Persia in the Bible

Meaning: that cuts or divides; a nail; a gryphon; a horsemanpar

Exact Match

And them that had escaped from the sword carried he away to Babylon; where they were servants to him and his sons until the reign of the kingdom of Persia:

Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD spoken by the mouth of Jeremiah might be accomplished, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying,

Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, All the kingdoms of the earth hath the LORD God of heaven given me; and he hath charged me to build him an house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Who is there among you of all his people? The LORD his God be with him, and let him go up.

Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying,

Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, The LORD God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and he hath charged me to build him an house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah.

Even those did Cyrus king of Persia bring forth by the hand of Mithredath the treasurer, and numbered them unto Sheshbazzar, the prince of Judah.

They gave money also unto the masons, and to the carpenters; and meat, and drink, and oil, unto them of Zidon, and to them of Tyre, to bring cedar trees from Lebanon to the sea of Joppa, according to the grant that they had of Cyrus king of Persia.

But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the chief of the fathers of Israel, said unto them, Ye have nothing to do with us to build an house unto our God; but we ourselves together will build unto the LORD God of Israel, as king Cyrus the king of Persia hath commanded us.

And hired counsellers against them, to frustrate their purpose, all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia.

And in the days of Artaxerxes wrote Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of their companions, unto Artaxerxes king of Persia; and the writing of the letter was written in the Syrian tongue, and interpreted in the Syrian tongue.

From Rehum the chief deputy, Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their colleagues—the judges and magistrates from Tripolis, Persia, Erech, Babylon, Susa (that is, the people of Elam),

Then ceased the work of the house of God which is at Jerusalem. So it ceased unto the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.

And the elders of the Jews builded, and they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they builded, and finished it, according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the commandment of Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia.

Now after these things, in the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra the son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah,

For we were bondmen; yet our God hath not forsaken us in our bondage, but hath extended mercy unto us in the sight of the kings of Persia, to give us a reviving, to set up the house of our God, and to repair the desolations thereof, and to give us a wall in Judah and in Jerusalem.

In the third year of his reign, he made a feast unto all his princes and his servants; the power of Persia and Media, the nobles and princes of the provinces, being before him:

And the next unto him was Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media, which saw the king's face, and which sat the first in the kingdom;)

Likewise shall the ladies of Persia and Media say this day unto all the king's princes, which have heard of the deed of the queen. Thus shall there arise too much contempt and wrath.

If to the king it be good, there goeth forth a royal word from before him, and it is written with the laws of Persia and Media, and doth not pass away, that Vashti doth not come in before the king Ahasuerus, and her royalty doth the king give to her companion who is better than she;

And all the acts of his power and of his might, and the declaration of the greatness of Mordecai, whereunto the king advanced him, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Media and Persia?


Then it will happen on that day that the Lord
Will again acquire with His hand a second time
The remnant of His people, who will remain,
From Assyria, from [Lower] Egypt, from Pathros, from Cush (Ethiopia), from Elam [in Persia], from Shinar [Babylonia], from Hamath [in Aram],
And from the coastlands bordering the [Mediterranean] Sea.

And Persia carried the quiver with chariots of men and horsemen, and Kir uncovered the shield.


“Assemble, all of you, and listen!
Who among them [the idols and Chaldean astrologers] has declared these things?
The Lord loves him (Cyrus of Persia); he will do His pleasure and purpose against Babylon,
And his arm will be against the Chaldeans [who reign in Babylon].

all the kings of Zimri, all the kings of Elam (Persia), and all the kings of Media;


“You [Cyrus of Persia, soon to conquer Babylon] are My battle-axe and weapon of war—
For with you I shatter nations,
With you I destroy kingdoms.

They of Persia and of Lud and of Phut were in thine army, thy men of war: they hanged the shield and helmet in thee; they set forth thy comeliness.

There, is Persia with all her multitude, round about her grave, - All of them, thrust through The fallen by the sword Who have descended, uncircumcised into the earth below Who made themselves a terror in the land of the living, And so they have borne their confusion with them who descend into the pit:

After you will arise another kingdom (Medo-Persia) inferior to you, and then a third kingdom of bronze (Greece under Alexander the Great), which will rule over all the earth.

