerusalem.

        I Darius have decreed it. Let it be carried out with 

    diligence.

 

Ezra 6:14 

So the elders of the Jews continued to build and prosper under the preaching of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah, a descendant of Iddo. They finished building the temple according to the command of the God of Israel and the decrees of Cyrus, Darius and Artaxerxes, kings of Persia.

(Ezra 6 continues tomorrow) 

    

(parentheses are mine) 

 

Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV®, Copyright© 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. Limited to 15 verses per post