Emperor Darius I, 'the Great', living at the time of Exile and Return
Darius, king of Persia, issued a decree allowing the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem.
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Darius, mentioned in the books of Ezra, Haggai, and Zechariah, was a king of Persia who played a significant role in the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem after the Babylonian exile. He is often referred to as Darius I, also known as Darius the Great, who ruled the Persian Empire from 522 to 486 BC.
During the early years of Darius' reign, the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem had been halted due to opposition from the neighboring peoples (Ezr.4.5). However, in the second year of Darius' reign, the prophets Haggai and Zechariah began to prophesy to the Jews, encouraging them to resume the Temple construction (Hag.1.1, 15; Zec.1.1, 7).
When the Persian officials questioned the Jews' authority to rebuild the Temple, they appealed to the decree issued by Cyrus years earlier (Ezr.5.5-7). Darius then ordered a search of the archives, and Cyrus' decree was found (Ezr.6.1). Darius issued a new decree, confirming Cyrus' original order and providing support for the Temple's reconstruction (Ezr.6.12-14).
With Darius' backing, the Jews completed the Temple reconstruction in the sixth year of his reign (Ezr.6.15). This event was a significant milestone in the restoration of Jewish worship in Jerusalem after the Babylonian exile.
The mention of Darius in these biblical books demonstrates the Persian Empire's role in the history of Israel and the fulfillment of God's plan for His people.
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16 verses in 3 books · English text: BSB (change it from the menu at the top) · Strong’s H1867
They hired counselors against them to frustrate their plans throughout the reign of Cyrus king of Persia and down to the reign of Darius king of Persia.
Thus the construction of the house of God in Jerusalem ceased, and it remained at a standstill until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.
But the eye of their God was on the elders of the Jews, so that they were not stopped until a report was sent to Darius and written instructions about this matter were returned.
This is the text of the letter that Tattenai the governor of the region west of the Euphrates, Shethar-bozenai, and their associates, the officials in the region, sent to King Darius.
The report they sent him read as follows: To King Darius: All peace.
Thus King Darius ordered a search of the archives stored in the treasury of Babylon.
May God, who has caused His Name to dwell there, overthrow any king or people who lifts a hand to alter this decree or to destroy this house of God in Jerusalem. I, Darius, have issued the decree. Let it be carried out with diligence.
In response, Tattenai the governor of the region west of the Euphrates, Shethar-bozenai, and their associates diligently carried out what King Darius had decreed.
So the Jewish elders built and prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah son of Iddo. They finished building according to the command of the God of Israel and the decrees of Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes, kings of Persia.
And this temple was completed on the third day of the month of Adar, in the sixth year of the reign of King Darius.
In the second year of the reign of Darius, on the first day of the sixth month, the word of the LORD came through Haggai the prophet to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, stating
on the twenty-fourth day of the sixth month, in the second year of King Darius.
On the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius, the word of the LORD came to Haggai the prophet, saying,
In the eighth month of the second year of Darius, the word of the LORD came to the prophet Zechariah son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo, saying:
On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month, the month of Shebat, in the second year of Darius, the word of the LORD came to the prophet Zechariah son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo.
In the fourth year of King Darius, the word of the LORD came to Zechariah on the fourth day of the ninth month, the month of Chislev.
Names, family links and references: STEPBible TIPNR (Tyndale House Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). Short descriptions were drafted with AI assistance by STEPBible. Family links follow STEPBible’s scholarly decisions where genealogies are ambiguous.