בֵּאדַיִן דָּרְיָוֶשׁ מַלְכָּא שָׂם טְעֵם וּבַקַּרוּ בְּבֵית סִפְרַיָּא דִּי גִנְזַיָּא מְהַחֲתִין תַּמָּה בְּבָבֶל

Then King Darius issued a decree to investigate the claim of the elders of Judah, and they checked in the house of the archives where the treasures were placed, there in Babylon.

וְהִשְׁתְּכַח בְּאַחְמְתָא בְּבִירְתָא דִּי בְּמָדַי מְדִינְתָּא מְגִלָּה חֲדָה וְכֵן־כְּתִיב בְּגַוַּהּ דִּכְרוֹנָה

A scroll, an official document or a copy, was found in Ahmeta,in the capital; alternatively, this can mean that it was found in a waterskin [ḥemet] in the fortress or tower, that is in the province of Media, and so it was written in it: Memorandum:

בִּשְׁנַת חֲדָה לְכוֹרֶשׁ מַלְכָּא כּוֹרֶשׁ מַלְכָּא שָׂם טְעֵם בֵּית־אֱלָהָא בִירוּשְׁלֶם בַּיְתָא יִתְבְּנֵא אֲתַר דִּי־דָבְחִין דִּבְחִין וְאֻשּׁוֹהִי מְסוֹבְלִין רוּמֵהּ אַמִּין שִׁתִּין פְּתָיֵהּ אַמִּין שִׁתִּין

In the first year of King Cyrus, King Cyrus issued a decree titled: Concerning the House of God in Jerusalem, which said: Let the House, the place where they slaughter offerings, be built and its foundation laid, or raised. Its, the building’s, height shall be sixty cubits and its width sixty cubits;

נִדְבָּכִין דִּי־אֶבֶן גְּלָל תְּלָתָא וְנִדְבָּךְ דִּי־אָע חֲדַת וְנִפְקְתָא מִן־בֵּית מַלְכָּא תִּתְיְהִב

they shall build three rows of great stones, chiseled for building purposes, and an additional row of new wood, and the expenses will be given from the king’s palace, a detail that was not mentioned in the first version of King Cyrus’ proclamation (see 1:1–4).

וְאַף מָאנֵי בֵית־אֱלָהָא דִּי דַהֲבָה וְכַסְפָּא דִּי נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר הַנְפֵּק מִן־הֵיכְלָא דִי־בִירוּשְׁלֶם וְהֵיבֵל לְבָבֶל יַהֲתִיבוּן וִיהָךְ לְהֵיכְלָא דִי־בִירוּשְׁלֶם לְאַתְרֵהּ וְתַחֵת בְּבֵית אֱלָהָא

And in addition, also the gold and silver vessels of the House of God, which Nebuchadnezzar removed from the Sanctuary that is in Jerusalem and transported to Babylon, shall be restored, and let all of them be returned to the Sanctuary that is in Jerusalem, to its place, and all shall be placed in the House of God.

כְּעַן תַּתְּנַי פַּחַת עֲבַר־נַהֲרָה שְׁתַר בּוֹזְנַי וּכְנָוָתְהוֹן אֲפַרְסְכָיֵא דִּי בַּעֲבַר נַהֲרָה רַחִיקִין הֲווֹ מִן־תַּמָּה

This summary of Cyrus’ order is now followed by an instruction from King Darius: Now, Tatenai the governor of Avar Nahara, Shetar Bozenai, and their companions the Afarsekhites, who are in Avar Nahara, distance yourselves from there. Do not interfere in the construction work of the Judeans;

שְׁבֻקוּ לַעֲבִידַת בֵּית־אֱלָהָא דֵךְ פַּחַת יְהוּדָיֵא וּלְשָׂבֵי יְהוּדָיֵא בֵּית־אֱלָהָא דֵךְ יִבְנוֹן עַל־אַתְרֵהּ

allow the work of this House of God; the governor of the Judeans and with him the elders of the Judeans shall build this House of God in its designated place.

וּמִנִּי שִׂים טְעֵם לְמָא דִי־תַעַבְדוּן עִם־שָׂבֵי יְהוּדָיֵא אִלֵּךְ לְמִבְנֵא בֵּית־אֱלָהָא דֵךְ וּמִנִּכְסֵי מַלְכָּא דִּי מִדַּת עֲבַר נַהֲרָה אָסְפַּרְנָא נִפְקְתָא תֶּהֱוֵא מִתְיַהֲבָא לְגֻבְרַיָּא אִלֵּךְ דִּי־לָא לְבַטָּלָא

From me a decree is issued with regard to what you shall do for these elders of the Judeans for the building of this House of God: From the king’s property, raised from the property tax of Avar Nahara, expenses will be given diligently, or with exactitude, to these men, so that they will not be stopped in their labor.