Pharsin; Thy kingdom was divided, and it shall be given to the Medes and to Persia.

Now, O king, thou dost establish the interdict, and sign the writing, that it is not to be changed, as a law of Media and Persia, that doth not pass away.'

then they have come near, yea, they are saying before the king concerning the king's interdict: 'Hast thou not signed an interdict, that any man who seeketh from any god and man until thirty days, save of thee, O king, is cast into a den of lions?' Answered hath the king, and said, 'The thing is certain as a law of Media and Persia, that doth not pass away.'

Then these men have assembled near the king, and are saying to the king, 'know, O king, that the law of Media and Persia is: That any interdict and statute that the king doth establish is not to be changed.'

I looked in the vision and it seemed that I was at the citadel of Susa, [the capital of Persia], which is in the province of Elam; and I looked in the vision and I saw myself by the Ulai Canal.

Then I raised my eyes and looked, and behold, there in front of the canal stood a [lone] ram (the Medo-Persian Empire) which had two horns. The two horns were high, but one (Persia) was higher than the other (Media), and the higher one came up last.

I saw the ram (Medo-Persia) charging westward and northward and southward; no beast could stand before him, nor was there anyone who could rescue [anything] from his power, but he did as he pleased and magnified himself.

[In my vision] I saw him come close to the ram (Medo-Persia), and he was filled with rage toward him; and the goat (Greece) struck the ram and shattered his two horns, and the ram had no strength to stand before him. So the goat threw him to the ground and trampled on him, and there was no one who could rescue the ram from his power.

In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia a thing was revealed unto Daniel, whose name was called Belteshazzar; and the thing was true, but the time appointed was long: and he understood the thing, and had understanding of the vision.

Then said he, Knowest thou wherefore I come unto thee? and now will I return to fight with the prince of Persia: and when I am gone forth, lo, the prince of Grecia shall come.

But I am going back to make war with the angel of Persia, and when I am gone, the angel of Greece will come. And there is no one on my side against these, but Michael, your angel.

And now will I shew thee the truth. Behold, there shall stand up yet three kings in Persia; and the fourth shall be far richer than they all: and by his strength through his riches he shall stir up all against the realm of Grecia.

In the second year of Darius the king [of Persia], on the first day of the sixth month (Aug 29, 520 b.c.), the word of the Lord came by Haggai the prophet to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, saying,

On the twenty-first day of the seventh month (Oct 17, 520 b.c., the second year of Darius king of Persia), the word of the Lord came by the prophet Haggai, saying,

Now Jesus was born in Bethlehem [a small town] in Judea during the time when Herod [the Great] was king [of Judea]. About that time some astrologer/sages from the east [i.e., Persia] came to Jerusalem, saying,

Thematic Bible



A certain Jew, there was, in Shusan the palace, - whose, name, was Mordecai, son of Jair, son of Shimei, son of Kish, a man of Benjamin; who had been exiled from Jerusalem, with the exiles who were carried away with Jeconiah king of Judah, - whom, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, exiled.


P'res, - snatched away is thy kingdom, and given to the Medes and Persians.

The oracle on the desert of the sea: As storm-winds in the South which with a rush from the desert, do come from a terrible land, So hath, a grievous vision, been told me: - the deceiver, is deceiving. And the spoiler, is spoiling, Go up, O Elam Besiege O Media, All the sighing she hath caused, have I made to cease. For this cause, are my loins filled with anguish, Pangs, have seized me, as the pangs of her that is giving birth, - I writhe so that I cannot hear, I tremble, so that I cannot see: read more.
My heart fluttereth, A horror, terrifieth me, - My twilight of pleasure, hath he turned for me into a time of trembling. Ye thought to prepare the table - spread the mat - eat - drink! -- Arise ye chieftains anoint the shield! For, thus, hath My Lord said unto me, - Go, set the watchman, What he seeth, let him tell! When he seeth A train of horsemen in double rank, A train of asses, A train of camels, Then shall he hearken attentively with diligent heed. Then cried he. A lion! On the watch, O My Lord, had I been standing continually, by day, And at my post, had I been stationed whole nights; - When lo! here was a train of men coming. With horsemen in double rank, - And one began and said, Fallen! fallen! is Babylon, And all the images of her gods, are smashed to the ground! O thou My threshing! And the grain of my corn-floor! That which I have heard from Yahweh of hosts, the God of Israel, Have I declared, unto you.

