Ketuvim / Hagiographa Writing

Ezra  / עזרא Chapter 6

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

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Kadoshim in Ezra (עזרא):

Separated From Uncleanness and Seeking Hashem

Completion of the Heikal through a Favorable Decree of Darius

6:1 Then Dareyavesh ha melekh issued a decree, and search was made in the Beit the archives, where the treasures were laid up in Bavel.

Fifth letter  of memorandum  decree of 2-5

6:2 And there was found at Achmeta, in the palace that [is] in the province of the Medes, a roll, and therein [was]

A record thus written:

6:3 In the first year of Koresh ha melekh [the same] Koresh the melekh made a decree [concerning] the Beit El at Yerushalayim, 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 lechemth thereof threescore cubits;

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

6:5 And also let the zahav and kesef (silver) vessels of the Beit Elah, which Nevukadnetzar took forth out of the Heikal which [is] at Yerushalayim, and brought to Bavel, be restored, and brought again to the Heikal which [is] at Yerushalayim, [every one] to his place, and place [them] in the Beit Elah.

Sixth letter to Tatnai 6-12

6:6 Now [therefore], Tatnai, governor Beyond-the-River, Shetar-Boznai, and your companions the Apharsachites, which [are] beyond the river, be ye far from thence:

6:7 Let the work of this Beit Elah alone; let the governor of the Yehudim and the savrei (elders) of the Yehudim build this Beit Elohim (אלהים) in his place.

6:8 Moreover I make a decree what ye shall do to the elders of these Yehudim for the building of this Beit Elah: that of the king's goods, [even] of the tribute beyond the river, forthwith expenses be given to these men, that they be not hindered.

6:9 And that which they have need of, both young bullocks, and rams, and lambs, for the olot of Elah Shamayim, wheat, salt, wine, and oil, according to the appointment of ha kohanim which [are] at Yerushalayim, let it be given them day by day without fail:

6:10 That they may offer sacrifices of sweet savours to Elah Shamayim, and pray for the life of the melekh, and of his banim.

6:11 Also I have made a decree, that whosoever shall alter this word, let timber be pulled down from his house, and being set up, let him be hanged thereon; and let his house be made a dunghill for this.

6:12 And Elah that has caused His name to dwell there destroy all kings and people, that shall put to their hand to alter [and] to destroy this Beit Elohim (אלהים) which [is] at Yerushalayim.

I Dareyavesh have made a decree; let it be done with speed.

Heikal completed and dedicated

6:13 Then Tatnai, governor Beyond-the-River (Satrapy), Shetar-Boznai, and their companions, according to that which Dareyavesh the melekh had sent, so they did speedily.

6:14 And the savei (elders) of the Yehudim builded, and they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai ha Navi and Zekaryah Ben Iddo. And they builded, and finished [it], according to the commandment of Elah of Yisrael, and according to the commandment of Koresh, and Dareyavesh, and Artachshasta melekh Paras.

6:15 And this house was finished on the third day of the month Adar, which was in the sixth year of the reign of Dareyavesh the melekh.

6:16 And Benai Yisrael, ha kohanim, and ha Levi'im, and the rest of Benai the captivity, kept the dedication of this Beit Elah with joy,

6:17 And offered at the dedication of this Beit Elah an hundred bullocks, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs; and for a sin offering for all Yisrael, twelve he goats, according to the number of the tribes of Yisrael.

6:18 And they set ha kohanim in their divisions, and ha Levi'im in their courses, for the service of Elah, which [is] at Yerushalayim; as it is written in the Sefer Mosheh.

6:19 And Benai Golus kept (asah) the Pesach upon the fourteenth [day] of the first month. 14 Aviv

6:20 For ha kohanim and ha Levi'im were purified together, all of them [were] pure, and killed the Pesach for all Benai Golus, and for their brethren ha kohanim, and for themselves.

6:21 And Benai Yisrael, which were come again out of captivity, and all such as had separated themselves to them from the filthiness of the goy of the land, to seek ADONAI (יהוה) Elohim (אלהים) of Yisrael, did eat,

6:22 And kept the Chag Matzot seven days with joy: for ADONAI (יהוה) had made them joyful, and turned the heart of the melekh Asshur to them, to strengthen their hands in the work of the Beit Elohim (אלהים), Elohim (אלהים) of Yisrael.


1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

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Beit HaMidrash page

Sefer Ezra (עזרא) - Elah (when Jews on foreign land or land of goyim)

Chapters 6: 3, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 14, 16, 17, 18,

 

The Second Heikal (Hebrew: בית המקדש meaning 'Holy House') was the reconstructed Heikal in Jerusalem which stood between 516 BCE and 70 CE. During this time, it was the center of Yehudi worship, which focused on the sacrifices known as the korbanot. Shlomo's Heikal, also known as the First Heikal, was destroyed in 586 BCE when the Yehudim were exiled into Babylonian Captivity. Construction of a new Heikal was begun in 535; after a hiatus, work resumed ca. 521, with completion occurring in 516 and dedication in 515. As described in the Book of Ezra (עזרא), rebuilding of the Heikal was authorized by Cyrus the Great and ratified by Darius the Great. The Romans destroyed Jerusalem and its Second Heikal on August 4th of 70 CE, ending the Great Yehudi Revolt that began in 66 CE.

Ahmetha -Ecbatana אחמתא >capital of Media, captured by Koresh in 550 BC and then summer residence of Persian kings