Tempļa pabeigšana
1 Dārija valdīšanas otrajā gadā pravieši Agajs un Zaharija, Edi dēli, pravietoja Jūdejas un Jeruzālemes jūdiem viņu Kunga, Israēla Dieva, vārdā. 2 Tad Zerubābels, Salatiēla dēls, un Jozua, Josedeka dēls, stājās pie Kunga mājokļa celtniecības Jeruzālemē, Kunga praviešiem klātesot un tiem palīdzot. 3 Tajā laikā pie viņiem ieradās Sisinns, Sīrijas un Foinīkijas vietvaldis, arī Satrabuzans ar līdzgaitniekiem un sacīja viņiem: 4 “Kas pavēlējis jums celt šo mājokli un darīt pārējo? Kas ir šo darbu veicēji?” 5 Un Kunga labvēlība nāca pār jūdu vecajiem, gūstekņus uzraugot, 6 un tie palika netraucēti celšanas darbos, līdz Dārijam tika nodota ziņa un saņemta atbilde.
7 Redzi, vēstules noraksts, kuru rakstīja un Dārijam nosūtīja Sisinns, Foinīkijas un Sīrijas vietvaldis, Satrabuzans un līdzgaitnieki: “Sīrijas un Foinīkijas vadoņi 8 sveicina ķēniņu Dāriju. Lai viss top zināms mūsu kungam un ķēniņam: mēs, atrazdamies Jūdejas zemē un ieradušies Jeruzālemes pilsētā, sastapām no gūsta atgriezušos jūdu vecajos, kuri Jeruzālemes pilsētā ceļ Kungam jaunu varenu mājokli no tēstiem akmeņiem un dārgas koksnes sienām, 9 un šie darbi top cītībā un sekmējas viņu rokās, un tiek veikti visā diženumā un rūpībā. 10 Tad mēs izjautājām šos vecajos, sacīdami: “Kas pavēlējis jums celt šo mājokli un sākt šos darbus?” 11 Tā mēs jautājām viņiem, lai darītu zināmu un uzrakstītu tev par viņu vadītājiem, un prasījām tiem priekšstāvju sarakstu. 12 Bet viņi atbildēja mums šādi: “Mēs esam tā Kunga bērni, kas radījis debesis un zemi. 13 Un šo celtni slējis pirms daudziem gadiem un pabeidzis dižs un varens Israēla ķēniņš. 14 Un, tā kā mūsu tēvi grēkoja, sadusmojot Israēla ķēniņu, debesu Valdnieku, tad viņš tos nodeva Bābeles kaldiešu ķēniņa Nebūkadnecara rokās. 15 Tie šo mitekli nopostīja un nodedzināja un ļaudis aizveda gūstā uz Bābeli. 16 Bet pirmajā Kīra valdīšanas gadā Bābelē valdnieks rakstiski vēlējis uzcelt šo mājokli. 17 Un zelta un sudraba svētos priekšmetus, kurus Nebūkadnecars iznesa no tempļa Jeruzālemē un novietoja savā templī, valdnieks Kīrs atkal iznesa no Bābeles tempļa un nodeva vietvaldim Zerubābelam Sanabasaram. 18 Un tam bija novēlēts aiznest visus šos priekšmetus un novietot templī Jeruzālemē, un šo Kunga templi celt no jauna tā vecajā vietā. 19 Tad šis Sanabasars ieradās un lika Kunga mājokļa pamatus Jeruzālemē, un celtne tika celta, bet netapa pabeigta.” 20 Ja nu tev, valdniek, labpatīk, pārbaudi Bābeles ķēniņu valdīšanas grāmatu krātuvēs. 21 Ja izrādīsies, ka ar ķēniņa Kīra ziņu notiek Kunga mājokļa celtniecība Jeruzālemē, un mūsu valdniekam labpatiksies, lai mums to paziņo.” 22 Tad ķēniņš Dārijs lika meklēt ķēniņu grāmatu krātuvē Bābelē, un Ekbatanā, Mēdijas apgabala izcilajā pilsētā, tika atrasts kāds sējums, kurā minēts – 23 Kīra valdīšanas pirmajā gadā ķēniņš Kīrs licis celt Jeruzālemē Kunga mājokli, kur tiek veikti ziedojumi nedziestošā ugunī. 24 Tā augstums sešdesmit pēhiju, platums – sešdesmit pēhiju, tas veidots no trim tēsta akmens ēkām un vienas jaunas, celtas no vietējā koka, un izdevumi tiks segti no ķēniņa Kīra ģimenes līdzekļiem. 25 Un zelta un sudraba svētie priekšmeti no Kunga mājokļa, kurus Nebūkadnecars iznesis no Kunga tempļa Jeruzālemē un aizgādājis uz Bābeli, lai tiek atgādāti atpakaļ uz Jeruzālemes templi, lai tos noliktu to īstajā vietā. 26 Un viņš licis Sisinnam, Sīrijas un Foinīkijas vietvaldim, un Satrabuzanam ar līdzgaitniekiem, pārvaldītājiem Sīrijā un Foinīkijā, neapdraudēt šo vietu un ļaut Zerubābela vergam, Jūdejas vietvaldim, kā arī jūdu vecajiem celt Kunga mājokli šajā vietā. 27 “Un es pavēlēju to uzcelt un raudzīt, lai sniegtu palīdzību no gūsta pārnākušajiem jūdiem līdz pat Kunga mājokļa galīgai pabeigšanai; 28 kā arī, lai rūpīgi šiem ļaudīm tiek piegādāta daļa no Lejassīrijas un Foinīkijas nodevām, lai ziedotu Kungam, dotu vietvaldim Zerubābelam, gādātu vēršus, kazlēnus, jērus. 29 Tāpat arī nepārtraukta un bez iebildumiem lai ir kviešu, sāls, vīna un eļļas piegāde – tik, cik priesteri Jeruzālemē dienā patērēs un prasīs, 30 lai nestu ziedojumus augstajam Dievam no ķēniņa un viņa pēcnācējiem un lai lūgtu par viņu dzīvi.” 31 Un vēl viņš pavēlēja – ka to, kurš pārkāps teikto vai rakstīto vai arī to atcels, lai sagaida paša koks, kurā viņš tiek pakārts, un visa tā manta pāriet ķēniņam. 32 Par to Kungs, kura vārds templī tiek piesaukts, lai pazudina ikvienu valdnieku vai tautu, kas cels roku, lai aizskartu Kunga mājokli Jeruzālemē vai kaitētu tam. 33 Es, ķēniņš Dārijs, rūpīgi nospriedu, ka tā būs būt.