I, therefore, in the first year of Darius the Mede, was at my station to strengthen and embolden him; and, now, the truth, I will tell thee: - Lo! there are, yet three kings, to arise - belonging to Persia, and, the fourth, will amass greater riches than they all, and, when he hath strengthened himself in his riches, the whole, will stir up, the kingdom of Greece. And so a hero king, will arise, - and wield great authority, and do according to his own pleasure; read more.
but, when he hath arisen, his kingdom, shall be broken in pieces, and be divided, toward the four winds of the heavens, - but not to his own posterity, nor according to his own authority which he wielded, for his kingdom, shall be uprooted, even for others besides these.

As for thee, O king, thou wast looking, when lo! a great image, this image, being mighty, and the brightness thereof surpassing, was standing before thee, - and, the appearance thereof, was terrible. As for this image, its head, was of fine gold, its breast and its arms, were of silver, - its belly and its thighs, of bronze; its legs, of iron, - and, its feet, part of them, of iron, and, part of them, of clay. read more.
Thou didst look, until that a stone tare itself away, not by the aid of hands, and smote the image upon its feet, which were of iron and clay, - and they were broken in pieces. Then were broken in pieces at once, the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold, and became like chaff out of the summer threshing-floors, and the wind, carried them away, and, no place, was found for them, - but, the stone that smote the image, became a mighty rock, and filled all the land. This, is the dream, and, the interpretation thereof, we will tell before the king. Thou, O king, art the king of kings, - for, the God of the heavens, hath given unto thee, the kingship, the might, the power and the dignity; and, wheresoever the sons of men do dwell, the wild beasts of the field and the birds of the heavens, hath he given into thy hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all. Thou, art the head of gold. And, after thee, shall arise another kingdom, inferior to thee, - and another - a third kingdom, of bronze, which shall bear rule throughout all the earth. And, the fourth kingdom, shall be hard as iron, - in like manner as iron breaketh in pieces and crusheth all things, - even as iron which bringeth to ruins all these, shall it break in pieces and bring to ruins. And, whereas thou sawest the feet and the toes, part of them of potter's clay, and part of them of iron, the kingdom, shall be, divided, and, of the hardness of the iron, shall there be in it, - forasmuch as thou sawest, the iron, combined with the miry clay; and, the toes of the feet, part of them, iron, and, part, of clay, - some part of the kingdom, shall be strong, but, a part thereof, shall be brittle; and, whereas thou sawest, the iron, combined with the miry clay, they shall be combined with the seed of men, but shall not cleave firmly one to another, - lo! as iron is not to be combined with clay. And, in the days of those kings, shall the God of the heavens, set up, a kingdom which, to the ages, shall not be destroyed, and, the kingdom, to another people, shall not be left, - it shall break in pieces and make an end of all these kingdoms, but, itself, shall stand to the ages. Forasmuch as thou sawest that, out of the rock, a stone tare itself away, but not with hands, and brake in pieces the clay, the iron, the bronze, the silver and the gold, the mighty God, hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter. Exact then is the dream, and trusty its interpretation.

Persia Ethiopia and Libya with them, All of them, with shield and helmet;

Behold me! stirring up against them the Medes, - Who of silver, shall take no account, And as for gold, they shall not delight in it;

So much of the word of Yahweh as came unto Jeremiah the prophet, Against Elam, - in the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah saying: - Thus, saith Yahweh of hosts, Behold me! breaking the bow of Elam, - The beginning of their might; Then will I bring in against Elam four winds from the four quarters of the heavens, And will scatter them to all these winds, - And there shall be no nation whither the outcasts of Elam, shall not come; read more.
And I will cause Elam to be dismayed Before their enemies Even before them who are seeking their life, So will I bring upon them calamity, Even the glow of mine anger Declareth Yahweh, - And will send after them the sword, until I have made an end of them; And I will set my throne in Elam, - And will destroy, from thence king and princes, Declareth Yahweh; But it shall come to pass In the afterpart of the days, That I will bring back the captivity of Elam, Declareth Yahweh.