וּמָה חַשְׁחָן וּבְנֵי תוֹרִין וְדִכְרִין וְאִמְּרִין לַעֲלָוָן לֶאֱלָהּ שְׁמַיָּא חִנְטִין מְלַח חֲמַר וּמְשַׁח כְּמֵאמַר כָּהֲנַיָּא דִי־בִירוּשְׁלֶם לֶהֱוֵא מִתְיְהֵב לְהֹם יוֹם בְּיוֹם דִּי־לָא שָׁלוּ

Not only are the requirements for the construction to be provided from the property of the king, but that which is needed, young bulls, rams, and lambs, for burnt offerings to the God of the heavens, wheat, salt, wine, and oil, in accordance with the word of the priests who are in Jerusalem, shall be given to them each day without fail. Be conscientious in this matter; do not be negligent;

דִּי־לֶהֱוֹן מְהַקְרְבִין נִיחוֹחִין לֶאֱלָהּ שְׁמַיָּא וּמְצַלַּיִן לְחַיֵּי מַלְכָּא וּבְנוֹהִי

so that they may present pleasing aromas to the God of the heavens, and pray for the life of the king and his sons.

וּמִנִּי שִׂים טְעֵם דִּי כָל־אֱנָשׁ דִּי יְהַשְׁנֵא פִּתְגָמָא דְנָה יִתְנְסַח אָע מִן־בַּיְתֵהּ וּזְקִיף יִתְמְחֵא עֲלֹהִי וּבַיְתֵהּ נְוָלוּ יִתְעֲבֵד עַל־דְּנָה

From me a decree is issued that any man who shall alter this matter, a beam will be removed from his house, and he will be hanged upright on it, on the beam of his own house, and his house will be made a dunghill for this transgression. Apparently, for especially severe crimes, the offender would be executed and his home would be confiscated from his surviving family.

וֵאלָהָא דִּי שַׁכִּן שְׁמֵהּ תַּמָּה יְמַגַּר כָּל־מֶלֶךְ וְעַם דִּי יִשְׁלַח יְדֵהּ לְהַשְׁנָיָה לְחַבָּלָה בֵּית־אֱלָהָא דֵךְ דִּי בִירוּשְׁלֶם אֲנָה דָרְיָוֶשׁ שָׂמֶת טְעֵם אָסְפַּרְנָא יִתְעֲבִד

And may the God who rested His name there, in that House, eradicate every king or people that extends his hand to modify this decree, and to damage this House of God that is in Jerusalem. I, Darius, have issued a decree; let it be performed diligently, or with precision. In this letter, Darius encourages the building of the Temple, is quick to provide gifts for its needs, and even issues decisive threats against anyone who would dare to disturb the laborers.

אֱדַיִן תַּתְּנַי פַּחַת עֲבַר־נַהֲרָה שְׁתַר בּוֹזְנַי וּכְנָוָתְהוֹן לָקֳבֵל דִּי־שְׁלַח דָּרְיָוֶשׁ מַלְכָּא כְּנֵמָא אָסְפַּרְנָא עֲבַדוּ

Then Tatenai the governor of Avar Nahara, Shetar Bozenai, and their companions, because of what King Darius had sent, as stated, acted diligently, or precisely.

וְשָׂבֵי יְהוּדָיֵא בָּנַיִן וּמַצְלְחִין בִּנְבוּאַת חַגַּי נְבִיָּא וּזְכַרְיָה בַּר־עִדּוֹא וּבְנוֹ וְשַׁכְלִלוּ מִן־טַעַם אֱלָהּ יִשְׂרָאֵל וּמִטְּעֵם כּוֹרֶשׁ וְדָרְיָוֶשׁ וְאַרְתַּחְשַׁשְׂתְּא מֶלֶךְ פָּרָס

The elders of the Judeans were building and prospering, as was stated to them in accordance with the prophecy of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah son of Ido, and they built and finished the Temple, by the decree of the God of Israel, and by the decree of Cyrus, and Darius, and Artahshasta king of Persia. In truth, they never received any communication prohibiting the construction. There had been a letter which ordered a delay, but from this point forward all was performed with the king’s permission and indeed his active backing.

