This verse, Ezra 6:1, is a pivotal moment in the story of the rebuilding of the Jewish temple in Jerusalem. It describes King Darius of Persia ordering a search of the royal archives in Babylon. Here's a breakdown of what it means and its significance:
"Then Darius the king made a decree...": This indicates that King Darius, the Persian ruler, formally ordered something. This decree is the trigger for the subsequent events.
"...and the house of the archives, where the treasures were laid up in Babylon, was searched.": This specifies the location and purpose of the search.
"The house of the archives": This refers to the royal record office. Important official documents, decrees, letters, and treaties were stored there.
"where the treasures were laid up in Babylon": This clarifies that the archives were located in Babylon, which was a major city and administrative center of the Persian Empire. The use of "treasures" implies that the documents themselves were considered valuable because of their legal and historical significance.
"...was searched": This means that officials were sent to systematically look through the records in the archive.
In essence, this verse tells us that King Darius ordered a search of the royal archives in Babylon.
Significance:
The significance of this verse lies in why Darius ordered the search. It's a direct response to questions about the legitimacy of the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem. Here's the context:
Previous Decree by Cyrus: Years before Darius, King Cyrus of Persia had issued a decree allowing the Jews to return to Jerusalem and rebuild their temple.
Opposition to Rebuilding: However, local officials in the region opposed the rebuilding efforts and sent a letter to Darius questioning the validity of Cyrus's original decree. They wanted to halt the construction.
Darius's Action: Instead of simply believing the accusations, Darius, known for his sense of justice and order, sought to verify the existence of Cyrus's decree. This is why he ordered the search of the archives.
The verse is crucial because it sets the stage for the discovery of Cyrus's original decree in the next verses. The discovery validates the Jews' right to rebuild the temple, reinforces the authority of the Persian monarchy, and becomes a foundation for the renewed construction of the Temple.
This verse, Ezra 6:1, is a pivotal moment in the story of the rebuilding of the Jewish temple in Jerusalem. It describes King Darius of Persia ordering a search of the royal archives in Babylon. Here's a breakdown of what it means and its significance:
"Then Darius the king made a decree...": This indicates that King Darius, the Persian ruler, formally ordered something. This decree is the trigger for the subsequent events.
"...and the house of the archives, where the treasures were laid up in Babylon, was searched.": This specifies the location and purpose of the search.
"The house of the archives": This refers to the royal record office. Important official documents, decrees, letters, and treaties were stored there.
"where the treasures were laid up in Babylon": This clarifies that the archives were located in Babylon, which was a major city and administrative center of the Persian Empire. The use of "treasures" implies that the documents themselves were considered valuable because of their legal and historical significance.
"...was searched": This means that officials were sent to systematically look through the records in the archive.
In essence, this verse tells us that King Darius ordered a search of the royal archives in Babylon.
Significance:
The significance of this verse lies in why Darius ordered the search. It's a direct response to questions about the legitimacy of the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem. Here's the context:
Previous Decree by Cyrus: Years before Darius, King Cyrus of Persia had issued a decree allowing the Jews to return to Jerusalem and rebuild their temple.
Opposition to Rebuilding: However, local officials in the region opposed the rebuilding efforts and sent a letter to Darius questioning the validity of Cyrus's original decree. They wanted to halt the construction.
Darius's Action: Instead of simply believing the accusations, Darius, known for his sense of justice and order, sought to verify the existence of Cyrus's decree. This is why he ordered the search of the archives.
The verse is crucial because it sets the stage for the discovery of Cyrus's original decree in the next verses. The discovery validates the Jews' right to rebuild the temple, reinforces the authority of the Persian monarchy, and becomes a foundation for the renewed construction of the Temple.