Polish the arrows, Lay hold of the shields, - Yahweh hath roused the spirit of the kings of the Medes, For against Babylon, his purpose is, to destroy her, - For it is, The avenging of Yahweh, The avenging of his temple. Against the walls of Babylon, Lift ye up a standard, Strengthen ye the watch, Station the watchmen, Make ready the ambuscades, - For Yahweh hath both planned and also performed that which he had spoken against the inhabitants of Babylon. O thou who dwellest upon many waters, Who aboundest in treasures, - Come hath thine end! The measure of thine unrighteous gain! read more.
Yahweh of hosts hath sworn, by his own soul: Surely I have filled thee with men as with locusts, And they have answered against thee with a shout. He that Made the earth in his might, Established the world in his wisdom, - And in his understanding, stretched out the heavens By the voice that he uttered, there was a tumult of waters in the heavens, And he caused vapours to ascend from the end of the earth, - Lightnings for the rain, made he, And brought forth wind out of his treasures. Every son of earth had become too brutish to know, - Every goldsmith, hath been put to shame, by a graven image, - For a falsehood, is his molten image Seeing there is no breath in them: Vanity, they are, A handiwork of mockeries, - In the time of their visitation, shall they perish. Not like these, is the portion of Jacob, For the fashioner of all things, is he! And the portion of his inheritance, - Yahweh of hosts, is his name. A war-club, art thou for me, Weapons of war; Therefore will I Beat down with thee - nations, and Destroy with thee - kingdoms; and Beat down with thee - the horse and his rider, - and Beat down with thee - the chariot and its rider; and Beat down with thee - man and woman, and Beat down with thee - elder and youth, and Beat down with thee - young man and virgin; and Beat down with thee - the shepherd and his flock, and Beat down with thee - the plowman and his yoke; - and Beat down with thee - governors and deputies: So will I recompense to Babylon, And to all the inhabitants of Chaldea, All their wickedness which they have committed against Zion before your eyes, - Declareth Yahweh. Behold me! against thee, O destroying mountain Declareth Yahweh, That destroyest all the earth, - Therefore will I stretch out my hand over thee, And roll thee down from the crags, And make of thee a burning mountain: So shall they not fetch from thee A stone for a corner nor A stone for a foundation, - For desolations age-abiding, shalt thou become Declareth Yahweh. Set ye up an ensign in the earth Blow ye a horn among the nations Hallow against her - nations, Summon against her the kingdoms of Ararat Minni, and Ashkenaz, - Set in charge against her a marshal, Bring up cavalry like hairy locusts: Hallow against her - nations, With the kings of Media, With her governors and all her deputies, - And with all the land of his dominion: Then did the land tremble and was in pain, - For the plans of Yahweh, had been established against Babylon, To make the land of Babylon an astonishment, without inhabitant. The heroes of Babylon have ceased to fight They have remained in the strongholds, Parched is their might, They have become women, - They have set fire to her habitations, Broken are her bars! Runner to meet runner, shall they run, And teller to meet teller,-To tell the king of Babylon, That captured is his city at the end! and The fords, have been seized, and The reeds, have they burned with fire; and The men of war, are dismayed! For, thus, saith Yahweh of hosts, God of Israel, The daughter of Babylon, is like a threshing, floor at the time of treading her: Yet a little, and the time of harvest shall overtake her. Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon - Hath devoured me Hath vexed me, Hath set me down as an empty vessel, He hath swallowed me like a sea-monster, He hath filled his belly with my dainties, - He hath driven me away! The violence done to me and to my flesh, be upon Babylon! Shall the inhabitress of Zion say, - Yea, my blood, be upon the inhabitant of Chaldea! Shall Jerusalem say. Therefore, Thus, sith Yahweh, Behold me! pleading thy cause, So then I will execute the avenging of thee; And will dry up her sea, And make dry her spring: Thus shall Babylon become - Heaps A habitation of jackals An astonishment, and A hissing, Without inhabitant. Together, like wild lions, shall they roar, - They have growled like lions' whelps. When they are heated, I will spread their banquets, And let them drink that they may become uproarious, So shall they sleep an age-abiding sleep and not wake, - Declareth Yahweh. I will bring them down As fat lambs to slaughter, - As rams with he-goats. How hath Sheshach, been captured! How hath the praise of all the earth linen seized! How hath Babylon become an astonishment among the nations! The sea, hath gone up over Babylon, - With the multitude of its rolling waves, is she covered. Her cities have become, an astonishment, A land parched up, and a waste plain, - A land wherein shall no man dwell, Nor pass through them a son of the earth-born! So will I bring punishment upon Bel in Babylon, And will bring forth what he hath swallowed out of his mouth, And the nations shall stream unto him no more, - Even the wall of Babylon hath fallen! Come ye forth out of her midst O my people, And deliver ye every man his own life, - Because of the glow of the anger of Yahweh. And let not your heart be timid, nor be ye afraid, Because of the report that is reported in the earth When there shall come in one year, the report And after that in another year, the report, With violence in the earth, and ruler upon ruler. Therefore, lo! days coming when I will bring punishment upon the images of Babylon, And all her land, shall turn pale, - Yea, all her wounded, shall fall in her midst. Then shall shout over Babylon - heavens and earth and all who are therein, - For out of the North, shall come to her the spoilers Declareth Yahweh. Not only hath Babylon, caused the fall of the slain of Israel, - By Babylon, also have fallen the slain of all the earth. Ye that have escaped the sword, depart do not stand still, - Remember, from afar Yahweh, Let, Jerusalem, come up on your heart:- We have turned pale for we have heard a reproach, Confusion, hath covered our faces, - For aliens have entered upon the hallowed places of the house of Yahweh! Therefore, lo! days are coming, Declareth Yahweh, When I will bring punishment upon her images; And throughout all her land, stroll the pierced one groan. Though Babylon should mount the heavens, And though she should fortify her strong high-place, From me, should come spoilers unto her Declareth Yahweh. A voice of outcry from Babylon! And a great crash from the land of the Chaldeans! For, Yahweh, is spoiling Babylon, And will destroy out of her the loud voice, - Though their waves have roared like many waters, Been uttered the loud boast of their voice. For there hath come upon her - upon Babylon - a spoiler, And captured are their heroes And broken are their bows, - For, a GOD of recompenses, is Yahweh, He will surely repay. Then will I make drunk - Her princes and her wise men, Her governors, and her deputies and her heroes, And they shall sleep an age-abiding sleep, and not wake, - Declareth the King, Yahweh of hosts, is his name. Thus, saith Yahweh of hosts - The broad walls of Babylon, shall be laid utterly bare, And, her lofty gates, with fire, shall be burned, - And peoples shall labour for emptiness, And populations, for the fire, shall weary themselves. The word which Jeremiah the prophet commanded Seraiah son of Neriah son of Mahseiah, when he went with Zedekiah king of Judah into Babylon, in the fourth year of his reign, - now Seraiah, was travelling-marshal. So Jeremiah wrote all the calamity which was to come unto Babylon in one scroll; even all these words which have been written against Babylon. Then said Jeremiah unto Seraiah, - When thou comest into Babylon, then shalt thou look out and read all these words; and thou shalt say - O Yahweh! thou, thyself, hast spoken against this place to cut it off, That there be in it no inhabitant Neither man nor beast, - But desolations age-abiding, shall it become! And it shall be when thou hast made an end of reading this scroll, that thou shalt bind thereunto a stone, and cast it in the midst of the Euphrates, Then shalt thou say, - In like manner, shall Babylon sink and not rise Because of the calamity which I am about to bring thereupon: So shall they perish. Thus far, are, the words of Jeremiah.