וְשֵׁיצִיא בַּיְתָה דְנָה עַד יוֹם תְּלָתָה לִירַח אֲדָר דִּי־הִיא שְׁנַת־שֵׁת לְמַלְכוּת דָּרְיָוֶשׁ מַלְכָּא

This House, the Temple, was completed by the third day of the month Adar that was in the sixth year of the reign of King Darius.

וַעֲבַדוּ בְנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל כָּהֲנַיָּא וְלֵוָיֵא וּשְׁאָר בְּנֵי־גָלוּתָא חֲנֻכַּת בֵּית־אֱלָהָא דְנָה בְּחֶדְוָה

The children of Israel, the priests, and the Levites, and the rest of the exiles, who were called by this name because they were still recent immigrants, performed the dedication of this House of God with joy.

וְהַקְרִבוּ לַחֲנֻכַּת בֵּית־אֱלָהָא דְנָה תּוֹרִין מְאָה דִּכְרִין מָאתַיִן אִמְּרִין אַרְבַּע מְאָה וּצְפִירֵי עִזִּין לְחַטָּאָה עַל־כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵל תְּרֵי־עֲשַׂר לְמִנְיָן שִׁבְטֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל

They presented for the dedication of this House of God one hundred bulls, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs, and twelve goats as a sin offering for all Israel, according to the number of the tribes of Israel.

וַהֲקִימוּ כָהֲנַיָּא בִּפְלֻגָּתְהוֹן וְלֵוָיֵא בְּמַחְלְקָתְהוֹן עַל־עֲבִידַת אֱלָהָא דִּי בִירוּשְׁלֶם כִּכְתָב סְפַר מֹשֶׁה

They established the priests in their divisions, into the priestly watches, according to their families, and the Levites in their sections for the service of God who is in Jerusalem, as it is written in the book of the Torah of Moses with regard to the functions of the priests and Levites.

וַיַּעֲשׂוּ בְנֵי־הַגּוֹלָה אֶת־הַפָּסַח בְּאַרְבָּעָה עָשָׂר לַחֹדֶשׁ הָרִאשׁוֹן

The exiles performed the paschal offering on the fourteenth day of the first month, the month of Nisan.

כִּי הִטַּהֲרוּ הַכֹּהֲנִים וְהַלְוִיִּם כְּאֶחָד כֻּלָּם טְהוֹרִים וַיִּשְׁחֲטוּ הַפֶּסַח לְכָל־בְּנֵי הַגּוֹלָה וְלַאֲחֵיהֶם הַכֹּהֲנִים וְלָהֶם

For the priests and the Levites had purified themselves as one; all of them were pure. As there was no reason to delay the ritual, they slaughtered the paschal offering for all the exiles, and for their brethren the priests, and for themselves.

וַיֹּאכְלוּ בְנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל הַשָּׁבִים מֵהַגּוֹלָה וְכֹל הַנִּבְדָּל מִטֻּמְאַת גּוֹיֵי־הָאָרֶץ אֲלֵהֶם לִדְרֹשׁ לַה' אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל

They ate: The children of Israel who had returned from the exile and anyone who had separated himself from the impurity of the nations of the land to seek the Lord, God of Israel, with them, all those who had converted or detached themselves from idol worship, ate the paschal offering.

וַיַּעֲשׂוּ חַג־מַצּוֹת שִׁבְעַת יָמִים בְּשִׂמְחָה כִּי שִׂמְּחָם ה' וְהֵסֵב לֵב מֶלֶךְ־אַשּׁוּר עֲלֵיהֶם לְחַזֵּק יְדֵיהֶם בִּמְלֶאכֶת בֵּית־הָאֱלֹהִים אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל

They observed the Festival of Unleavened Bread seven days joyfully, as the Lord had caused them to rejoice, and had inclined the heart of the king of Assyria toward them for good, to encourage them in the labor of the House of God, God of Israel. This “king of Assyria” is a reference to the king of Persia, who considered himself as having taken over the authority of the kings of Assyria and Babylon. It is possible that the people could have made a paschal offering a few years earlier, as the altar had already been erected, even though the Temple had not been completely rebuilt. However, as they had managed to complete the construction of the Temple in time for Passover, this provided a perfect opportunity to celebrate both the inauguration of the Temple and the festival of Passover simultaneously in a full, public manner.