Work on the Temple Begins Again
(Ezra 5.1-17)1 In the second year of the reign of Emperor Darius, the two prophets, Haggai and Zechariah son of Iddo, began to speak in the name of the Lord God of Israel to the Jews who lived in Judah and Jerusalem. 2 When Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and Joshua son of Jehozadak heard their messages, they began to rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem, and the two prophets helped them.
3 Almost at once Governor Sisinnes of Greater Syria and Phoenicia, with Shethar Bozenai and the other officials, came to Jerusalem and demanded: 4 “Who gave you orders to build this Temple and complete this roof and everything else? Who is doing this work?” 5 But the Lord was with the people who had returned from exile and was watching over the Jewish leaders, 6 and they were allowed to continue building until Emperor Darius could be informed and his reply received. 7 Here is the report that the Persian officials sent to the emperor:
8 “To Emperor Darius, greetings.
“Your Majesty should know that we went to Judah and to Jerusalem and there we found the leaders of the Jews who have returned from exile 9 building a large new Temple for the Lord with expensive, shaped stone blocks and with wooden beams set in the walls. 10 The work is being done rapidly and is moving ahead steadily; yet they are taking great care and doing their work beautifully.
11 “We then asked the leaders of the people to tell us who had given them orders to rebuild the Temple and lay the foundations for the buildings. 12 We also asked them who their leaders were and demanded a list of their names, so that we could inform you.
13 “They answered, ‘We are servants of the Lord who created heaven and earth. 14 This Temple was built and equipped many years ago by a very powerful king of Israel. 15 But because our ancestors sinned against Israel's Lord in heaven and made him angry, he let them be conquered by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylonia, a king of the Chaldean dynasty. 16 The Temple was demolished and burned, and the people were taken into exile in Babylonia. 17 Then, in the first year of his reign as emperor of Babylonia, Cyrus issued orders for the Temple to be rebuilt. 18 He gave back the sacred gold and silver utensils which Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the Temple in Jerusalem and had placed in his own temple in Babylon. Emperor Cyrus turned these utensils over to Zerubbabel and the governor, Sheshbazzar. 19 The Emperor told Sheshbazzar to take them and return them to the Temple in Jerusalem, and to rebuild the Temple where it had stood before. 20 So Sheshbazzar came and laid its foundation, and construction has continued from then until the present, but the Temple is still not finished.’
21 “Now, if it please Your Majesty, have a search made in the royal records in Babylon 22 to find whether or not the building of this Temple in Jerusalem had the approval of Emperor Cyrus, and then, if it please Your Majesty, inform us what your will is in this matter.”
Emperor Cyrus' Order Is Rediscovered
(Ezra 6.1-5)23 So Emperor Darius ordered a search to be made in the royal records that were kept in Babylon. It was, however, in the fortress of Ecbatana in the province of Media that a scroll was found, containing the following record:
24 “In the first year of his reign Emperor Cyrus ordered the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem, where sacrifices are continually offered. 25 The Temple is to be 90 feet high and 90 feet wide. The walls must be built with one layer of new local wood on top of each three layers of shaped stone. All expenses are to be paid by the royal treasury. 26 Also the gold and silver utensils which King Nebuchadnezzar brought to Babylon from the Temple in Jerusalem are to be returned to their proper place in the Jerusalem Temple.”
Emperor Darius Orders the Work to Continue
(Ezra 6.6-12)27 Then Emperor Darius gave strict orders to Sisinnes, governor of Greater Syria and Phoenicia, Shethar Bozenai, the other officials, and the local officials to stay away from Jerusalem and let Zerubbabel, the servant of the Lord and governor of Judah, and the other Jewish leaders rebuild the Temple of the Lord where it stood before. 28 “And I also command,” he continued, “that it be completely rebuilt and that, until it is finished, every effort be made to help the Jews who have returned from exile. 29 From the taxes received in Greater Syria and Phoenicia a contribution shall be made on a regular basis to these men, payable to Governor Zerubbabel, for bulls, sheep, and lambs to be used in their sacrifices to the Lord. 30 In the same way, each year and without further question, wheat, salt, wine, and olive oil are to be supplied, according to the daily needs indicated by the priests. 31 This must be done so that they can make wine offerings to God Most High for me and my children and pray for his blessing on our lives.” 32 He also gave these orders: “If anyone disobeys the commands as written above or fails to carry them out, he is to be hanged on a wooden beam taken from his own house, and his property is to be turned over to the emperor. 33 May the Lord who is worshiped at Jerusalem destroy any king or nation that tries to stop the work or damage the Temple there. 34 I, Emperor Darius, issue the command that these orders be carried out in every detail.”