There, is Persia with all her multitude, round about her grave, - All of them, thrust through The fallen by the sword Who have descended, uncircumcised into the earth below Who made themselves a terror in the land of the living, And so they have borne their confusion with them who descend into the pit: In the midst of them who were thrust through, have they have placed a couch for her with all her multitude, Round about it, are her graves,-All of them, uncircumcised. Thrust through with the sword. For that their terror was caused in the land of the living. And so they have borne their confusion, with them who descend into the pit, In the midst of them who were thrust through, hath it been pleased.


And they gave silver, unto the masons and carpenters, - and food and drink and oil, unto them of Zidon and unto them of Tyre, to bring in cedar-trees out of the Lebanon, unto the sea of Joppa, according to the grant of Cyrus king of Persia unto them.

Who saith of Cyrus - My Shepherd! and All my pleasure, shall he make good Even saying of Jerusalem - She shall be built! And of the temple - Be her foundation laid!

Calling, From the East, a Bird of Prey, From a far country, the Man I intended, - Yea I have spoken I will also bring it to pass, I have planned, I will also do it.

Thus, saith Yahweh, to his Anointed, to Cyrus - Whose right hand I have firmly grasped To subdue before him, nations, And the loins of kings, will I ungird, - To open, before him, the two-leaved doors, And, the gates, shall not be shut: I, before thee, will go, And the hills, will I level - The doors of bronze, will I break in pieces, e And the bars of iron, will I cut asunder; Then will I give thee The treasures of darkness, Even the hoards of hidden places, - That thou mayest get to know That I - Yahweh, who am calling thee by thy name, am the God of Israel. read more.
For the sake of my servant Jacob, Even Israel my chosen Therefore have I called unto thee by thy name, I give thee a title though thou hast not known me, -

But, in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, to accomplish the word of God by the mouth of Jeremiah, Yahweh aroused the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made proclamation throughout all his kingdom, moreover also in writing, saying: Thus, saith Cyrus king of Persia, All the kingdoms of the earth, hath Yahweh God of the heavens, given unto me, and, he himself, hath laid charge upon me, to build to him a house, in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Who is there among you of all his people with whom is Yahweh his God? Then let him go up.

In the first year of Cyrus the king, Cyrus the king, issued an edict, as to the house of God in Jerusalem, Let the house be built, the place where they used to offer sacrifices, and let the foundations thereof be reared, - the height thereof, sixty cubits, the breadth thereof, sixty cubits;

I, have roused him up in righteousness, And all his roads, will I level, - He, shall build my city, And my captives, shall he let go, Not for price, nor for bribe, Saith Yahweh of hosts.

Assemble yourselves - all of you and hear, Who among them, hath told these things? he whom Yahweh loveth, will execute - His pleasure, on Babylon, And his stroke on the Chaldeans. I - I, have spoken, Yea I have called him, - I have brought him in, and he shall make prosperous his way.

But Zerubbabel and Joshua and the rest of the ancestral chiefs of Israel, said unto them, It pertaineth not to you and to us in common , to build a house unto our God, - but, we ourselves together, will build unto Yahweh, God of Israel, even as King Cyrus, king of Persia, hath commanded us.

Howbeit, in the first year of Cyrus king of Babylon, Cyrus the king, issued an edict, this house of God, to build. Moreover also, the utensils of the house of God, of gold and silver, which, Nebuchadnezzar, had brought forth out of the temple which was in Jerusalem, and had brought into the temple of Babylon, Cyrus the king, brought them forth, out of the temple of Babylon, - and they were delivered to one Sheshbazzar by name, whom he made, pasha;

Now, therefore, if, unto the king, it seem good, let search be made in the treasure-house of the king which is there, in Babylon, whether it be so, that, from Cyrus the king, issued an edict, to build this house of God, in Jerusalem, - and, the pleasure of the king concerning this, let him send unto us.

Who roused up one from the East, In righteousness, called him to his feet, - Set before him nations And over kings, caused him to rule, His sword, made them like dust, His bow like driven chaff: He pursued them passed along safely, - Upon the path of his own feet, entered he not?


Ye, therefore, write concerning the Jews as may seem good in your own eyes, in the name of the king, and seal it with the kings signet-ring, - for a writing which hath been written in the king's name, and sealed with the king's signet-ring, none can reverse.

Now, O king! wilt thou establish the interdict, and sign the writing, that it may not be changed - according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which may not be abolished, Wherefore, King Darius, signed the writing and the interdict. But, Daniel, when he knew that the writing, was signed, went to his own house, and, the windows being opened to him, in his chamber, toward Jerusalem, three times a day, was he kneeling upon his knees, and praying and giving thanks before his God, in like manner as he had been doing aforetime. read more.
Then, these men, crowded together, and found Daniel, - praying and making supplication, before his God. Then drew they near, and began to speak before the king, concerning the royal interdict, Didst thou not sign, an interdict, that, any man who should petition of any God or man, for thirty days, save of thee, O king, should be cast into the den of lions? The king answered and said, Certain is the thing - according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which may not be abolished.


