20. Now, King, if it seems right, please search the royal archives that are in Babylon.
21. If it is discovered that the building of the Lord’s house in Jerusalem was done with King Cyrus’ consent, and if it seems right to our master the king, please direct us concerning these things.
22. Then King Darius commanded a search of the royal archives that were kept in Babylon. In Ecbatana, within the palace of Medea, a scroll was found that recorded the following words:
23. In the first year of Cyrus’ rule, King Cyrus commissioned the rebuilding of the Lord’s house in Jerusalem, where they offer sacrifices with continuous fire.
24. Its height should be ninety feet and its width ninety feet, with three layers of polished stone and one layer of new native wood. The expenses should come out of the treasury of King Cyrus.
25. Also the holy silver and gold equipment from the Lord’s house, which Nebuchadnezzar removed from the house in Jerusalem and transported to Babylon, should be restored to the house in Jerusalem, to be kept where it used to be.
26. So he commanded Sisinnes the governor of Syria and Phoenicia, and Sathrabuzanes, and their associates, and those who were appointed as local officials in Syria and Phoenicia to stay away from the place and to let Zerubbabel, the Lord’s servant and Judea’s governor, and the elders of the Jews rebuild the Lord’s house on its site.
27. I hereby command that it be built completely and that close attention be paid to helping those who have returned from the exile of Judea, util the Lord’s house is finished.
28. A sum of money, out of the tribute of Coele-Syria and Phoenicia, should be carefully arranged to be given to these persons, specifically to Zerubbabel the governor, for offerings to the Lord, for bulls, rams, and lambs.