1. 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.
2. And there was found at Achmetha, in the palace that is in the province of Media, a roll, and therein was thus written for a record.
3. In the first year of Cyrus the king, Cyrus the king made a decree; Concerning the house of God at Jerusalem, let the house be builded, the place where they offer sacrifices, and let the foundations thereof be strongly laid; the height thereof threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof threescore cubits;
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:
5. And also let the gold 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 its place, and thou shalt put them in the house of God.
6. Now therefore, Tattenai, governor beyond the river, Shethar-bozenai, and your companions the Apharsachites, which are beyond the river, be ye far from thence:
7. 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 its place.