Moreover, from the day I was commanded to become their pasha in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year, even unto the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes the king, twelve years, I and my brethren, pasha's bread, have not eaten;


On the seventh day, when merry was the heart of the king with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, and Abagtha, Zethar and Carcas, the seven eunuchs who were waiting before King Ahasuerus, - to bring in Vashti the queen, with the royal crown, - to show the peoples and the rulers her beauty, for, of pleasing appearance, was she. But Queen Vashti refused to come in at the command of the king, which was given through the eunuchs, - and the king was exceeding wroth, and, his anger, burned within him. read more.
Then said the king unto the wise men having knowledge of the times, - for, so, was the manner of the king before all having knowledge of law and judgment; and, near unto him, were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, Memucan, - the seven rulers of Persia and Media, who used to behold the face of the king, who sat first, in the kingdom - According to law, what ought to be done, with Queen Vashti, - for that she hath not performed the command of King Ahasuerus, through the eunuchs? Then said Memucan before the king and the rulers, Not against the king alone, hath Vashti the queen acted perversely, - but against all the rulers, and against all the peoples, who are in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus. For the report of the queen, will go forth, unto all women, so putting contempt upon their lords, in their eyes, - when it is reported to them, King Ahasuerus, commanded Vashti the queen to be brought in before him, but she came not. And, this day, shall the ladies of Persia and Media, who have heard the report of the queen, tell it, unto all the lords of the king, - with enough of contempt and wrath. If, unto the king, it seem good, let there go forth a royal declaration from before him, and let it be written among the laws of Persia and Media, so that it shall not pass away, - That Vashti, is not to come in, before King Ahasuerus, and, her royal estate, let the king give unto her neighbour, who is better than she. When the edict of the king which he shall make, is published throughout all his kingdom, for, great, it is, then, all wives, will give honour unto their lords, both great and small. And the thing seemed good in the eyes of the king, and the rulers, - and the king did according to the word of Memucan. So he sent letters, into all the provinces of the king, into every province according to she writing thereof, and unto every people according to their tongue, - That every man should he ruler in his own house, and issue his commands, according to the tongue of his people.

and, the maiden that is pleasing in the eyes of the king, let her be queen instead of Vashti. And the thing seemed good in the eyes of the king, and he did so.


and, at their hand, repaired, Rephaiah son of Hur, ruler of a half-circuit of Jerusalem;

and, at his hand, repaired, Shallum son of Hallohesh, ruler of a half-circuit of Jerusalem, - he and his daughters.

after him, repaired, Nehemiah son of Azbuk, ruler of the half-circuit of Beth-zur, - as far as over against the sepulchres of David, even unto the pool which had been made, and unto the house of heroes; after him, repaired, the Levites, Rehum son of Bani, - at his hand, repaired, Hashabiah, ruler of the half-circuit of Keilah, for his circuit; after him, repaired, their brethren, Bavvai son of Henadad, - ruler of the other half-circuit of Keilah;


In the first year of Darius son of Ahasuerus, of the seed of the Medes, - who was made king over the kingdom of the Chaldeans:

And, Darius the Mede, received the kingdom, - when about sixty-two years of age.


And, in the days of Artaxerxes, wrote Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of his associates, unto Artaxerxes, king of Persia, - and, the writing of the letter, was written in Aramean, and was to be interpreted as Aramean. Rehum holder of judicial authority, and Shimshai the scribe, wrote a certain letter against Jerusalem, - to Artaxerxes the king, thus: Then Rehum holder of judicial authority, and Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their associates, - the Dinaites and the Apharsathchites, the Tarpelites, the Apharsites, the Archevites, the Babylonians, the Shushanchites, the Dehaites, the Elamites; read more.
and the rest of the peoples, whom the great and noble Osnappar hath exiled, and set in the city of Samaria, - and the rest Beyond the River, and so forth: This, is a copy of the letter which they sent unto him - unto Artaxerxes the king, - Thy servants, the men Beyond the River and so forth: Be it known unto the king, - that, the Jews who came up from thee unto us, are come to Jerusalem, - the rebellious and wicked city, are they building, and, the walls, have they finished, and, the foundations, will they repair. Now be it known to the king, that, if this city, be built, and, the walls thereof, be finished, neither, tribute, excise, nor toll, will they render, and so, the revenue of the kings, shalt thou damage. Now, because the salt of the palace we have eaten, the impoverishment of the king, it is not meet for us to see, - therefore have we sent, and certified the king; so that search may be made in the book of the records of thy fathers, so shalt thou find out in the book of records - and shalt ascertain, that, this city, is a rebellious city, and one that causeth damage unto kings and provinces, and that, rebellion, have they been wont to cause in the midst thereof since the days of age-past time, - for this cause, was this city laid waste. We do certify the king that, if, this city, be built, and, the walls thereof, finished, for that very reason, portion Beyond the River, shalt thou have none. The king sent, a message, unto Rehum holder of judicial authority, and Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their associates, who were dwelling in Samaria, and the rest Beyond the River, Peace and so forth. The letter which ye sent unto us, was distinctly read before me; And, from me, went forth an edict, and they have made search and found, that, this city, since the days of age-past time, against kings, hath lifted herself up, - and, sedition and rebellion, have been made therein; and, mighty kings, have there been over Jerusalem, and bearing rule everywhere Beyond the River, - and, tribute, excise, and toll, have been given to them. Now, issue ye an edict, to forbid these men, - that, this city, be not built, until, from me, the edict be issued. Beware, then, of failure to do thus, - wherefore should the damage increase, to inflict loss on the kings? Then, when, the copy of the letter of Artaxerxes the king, had been read before Rehum, and Shimshai the scribe, and their associates, they journeyed in haste to Jerusalem, unto the Jews, and forbade them, with arm and force. Then ceased the work of the house of God, which was in Jerusalem, - yea it did cease, until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.


They of Persia and Lud and Phut were in thine army, Thy men of war, - Shield and helmet, hung they up within thee, They set forth thy splendour:


and he exiled the remnant left from the sword, into Babylon, - where they became his and his sons, as servants, until the reign of the kingdom of Persia:


It was pleasing before Darius, that he should set up over the kingdom, a hundred and twenty satraps, - that they should be over all the kingdom; and, over these, three confidential ministers, of whom, Daniel, was first, - that, to them, these satraps should render an account, and, the king, not be suffering loss. Then, this Daniel, signalised himself, above the ministers and the satraps, because, a distinguished spirit, was in him, and, the king, thought to set him up over all the kingdom, read more.
Then, the ministers and the satraps, began seeking to find, occasion, against Daniel, in respect of the kingdom, - but, no occasion nor wickedness, could they find, inasmuch as, faithful, was he, and, neither error nor wickedness, could be found against him. Then, these men, were saying, We shall not find against this Daniel, any occasion; unless we find it against him in respect of the law of his God. Then, these ministers and satraps, crowded together unto the king, - and, thus, were saying to him, O Darius the king! for ages, live! All the ministers of the kingdom, the nobles and satraps, the near friends and the pashas, have consulted together, to establish a royal statute, and to confirm an interdict, - That, whosoever shall ask a petition of any God or man, for thirty days, save of thee, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions.


Samaria, shall be held guilty, for she hath rebelled against her God, By the sword, shall they fall, their infants, shall be dashed to the ground, and, his women with child, shall be ripped up.


And, thou, Ezra, according to the wisdom of thy God that is in thy hand, appoint thou judges and magistrates, who shall administer justice to all the people that are Beyond the River, to all who know the law of thy God, - and, whoso knoweth not, ye shall teach.


and, near unto him, were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, Memucan, - the seven rulers of Persia and Media, who used to behold the face of the king, who sat first, in the kingdom -


in the third year of his reign, he made a banquet unto all his rulers, and his servants, - the power of Persia and Media, the nobles and the rulers being before him;


And the king said unto me, the queen, also sitting beside him, For how long would be thy journey? and when wouldst thou return? So it seemed good before the king to send me, and I set him a time.


References

Hastings

Morish

Easton

American

Fausets

Smith

Watsons